Why Western TV shows are great? (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

Originally Posted by JamesSmith

Thanks guys, but can any of you tell me if there are some episodes that really stand out in the western genre.

James,

I thought the pilot for The Rifleman was quite good. Lucas' and Mark's house is burned down by some of Oat Jackford's men. When Mark becomes angry at the world, Lucas tells him the story of Job, after which both Mark and he have gained some much-needed perspective. (BTW, there are some standout episodes of Little House on the Prairie as well, but that show probably doesn't fit this genre.)

 

[Jeff Willis]

Originally Posted by bretmaverick2

Speaking of Big Valley, does anyone know or remember if youngest son Eugene was ever mentioned or seen again after he left town after the first season??

Eugene Barkley - The Chuck Cunningham of the West!!

The younger Barkley son wasn't mentioned after Season 1. The character was dropped after that season. I guess the writers didn't see much potential in that character development or something. I don't know the details though.

 

[JamesSmith]

Thanks guys for all the summaries and opinions guys. I remember some of what you're talking about. Hopefully everyone will get what their favorites out on DVD --- someday.

I don't think High Chapparal was as bad as some commentators thought. Some of the family dynamics were a great deal closer to reality than with the Cartwrights. There was more infighting, the father wasn't always nice. . . . it was a bit more colorful.

Let's hear some more

James

 

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by Gary OS

My tastes are definitely more in line with guys like Neil, Michael and Brad. I don't really care for Bonanza at all, even though I did buy the 1st Season set when I got a great price on it. But I can state pretty emphatically that I will not be buying any more sets. That was more just to have a representation of the show in my collection.

Although it's not a Western, that was my thinking when I got that first "TNG"-- my thought process was that I wanted to prove both "Voyager" and "TNG." Like I said before, "Voyager" won out easily because of Captain Kathryn Janeway, for one thing, and Picard, dare I say it, is no Janeway. Therefore, "Voyager," as I said before, gets the nod for more over "TNG."

 

[Ethan Riley]

Originally Posted by Jeff Willis




The younger Barkley son wasn't mentioned after Season 1. The character was dropped after that season. I guess the writers didn't see much potential in that character development or something. I don't know the details though.

They just said he went off to school or something. Yep--he's the Chuck Cunningham of the West! I don't think he was even meant to be a permanent character; in his few appearances, he was always listed as a guest star in the end credits rather than as a member of the regular cast.

 

[shamrock01]

I grew up watching Westerns; movies and TV. For grit and realism, Rawhide has to stand out as one of the best. Wagon Train had it moments, too; especially when Ward Bond was starring. My favorite time with The Virginian came when Charles Bickford came on board; all too briefly.

However, my favorite western of all time was Lancer, which ran from '68 to '70. The pilot was a stunner, and the casting? Andrew Duggan as Murdoch Lancer, the patriarch of the clan; Wayne Maunder as eldest son, Scott; and James Stacy as the younger son, Johnny: the dynamics were outstanding.

People compared the series to Bonanza, but that was a mistake. With the exception of Pernell Roberts as Adam, the rest of the cast living at the Ponderosa were just marking time. It wasn't that way with the stars of Lancer: they excelled in their roles.

Sam Peeples created the characters, and it is a rotten shame that he didn't do more of the stories. Fox blew this one; and continues to do so. In spite of a pretty decent fan following at the fan fiction sites, they have not released the show on video. Shame on them.

 

[Jeff*H]

This is one of my favorite genres as well, be it movies or television (right up there with cop shows). In the movies, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are hands down the best of the best when it comes to classic westerns (and even more contemporary ones such as Unforgiven). As for TV shows, my favorites are The Lone Ranger, The Rifleman, Rawhide (Clint Eastwood again!), Have Gun Will Travel, and a couple of more offbeat choices: Sgt. Preston of the Yukon (even though it takes place further North) and The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
The 3 common denominators that I like in all of these shows are: compelling characters, clever plots and great, authentic scenery.

 

[JamesSmith]

Twenty or some years ago, there was talk that John Javna, (who wrote Cult TV, the Best of SciFI TV, the Best of TV Detectives, etc) was going to do one on westerns--that being the Best of TV Westerns. It never came out, or I have never been able to get a copy.

I really regret that because I would have liked to have him hone in on--what were some of the best western episodes (decided by the tv critics) that we should have watched.

Did any of you pick up those Javna books?

James

 

[clsact]

As a young girl, I watched westerns to fantasize about the handsome men. So my favorites were Lawman, Big Valley, Bonanza, Rawhide, Lancer, and Laredo. I now find Bonanza unwatchable, and Laredo downright silly. I would love for Lawman to be released on dvd, though I have recorded some episodes from Good Life network. Ditto, for Lancer.

Big Valley held up well, though there ARE some horrid episodes, including the one where Heath ended up a prisoner of crazy people (including Leslie Nielsen) in a ghost town. Charles Briles, who played Eugene, was drafted into military service, which was why his character was written out. The abundance of amnesia? Jarrod and Victoria, for sure, Audra a kinda/sorta (catatonic), but Nick and Heath, not that I recall. (Bad pun, I know). There will be a movie version made next year. I find it unimaginable and wonder who the audience would be, but if it means the rest of the seasons might be released on dvd, I'm for it.

I still enjoy Rawhide, Lancer and Big Valley, because of the good character interaction and outstanding guest stars. Now I also enjoy the winking humor of Maverick and The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Cheryl.

Welcome to the HTF Forum! Thanks for your "Big Valley" post info. That one's been one of my all-time favorite shows for many years. I do remember that "Town Of No Exit" episode near the end of the last season #4. That one wasn't one of my favorite episodes either.

That's interesing news about a BV movie next year. If it helps to get Fox to complete the TV show DVD releases, I'm all for it. I doubt I'd be interested in checking out the movie until it arrives on nat'l movie provider outlets (HBO, SHOW, etc).

 

[borisfw]

I won't go see the new movie.But if it will get out, at least,the second part of the second season i'll be happy.

 

[Neil Brock]

I'm really looking forward to seeing Whispering Smith. I've only seen one episode (years ago at Library of Congress) but from what I've read, the violence was excessive. It's a really rare show. Another obscure one that I saw a couple of years ago at UCLA is The Wrangler, a 7 episode summer replacement series shot on videotape. It didn't really work but it was quite interesting. I was never into westerns as a kid but I've been watching them recently. So far, I've enjoy Have Gun Will Travel, Gunsmoke and Wanted Dead or Alive the most. I also enjoyed the Pete Duel Alias Smith and Jones episodes, Branded and Guns of Will Sonnett.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Brock

I'm really looking forward to seeing Whispering Smith. I've only seen one episode (years ago at Library of Congress) but from what I've read, the violence was excessive.

This one I did know about, thanks to a well-placed source myself. My understanding is that the one episode you saw years ago Neil has been the only one floating around in collectors' circles for years. Supposedly the show was so violent that the order came down to destroy the masters but obviously someone found a source for them. This will be, perhaps, the most rare of shows to ever be released onto dvd up to this point.


Gary "I'm definitely itching to see this show" O.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Well for me it's because it's an era of TV that will nevr happened again, Heroes and villians in clear cut morality plays. I can't explain the appeal I just like it, and Rawhide and Have Gun Will Travel are two of my Faves.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Speaking of Bonanza, does anyone know if the 1st season episode "The Avenger" with vince Morrow was supposed to be a pilot for a spin off, sure felt like one.

 

[Bob Gu]

Not only was that, " The Avenger", 1960 BONANZA episode a pilot, they tried again with a similar story in an episode broadcast 4/13/61 on the NBC series, THE OUTLAWS. That episode was also called, "The Avenger" and also starred Vic Morrow. He was called Lassiter in the Bonanza story and Tom Dodge in The Outlaws, playing a character seeking revenge for the lynching of his parents.

I ran across this Outlaws episode entry when checking Vic Morrow's western roles in the book, Television Westerns-Episode Guide, 1949-1996 by Harris Lentz.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Interesting how they floated the series pilot thru two shows. He was called Lassiter in Bonanza cause it was where he was from, so Tom Dodge could've been his real name. I've never seen many of the episodes in the first season and I'm enjoying them immensely. I'm really impressed by Dirk Blocker who could do serious, goofey and Comedic without batting an eye. Alot of the stories and dialog is cheesy but it's still great fun, (although the treatment the chinese recieve in the series is pretty offensive, it's a product of the times)