CBS Canceled an Old-Time Hit Comedy Series to Make Room for a Meh Western
Although both were huge successes, only one of them aged like wine.
There are many different reasons why the shows so beloved by audiences and with perfect ratings are being canceled. But most of them are really strange and illogical, like a beef among cast members of the network’s desire to let go of something they are tired of.
One of the cases of an unfair cancellation happened many years ago on CBS with Gilligan's Island, one of the most successful comedy series of the time. It premiered in 1964 and lasted for three seasons, wrapping up in 1967. After that the series was revived multiple times over the years in different forms of TV, but it’s another story.
So why exactly was Gilligan's Island so adored by the viewers? Well, the 60’s sitcoms just hit differently. They are fun and silly and they are truly iconic, because even after so many years, the fans of the shoe say it still hasn't lost its charm and really stood the test of time.
“I loved this show when I was like 5 and my parents liked it when they were young as well. It's cool that certain shows, for whatever reason, have continuity between generations,” Redditor CaptainDAAVE said.
The series revolved around four men and three women, who were trapped on an uncharted island because of the storm, but ended up making a perfect life out of what could be a deadly scenario.
Blame Gunsmoke For Gilligan’s Island Cancelation
However, despite all the love the show had, the network had to cancel the show to revive another hit (at the time) called Gunsmoke. The series at one point was the biggest show on the entire TV world. CBS made a decision to cancel it on its season 15. But the backlash was so extraordinary that the network had no choice than to bring it back several years later.
And the only suitable time slot was Gilligan's Island’s, unfortunately. There were many less successful westerns running at the time, but in order to make profit from bringing back Gunsmoke, they had to offer the show the best air time.
However, even after all the fuss and despite being a success on air for more than 20 years, Gunsmoke still didn’t leave such a legacy as Gilligan's Island, which makes it even sadder for the canceled comedy show.
You can stream Gunsmoke on Paramount Plus now, and Gilligan's Island is available to stream on Tubi.