AMC continues to expand its reality footprint by picking up two new unscripted series — Untitled Taxidermy Series and Venice Beach Freakshow (working title). Both series have been picked up for 8 episodes to premiere in first quarter of 2013. They join Kevin Smith’s Comic Book Men and Talking Dead, which have been renewed for second seasons, and the network’s most recent unscripted series, Small Town Security, now on the air. Additionally, AMC announced that The Pitch, its unscripted series chronicling advertising agencies as they prepare campaigns to try and win a major new account, which recently finished its freshman run, is being picked up for a second cycle. While the focus has been on AMC’s strong scripted lineup, the cable network for the past couple of years quietly has been building a reality roster and actually has more unscripted than scripted series at its disposal right now.

The Taxidermy Series, from Go Go Luckey Entertainment (Laguna Beach), is a hosted competition featuring different contestants each week who create an ultimate piece of artwork showcasing the craft of taxidermy. Gary Auerbach, Julie Auerbach, Tina Gazzerro, and Henry Capanna executive produce. This marks the fourth taxidermy TV series to get a green light in the past year following such shows on Discovery, History and Animal Planet.

Venice Beach Freakshow is a family drama that centers on former music producer Todd Ray as he pursues his dream to own and operate his own ‘Freakshow’ on the famed boardwalk in Venice Beach, CA. The series is executive produced by Todd Ray from Living Wonders and Greg Johnston from Endemol USA.