Spoiler
When Dan Blocker died, Bonanza carried on another year, but was cancelled due to a fall in the ratings. It was felt, despite the fact Michael Landon and Lorne Greene wanted to carry on that the show couldn't survive without Dan Blocker.
However, I felt the last season had a lot to offer and if the comments I've read on you tube are accurate Tim Mattheson as Griff King, who was brought into the show, made a bit of an impact with the young female audience. Little Joe suffered a lot in this final season, as well as losing his brother, which was mentioned in the opening episode Forever, he also got married, but was widowed at the begining of episode 2, also Forever. I also think the father and son bonding scene where Joe cried on Ben's shoulder after his wife was killed, was also an excuse for both men to grieve the loss of Dan Blocker. It's also worth mentioning despite the fact the ratings were low that Forever, is regarded as one of the great storylines in Bonanza's 14-year history. Ben also gave Joe a Stallion for his birthday, but the horse died of a heart attack after Joe rode it over a ridge, inorder to get to a doctor for a badly injured boy. Then in the final episode, which gave no clues the show was to be cancelled, Joe, with no gun, is hunter like a dog by Tom Skerritt in The Hunter, but he still manages to outwit him
I wonder if the studio execs jumped the gun cancelling the show, because maybe once the audience had gotten over the death of Dan Blocker they might have given the show a chance to survive. It seems funny that Landon wanted the show to continue, because it didn't take him that long to get Little House On The Prairie of and running after Bonanza was cancelled. Mind you Gunsmoke was kicked into touch around the same time
Bonanza; The final season
Re: Bonanza; The final season
The morning after Dan Blocker died, my father picked up the newspaper and said, "That'll be it for BONANZA." I didn't watch the final season. But it's hard to imagine The Ponderosa without Hoss.
Re: Bonanza; The final season
I wonder if that's why the ratings dropped, folk like you not able to imagine Bonanza without Hoss, which is understandable. However, IMO the episodes of season 14, which are available on You Tube, hold up really well