‘The Big Valley’: Why the Popular Series Was Canceled
Westerns hold a nostalgic place in television history. Dominating the primetime airwaves, more than 100 original TV Western series aired between 1949 and 1969. Shows such as The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman had a faithful following, tuning in each week to witness the fast-paced, gun-slinging, horse-riding action. The Big Valley, starring prominent actors Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors, and Linda Evans, ran for four seasons in the mid-’60s. Despite its immense popularity, the TV series ended abruptly. Why was The Big Valley canceled?
‘The Big Valley’ was a big deal
In 1964, The Big Valley premiered on ABC, becoming one of the first Westerns to showcase a woman as the lead. The controversial move proved popular among viewers, and the series reignited the career of Stanwyck, an iconic big-screen actor. She portrayed the formidable matriarch of the wealthy Barkley family, tasked with running her late husband’s California ranch.
Like other TV characters in the classic Western genre, the Barkleys believed in justice and were upstanding citizens in their 19th-century fictional town, often fighting for underdogs’ rights. Despite being the wealthiest ranch owners in Stockton, they were role models and believed in equality and justice for all.
The series helped launch the career of Lee Majors, who went on to star in The Six Million Dollar Man, and Linda Evans, who became the face of the primetime soap Dynasty. Guest stars appearing throughout the four-season run included TV legends such as Milton Berle, Regis Philbin, Ellen Burstyn, Buddy Hackett, Robert Goulet, and Lou Rawls.
In 1969, after 112 one-hour episodes, the final gun was drawn, the horses returned to their stables, and the classic Western series ended.
Here’s why ‘The Big Valley’ was canceled
“When ABC announced its 1969-1970 schedule in early March of 1969, its entire Monday line-up had been canceled,” Television Obscurities reported.The Big Valley was one of the shows cut, replaced by more modern programming such as Love, American Style, to attract younger viewers. “In total, ABC added 12 new shows to its schedule, in place of 12 shows that it canceled.”
Competing with comedy variety shows such as NBC’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and CBS’s Here’s Lucy, ABC was pivoting toward more youthful programming. The Wild West adventures, once a staple of weekly primetime television, quickly became a memory.
Where did all the TV Westerns go?
Before TV became mainstream, audiences had to listen to Westerns on the radio or go to the local movie theater. Audiences were thrilled when Westerns began to appear on television, bringing their favorite actors into their homes every week.
“Early TV western series helped define America as a nation,” the New York Public Library explains. “Westerns sought to teach the good values of honesty and integrity, of hard work, of racial tolerance, of determination to succeed, and of justice for all.”
They also provided thrilling entertainment through nonstop action and some of the fastest gun draws in the West.
Bonanza and Gunsmoke were the longest-running TV Westerns and the last two shows of their kind, ending in the early ’70s. In the ensuing years, several production companies tried to revive the genre, putting a spin on the traditional Western by adding a satirical or science-fiction element.
The ’90s saw the birth of shows like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Lonesome Dove. And more recently, the critically acclaimed series Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, attempts to revive the traditional Western. The toxic relationship between main characters Beth and Jamie Dutton is reminiscent of the early days of the heated affair between Heath and Audra on The Big Valley.
