It was certainly funny enough to last at least 5 or 6 seasons!

Economics is what killed F Troop. When the show went from black and white to color in the fall of 1966, it became more expensive to produce. Production took up most of the Warner Ranch lot that didn't make the new owners of Warner Bros., Seven Arts happy so ABC discharged the sitcom after two seasons. It should have had a longer run.

The Warner studio head didn't like "wasting" such a large outdoor area (for Fort Courage and the town) on one TV show. Also, reportedly the then-new color production process was very expensive.

They should've raised the ad rates and/or slightly reduced the pay of the actors and staff.

If you told the actors and staff you have a choice. The show can end and you'll get NOTHING or we can keep having FUN for another season but you have to take less pay.

Less pay is better than NOTHING so I'd take that deal! It's not like any of the F Troop actors went on to superstardom in the next year or 2 after F Troop.

Economics is what killed F Troop. When the show went from black and white to color in the fall of 1966, it became more expensive to produce. Production took up most of the Warner Ranch lot that didn't make the new owners of Warner Bros., Seven Arts happy so ABC discharged the sitcom after two seasons. It should have had a longer run.

Yeah and it was really a shame. It deserved many more seasons. It was a funny show with great characters, with a different style from most sitcoms of the time.

I think if they had let it go a few more years it would have done much better in syndication, and that would have been more money to the studio. Ah well.

I didn't even know the show existed until MeTV ran it about 5 years ago and I'm very thankful they did.

Yeah, UNIQUE is a good word to describe it. It's the ONLY western comedy TV show ever made!

Is there a western TV comedy I'm missing??

There was "Best of the West," 1981-82.

I'm guessing it bombed because it only lasted one season and nobody's heard of it?? :)

I'm guessing it bombed because it only lasted one season and nobody's heard of it?? :)

I watched the complete series when it was still on YouTube a few years ago and I have to say that it was the funniest single season sitcom that I've ever watched. I read that ABC delayed the renewing of the series for a second season and Joel Higgins ended up signing to star in Silver Spoons. ABC ended up announcing that they decided to renew Best Of The West, but they had to cancel it because Joel Higgins was no longer available.

I watched the complete series when it was still on YouTube a few years ago and I have to say that it was the funniest single season sitcom that I've ever watched. I read that ABC delayed the renewing of the series for a second season and Joel Higgins ended up signing to star in Silver Spoons. ABC ended up announcing that they decided to renew Best Of The West, but they had to cancel it because Joel Higgins was no longer available.

I wonder why no sitcom network shows it if it's so good?

There was "Best of the West," 1981-82.

also "RANGO" with Tim Conway which also ran just one season; 1966-67 on ABC.

Pistols 'n Petticoats, 1966-67.

I don't know anything about that show but the title is hilarious!

Pistols n Petticoats probably would have gotten a renewal, but its star (Ann Sheridan) fell ill and died prior to the end of the season.

Warner Bros. made a BIG mistake in cancelling F-Troop. Had they done a few more seasons, it would have become a syndication staple, like “Hogan’s Heroes”. A classic example of playing the short game, not the long game. I hope whoever was responsible for the decision got fired, because they cost the studio millions.

I guess Dusty's Trail was a western, too.

As great as Gilligan's Island was you can say just the OPPOSITE about Dusty's Trail. It's absolutely AWFUL.

Forrest Tucker was in it but I can't imagine he was proud of it. The irony is I think Bob Denver actually said Dusty's Trail was his favorite show to make. That's the actual acting not the final product. It's still pretty shocking he said that considering how horrid the show was.

Pistols n Petticoats probably would have gotten a renewal, but its star (Ann Sheridan) fell ill and died prior to the end of the season.

Warner Bros. made a BIG mistake in cancelling F-Troop. Had they done a few more seasons, it would have become a syndication staple, like “Hogan’s Heroes”. A classic example of playing the short game, not the long game. I hope whoever was responsible for the decision got fired, because they cost the studio millions.

Totally agree but we're the ratings good for F Troop back when it originally aired?

F Troop is the Funniest Thing I have seen. Unbelievable it only lasted two seasons, and that the marvellous opening scene was not repeated for season 2.

F Troop is the Funniest Thing I have seen. Unbelievable it only lasted two seasons, and that the marvellous opening scene was not repeated for season 2.

What opening scene?

What opening scene?

he means the live-action opening from season 1 "THE END OF THE CI-VAL WAR WAS NEAR..." etc.

he means the live-action opening from season 1 "THE END OF THE CI-VAL WAR WAS NEAR..." etc.

That was good but I like the season 2 opening too IIRC.

he means the live-action opening from season 1 "THE END OF THE CI-VAL WAR WAS NEAR..." etc.

The lyrics for the opening tune also went away w/ Season 2, which I think was a shame. I suspect WB didn't want to spend all the $ refilming that opening in color. By 1966, all the Big Three networks, including ABC, required all primetime programming to be in color. ABC'S The Fugitive also as far as I know didn't refilm its stock footage used in the show's opening (train derailment, Kimble falling in the creek) and stuck mostly w/ tinted still images for its Season 4 opening in color.

Why did it last 2 seasons? Because it stunk. It'd last longer if were any good

I liked the second opening. I think the song works better as an instrumental and the artwork was cool.

The Fugitive only used the footage of the train derailment and the creek in season 1. Starting with season 2, they used still images. I thought it was interesting that they just tinted the same images from seasons 2 and 3 for use in season 4. They only new shot for the season 4 intro was for David Janssen’s credit, a live action shot now in color.

I wonder why no sitcom network shows it if it's so good?
Because there are not enough episodes. Maybe Antenna TV will show it on weekends some day. They've aired a few short lived sitcoms that haven't been seen in years. BOTW was a great show. I remember watching it every week.

Because there are not enough episodes. Maybe Antenna TV will show it on weekends some day. They've aired a few short lived sitcoms that haven't been seen in years. BOTW was a great show. I remember watching it every week.

BOTW??

I agree there should be more episodes of F Troop but they've been show F Troop reruns for DECADES because it originally aired before I was born & I've seen it aired multiple times since the 1980s.

The Fugitive only used the footage of the train derailment and the creek in season 1. Starting with season 2, they used still images. I thought it was interesting that they just tinted the same images from seasons 2 and 3 for use in season 4. They only new shot for the season 4 intro was for David Janssen’s credit, a live action shot now in color.

Also in the season 1 intro, David Janssen is announced as "The Fugitive". In later seasons, he is announced as "Dr. Richard Kimble".

BOTW??

I agree there should be more episodes of F Troop but they've been show F Troop reruns for DECADES because it originally aired before I was born & I've seen it aired multiple times since the 1980s.

I think the reference is to the ABC 1981-82 sitcom Best of the West, which had Joel Higgins, Carlene Watkins & Meeno Peluce playing a 1800s family in the West.