Hi Ivan,ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:15 pmDobe, I got a good laugh from your BONANZA comment! You're right, the first few episodes Ben is such a zealot over his precious Ponderosa that he would shoot and kill any man that steps on it. Like, what the heck??? He would probably shoot poor old grandma between the eyes if she accidentally got lost and stumbled on his land. Sheesh! And yeah Hoss is almost like Lennie from "Of Mice and Men". What can I say about Hop Sing??? He's such a broad caricature but boy do I love him!!! "Meesta Cot-light, meesta Cot-light!" Hot-diggidy, as Little Joe might say.Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 2:39 am Ivan,
To be fair pilots or the first few regular episodes of a series can be 'off'. The first few Bonanza episodes had deeply weird moments. Ben a modern Moses
thundering from Mount Sinai about transgressors against the Bible, Hoss being almost simple minded, Hop Sing '"a celestial star gazer".
But anyway, I'm glad they righted the ship. The second half of the season is definitely stronger than the first. But it probably wasn't until season 3 where I think the show really came into its own. Some of my favorite episodes come from that season. "The Crucible" with Lee Marvin, anyone?? Instant classic. Another thing I didn't care for in those early season 1 episodes is what I considered "dull stories" (not the traditional good guys vs. bad guys stories) where they would get some well-known Hollywood star at the time (Yvonne DeCarlo, Ruth Roman, Ida Lupino, etc.) and build the story around her and center too much of it in Virginia City. And some of these would be historical figures (Howard Duff played Mark Twain) that they tried to shoehorn into how Virginia City was born. I really didn't care for those early "genesis of Virginia City" stories. I liked it when it transitioned to more traditional western stories. "Vendetta" I think was a turning point somewhere in the middle of the season. A very good episode which is basically a remake of HIGH NOON, with Ben in the Gary Cooper part. My favorite from season 1 is the season finale "Death at Dawn". A great episode!!
Yep, I liked the episode too. It had an offbeat quality to it (with Julie Sommars playing a big part in this, being a quirky character herself) and some memorable dialogue and a story that kept you guessing. I liked "The Admiral's Lady" and "Mortal Sin" more though. But that's probably the Five-O fan in me.Tonight on You Tube I watched Season One Episode One "Gertrude" and it was terrific, the Harry O that the critics so love in evidence.
Really well done and knockout guest star Julie Sommars played her off beat role just right.
I love stories where I am surprised and it's not the same old same old detective show stuff we have all seen 500 times, and episode one delivers.
How many detective leads roar about not in the latest sports car - Harry's old junker is always in the shop - but on crosstown buses?
I forgot about the Cartwrights death penalty for trespassers! And I really laughed at your Hoss = Lennie bit! Dan Blocker appreciated what Bonanza did for him and his family but he would recount
how fans would approach him and talk to him as if he was Hoss. This was a Korean War combat vet, who once taught English - hopefully not "dagnabit" - at a Texas college.
I think one day we have to get a Bonanza thread on Magnum Mania, as it is probably one of the most successful series ever, being a Western it doesn't age, leads aren't making
allusions to "West" Germany which today would puzzle many viewers.
As for Harry 0, perceived wisdom is season one is better than season two but for what it's worth so far - having seen only three season one episodes - I like season two better, but maybe that will change.