Vegas

Vegas is real entertainment. Not the typical TV show that airs most of the time, it has a real story and real characters set in a real place and time. It escapes the foul locker room humor of the so called comedy. It doesn't follow the CBS worn out cop show procedural plot lines. What it does do is present a place and time that are different from every other New York grimy modern day cop show loaded with violence. While it deals with the mob and with law and order it does so in a way that is artfully crafted by the writers. It weaves it's plot in and around the Vegas that was just beginning to grow and not the neon metropolis that exists now. The writers touch on bits and pieces of Vegas history that are nicely blended with the storyline. But most of all Vegas presents a cast of characters played by excellent talent that the viewers are just now beginning to build a relationship with as the season progresses. Interrupted by debates, the election, Hurricane Sandy, and other events, this show is just beginning to get in the saddle. Given a fair shot this is a great show just beginning to emerge from the rest of the worn out fare of nighttime television.

"Vegas" has everything you need for a good, old police story. Based on true events that follow the life and work of the sheriff of Las Vegas. All the characters in the series are clearly defined, without unnecessary drama nonsense. It is a Lamb sheriff, who was for many years the sheriff in Las Vegas since the first casino to mid seventies. Dennis Quaid portrays a rancher who became a sheriff and who catches the first time in the fight against organized crime, sexual predators and maniacs at the time far, far from that described in the CSI: Las Vegas. No microscope, DNA laboratories. There are only a fist, shotgun and boot in the butt.

The sets and costuming really made me feel like I was looking at photos from my childhood. And Ralph Lamb had been a personal hero of mine. I look forward to some interesting, if fictionalized stories of the early days when the test site was bombing above ground and most of the Las Vegas Vally was ranch land. I have hopes for this show, providing the writers are as good as the actors they've acquired for it.

If anyone is interested in old Las Vegas and how it was, I also recommend watching DESERT BLOOM with JoBeth Williams and Jon Voigt. The emergency drill scene in this movie made my mom cry because she remembered doing the sane drills growing up here.

This show has it all and best of all it appeals to me at 40yrs young which is a rare thing for a TV series to do these days. Most of the garbage they churn out now is aimed at young folk but Vegas is a treat for someone who loves the old westerns, classic movies and a good thick plot. Quaid is a great actor and he has great supporting actors around him in this series, the characters are very well written and they all play a big part with no sub plots that waste your time and don't progress things. For once I can see scope for several seasons to come as Vegas grows,the casinos get bigger and the Mob wanting a bigger slice of the action. There seems plenty to go at without getting repetitive. Here's hoping those seasons materialise and who knows, a few cameos for Joe Pesci and co...

Vegas is the only major network show I anticipate watching. It is nice to see some entertainment aimed at more adult viewers. I love Las Vegas and I enjoy watching a show about the 'early' days of Vegas. Dennis Quaid is one one of my favorite actors and Michael Chiklis does a great job also. One of the nice features of the theme is the fact that there are so many potential stories and plot possibilities. CBS - please do not cancel this show. It deserves a good run. One of the features I enjoy is the on-going theme of plot line and character continuity (soap opera style) and the sub story theme of a separate crime that occurs and is solved within one show.