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Best Classic Television Western Series

Best Classic Western TV Series


  • Total voters
    61
We had a guy that worked for us on the farm that was slow in everything he did, and he kind of lingered. Good worker but not fast. Easy on equipment and less likely to tear up a big tractor or big truck. We nicknamed him Gunsmoke.
 
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Who remembers a show called Nichols which aired in '71-'72 with 24 episodes? James Garner was the sheriff and he rode around on a vintage Harley? Featured Margot Kidder and Strother Martin.
 
Yeah dope show, Mike had his gun and won the West. I’m a fan of Have Gun will Travel and Bonanza.
Rawhide had the best theme song followed closely by Bonanza. For the best show I went with "Gun it Mike", aka Gunsmoke.
I prefer Gun it Mike.

X Files Art GIF by Lily Padula
 
Tales of Wells Fargo is up there with the best of them. The horse that Dale Robertson rode was bought in Lexington. For years the show was in black and white and you could just tell that the horse was beautiful and then your thoughts were confirmed when the show went to color. One of the most beautiful horses in any western show.
 
Loved the Maverick character and personna which I felt was carried over to The Rockford Files.
I read that was actually the intent behind the Rockford Files, i.e. to put Garner again in the Brett Maverick persona in a different type of show (by that time Westerns were out of favor). Garner handicapped the original series almost from the beginning by not being present. The fans wanted the character Brett Maverick, but due to contract disputes or other issues (????) Garner only appeared in about half the episodes during the first 3 seasons and then quit altogether.
 
Loved Gunsmoke the best. Arness was absolutely the star, but so many great characters like Dennis Weaver and Ken Curtis.

Bonanza - Loved it until Dan Blocker died. At the end, it was just pathetic television.

Wanted: Dead or Alive - McQueen made a good bounty hunter.

Wild, Wild West - Robert Conrad was James Bond Before James Bond. Very cool show that was ahead of it's time.

Rawhide - Great character actors, but the stories got a little "meh" sometimes.

THE Rifleman - Conners could wrap up any situation, no matter how dire in around 20 minutes time by shooting from his hip with his Winchester. Pretty sure I couldn't have hit the side of a barn like that.

Wagon Train - Liked it, but the stories were either hit or miss.

One thing I love about watching these shows now vs when I was a kid was seeing so many of the young actors who would go on to be famous. A few weeks ago, I saw Dennis Hopper on THE Rifleman. He looked like he was 14.
 
The Rifleman. Always watched when I was a kid with my cowboy hat and toy winchester. Loved The Lone Ranger as well. Wish I still had the action figures with the horses.
 
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