Peacock has decided to end the run of the single-camera comedy, Rutherford Falls, after two seasons. The series, which starred Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding, Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh, and Dustin Milligan, was a critical and commercial success because of its successful combination of comedy and social satire. The second season debuted on June 16. In Rutherford Falls, two long-time friends, Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Schmieding), find themselves on opposite sides of a contentious issue when a statue honouring Nathan’s ancestor is threatened with removal.
Reagan, a Minishonka, wants the monument removed since Nathan’s ancestor is remembered as a brutal attacker of her people, while Nathan argues that the monument should remain as a tribute to his ancestry. Season 1 dealt with the subject in a more humorous vein as Nathan learned to accept the actions of his forebears via a series of conversations, while Season 2 broadened the scope of the debate beyond monuments and sculptures. The critics praised the comedy for its sensitive treatment of a difficult subject while yet giving plenty of chuckles.
To accurately bring their viewpoint to the screen, the project also featured a number of Indigenous creatives. Along with Schmieding, the cast included Navajo, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux, and Plains Creek actors such as Sierra Teller Ornelas, Bobby Wilson, Tai Leclaire, Tazbah Chavez, and Michael Greyeyes. One of the largest Indigenous crews & casts in television history was formed as a result of this.
Together with Michael Schur, a veteran of A Good Place, and Helms, Teller Ornelas served as the show’s creative trio. Schmieding not only starred in but also wrote for the programme, which was created by Helms, Teller Ornelas, and Michael Schur, with Mike Falbo, David Miner, and Morgan Sackett serving as executive producers.
In particular, the show gave Schmieding a chance to break out, and she went on to participate in many episodes of FX’s Reservation Dogs, another drama focused on Indigenous Americans. This marks the 2nd time in less than a year that a Schur series has been cancelled. Before that, he was supposed to script the Peacock-backed remake of Field of Dreams, but that project was abruptly scrapped as well. Following his work on Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place, he is still seen as a valuable asset by NBCUniversal. While the run of Rutherford Falls has concluded, you can still watch every episode of the show on Peacock.