Return to Lonesome Dove

Let me say first off that I am a huge fan of the original series Lonesome Dove and the book it was based from. I have put off watching this sequel for the better part of 10 years due to the bad reviews I'd heard about it. If Tommy Lee Jones wasn't playing Capt. Call I didn't see the point. If Larry McMurtry wasn't involved why should I care? How wrong I was.

This is in so many ways a worthy sequel to Lonesome Dove, maybe even more so than the dark mood of Streets Of Laredo. The story, acting, production, cinematography are all top-notch. Of course the script isn't as colorful as Lonesome Dove but it has it's moments. And, much to my surprise, there are bits of Lonesome Done in this series; the relationship between July and Clara, completely dismissed in the prequel, is brought up here almost identical to the book, a most welcome surprise. The story isn't all roses, it has it's surprises too. By far the biggest surprise is Jon Voight's interpretation of Capt. Call. While not a direct copy of Tommy Lee Jones' his is both faithful and unique to Voight's credit. The cast is fantastic all across the board, and I don't think Rick Schroeder has done a better job of acting than in this series. Oliver Reed practically steals the show here, he is superb in a role that makes you care for his character as equally as you hate him.

It is worth it to watch this if you haven't due to bad criticisms, especially that the DVD is so affordable (I got the 2-disc set for $10.99, you can probably find it cheaper). It is in no way the disappointment that Dead Man's Walk turned out (well, it was for me). And MCMurtry was involved with that one!

As soon as I heard that this show was being made I found out that the author of Lonesome Dove had no connection to this one and warning flags came up in my mind. Lonesome Dove is one of the most beloved mini-series in television history and folks this network sequel will never have that distinction.

Picking up right where Lonesome Dove left off and finding Jon Voight in the role played by Tommy Lee Jones in the original, I found it very hard to get into this show. While Voight is actually very good in this show, it just is not the same without Jones, Duvall and the others. The only big name from the original to appear in this turkey is Rick Schroder as Newt.

While featuring some good visuals and great work from William L. Peterson in a role that is supposed to be a Gus Macrae type but never really comes close, on the flip side, the story is ludicrous and Oliver Reed turns in one of the worst acting performances I have ever seen. I don't fault Mr. Reed, I fault the writers who have given him some of the worst lines you will hear in television history.

This is no return to Lonesome Dove but rather a full fledged stampede away from Lonesome Dove and should not be confused with Larry McMurtry's official sequel "Streets Of Laredo" which has been turned into a two-part mini-series and is much better than this offering.

I just watched "return from lonesome dove" and it was very good! I've seen a lot of negative comments about it and I don't think the Viewers are being real about it! In the television/ movie business it is hard to get all the actors back for a 2nd sequel or 3rd part. WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE ANOTHER MINISERIES THAT TIES INTO LONE D. FAITHFULLY!! This production was top notch with the original music score, and the actors put their hearts into it(you can tell). If you want to watch lonesome d. with Robert Duvall and tommy L. J. then watch the original. Return to L.D. didn't have as much wit and takes on a more serious tone but is totally captivating none the less. From the touching moments to the villains, this one is a winner! "Wonderful!!!"

I was surprised that I ended up liking this sequel to the much beloved classic mini-series "Lonesome Dove". Despite not having as many of the great characters and actors that the original series had. However, 'Return to Lonesome Dome' has a lot of new and interesting characters played by very good actors in William Peterson, Oliver Reed, Lou Gossett Jr., a young Reese Witherspoon and a very menacing Montana half-breed terrorist rustler played by Reginald Dorsey.

As for the returning characters who survived the original 'Lonesome Dove' series, Jon Voight takes over the reins of Tommy Lee Jones now classic character "Captain Woodrow F. Call". Now, I know it's hard to accept anyone but Tommy Lee Jones playing that role, but, I have to admit it that Jon Voight's performance as Woodrow Call is almost identical to that of Tommy Lee's, and Voight makes it a lot easier to just accept that someone else is playing that role.

Rick Schroder returns to play his character from the original series, Newt Dobbs. And, while following Woodrow's journey back to Montana from Texas is fun and exiting to watch, Newt's story line is not only the most interesting story of the series, but it's also the most satisfying, because it answers the question the original series left us with at the end. Which is, "What happened to Newt and the rest of the Texas rustlers in Montana?". Therefore, justifying the reason to even make a sequel to the classic original mini-series.

Also, a little of a side note, Rick Schroder co-starred with Jon Voight in the 1979 movie "The Champ". It was Schroder's first major screen appearance that included great performances by both Voight and 9-year old Ricky Schroder. And, it was both touching and fascinating to watch Voight and Schroder sharing the screen together again in "Return to Lonesome Dove" 14-years later.

Also, I can't end this review without mentioning the worst and most pointless and terribly cast character of the sequel, Agostina Vega played by Nia Peeples. Agostina is the tough female gun fighting Mexican child of Gus McCray, and she's out for revenge against Gus for abandoning her and her mother. But, Gus is dead so she decides to get her revenge on Captain McCall instead.

While Nia was a very attractive young woman back in 93', the problem is that she's only 5'2 and maybe 90lbs sopping wet. Not exactly an intimidating figure who looks like she could tough it in the Wild West on her own, no matter how good she supposedly is with a gun.

Plus, the character itself is just pointless and adds nothing to the overall story. It just seems like a cheap way to work a Augustus McCray story line into the series, without the Gus McCray character being present.

I'm rating "Return to Lonesome Dove" a 7-out of-10 stars. I would've rated it higher if it wasn't for that pointless Agostina character. But, there still enough good things about the sequel that far out weighs the bad, and I highly recommend seeing it at least once. Just don't expect it to be as nearly memorable and deeply moving as the original series.

If your a true Dove fan, this is a must see movie. Out of all the sequel this is the best one and stays true to the characters. McMurtry destroyed Gus and Call with Dead Man's Walk and Comanche Moon. He made Gus and Call into bubbling idiots.

Barbara Hershey was magnificent as Clara Allen and in my opinion stole the character away from Houston who I thought was miscast in the first place. Jon Voight was also a great choice for Call.

It was great to get Schroder and Cooper back to play there original parts. And Lou Gossett and William Peterson were just perfect as replacements characters for Gus and Deets.

This is a very well written story of what awaits call after his historic cattle drive to Montana.