The same year that
Stoney Burke premiered,
NBC aired its own drama about rodeo performers,
Wide Country. Both series were Westerns that debuted at the end of the time when Western programs—a fixture of 1950s and early 1960s television—had been a number one draw on the medium. By the mid-1960s, market saturation had begun to take its toll; while established series such as
Bonanza and
Gunsmoke continued to thrive, new shows with less than robust ratings struggled to survive. Both rodeo series were cancelled after one season. William W. Savage, in his book
The Cowboy Hero: His Image in American History & Culture, commented, ". . . while the rodeo format afforded the sorts of dramatic possibilities (weekly changes of locale and population, for example) that had ensured the success of dozens of western programs, it seems clear that rodeo performers paled in comparison to the 'genuine' television cowboy heroes . . .". ==Guest stars==