“Rutherford Falls” has been canceled at Peacock, Variety has learned.
The single-camera comedy series aired two seasons on the NBCUniversal streaming service. The first 10-episode first season aired in 2021, while the eight-episode second season aired in June 2022. The cast included Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding, Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh and Dustin Milligan.
Per the official logline, the show follows “lifelong best friends, Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Schmieding), who find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wakeup call.”
As the show begins, the town of Rutherford Falls decides to remove a statue of Nathan’s ancestor, which drives Nathan to begin a campaign to save it. But Reagan, a member of the fictional Minishonka Nation, campaigns against it, as his ancestor was known for attacks on her people during the founding of the town.
The show received strong reviews from critics upon its debut, who praised the humor as well as the willingness to address issues facing Indigenous people in America. The show also made a point of hiring multiple Indigenous writers and performers as part of its production team. That included people from the Navajo, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux, and Plains Cree.
Helms co-created the series with Sierra Teller Ornelas and Michael Schur. Schmieding also worked as a writer on the series. Helms, Teller Ornelas, and Schur executive produced along with Mike Falbo, David Miner, and Morgan Sackett. Universal Television produces in association with Fremulon, 3 Arts Entertainment and Pacific Electric Picture Company.