Why was such a good show cancelled?

i have no idea but The Addams Family and The Munsters were also canned after 2 season around the same time

This did happen quite a bit in the 60s. Networks, I feel, followed ratings less than they do nowadays. Example: Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, despite high ratings, were still given the heave-ho because network perception was that rural comedies were no longer "in" or sufficient. Hence the turn then towards the darker, more urban stuff.

As far as F Troop, according to Wikipedia, which is not a 100% truthful site by any means, the network did not want a half hour show to take up such a huge portion of the backlot. This is supposedly what Forrest Tucker claimed.

It is amazing how big of an impression shows like the Monkees, Addams Family, and Munsters have made on popular culture despite their short lifespan. A testament to how revolutionary they truly were.

I agree with you totally. This series gave me some of the deepest breathing hindering laughs in my 64 years of life. I have not seen an episode in over 30 years but, I still chuckle when I think of those indians whose name derived from the fact that their ancestors got lost frequently. And as well, the assemblage of misfit soldiers, one of which was the lookout, but was so vision impaired with his thick lens that he couldn't find the fort gate, and the bugler who could not blow one reliable note on the horn.
I hope they never attempt to make a sequel series though! It just can't be done!!!!! Thanks, and Enjoy LIFE! KBB

TV networks always did strange things when it came to cancellations of series. F-Troop's first season was Tuesday nights, I think 9 p.m. EST. For an ABC show, lasting longer than one year meant a success in those days. For reasons I couldn't understand then, they moved it to Thursday nights at either 7:30 or 8 (Prime time in those days began at 7:30 EST) and after the second year, it was cancelled. I assume the ratings were worse. Logically, the gags on the show are not best understood by younger kids, and their viewership dominated the 7:30-8 (or later) slots in those days of most folks having one television set and, or course, no VCRs. I think the older kids (I was 10) and their parents loved it when it was on later in the evening, but missed it when it came on earlier. It would have made sense when they saw the ratings were lower to move it back to a later time slot.

Hell, in the 1960s, the network cancelled Star Trek. That series ended up in perpetual syndication and became practically a Hollywood institution with more than a half dozen feature films. I'm reminded of the old Saturday Night Live skit with John Belushi as Captain Kirk and Chevy Chase as Spock. The "ship" is chased through the galaxy by an automobile with Elliot Gould at the wheel playing a network executive. The skit ends with Gould cancelling the show and Belushi making a comment about network stupidity. I think that pretty much says it all.

It seems a little strange that some shows in the 60's only lasted two seasons. I guess maybe since they did more episodes a year than today, they didn't have to have so many seasons. I don't know why this show only lasted 2 years if it was such a hit. Could the actors have wanted to stop because they felt they did enough?

I could be wrong, but I heard eons ago that it was canceled when everyone found out Melody Patterson's (Wrangler Jane) real age. She was playing an adult, but in real life, she wasn't even quite 16. When the press found out that she was underage, they had a field day, and TPTB decided that it was inappropriate for someone of her age to play an adult romantic type lead.

Like I said, I don't know if that's true or not, but it's something my mother told me a long time ago, and she was a pretty ardent fan of the series.

I loved F Troop when it was on '65-'67, and always thought it was dumped because of low ratings, but a couple of the other reasons cited on the board make sense also. Warner Bros pulling the plug because it was their only TV series using the lot and cost too much is very credible. The story about Melodt Patterson's age also could be a factor. The networks weren't as quick with the hook back then as they are now, but they did scrap lots of good shows before their time. Great that F Troop is now on DVD and I'm glad to own it.