With every new cancellation of a beloved television show, I think about the scene from Barry. You know the one, where the executive informs the creators of an acclaimed new series that their show is already getting the ax over vague metrics despite only just getting started. While Rutherford Falls was in its second season, the Friday news that it was getting cancelled felt like déjà vu. Only a week prior there was the high-profile cancellation of the Resident Evil series, and while these two series are vastly different in quality, it feels like a sign that the streaming landscape is becoming increasingly willing to toss shows aside rather than invest in them as they grow. It is a detriment to both them and us as audiences who desire more funny shows when we lose out on these stories before they end on their own terms.
Rutherford Falls Hit Its Stride in Season 2
While Rutherford Falls had a solid first season, it was this recently released second season which was where it really felt like it was beginning to hit its stride. It had boldly begun to reinvent itself and the focus of its narrative, digging deeper into the comedic premises. Though it certainly made some missteps here and there, it felt like a comedy that was willing to take risks by challenging our preconceptions of what it was. It stood out from the many uninventive sitcoms that recycle premises and jokes ad nauseam to coast to renewal after renewal without ever trying anything new. While two seasons is still something to be proud of, there is the unshakeable feeling that Rutherford Falls deserved much more. While its showrunner has indicated that there is the potential for new life at a different network, there is still an uncertain future ahead that makes it hard to be optimistic about what comes next. Despite great reviews and a strong cast, it appears that the show may now be no more.
Rutherford Falls' Cast Made Comedic Acting Look Effortless
One hopes this isn’t the case as the series just had so much going for it. If you haven’t yet had the chance to see it or have not even heard of it, there is no better time than the present to go check it out. The basic premise started with the character of Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms), an arrogant and self-centered man who found meaning in his family history in the town of Rutherford Falls. What began as ostensibly being about the various shenanigans surrounding him, it was at its best when we got to spend time with the rest of the characters. There was his friend and museum curator Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding) who was a comedic voice of clarity in comparison to his delusions. Alongside Nathan was his loyal and fashionable assistant Bobbie Yang (Jesse Leigh) who had a witty retort for every wacky situation. Then there was an antagonist of sorts in the intimidating and sharply sarcastic casino owner Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes). Each brought their own particular presence to the show, playing off each other in endlessly surprising and silly scenarios. Comedic acting, while still woefully undervalued, is not always an easy undertaking yet all of them made it look like it is.
Rutherford Falls Grounded Its Humor in Often-Overlooked Lived Experiences
Though all of them are great, this is only scratching the surface of the rich community of Indigenous characters in the show. They ensured that all of the episodes felt both refreshing and honest, grounding the humor in lived experiences that often go overlooked. This helped make it part of the long-overdue increase of Indigenous-led shows such as Reservation Dogs and Dark Winds. Of course, it is important to note that all of these shows are vastly different in tone and style. Therefore, it isn’t enough to just say “oh, well just go watch one of those other shows with Indigenous characters.” All of them offer their own distinct perspectives and approaches, meaning the loss of any of them marks the loss of a unique show. To see Rutherford Falls now come to an early close when there was only more story to tell and comedic ground to uncover is undeniably unfortunate. There is no doubt that the cast are all talented and any other showrunner would benefit from adding them to their series. Still, the collective they represented in this show felt like something special. It is not often where you would get to see an accomplished actor like Greyeyes really lean into a scathing character while bantering with a confident comedic performer like Schmieding. Not getting to see them share a screen together may end up being the greatest loss, especially when they were core to the best episode of the second season which was the abundantly snarky “Adirondack S3.” Each of the actors complimented the other perfectly, precisely hitting all the necessary comedic notes in a pointed spoof of how Indigenous characters are portrayed on television. Even a spinoff with just the two of them would be something worth seeing all on its own.
Of course, even that would be a bummer as that would mean losing out on everyone else and the silly storylines that were being set up for them. Without going into too many details, the show ended on quite a cliffhanger for the rest of the central characters. Seeing Leigh embody Bobbie’s transformation into a ruthless politician when running for Mayor made for a great season finale which felt like it could only get more entertaining from there. No longer just an assistant to Nathan, the character had so much more comedic potential to explore over what should have been at least a third season. Just imagining what Bobbie would do as a leader is amusing in and of itself. Alas, all we have left as of now is this imagined potential about where it could go next. Hopefully, there will be a day soon when that imagination is made a reality with another network making the smart decision to bring everyone back for more laughs. It has been done with many other comedy series that had more seasons in them and Rutherford Falls is definitely one such show. A resurrection would represent a wonderful return to the television landscape and, if such a glorious day comes, I will be there on day one to see it.