First Show Set in Montana Was This Limited Western

There have only been a handful of shows set or based in Montana, but this is the oldest.

Montana has become a hot commodity for popular TV shows. Shows like Yellowstone, Big Sky, and 1923 have shown what makes Montana so beautiful, and people have flocked to the state to see if it's true.

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The recent shows based in Montana have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism money. It's helped many small communities in Montana see new visitors spending and contributing to their areas.

These shows are a hit with fans and most Montanans, but our state wasn't always the best location to set up a TV show.

The first show set in Montana debuted in the 1950s but only lasted one season.

Montana's first show set in Montana was called Buckskin. Buckskin debuted in 1958 and lasted for 39 episodes. The western show was based in the fictional town of Buckskin, Montana, and featured stories of people living in the area during the 1880s and those who visited.

Interestingly, seasons of TV shows are between 10 and 20 episodes, but back in the early days of television, they would be almost 40 episodes per season. Times were different.

Why did Buckskin last only one season? When Buckskin debuted, almost 30 Western TV shows competed\ for viewers and ratings. Buckskin couldn't catch on with the general public and had to deal with high-profile Westerns like Rawhide, The Roy Rogers Show, and The Lone Ranger.

The show didn't stand a chance. The show is currently nowhere on streaming services, but you can find some of the episodes on YouTube.

Even though Buckskin didn't live up to the success of today's shows set in Montana, it was the first.