This episodes reviews various contributions to the western genre on early US television.
Maverick (1957), starring 'James Garner' was an early success and noted for its humor.
The Rifleman (1958) was created by
Sam Peckinpah, later noted for his more violent take on westerns. It starred
Chuck Connors as a single parent raising his young son.
Bonanza (1959) with
Lorne Greene as a rich rancher with three grown sons was noted for never having a permanent female character.
The Big Valley (1965) on the other hand was noted for its strong female characters played by
Barbara Stanwyck and
Linda Evans.
The Wild Wild West (1965) starring
Robert Conrad was noted for it's sometimes bizarre story lines and although still very popular, was canceled in 1969 when the US government began a campaign against violence on TV.
The High Chaparral (1967) had several Latino actors in key roles and
Daniel Boone (1964) included many African-American actors when few were to be found on US television.
Gunsmoke (1955), perhaps the granddaddy of them all, featured
James Arness as a US Marshall who rarely used his gun at all.
—garykmcd