. 0 4 ▁million ▁for ▁the ▁series ▁or ▁over ▁$ 2 6 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁episode . ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁theme ▁song ▁was ▁s ung ▁by ▁W ally ▁K oster , ▁with ▁its ▁music ▁and ▁lyr ics ▁written ▁by ▁Johnny ▁Cow ell ▁and ▁John ▁Luc ar otti ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁Following ▁substantial ▁pre lim inary ▁public ity ▁for ▁the ▁series , ▁an ▁episode ▁in ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁received ▁higher ▁view ership ▁in ▁the ▁Toronto ▁and ▁V ancouver ▁mark ets ▁than ▁other ▁American ▁programming , ▁according ▁to ▁an ▁Elli ott - H ay nes ▁survey . ▁ ▁Ott awa ▁Cit izen ▁television ▁critic ▁Bob ▁Black burn ▁declared ▁the ▁theme ▁song ▁" so ▁closely ▁res emble d ▁Dav y ▁Cro ck ett ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁little ▁sick ening " ▁and ▁noted ▁the ▁high ▁costs ▁of ▁the ▁problem atic ▁production . ▁Black burn ▁reported ▁that ▁critics ▁de emed ▁the ▁series ▁French ▁debut ▁on ▁Radio - Can ada ▁" show y ▁and ▁artificial ". ▁ ▁Children ▁in ▁Ott awa ▁who ▁were ▁survey ed ▁by ▁the ▁C BC ▁indicated ▁a ▁negative ▁reaction ▁to ▁Rad isson , ▁compla ining ▁of ▁artificial ▁characters ▁and ▁p acing ▁that ▁was ▁sl ugg ish ▁or ▁awk ward . ▁One ▁respond ent ▁noted ▁that ▁the ▁same ▁section ▁of ▁river ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁characters ▁travel led ▁by ▁can oe ▁" all ▁the ▁way ▁from ▁Lake ▁N ip iss ing ▁to ▁Montreal ". ▁ ▁Rad isson ▁was ▁cancel led ▁after ▁its ▁ 3 9 - ep