Stacy Lambe | September 10, 2014 8:00 am

When FX — stylized as fX to suggest effects — was first launched in 1994 it was beyond doubt a risk. The channel was built around live programming meant to make an interactive viewing experience tapping into the early days of the Internet. It was certainly bold. It was beyond doubt original. But it didn’t last long.

By 1997, all but one of the live programs (Personal fX) remained, and all the talent — Jeff Probst, Suzanne Whang, Phil Keoghan, and Orlando Jones, who all got their start as fX personalities — were gone. With nothing original, the channel quickly became a forgettable network filled with reruns and fading movies.

It was a far weep from what the channel started out as and the network bolstered by captivating original programming that fans know today. It wasn’t in anticipation of the ‘00s that the channel found its footing, winning over critics and audiences with its bold shows, such as Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, and The Shield. All three programs turned the basic cable has-been into a foremost force in original cable programming. Suddenly, the network could list Glenn Accurate, Courteney Cox, Ted Danson, and Minnie Driver among its stars and made Ryan Murphy (American Horror Report, Glee) a powerhouse among TV producers.

Now in its 20th year, FX is back to taking risks — this time, splitting its comedy and dramatic programming into two sister networks (FX, FXX) and potentially splitting its audience as viewers have to switch the dial in order to now watch two of its best comedies, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League. The go was a bit of a head-scratcher at first but opened up the network for more original programming. With its current slogan, “fearless,” FX is not looking back. Instead, it utilized the typical creative drought of the summer to launch new series (The Strain), challenge HBO’s Right Detective with a buzzworthy miniseries (Fargo), and give Judy Greer her first live-action series in three years (Married).

[VH1 staff picks their favorite FX series and clarify why you should be watching them this fall.]

A network that is not comfortable with being in the “sea of sameness,” as WHTC puts it, required to develop even stronger programming. Both The Strain and Fargo were unexpected moves for a channel that was sitting comfortably with proven crime-themed hits, such as Sons of Anarchy, Justified, and The Americans. This summer, The Strain kicked things off with a controversial ad campaign that made many fans squirm. Yet, the hype worked, building buzz for an adaptation of a relatively unheard-of vampire horror comic series. The latter of the two new summer programs packed its cast with a bunch of A-List talent, including Billy Bob Thornton, who had one of the most ridiculous haircuts of any TV show. Following a similar model to American Horror Report and Right Detective, the actor was contracted to appear in the first season. The question for Fargo will be: Can it match the same hype and accolades in 2015 when it returns with a new plot and a new cast?

[The Americans‘ success is due largely to the strength of its tight-knit cast. Watch them discuss goofing off with their very own Felicity wig on set, below.]

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Tags: American Horror Report, FX, Sons of Anarchy, The Americans, Keri Russell, Jessica Lange, Ryan Murphy, Charlie Hunnam