One Of The Best Western TV Shows Was Canceled To Appease Congress

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"The Wild Wild West" is one of the best Western TV shows of all time. Created by Michael Garrison, the series throws everything from espionage to science fiction into an Old West setting, which was a refreshing change of pace for TV Westerns in the '60s. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after four seasons due to pressure from Congress — but why did the government want the series off the air?

As documented in Patrick J. White's "The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier" book, "The Wild Wild West" was at the center of a crusade against violent TV shows in the '60s, spearheaded by Senator John Pastore. The assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy in 1968 changed the cultural mood, and shows of this ilk were deemed potentially harmful. CBS bucked to the pressure, and "The Wild Wild West" rode off into the sunset.

Bruce Lansbury, a producer on the series, believes the series was used as a scapegoat. In an interview for the aforementioned book, he noted that "The Wild Wild West" performed well in the ratings and didn't see the network lose any money, so politics can be blamed for its demise. As he told it:

"It was a sacrificial lamb. It went off with a 32 or 33 share, which in those days was virtually break-even, but it always won its time period."

Naturally, the show's stars weren't happy about it being taken off the air, either. With that in mind, let's find out what Ross Martin had to say on the matter.

Ross Martin was a mainstay on "The Wild Wild West." The actor played Secret Service Agent Artemus Gordon, who together with James West (Robert Conrad), foiled villainous plans across the Old West. Having to say goodbye to his hit TV show couldn't have been easy for Martin or his colleagues, but the actor believes "The Wild Wild West" could have been saved if it got moved to a later time slot.

Be that as it may, Martin blamed the cancelation of "The Wild Wild West" on politics, noting that he found the situation very disheartening and annoying at the time. As he told the Abilene Reporter-News (via MeTV):

"I love my craft of acting. But as much as I love my craft, that's how much I hate this business. It's a crap shoot, that's all it is."

Of course, what's old eventually becomes new again. The series that once upset Congress ultimately inspired a '90s blockbuster starring Will Smith. What's more, the "Wild Wild West" remake is one of the most expensive Westerns ever made, though it wasn't exactly a box office smash. As for the critics' response? Well, let's just say "Wild Wild West" isn't regarded as one of the best movies of the 1990s, but the show it's based on is an absolute classic that is well worth your time.