Peacemakers (TV Series 2003) Poster

(2003)

User Reviews

Review this title
25 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
9/10
Pretty good western drama
lacrescenta10 August 2003
It's still early in this series, but so far I've been pleased with this show. I think the chemistry between the two main stars (Tom Berenger and Peter O'Meara) will make it an enjoyable "buddy" show; the forensic element of the stories are fascinating as well.

I am a fan of westerns and this one has an interesting angle: it is set during a time when some modern advancements are being introduced--electricity, the telephone, and some modern forensic techniques, like fingerprints and ballistics.

"Old-timer" sheriff Jared Stone (played by Tom Berenger) is a Civil War hero, and is very capable and experienced in his job. He's not accepting the advance of middle age very well (the first episode has him reluctant to get his first set of spectacles) and he's a little gruff at times. But he knows his stuff, and is a personable sort of fellow that is respected in the town.

"Hot shot" ex-Pinkerton man Larimer Finch (played by relative newcomer Peter O'Meara) comes off as a bit snobby and smug when he first meets Stone, but he's a good sort of fellow too. An Englishman who has been everywhere (speaks fluent Chinese) and is well-versed in the "modern" forensic techniques, he provides a good compliment to Sheriff Stone's old-timer wisdom. Finch is younger and has less experience than Stone does in many ways, but he can hold his own and proves to be a good partner in crime-solving.

So far the mysteries in each show have not been earth-shatteringly hard to crack (I often guessed "who dunnit" fairly early on) but the process these guys have to go through to get to the conclusion is interesting, indeed. The chemistry (sort of an "odd couple") of gruff, middle-aged Sheriff Stone and young, uber-educated Englishman Finch is fun to watch.

There are other characters in the show that are interesting, including the town mortician (can't remember the character's name) who is female (very pretty, of course!) and a former medical student. She's often called upon to do autopsies and perform other forensic-related duties. She's likeable and smart; it's nice to see an intelligent woman in a western show set in this era.

I like westerns, I like Tom Berenger, and even though I've never seen Peter O'Meara in anything before this, but I already like him and think his future as an actor is bright indeed. I think this series is going to be one I will look forward to seeing every week.
9 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Pleasantly surprised.
spacepr4 August 2003
"Peacemakers" is not your run-of-the-mill oater. I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and the acting in the pilot for this new series. It takes westerns to a new level. It is fun to watch Tom Berenger's character as he tries cope with all the "new" crime-fighting tools available at the close of the 19th century (the telephone, fingerprints, blood pathology).

The ensemble is well cast. The actors work well together. The scenery is spectacular. It's a welcome change to the drivel on network television today.
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Everything about this series is top notch, right down to the filming technique that makes the visuals appear 1880's in bland coloration.
spida21 August 2003
This is a welcome addition to Wednesday night programming, even if it is on so late that I have to record it and watch it on Thursday mornings with my coffee. A very nice way to start the day. Yes, this series is top notch in every respect. I have just finished watching the Aug. 20 episode which covered the racism and bigotry our country has shown (shows) toward the Native Americans. The evidence used to id the female corpse along with the other forensic techniques and traits of human nature show that we really haven't changed in the past 120 years, have we? My ONLY negative comment about this show is that Amy Carlson is third on the billing, following Peter DeMeara. Ms. Carlson has a much longer career and list of credits to her name than Mr. DeMeara, yet she is billed third. I hope this series is a keeper for a number of years. For those of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's, westerns are truly missed, especially quality ones.
3 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Great Show!
Roguexmn552 April 2005
Don't know why this series was canceled as the characters are all very believable and I am extremely enjoying the show. I wasn't lucky enough to be able to get it off of HBO, but it is definitely a show I look forward to seeing each week. I hope that they will show all of its seasons. I don't know how many it had, but I guarantee you I will be watching it! The actors and actresses did a great job, and I, too, would like to thank CMT for giving us this opportunity to see such a great show. Even the outlaws are interesting. I personally think Tom Berenger, as the Marshall, is following in John Wayne's footsteps. I was a great John Wayne fan, and Berenger is the first man I have seen who makes me think of the Duke.
11 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Excellent series! Highest recommendation!
davezeppelin16 August 2003
This show is outstanding. It combines a little bit of "Law and Order", adds a dash of "CSI", and tops it all off with the flavor of "Gunsmoke." Don't let the whole western theme fool you or scare you. Whether you are a fan of westerns or not, if you like crime shows, this show is an excellent view each Wednesday.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Best Series on Cable T.V.
Taylor074 August 2003
Peacemakers was everything I hoped it would be. Mr. Berenger gave us everything from his bashful smiles to his no-nonsense demeanor (which I'm sure he perfected raising all those beautiful kids). The plot moved and twisted, each new character flowed into Peacemakers with ease, and we were given the feel of the town & the times when we were done. Best line...."that's TWO questions." Thank you Mr. Berenger, and thank you USA for quality programming. Ummmm, just wondering tho.....why did you switch horses 1/2 way through?
4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Not CSI and that's fine.
BevWoolf11 August 2003
If I had to chose between watching ABC's CSI and USA's Peacemakers, I'd have a difficult time choosing. Thank goodness they are on different nights and I have TiVo.® I will admit that I first starting watching Peacemakers because of the forensics premise and that the main character of Jared Stone was going to be played by Tom Berenger, an actor I've always felt hasn't had the recognition he deserves as an actor despite a distinguished list of credits to his name. Now, however, I find myself watching because of the the overall quality of the production, the storylines thus far, and the entire cast's characterizations.

The Pilot episode introduces us to the town of Silver Springs, CO. in the late 1880s and to the people who populate that town. We also meet the three major players in the show and several recurring characters. Each is played with a professionalism to acting that can only be found in a quality television show. There seems to be care taken by the production crew to bring a western town to life. It might be my imagination but it seemed to me that there was just a hint of a sepia tint which gives the show a classic late 19th century look and feel.

Tuning in to watch for the CSI aspect of the show, I wasn't disappointed. I was enthusiastically enthralled to watch Finch go through the motions of taking fingerprints, taking photographs of the crime scene, analyzing the chemical and biological evidence of the crimes, and then putting it altogether to form a conclusion of who the killer or killers were. Then along with Stone, coming up with the why?

There was just enough humor in the show to give today's audience a chuckle about all the new-fangled ideas and gadgets.

Overall, I believe this to be a show to continue watching on it's own merits rather than continuing with comparing it to CSI.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A Great New Series
luvtom-231 July 2003
The pilot lives up to all my expectations! Tom Berenger is perfect as Jared Stone. This multi-talented actor can play any role, but seems to really enjoy this one. He gives the same degree of toughness, intelligence, compassion, and humor to this role, as he did in Last of the Dogmen. I hope this is renewed for many seasons to come.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Rare Historically Accurate Television
jcook5605017 August 2009
The Peacemakers is one of those rare television pleasures; a program whose producers went to great pains to develop an environment that was just about as close to the real thing as you can get. Each everyday item and situation seem to be fine tuned for producing a reality straight out of the Old West era, right on the edge of the Age of Oil. The viewer can literally get lost in the details while savoring how each frame is composed. But, somehow, things get a bit bogged down. This is not a perfect production. Unfortunately, and probably the reason for its short lifespan, the deep overall story of the characters becomes murky, and the audience may be somewhat expectant of those strong character relationships that, disappointingly, never quite seem to develop as the series goes on. We are also asked to believe that unlikely situations and murder are the norm in this small town. Although it is quite satisfying to see characters of intelligence using current technologies and psychology to solve a crime, perhaps the progression of everyday life and the laboratory time should have been more intermixed with lasting human drama. The portrayals are somewhat flat, and the slow pace of life of Victorian America might have been sped up a bit to retain the interest of the audience. Many viewers in the present day expect more action from a western genre, and perhaps that is not a bad thing. The producers seemed timid when it came to staging a flat out scene of action. The colors were washed toward sepia in order to place a final touch to the period feel of the piece, however, color adds a certain feel of immediacy to the stage, and might have brightened the production somewhat. For those who really appreciate a nice deep bath of historical truth, I cannot recommend a more carefully crafted nine part mini-series. You will come to appreciate these characters, and wish they had been given time to develop more fully into a real and intriguing community.
1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Very good new series...well worth the time....
dklouks6 August 2003
A refreshing new series. I am a very busy person and am very selective as to my TV viewing. It is an interesting time and setting. I enjoy the old west coming of age with modern science. The cast works well. Tom Berenger is wonderful as Marshall Jared Stone. It it nice to enjoy a series with action, mystery, science and humor. I hope Peacemakers will be around for a long time. Thanks! USA Network and Mr. Berenger!
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Takes Both Hands
FredTownWard23 April 2013
It takes both hands to describe this innovative Western TV series (though owing more than a little to Hec Ramsey IMHO) that initially intrigued and then caused me to gradually lose interest and stop watching.

On the one hand it was cleverly written and very well acted, especially by Tom Berenger.

On the other hand it was so politically correct that I could guess who the villain was, usually in the first 15 minutes, just by applying the "logic" of political correctness: (The villain can never be a member of any approved minority so it can never be an Indian or a black or a Chinese person or a female or a poor and downtrodden person, etc., and the minute there's a rich, prejudiced, white male on the suspect list, "At ease, Mounties, we've got our man."

I think I guessed wrong only once, and in that episode the villain turned out to be a rich, prejudiced, white female.
2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
This is a great show!
ragorecki5 August 2003
Cudos to USA Network for yet another fine show. With all the "reality" shows out there (and who cares) I'm happy to report that we finally have something else to interest us. It's about time we had a resurgence of the wester genre and this show could be the start. Interestingly, it also borrows from the hit show CSI, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's been referred to as the wild west version of CSI, but I think it may have more in the way of characterization than CSI. It also has the novelty of showing us the roots of some of our present day technology like the telephone. All in all I think the potential is there to have another "Monk" type hit! Bravo!!
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Not bad, but not great
laumas4 August 2003
I watched the pilot of this western and it held my interest throughout. Tom Berenger's portrayal of Marshal Jerad Stone carries the show, with little help from his supporting cast or writers.

Think CSI as a western, and you have an idea of what this show is about. The disappointing plot in the pilot, however, was very predictable and less than exciting than expected for the premise of the show. Hopefully they can throw more twists into the mix on future episodes.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
A little weak, but has potential.
thousandisland10 August 2003
I wasn't going to tune into this one, but then I found out it is filmed on the old Maple Ridge "Bordertown" set, so I decided to check it out for some nostalgic value.

It is pretty similar to Bordertown in its character setup: you have a crusty, old-fashioned US Marshal teaming up with a more refined guy who also solves crimes but finds the Western frontier pretty uncivilized, and does everything by-the-book. Then there is a lady in the mix, not the doctor in this case, but close enough.

The New Stuff is the forensic angle that has already earned it TV Guide's "Western version of CSI." That is a bad reputation, when your show is like, another already-existing show set in a different time and place. Then again, I guess the joke is on TV Guide, because it's more like "Updated version of Bordertown, including Town." I think the forensic stuff is interesting but will play out quickly. This show will need more than that, and soon. (After all, you don't have to watch Peacemakers to get CSI... You can just watch CSI.) Also I can

do without the high-speed action sequences. That was novel in "Gladiator," but is now about as original as playing that annoying "Woo Hoo" song when you're trying to plug your show. Oh wait, Peacemakers does that, too. (Hey, while we're at it, how about some "Matrix" effects?)

The moral of the story is that the under-appreciated "Bordertown" has inspired yet another similar kind of show (You know who you are, Dr. Quinn and Due South) that seems to be OK, but will need some tweaking if it plans on staying long. I will hang around for a while and hope this one grows on me or shapes up to meet its potential.
5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Great Show, can't wait for more episodes.
JALBERTIE-14 August 2003
A long awaited TV series for Mr. Berenger. Thank you USA Network. He uses Humor, Charm, Intelligence and Skill to catch the bad guys. He's not just your average Sheriff. It's a great show and I look forward to many more episodes to come.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Fine Piece of Work!
ladyky17 August 2003
Excellent rebirth of the Western. Cast represents a talented group of professionals who interact well and bring the characters to life with their experience and own vision. Fascinating, unique and fun use of details and historical events to show the changing of an important period of our country. As this new show developes and matures I can see the fan base grow. Thank you to those that created it and to those who work on and in it. Bravo!
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
My household thought the pilot was excellent
oaksr230 July 2003
I was enticed to watch because it is a western. I was not disappointed. My wife, a very casual television watcher(may go off to sleep at any point even watching something she enjoys)was the first to remark " I enjoyed that". She watched the whole thing. I feel you have a hit on your hands.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
What happened to this series? Is it coming back?
leencarol5 December 2003
Why is it that every time a good show comes around that it does'nt last?I was really looking forward to "Peacemakers" staying around for quite some time it has all ingredients of a good western Tom Berenger is Jared Stone and plays him to a tee Berenger really enjoys the part. The cast is good and the stories are enjoyable if not catchey as they seem to cover CSI "Western Style" I do hope its picked up for awhile as this is just good family viewing
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Wonderfully paced new western drama
jdnbonneau13 August 2003
It is so nice to encounter a drama in which no one sees the need for a breakneck pace and/or a half dozen separate threads in every episode. Episodes of Peacemakers don't whiz by and leave you breathless; they allow you time to fully digest what you're seeing and to appreciate the attention to detail, and to history, in the show. Given that Tom Berenger's a history buff and his wife is one of the producers, it comes as no surprise that the details are right. Peacemakers rings true.

Although the inevitable comparison will be to CSI, there's a little Columbo here, a smattering of Matt Dillon, and nods to any number of other detective and western offerings of the past. The acting is fine by all; there's a realism in the writing that allows you to forget you're watching actors on a set. And it's a real treat to see Berenger every week. Always a solid performer, we haven't seen nearly enough of him in recent years.

One has to wonder whether the innovations in forensics during this period in history will be sufficient to fuel Peacemakers beyond its initial 8-episode run. But I sure hope so. And even if they don't, perhaps the societal and cultural changes occurring during this period in American history can be interwoven into the stories to keep things going. The innovations in gallows design depicted in the second episode were fascinating, but so was the marshall's dilemma regarding the rights of a battered wife in episode three.

I love quality television that teaches as well as entertains, and Peacemakers, thus far, is a good example of quality television.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
A Breath of Fresh Colorado Air
vicciv21 August 2003
When I was a small child it was the Age of Westerns. I remember many of the classics: Gunsmoke, Rawhide, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, to name a few. In these days it is not exactly "cool" to admit you like the old shoot-em-ups, but I do.

Peacemakers satisfies that craving as well as my enjoyment of crime drama. The characters are interesting, the history is fascinating, and the atmosphere of the entire show invigorates and restores. It has been a long time since I found a series I never miss. There's been only one other in the last ten years.

The violence is not explicit (no blood packs exploding with gore everywhere), the situations realistically portrayed, the attitudes and prejudices of the times accurately shown, whether they are sympathetic to modern audiences or not. I recommend the show to everyone I know. It really is a fresh idea in a season where dullness abounds. Would I give it a ten? I wish the scale would go up to eleven!
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
A treat for all Berenger fans
Singary5 August 2003
What a great thing to have Tom Berenger in my living room every week. This show is terrific. Great writing, great acting, and everything you could want in a show. The ensemble cast work so well off each other, and the historical aspects of the show make it so much fun to watch. I look forward to a nice long run of this series. This role was made for Tom.
1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Corny banter and a ridiculous premise make "Peacemakers" a genuine turkey for USA
liquidcelluloid-13 November 2004
Network: USA; Genre: Western, Crime; Content Rating: TV-PG (for mild violence); Classification: Contemporary (Star range: 1 - 4);

Season Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season)

In the 1882 old west sheriff Marshal Stone (Tom Berenger) rounds up criminals and solves crimes with the help of a scientist (Peter O'Meara) who introduces the sheriff to the early prototypes of what would become modern technology and forensic pathology. It is laughable to describe USA's 'Peacemakers'. Is the procedural criminal drama so hard up for new ideas that mixing it into the long dead genre of the western actually seemed inspired?

I fail to see the allure of the procedural show, but I imagine that the intrigue of a 'CSI' is that we see things we didn't know could be done. The layperson doesn't know how crimes are solved with the finding of a single hair or smudge on a glass. However, the premise that 'Peacemakers' asks us to choke down involves us transplanting ourselves to the last century and being marveled at mundane stuff, such as tape recorders and fingerprinting, that everybody uses, or knows about, everyday. Characters look at this stuff in amazement, criminals get worked up over the appearance of this new fangled "magic" and we, the audience, throw up our hands and go "so what".

On the face of it, I'm behind this kind of absurd mixing of genres - even dead ones. But 'Peacemakers' takes itself with an unbelievable amount of seriousness. Any electrical impulse Berenger's performance gives off could be confused for a bag of sand. He looks like he's waiting for the paycheck to clear so they can finish filling in the pool. The rest of the cast are either armatures or going through the paces, droning out this corny back-and-forth banter like automatons. The characters are paper-thin, the stories don't even begin to be interesting, there are romantic subplots tacked on instantaneously when needed and a completely uninspired visual style. But to just rattle off a list of the mechanical qualities this thing falls short in doesn't begin to do justice to the fluid mediocrity - and frankly, stupidity - that runs pervasive through it.

'Peacemakers' is a flat-out no-nonsense, honest to goodness turkey for USA. There isn't much more to it. It is one of the more tedious and fundamentally ridiculous shows I've gotten a chance to sit through. And that said in a year when any scripted series is greeted as a gasp of air from the onslaught of reality TV is really something. It was an experiment for USA, one that only a cable network would take, but when the result comes out like this it's hard to give it any points for ambition. Silly stuff.

* / 4
2 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
smart
Vincentiu28 July 2013
this is perfect word. because, after so many series/movies about West America in XIX century, it is really a performance to do something new. and really interesting.in fact, it is more than a Western but basic virtues of genre are at right place. Peacemakers is charming of all. not only for forensic parts but for the precise characters. and, sure, for the atmosphere. it is a good dose of humor and thriller, old velvet of period and beautiful landscapes. and , in same measure, emotion, tension and perfect balance between old conservative sheriff and his young partner. slices of existences, realism and measure. a smart work. so, must see it !
0 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Excellent New Show
wolfpac200031 July 2003
USA Network continues it's tradition of introducing quality TV shows with "Peacemakers". Berenger plays the traditional Western lawman with skill, while O'Meara's Detective Finch provides an excellent contrast, and showcases the series' originality with his forensics-minded approach to criminal investigation, opposed to Berenger's Marshal Stone's Western-style approach. The pilot's plotline maintained a good pace and was properly suspenseful, and highlighted the beginnings of a chemistry that O'Meara and Berenger are sure to establish as the series continues.

The show is set to follow in the footsteps of The Dead Zone and Monk and become a hit. If only the mainstream networks would make shows like this instead of their usual drivel, I'd watch Primetime more often.
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Great Entertainment
janetlouise325716 August 2003
I enjoyed watching Peacemakers, excilent work by Tom Berenger and the rest of the cast. All the components game together in this movie and made it great. I look forward to seeing other episodes and Tom Berenger
0 out of 0 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed