Meta Shuts Down "Facebook Watch" Original Programming

Social media giant Meta made the decision this week to officially sunset Facebook Watch, officially giving the axe to its roster of original programming. Variety reports that with this move, Mina Lefevre, head of development and programming for the group, will leave Meta. She joined the company back in 2017 after a stint as MTV’s head of scripted development. The latest news is a part of Meta’s broad moves to cut costs, which includes axing 10,000 jobs. Meta already laid off 11,000 employees late last year.

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Facebook Watch’s originals were originally a mix of scripted and unscripted programs before leaning entirely into unscripted shows.

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Now that Facebook Watch is the latest casualty of Meta’s budget cuts, we now take a look at some of the shows that piqued our interest during their short time on Facebook.

1. Red Table Talk

The most notable program on this list is the Emmy-winning Red Table Talk. For the past five seasons, we watched as three generations of women (Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris) tackled a lot of tough subjects. From drug addiction and suicide to mental health and domestic violence, no stone was left unturned.

At press time, it’s been told that the show is looking to land a new home elsewhere.

RELATED: Facebook Gives Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk the Boot

2. Steve On Watch

Steve on Watch served as a continuation of Steve Harvey’s talk show, which aired from 2012 to 2020.  The FB Watch version of the show still provided fans with a mix of great human interest topics, celebrity guests, and of course, Steve’s signature brand of comedy. 

3. Peace of Mind With Taraji

For two seasons, award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson and her friend Tracie Jade, executive director of the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, tackled mental health and how it affects the world. Specifically, the show shines a light on how mental health issues have affected the Black community. From celebrities to everyday people, Peace of Mind did its part to help bring this very important subject to the forefront. 

4. Cardi Tries

Of course, FB Watch didn’t proceed without its fair share of light, fun entertainment. For its more youth-oriented “Messenger Watch Together” program, Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B. spends each episode trying out different occupations, from firefighting to teaching to becoming a preacher. 

If it sounds like some hilarious entertainment… it is. Trust us. 

5. Big Chicken Shaq

Okay, at this point, we’re assuming that Shaquille O’Neal is working on completing side missions. 

The legendary baller’s short-lived series gave viewers an inside look at his attempt to open his first chicken restaurant in Las Vegas. With Shaq being such a beloved figure overall, this show definitely has just enough lightheartedness to go around. 

6. Facebook's "Versus" Series

Not to be confused with that other series, Facebook dove into the lives of some of the country’s elite athletes as they navigate through the various adversities in their respective fields. Featuring the likes of Tom Brady, Steph Curry, and Simone Biles, the series did a great job at showing the human side of these super competitors.