Summary

Stephen King revealed his favorite canceled TV show is Gunsmoke, which aired from 1955-1975.
Fans of Gunsmoke were disappointed by its cancellation after 20 seasons.
The iconic Western show has sparked a loyal fanbase and has been enjoyed by Stephen King.

Stephen King's Threads account is a wealth of information, from news about his latest adaptations to the TV shows he's currently enjoying. He recently answered a fan question about a sad TV cancellation, and his answer was definitely intriguing.

As King shares his positive thoughts about the trailer for The Long Walk, which will be released in September 2025, and lets his sense of humor shine on Threads, he also likes responding to queries from fans. Recently, he answered a question about his "favorite disaster movie," and now he's talking about the TV show that he wishes wasn't canceled. Since this happened 50 years ago, it's even more compelling to hear about.

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Posts 1

By Aya Tsintziras

Stephen King Is Still Disappointed That The Iconic Western TV Series Gunsmoke Was Canceled

Post by @stephenking

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When a fan asked Stephen King about a TV show's cancellation that still bugs him, he answered Gunsmoke, the Western series that aired from 1955 to 1975. Since King was bummed that a TV series that aired for 20 seasons didn't continue, that definitely proves the show's quality. The story centers on Matt Dillon (James Arness), a Marshall living in the small town of Dodge City, Kansas. The show features plenty of small town charm and quiet moments between characters. These days, the Western drama has some hits and misses. While Yellowstone is a massive hit, the 2025 movie The Unholy Trinity didn't please critics.

Best case scenario, when a network or streaming service cancels a popular TV show, the cast and crew get one final season so they can say goodbye properly. Unfortunately, when CBS decided to cancel Gunsmoke in 1975, that was it, and the cast and crew weren't able to film a series finale. According to SlashFilm, star Arness explained in an interview with The Associated Press:

"We didn't do a final, wrap-up show: The [network] never told anybody they were thinking of canceling."

After Gunsmoke ended in 1975, fans got to see five movies featuring these settings and characters. The first, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge, was released in 1987. Gunsmoke: The Last Apache followed in 1990, then To The Last Man in 1992, The Long Ride in 1993, and One Man's Justice in 1994. In many cases, fans wonder for years if a beloved TV show will ever have a movie adaptation, and it's rare when it actually happens. Take the Community movie, for example. Despite a few encouraging updates over the past few years, fans are unsure if they'll ever see Greendale and its quirky students again. Thankfully, Gunsmoke fans were able to revisit this engaging and entertaining world again.

Other fans replied in the comments of King's Threads account and shared the TV shows that they wish had gotten more seasons. Answers ranged from the short-lived sci-fi series Firefly starring Nathan Fillion to the Netflix thriller Mindhunter, and the CBS show Scorpion. While it's a shame when a show only has one season, like the gripping and dark teen drama The Society, it can be equally tough to say goodbye to a TV series after getting to know characters for several seasons. Gunsmoke's huge fanbase would have definitely been pleased if they had gotten one more season or at least a real finale.

Luckily, if you haven't seen Gunsmoke and want to check out one of King's favorite TV shows, you can find 9 seasons of the Western drama on Peacock. The first two seasons are also streaming on Paramount+. King isn't the only one who loves Gunsmoke. As reported by TV Line in April 2025, the show became a huge hit on streaming: 646 million minutes viewed for 404 episodes on Peacock and Paramount+.

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TV-PG

Western

Action

Adventure

Drama

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Release Date: 1955 - 1975-00-00
Directors: Andrew V. McLaglen, Harry Harris, Ted Post, Bernard McEveety, Vincent McEveety
Writers: John Meston, Charles Marquis Warren, Paul Savage