I just found this show on Netflix, and I love it. It is so original and well done. It is totally different than Firefly, but the same thing that happened with that show apparently happened with this one. I guess they just do not appeal to the same audience that can't get enough of vampires.
shareAmerican dramas that are based on the past are usually relegated to certain periods of time in our history, or at least production studios think they know what periods audiences will be interested in so we usually see more of those periods portrayed.
Shows and movies that come to mind are anything to do with the Wild West/Gold Rush, World War 2, The American Revolution, American Prohibition, and last but not least The Civil War (with Texas' history shoehorned in a lot it seems).
I am drawn to stories about the Great Depression because my late grandmother grew up in the same time period portrayed in this series and she even went and saw Carnivals and "freaks". Unfortunately, most American viewing habits today are worse off than 10 years ago after this show was canceled. So it's safe to assume we'll never see something this good again.