Rural Purge - Popularity of Cancelled Shows

Popularity of Cancelled Shows

Syndication proved to be a haven for many of the cancelled programs. Welk's program, a mainstay of television since the early 1950s, immediately moved to first-run syndication, where it enjoyed an additional 11 years before Welk's retirement in 1982. Reruns of the show began almost immediately afterward, and continue to this day on PBS. Wild Kingdom, Lassie, and Hee-Haw also continued in first-run syndication after their cancellations in 1971. Lassie ran until 1973, while Hee-Haw had even greater success, lasting until 1991. Wild Kingdom primarily aired reruns, but continued to produce occasional new episodes in syndication through 1987.

Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. was the first of the rural-based shows to leave the air. However, this was not due to its rural theme, but instead to Jim Nabors's desire to move to something else, 'reach for another rung on the ladder, either up or down'; he was given a new show, The Jim Nabors Hour, as a replacement for the next season. Mayberry R.F.D., itself a direct continuation of The Andy Griffith Show (from which Gomer Pyle had spun off) finished number 4 for the year and was renewed for two more seasons. The first of the cancellations was The Red Skelton Show, which had finished the 1969-70 season as the number 7 show when axed by CBS. The show's move back to NBC and its altered format drew away its viewership, thus it fell out of the top 30 by the end of the 1970-71 season. Petticoat Junction is another series often cited in the purge, but that show was already in decline (due in part to the death of star Bea Benaderet) by the time it was canceled in 1970. What made these cancellations puzzling was the fact they had come prior to 1970, at a time when CBS had yet to air any of their more "sophisticated" shows and gauge their popularity with the television audience. The success of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, and newer variety shows such as The Flip Wilson Show and The Carol Burnett Show in 1970 would allow for the mass cancellations of most of the now "undesired shows" at the end of 1971 despite their high ratings and popularity. Both Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies had dropped from the Nielsen top 30 by the 1970-71 season, yet both shows continued to win their respective time slots and had a loyal following, warranting renewal for another season. Other shows still pulling in even higher ratings when cancelled included Mayberry R.F.D., which finished the season at number 15, Hee Haw at number 16, and The Jim Nabors Hour at number 29. Nevertheless, the course had been set by the networks and the shows were cancelled to free up the schedules for newer shows.

The inclusion of demographics into determining a series' worth to its sponsors meant high ratings alone did not necessarily warrant a series for renewal. Series such as ABC's The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family were never truly a ratings hit; however, both series appealed to a younger demographic and thus were renewed for three more seasons.