Peacock cancels Rutherford Falls after two seasons

As reported by Variety, NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock has canceled Rutherford Falls after its second season launched this June. The comedy starring Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding, and Michael Greyeyes was acclaimed for its joyous, groundbreaking depiction of Native American identity.

“Borrowing a line from Terry Thomas, played by the ridiculously talented Michael Greyeyes, before our show, ‘Native representation [was], for the most part, a hate crime,’” showrunner and co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas says in a statement given to Deadline. “Which is why it’s been an honor to introduce the best of Indian Country to the masses.”

The cancelation comes as a particular blow when Indigenous-led shows are still so rare. Reservation Dogs also premiered in 2021, Dark Winds debuted earlier this year, and the list isn’t getting much longer.

“It’s been my life’s honor to make Rutherford Falls, something that reflects Native life as I’ve always seen and felt it, filled with excellence and silliness and love,” Ornelas writes in a statement shared on Twitter. “I have to believe we’re not done yet and pray we find a new home for this awesome show. Forever grateful to Mike, Ed, Jana, Michael, Jesse, the entire cast, crew, and support staff who risked freaking covid, risked sharing their stories and histories to make this show. We started something that’ll never be stopped. We ain’t done, but what we made will stand the test of time.”

Rutherford Falls was also co-created by Mike Schur, who had previously brought the hit comedies Parks And Recreation and The Good Place to NBC; Brooklyn Nine-Nine landed at the network at the end of its run, after initially airing on Fox. Back in July, Schur had already struck out with Peacock when the streamer declined to pick up his Field Of Dreams series.

The second season of Rutherford Falls ended on a significant cliffhanger, with Helms’ character Nathan on the cusp of a major life change and Bobbie (Jesse Leigh) moving up in the world. It was also hinted that a third season would offer an expanded role for Josh (Dustin Milligan), following his previous relationship with Schmieding’s Reagan.

A #SaveRutherfordFalls campaign is already underway amongst fans. Hopefully the series will get picked up by another service that allows Ornelas, Schur, and Helms to keep telling their story, because viewers deserve to see that Cameo from Olivia Rodrigo’s horse.