It seems to me this was the best written TV western of the 60s. The cast was also very compelling. I quickly tire of old episodes of Bonanza or Gunsmoke, but TBV was consistently good.
Why was in cancelled in 1969? I realize TV westerns were on their way out in the 1970s. Still, TBV must have had strong ratings.
From what I've read, and from what you said, westerns were being phased out as other genres of shows, dramas, crime dramas, and comedies, were taking over.
Michael Landon reported that back in 1959, there were over 30 westerns on TV. By the end of the 60s, they were becoming less prominent. The Big Valley actually didn't have very strong ratings. It was a show that gained more notoriety and popularity through syndication.
When I look back and study the history of television, I think it's amazing that the western genre dominated for as long as it did.
I've watched episodes of Bonanza and Gunsmoke, but for me, The Big Valley was the best. As you pointed out, I thought the writing and the characters were superior. However, I will also say that that is a biased opinion since I haven't watched a ton of episodes from either Gunsmoke or Bonanza. I grew up watching the Big Valley from about the late 70s on as a kid when it was already syndicated on Saturday afternoons and weekday mornings (whenever I was home from school due to illness or vacation or something).
I consider the half-hour episodes of Gunsmoke to be truly outstanding. It was very groundbreaking but during its middle years, the show was highly repetitive and lost its edge. During the last few years, it experienced another creative period and ended on a good note.
Bonanza seems a little trickier to gauge because after Pernell Roberts left, it changed. Then after Dan Blocker died, it changed again. In the last two seasons it seems like a warm-up for Little House, because Landon had a lot of creative input and NBC was listening to him more than anyone else.
I think The Big Valley accomplished just as much in its four-year 112-episode run as the other two shows did. Maybe it's because there wasn't time to become too repetitive or seasons where they had to keep recycling plots. But it also helps that Stanwyck is guiding it. I think she had a lot of say in the kinds of stories they did, and it seems no accident that they borrowed ideas from some of what she had done in her old films. It allowed her to play a variety of scenes-- hard western drama; horror and suspense; and screwball comedy.
The stories were written to take advantage of Stanwyck's skills across genres; and they were also written to take advantage of the different things the other cast members brought to the series. Plus it helped they had their own stock company-- so people were re-employed who could be counted on to give good performances-- performers like Kevin Hagen, Virginia Gregg, Richard Anderson, Bruce Dern and others. Then if you add in the fact that Virgil Vogel directed almost half the episodes, you see where they had a lot of continuity, year in and year out.
I wish it had gone to a fifth season. I would have liked to see Audra married off. The brothers seem like confirmed bachelors, but Audra was marriage material. Since Linda Evans was married to John Derek at the time and basically wanted off the program, it would have been neat if he could have come on for a two-parter in the beginning of the fifth season-- as a guy who sweeps her off her feet, marries her and then takes her off to their new life in Europe (or somewhere faraway, off canvas). After Audra's departure, I would have brought back the girl that Jarrod was looking after (played by Kathy Garver) and made her a regular character, living at the house taking Audra's place. Garver was still doing Family Affair, so if it were turned into a regular weekly role, she could have been recast. But this would have opened up new storylines and there would still have been the younger female element.
I also think it would have been interesting if some guy showed up with a face scarred by a fire-- claiming to be Tom Barkley, alive after all this time. That would have affected them all-- Victoria as well as the Barkley boys. There were more stories they could have done for a fifth season without being repetitive.
From the very beginning the show had very bad ratings. Tried moving to another night and did not work. Was actually cancelled after the third season then picked up at the very last moment. In syndication the show did better. Still doing very well on tv today
sharePeople like you obviously don't think chas.
It was probably canceled because it's ratings slipped.
Is that hard for you to figure out?
I didn't know what the TV ratings were 50 years ago. I assumed that because its so widespread in syndication, that it must have had at least decent ratings.
No need to get nasty...
You obviously lack common sense.
shareand you're obviously a petty person...
shareSir this is based on information found in the BV Wiki page and I am a fan of the show and it had ratings problems from the first season and then got popular in syndication and this is well known and if you can't handle the truth that is your problem and don't call names unless you have something to verify otherwise. I have researched the BV for 4 years and have a BV fb fan page. Knowledge is not your enemy
shareWell Wiki is not always accurate but at the same time I'm not doubting it either.
To me it's just common sense when a show gets canceled it's usually ratings and you say TBV had ratings problems from the beginning.
Well it might have not been the most highly rated series for its time and maybe not top rated but at least the ratings were good enough to remain on ABC's schedule for 4 seasons.
If not the network would of probably axed the show at the end of the 1st if not sooner.
Knowledge is not your enemy
I understand that as I only discovered the show on tv 4 years ago though I saw the original and because of the internet decided to do some research as I am an information junkie. Enjoy getting into conversations for the BV and that is why I come in here and also have a facebook page as bv fans are very knowledgeable and fun to talk to
shareToo bad Big Valley didn't have 5 seasons. But the writers really seem to be running out story ideas by season 4. I mean, how many more times could Victoria come up missing or get kidnapped? How many more times could Heath get shot? If there had been a 5th season, those two should never set foot out of the Barkley mansion!
shareAnd how do you know they ran out of ideas?
shareI simply wrote that the writers SEEM to be running out of ideas in season 4. I base that on the observation that by season 4, the characters were often having the same thing happen to them over and over again ( like Victoria getting kidnapped/disappearing, Heath getting shot etc.).
Perhaps if there had been a season 5, to introduce a new family dynamic, they could have brought back Eugene! LOL
Please don't bring back Eugene and leave Kathy Garver on Family Affair, possibly one of the worst shows ever aired. She was really pathetic in The Royal Road as was Sajid Khan. At the time I thought he was cute. Big Valley had been there done that and time for Richard to move on to Nanny and the Professor, Lee to do Six Million Dollar Man and Miss Barbara Stanwyck to get out of those tight pants.
shareIn the season 4 episode, "The Other face of Justice", Heath was once again shot and wounded and Victoria was taken hostage. You might notice that at one point during her kidnapping in this episode, even Victoria appears bored. lol
share