Heavy Hallmark Channel has “quietly decided” to cancel a new series
After one season, Hallmark Channel’s modern western series “Ride” rides off into the sunset. An unnamed network executive confirmed to Vulture on November 16, 2023 that Hallmark has “quietly decided not to renew the show.”
As news of the cancellation spread, fans and critics of the shows spoke out on social media.
Here’s what you need to know:
Fans Divided Over Cancellation of Hallmark’s ‘Ride’
Hallmark “Ride” stars (left to right) Tyler Jacob Moore, Beau Mirchoff, Tiera Skovbye, Jake Foy and Sara Garcia attend the series premiere in March 2023
“Ride,” which premiered March 25, was a 10-episode drama about the McMurrays, a fictional family of Colorado ranchers, with Nancy Travis playing the family matriarch. The last episode ended on May 28th with a cliffhanger.
News of Ride’s end surprised some fans, especially since there were hints last spring that it would likely return. Although showrunner Sherri Cooper-Landsman was only able to work on the first season of Ride due to scheduling conflicts, she hinted in a March 2023 interview with Deadline that a second season was likely.
“I’m excited to see what happens next,” she said at the time. “It’s the world of co-showrunners Rebecca Boss and Chris Masi and these actors are great. You all know what the show is now.”
Hallmark fans seem divided over the news and are reacting to the cancellation online.
“I watched it hoping it would be good, but it wasn’t,” one person wrote in a Reddit chat. “No wonder it was canceled.”
Another added: “I always felt like this was just an attempt to make Yellowstone kid-friendly.”
But one fan of the show wrote in the chat: “Noooooooo!!!!! I loved this series.”
Although the cast hasn’t commented on the end of their show, some have noted fans’ comments about it. Actor Tyler Jacob Moore, who played Gus Booker, an oil baron who was initially interested in McMurray Ranch, liked a tweet from the Hallmarkies Podcast that said, “Sorry to hear news about Ride, especially @TylerJacobMoore , which we hope to continue to see on Hallmark.”
Meanwhile, Hallmark star Marcus Rosner, who played late champion bull rider Austin McMurray, liked a fan’s tweet: “Sorry to hear the news about Ride. However, I definitely hope @hallmarkchannel continues collaborating with these talented actors in other projects! Especially @themarcusrosner and @Beau_Mirchoff!”
Hallmark sees more promise in “The Way Home,” with the second season currently filming
Getty “The Way Home” co-stars Chyler Leigh, Andie MacDowell and Sadie Laflamme-Snow will attend the series’ premiere in January 2023
According to TV Series Finale, ratings for “Ride” were decent, averaging a 0.2 in the 18-49 demographic and 1.3 million viewers per episode. Although it started well, the show struggled to retain its viewers, according to the USTVDB.
In contrast, Hallmark’s other new series, “The Way Home,” steadily increased viewership over the course of its first season from January to March. According to USTVDB tracking, the show achieved its highest ratings of the season in the final episode with over 1.7 million viewers.
Before the end of the first season, Hallmark announced that the series had been renewed for a second season with an ensemble cast that also included Andie MacDowell. Filming is already underway and three members of the cast appeared at New York Comic Con in October to promote the series.
Meanwhile, the 11th season of the long-running series “When Calls The Heart” has just finished filming.
Lisa Hamilton Daly, Hallmark’s executive vice president of programming, told Vulture that series development is still important for the network to continue to grow and attract younger viewers.
“I think series are kind of the heart of a lot of television for younger people,” she said. “I think this could help us attract younger attention, keep people excited week after week and introduce new people to the channel.”
Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. She has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, brand publicist and creative consultant, interviewing and working with a wide range of dignitaries and celebrities, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. Liv is also an accomplished watercolor artist whose intuitive art is practiced throughout the USA and Canada sold. Liv attended the University of Minnesota and lives in Minneapolis. More about Liv Lane
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