Peacock recently canceled one of its major sitcoms, and one that not only had a big name attached but was also a beacon for diversity on TV. Rutherford Falls, the two-season comedy, is done. The show stars Ed Helms as a leading community member in the titular town who tries to uphold his family’s legacy while coming to terms with the fact that his family did great harm to the Native American population that makes up the community. Helms’ co-lead is Jana Schmieding; Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh and Dustin Milligan also star. All 18 episodes of the show are streaming via Peacock.
The news broke via Deadline and other outlets on Friday, with co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas championing the series in a statement alongside the unfortunate news. She also noted that she and co-creators Mike Schur and Helms attempting to find a new home for the series.
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“It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls,” she wrote. “Mike Schur, Ed Helms and I set out to make something new, real, and smart—but also dumb—that made you cry and think, but also laugh when Reagan got kicked in the face or Nathan was stuffed into a coffin. 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.’ Which is why it’s been an honor to introduce the best of Indian Country to the masses.
“We remain overwhelmed by the critical response, garnering a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score in our second season, and while we’re sad that our time at Peacock has come to an end we are immensely grateful to them for picking us up and showcasing the talents of comedy legend Ed Helms and breakout stars like Jana Schmieding, Jesse Leigh, Dana Wilson, Dallas Goldtooth, Kaniehtiio Horn, and many others. We love these characters, the world we created, and the impact it has had, and will be exploring other platforms where, hopefully, the folks of Rutherford Falls can call home.”
All episodes are still streaming via the service, at least until Rutherford Falls finds a new home. The streaming service has both mid-tier and ad-free plans available. Click here for sign-up info.
