Collider highlights 10 Western TV shows that were cancelled too soon

Collider senior author Michael John Petty published a Jan. 28, 2026 list of 10 Western TV shows he says were cancelled too soon, arguing the genre’s ongoing comeback makes many of those early endings feel especially premature. Petty ranges across eras, from ’50s and ’60s horse operas to modern neo-Westerns.

He notes Bat Masterson (1959–1961) was shut down amid genre saturation and Bonanza’s popularity, while The Dakotas (1962–1963) was pulled after 19 episodes following concerns about violent content. The Quest (1976) ended after a single season without resolving its search-for-a-sister premise.

The piece covers recent streaming casualties, too. Joe Pickett (2021–2023) moved from Spectrum to Paramount+ then ended on a minor cliffhanger after two seasons, and Outer Range (2022–2024) was cancelled by Prime Video after two seasons and several major cliffhangers, Petty writes.

Petty also highlights genre hybrids and cult favorites: Firefly (2002–2003) is called a space Western cancelled after 14 episodes (later followed by the film Serenity), and The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993–1994) ran 27 episodes before cancellation amid complaints about violence.

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