After one season, Hallmark Channel‘s modern western series “Ride” is riding off into the sunset. An unnamed network executive confirmed to Vulture on November 16, 2023, that Hallmark has “quietly decided not to renew” the show.
As news spreads about the cancellation, fans and critics of the shows have been weighing in on social media.
Here’s what you need to know:
Fans Divided Over Cancellation of Hallmark’s “Ride”
Hallmark Hallmark“Ride” stars (from l to r) Tyler Jacob Moore, Beau Mirchoff, Tiera Skovbye, Jake Foy and Sara Garcia attend the series premiere in March 2023
“Ride,” which premiered on March 25, was a 10-episode drama about the McMurrays, a fictional family of Colorado ranchers, with Nancy Travis playing the family’s matriarch. The final episode ended on a cliffhanger on May 28.
News about the end of “Ride” has taken some fans by surprise, especially since there had been hints last spring that it would likely return. Though showrunner Sherri Cooper-Landsman could only work on “Ride” during its first season due to scheduling conflicts, she intimated that a second season was likely via a March 2023 interview with Deadline.
“I’m excited to watch it go on,” she said at the time. “It’s (co-showrunners Rebecca Boss and Chris Masi’s) world and these actors are amazing. They all know what the show is now.”
Hallmark fans seem divided over the news, reacting online to the cancellation.
“I watched it hoping it would be good but it wasn’t,” one person wrote in a Reddit chat. “Not surprised it got cancelled.”
Another added, “I always felt that this was just an attempt at a kid friendly Yellowstone”
But a fan of the show wrote in the chat, “Noooooooo!!!!! I loved this series.”
Though the cast has not given any statements about their show’s end, some have acknowledged fans’ comments about it. Actor Tyler Jacob Moore, who played Gus Booker, an oil baron initially interested the McMurray Ranch, liked a tweet from the Hallmarkies Podcast that said, “Sorry to hear Ride news especially @TylerJacobMoore who we hope to keep seeing on Hallmark”
Meanwhile, Hallmark star Marcus Rosner, who played the late champion bull rider Austin McMurray, liked a fan’s tweet that said, “Sorry to hear the news about Ride. Certainly hope @hallmarkchannel continues work with these talented actors in other projects though! Especially @themarcusrosner and @Beau_Mirchoff!”
Hallmark Sees More Promise in ‘The Way Home,’ Now Filming Its Second Season
Getty Getty“The Way Home” co-stars Chyler Leigh, Andie MacDowell and Sadie Laflamme-Snow attend the series’ premiere in January 2023
Ratings for “Ride” were decent, with an average of 0.2 in the 18-49 demographic and 1.3 million viewers per episode, according to TV Series Finale. Though it started off strong, the show struggled to retain its viewers, per USTVDB.
By contrast, Hallmark’s other new series, “The Way Home,” steadily increased viewership during the course of its first season, from January to March. According to USTVDB’s tracking, it achieved its highest ratings of the season in its last episode, with over 1.7 million viewers.
Even before the first season ended, Hallmark announced that the series, starring an ensemble cast including Andie MacDowell, had been renewed for a second season. Filming is already underway and three members of the cast appeared at New York Comic Con in October to promote the series.
Meanwhile, its long-running series “When Calls The Heart” just wrapped filming on its 11th season.
Hallmark’s executive vice president of programming, Lisa Hamilton Daly, told Vulture that series development is still important for the channel to keep growing and attracting younger viewers.
“I think series are sort of the centerpiece of a lot of younger-type viewings,” she said. “So I think for us, that might help us grab some younger eyeballs, keep people excited week-to-week, and introduce new people to the channel.”
Sad to hear another great show is being canceled. Someday I wish they were more concerned about an older generation and what we prefer to watch.
I am very sorry to see Ride cancelled. At least it was something different from the typical Hallmark shows. Who doesn’t like a good western once in a while.
I loved Ride! I’m sad to see it go. I didn’t really love The Way Home.
I am the older generation and I found the series a “dud”. I wish Hallmark would do a series like “Alaska Daily” that was cancelled by a major network probably because it showed the corruption in politics and how it trickles down to law enforcement. That show kept you on the edge of your seat and truthful.
Hallmark should pickup “Alaska Daily” and “All Rise.”
Dear God! Sarah Garcia forgot to put on a blouse in the cover photo. Disgusting.
oops. I meant to say oops, not disgusting.
Love the series “RIDE”….Only watched the first few episodes of “THE WAY HOME” just can’t get into this one..Need more western type shows.
I am so disappointed that they canceled yet another great series. What is it with Hallmark and cancelling so many good series? I an tired of getting hooked in and then bam canceled!
tried watching Ride, didn’t care for it so after a few episodes stopped . The Way home, I watched the whole series, but it didn’t really grab me like Chesapeake Shores did. CS was the best, started watching it late, during Covid, that’s when I became a regular Hallmark watcher, but had to go back and watch CS from the very beginning!! We need another series like that!!!
I’m from the “older generation”. Why can’t you have shows for us as well? Loved the series Ride! So sad that it will not be continuing. Always enjoy a good western. Can’t y’all bring it back??!!!! Never got into Andie McDowell’s series. So many great series are no longer Chesapeake Shores, Good Witch. Hate to put my heart into a series and have it cancelled so quickly.
I loved Ride! The Way Home is boring. Hallmark is trying to please the wrong crowd.
I’m so sorry to see “Ride” Cancelled! I lov