The episode itself is no great shakes. The best part is watching Steve Rankin as the deputy, hamming it up as he drinks with Ezra. I like his little licking his fingers and cleaning the back of his ears gesture.
Ron Perlman as Josiah also has a few in-the-limelight moments, as he tries to convince an elderly woman to come clean with him about Chris' disappearances. It isn't much, but all of the Seven get little moments. Ezra is disgusted with his less "diplomatic" teammates, J. D. tries to tell a joke about a three-legged dog and the man who shot his "paw", Buck gets to play bad cop to Josiah's good cop, Nathan throws a knife and teams up with Vin, and we get a little more about Vin's backstory of being wanted in Texas.
The story itself is nothing special. It could be transferred into the 1990s south (and was a time or two ago) with a crooked lawman and an evil Warden. The head guard didn't know anything about what the lawman and the Warden were scheming (sure... but that's his story and he's sticking to it), and Chris' manly show of resistance to the Warden earns him the respect of his fellow prisoners, including one who's cousin Chris had to kill ago.
At the end, the Seven track down Chris, catch up to him at the prison, but he's already freed himself because he's just that much of a stud. They ride off, and... that's the end of the episode.
Like I said, by this time 'Magnificent Seven' wasn't a classic of television. But it juggles the ensemble cast well, gives the guest stars something to do, and what ask can you ask of American TV in the late 90s?
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Ron Perlman as Josiah also has a few in-the-limelight moments, as he tries to convince an elderly woman to come clean with him about Chris' disappearances. It isn't much, but all of the Seven get little moments. Ezra is disgusted with his less "diplomatic" teammates, J. D. tries to tell a joke about a three-legged dog and the man who shot his "paw", Buck gets to play bad cop to Josiah's good cop, Nathan throws a knife and teams up with Vin, and we get a little more about Vin's backstory of being wanted in Texas.
The story itself is nothing special. It could be transferred into the 1990s south (and was a time or two ago) with a crooked lawman and an evil Warden. The head guard didn't know anything about what the lawman and the Warden were scheming (sure... but that's his story and he's sticking to it), and Chris' manly show of resistance to the Warden earns him the respect of his fellow prisoners, including one who's cousin Chris had to kill ago.
At the end, the Seven track down Chris, catch up to him at the prison, but he's already freed himself because he's just that much of a stud. They ride off, and... that's the end of the episode.
Like I said, by this time 'Magnificent Seven' wasn't a classic of television. But it juggles the ensemble cast well, gives the guest stars something to do, and what ask can you ask of American TV in the late 90s?
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
