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Post by gerald424 on Dec 6, 2022 1:53:12 GMT
There are many western series from the past that still air regularly. And some new series popping up.
Just like the other thread on defining a western, does a western have to be gunfighters and cattle ? Or just people living in the west during the later 19th century ?
What are some western series you liked and still like. Because most likely, its on a TV somewhere today ?
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Post by cmovieviewer on Dec 6, 2022 8:51:56 GMT
Lately I have started watching the Tales of Wells Fargo series on the Starz Westerns channel. There are six seasons total that came out from 1957 - 1962, with more than 30 episodes per season, and each episode runs slightly less than 30 minutes. Dale Robertson plays Wells Fargo Agent Jim Hardie, who is typically investigating some crime related to Wells Fargo business. Starz shows one episode per day, Monday through Friday, usually in original broadcast order.
- I started watching somewhere in the middle of season 2. - So far the episodes I’m watching were shot on black and white film and have been restored for viewing on Starz, and the quality is excellent. - There probably wasn’t a giant budget for the series, but the production is good and there are often shots of stage coaches and a period train with 4 or 5 cars is used occasionally. - Dale Robertson makes for a straight-ahead leading man, who always goes after the suspect no matter what might be in his way. - At 30 minutes, the stories move along briskly and come to a direct resolution. - Not much moral ambiguity in the episodes but there is typically some mystery to solve with occasional action scenes along the way. - The series likes to use famous people for characters, such as Doc Holliday, Johnny Ringo, etc. but doesn’t worry too much about being historically accurate. - Like all series of this period, it is fun to see the occasional star that you recognize show up for an episode. For example, Rita Moreno had a nice part playing Lola Montez in season 3, episode 22. - My cable subscription also gives me some access to the Starz streaming library, so with the Starz app I can stream the episodes on demand as well. - Perhaps not as ambitious as some of the 1-hour westerns such as Bonanza, but still enjoyable to watch. |
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Post by topbilled on Dec 6, 2022 14:55:29 GMT
Lately I have started watching the Tales of Wells Fargo series on the Starz Westerns channel. There are six seasons total that came out from 1957 - 1962, with more than 30 episodes per season, and each episode runs slightly less than 30 minutes. Dale Robertson plays Wells Fargo Agent Jim Hardie, who is typically investigating some crime related to Wells Fargo business. Starz shows one episode per day, Monday through Friday, usually in original broadcast order.
- I started watching somewhere in the middle of season 2. - So far the episodes I’m watching were shot on black and white film and have been restored for viewing on Starz, and the quality is excellent. - There probably wasn’t a giant budget for the series, but the production is good and there are often shots of stage coaches and a period train with 4 or 5 cars is used occasionally. - Dale Robertson makes for a straight-ahead leading man, who always goes after the suspect no matter what might be in his way. - At 30 minutes, the stories move along briskly and come to a direct resolution. - Not much moral ambiguity in the episodes but there is typically some mystery to solve with occasional action scenes along the way. - The series likes to use famous people for characters, such as Doc Holliday, Johnny Ringo, etc. but doesn’t worry too much about being historically accurate. - Like all series of this period, it is fun to see the occasional star that you recognize show up for an episode. For example, Rita Moreno had a nice part playing Lola Montez in season 3, episode 22. - My cable subscription also gives me some access to the Starz streaming library, so with the Starz app I can stream the episodes on demand as well. - Perhaps not as ambitious as some of the 1-hour westerns such as Bonanza, but still enjoyable to watch.
When you watch those later episodes, I'd be interested to hear your impressions on whether or not you think the show 'jumped the shark.' There are some very good guest stars in that final season and the writing is just as strong as it was in the earlier seasons...but yes, it's a bit of an adjustment to see how the producers retooled the format. |
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Post by ando on Dec 6, 2022 20:47:57 GMT
Not a big Western fan but I do enjoy watching Steve McQueen. Without an intriguing, or at least mysterious, personality at the center or exceptionally written script the Western, in general, doesn't hold my interest. Bounty hunter scenarios, however, do hold intrigue. Of course, they aren't exclusive to the Western but they have a built in dramatic conflict that allows any hack a hand up in crafting a narrative. I did have all three seasons of Wanted:Dead or Alive (1958-61) on dvd at one point and was happy to see that the Roku Channel has it streaming. Hope it stays up a while. Nice background info to the series above.
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Post by Newbie on Jan 23, 2023 2:17:42 GMT
Yellowstone on Paramount. Starring Kevin Costner as a powerful rancher outside Bosman, Montana. He's a widower with four grown children: A son who is a lawyer, another who works for him, another who is married and lives on an Indian reservation with his wife and child. Some of the ranch hands are branded,literally, making them lifers. Costner's land is bordered by the reservation and land that business man, Danny Huston, wants to turn into a high end resort.
I'm only half way through the first season. I haven't made up my mind yet but it reminds me a bit of Succession. A powerful patriarch with troubled adult kids, it's a bit of a soap opera.
Has anyone watched this?
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Post by Newbie on Jan 25, 2023 12:48:33 GMT
Just finished season 1. That's it for me. The characters are unlikeable, especially the adult daughter Beth. She's a sloppy drunk sleeping with any ranch hand who crosses her path in one episode. Next she's a brilliant cut-throat corporate shark, three steps ahead of everyone else. Also, Costner's rancher is doing Tony Soprano level crimes, completely unbelievable. There's a scene with Danny Huston that was the last straw for me. No one would get away with some if this stuff.
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Post by jamesjazzguitar on Jan 27, 2023 1:13:29 GMT
Just finished season 1. That's it for me. The characters are unlikeable, especially the adult daughter Beth. She's a sloppy drunk sleeping with any ranch hand who crosses her path in one episode. Next she's a brilliant cut-throat corporate shark, three steps ahead of everyone else. Also, Costner's rancher is doing Tony Soprano level crimes, completely unbelievable. There's a scene with Danny Huston that was the last straw for me. No one would get away with some if this stuff. I'm glad I read your latest post about Yellowstone instead of replying to your initial post. A few months ago my wife and I went to visit her best friend and her new husband. They ask if we had seen Yellowstone since they really loved the show. We hadn't so we ask some basic questions; E.g. what do you like about it. The husband provides some reasons and we move on to another topic. On the flight back home I say to my wife; Did you notice that when I asked him about Yellowstone he said that there were no likeable characters? Yea, I can't really get into serials where there isn't at least one main character I can pull for. The character doesn't have to be a saint, since I enjoy a flawed protagonist over a lily-white one, but when all the main characters are very disagreeable, I lose interest very quickly. |
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Post by Unwatchable on Jan 27, 2023 3:06:56 GMT
Just finished season 1. That's it for me. The characters are unlikeable, especially the adult daughter Beth. She's a sloppy drunk sleeping with any ranch hand who crosses her path in one episode. Next she's a brilliant cut-throat corporate shark, three steps ahead of everyone else. Also, Costner's rancher is doing Tony Soprano level crimes, completely unbelievable. There's a scene with Danny Huston that was the last straw for me. No one would get away with some if this stuff. I'm glad I read your latest post about Yellowstone instead of replying to your initial post. A few months ago my wife and I went to visit her best friend and her new husband. They ask if we had seen Yellowstone since they really loved the show. We hadn't so we ask some basic questions; E.g. what do you like about it. The husband provides some reasons and we move on to another topic. On the flight back home I say to my wife; Did you notice that when I asked him about Yellowstone he said that there were no likeable characters? Yea, I can't really get into serials where there isn't at least one main character I can pull for. The character doesn't have to be a saint, since I enjoy a flawed protagonist over a lily-white one, but when all the main characters are very disagreeable, I lose interest very quickly.
I also felt like I am not the target audience for Yellowstone. But it appears to be popular with someone so kudos to Costner, I suppose. |
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Post by Newbie on Jan 27, 2023 12:33:48 GMT
I'm glad I read your latest post about Yellowstone instead of replying to your initial post. A few months ago my wife and I went to visit her best friend and her new husband. They ask if we had seen Yellowstone since they really loved the show. We hadn't so we ask some basic questions; E.g. what do you like about it. The husband provides some reasons and we move on to another topic. On the flight back home I say to my wife; Did you notice that when I asked him about Yellowstone he said that there were no likeable characters? Yea, I can't really get into serials where there isn't at least one main character I can pull for. The character doesn't have to be a saint, since I enjoy a flawed protagonist over a lily-white one, but when all the main characters are very disagreeable, I lose interest very quickly.
I also felt like I am not the target audience for Yellowstone. But it appears to be popular with someone so kudos to Costner, I suppose.Thanks JamesJazz and Unwatchable. Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't get this show. Apparently, there are two prequels: "1883" with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and " 1923" with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. |
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