In the late 1950s and 1960s, television westerns were extremely popular. These adventure shows had settings and costumes that were very unlike other shows of that time (comedy, variety, crime, etc.). Popular programs included Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Wagon Train, The Big Valley, etc. When ratings declined as viewers gradually stopped watching this TV genre, production companies found the networks no longer wanted to produce and televise such shows. The television western was a product category that had entered the stage of its product life cycle.