The Dakotas on DVD (1 Viewer)

[JohnHopper]

MORE ABOUT THE DAKOTAS
Find a black and white short-lived 'maverick' western series entitled The Dakotas (1963) that depict the activities of four lawmen in the Dakota territory. The tone is gritty, rough, laconic. The pilot shows how the lawmen unite together. The pilot was part of a previous series entitled Cheyenne (1955-1963) and was broadcast on April 23, 1962. It was produced by Jules Schermer and William T. Orr as executive producer.

The regular production team
producer Anthony Spinner
supervising producer Jules Schermer
executive producer William T. Orr
director of photography Bert Glennon
composer William Lava

MORE ABOUT THE PILOT

Notes on the cinematographer
Cinematographer Bert Glennon is known for shooting such films as John Ford's 1939 Stagecoach, Young Mr Lincoln, Drums Along the Mohawk and John Ford's 1950 Wagon Master, Rio Grande and also Raoul Walsh's 1941 They Died with Their Boots On.

Notes on the director

Director Richard Sarafian is known both as a feature film and television craftsman. He first started doing western series like Maverick, Bronco, Cheyenne, Lawman, The Wild Wild West. In the late 1960's, he shifted towards cinema and gave us cult films like Vanishing Point, Man in the Wilderness, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, The Next Man.

 

[Neil Brock]

I just started watching this and how did Ragan get his eye back? In the pilot, he said it was blown off.

 

[Bert Greene]

I vaguely seem to recall there were several little things in the 'pilot' that didn't quite migrate to the series proper. I'd like to think there was a 'lost' episode in-between the two, in which a traveling frontier doctor named Rudy Wells (played by Martin Brooks) provided our hero with an experimental bionic eye.

I liked "The Dakotas" a lot. An exceptionally solid and rather tough-edged series. I don't recall a single episode being particularly disappointing. If I do have a criticism of the series, it's a mild and slightly odd one. With practically every episode always dialed up to 'eleven,' and coming across like a punch in the gut, the effect is almost too unrelenting. I found myself almost craving a light, modest, low-key episode just for a breather.

A light episode doesn't have to be aesthetically wanting. I'm reminded of how "Route 66" would break up the tension of several heavily dramatic episodes with an innocuously lighthearted one. Usually with our two leads driving into a new town, or taking some easy job, and basically just bumming around for the hour. I admit I used to sometimes dismiss such episodes, but in retrospect, they truly benefit a series, giving the regular characters different circumstances to react to, that broaden the confines of the typical narrative structures. And for viewers, it offers a breezy little respite.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

I vaguely seem to recall there were several little things in the 'pilot' that didn't quite migrate to the series proper. I'd like to think there was a 'lost' episode in-between the two, in which a traveling frontier doctor named Rudy Wells (played by Martin Brooks) provided our hero with an experimental bionic eye.

I liked "The Dakotas" a lot. An exceptionally solid and rather tough-edged series. I don't recall a single episode being particularly disappointing. If I do have a criticism of the series, it's a mild and slightly odd one. With practically every episode always dialed up to 'eleven,' and coming across like a punch in the gut, the effect is almost too unrelenting. I found myself almost craving a light, modest, low-key episode just for a breather.

A light episode doesn't have to be aesthetically wanting. I'm reminded of how "Route 66" would break up the tension of several heavily dramatic episodes with an innocuously lighthearted one. Usually with our two leads driving into a new town, or taking some easy job, and basically just bumming around for the hour. I admit I used to sometimes dismiss such episodes, but in retrospect, they truly benefit a series, giving the regular characters different circumstances to react to, that broaden the confines of the typical narrative structures. And for viewers, it offers a breezy little respite.

Good point about the unrelenting, intense nature of The Dakotas, Bert. That's why I generally never watch more than one or two episodes at a time, spaced out over a month or more. Not that I mind intense, highly-dramatic shows...this is more a reflection of my view that the majority of classic TV programs don't really benefit from "binge" viewing. Certain formula aspects of older shows can become overly heightened when one watches too many of them in a row. The Dakotas is too short-lived and varied in plot to have succumbed to formula, but certainly the tone is consistently grim and uncompromising, and a steady diet of that would grow old for me. But as a spice, sprinkled among a variety of other types of TV shows, it works a treat.

 

[Neil Brock]

I don't "binge" any show. Boring. At most, I can take one episode of something every other day. No interest in watching the same show for hours. Not when there's thousands of other series I could be watching.

 

[Kevin Antonio (Kev)]

Amazing show that was always well crafted from episode to episode. During this middle period at Warners one could say it was a remarkable time for hard edge drama and unrelenting storytelling. From the dramatic change of 77 sunset strip to this. I assume jack webb was still at Warners when the Dakotas came out (seems like a show he would have loved. Had he narrated this show it would have maybe been the coldest western of that time). Shame they didn't fight harder for the show to stay on. Too many cute shows were on the air at the time especially western wise. I feel like this show, a man called Shenandoah, Legend of jesse james (what I've seen), the loner, and the westerner were a group of westerns BW that strived to be edgier and more adult for the 60s.....I heard somewhere it was green lighted for a second season early in the first few episodes but hey some things happen. I'd argue the 60s is the only decade where almost every genre on TV had a classic show consistently on the major networks

 

[borisfw]

I had not seen The Dakotas until the WBA set came out. Watched the series and loved it. Jack Elam was amazing as J.D. Smith with those awesome stripped pants. He was also a legit badass in the series.

 

[ponset]

TV Week has a cover photo of the cast.

 

[The 1960's]

TV Week has a cover photo of the cast.

View attachment 102205

I enjoyed this series more than any other Warner Western release!