Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I couldn't wait for the May release of this fine series either so I picked it up at Sam's Club. This has to be the most beautifully photographed of all the classic TV Westerns. Another reviewer mentioned each episode was like a mini-movie, and this is true.
The storylines are credible and entertaining, and the cast is stellar. LJ Cobb is in a category by himself, of course, but having watched the first two seaons on Encore Westerns (and then again on the DVDs) I'd forgotten what a genuinely good actor James Drury was. Ditto for Clu Gulagher and Doug McClure. And while I am enjoying the later episodes, I must confess I miss Gary Clarke's "Steve" and the chemistry the three main leads--Drury, McClure and Clarke--displayed during the first two seasons.
One of the things I find enjoyable is how "real" the series plays. The guy that played Randy carps about this in the book written about the series (especially how the horses were handled?) but I beg to differ. Within the constraints of the time it was filmed--the 60s and 70s when all the actresses had the wrong hair and makeup for the Victorian Era, and even the dim saloon interiors were lit up bright as day--The Virginian looked as real as it could get. It's one of the few Western series that actually took advantage of the vistas--we get plenty of sweeping shots of Shiloh, etc.--and low and behold! When the script called for it, Drury and Co. were actually portrayed as scruffy, dusty and *bearded*.
And another thing: They actually herded real cattle and horses. I don't recall that happening on any episode of The Big Valley. And did any of Ben and his sons ever sport a five o'clock shadow, even when they'd been out riding the trail for days, away from the ranch house and hot water?
Finally, the leads could all actually RIDE. I'm talking about Drury and McClure here, especially, as both of them are perfectly at ease with horses, on the ground as well as astride, but all actors that were supposed to be working cowboys look credible riding. LJ Cobb, not so much--I can see where they shot and edited some scenes to cover his unease but even that doesn't detract. After all, the Judge is the boss--he's not a range rider. It's conceivable that while he might be comfortable around horses that he wouldn't be a crack rider as his hands would have to be.
Now, as to the quality of the DVDS: They are excellent. They look sharper played in my upscaling Blu-Ray player than they look on Encore, and that's saying something. I was afraid we would be short-changed when it came to the transfer quality but someone took pains to make the DVDs as pristine as possible. I'm sure it helps that the original series was such a high quality production to begin with. I haven't gotten to the bonus tracks yet as I am still savoring the episodes.
So when do we get Season Three?
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Virginian - Complete First Season on 10 DVDs - Limited Edition Embossed Collector's Tin Plus Bonus Interview DVD
Owen Wister's 1902 western novel The Virginian was one of the first great novels of the American West. Set in the semi-mythical town of Medicine Bow, Wyoming in the 1890s, it chronicled the lives and relationships of the people who came west and settled the wild land. Starring James Drury in the title role, The Virginian was the first 90 minute television western, airing in prime time on NBC from 1962-1971. The stellar cast included Lee J. Cobb, Doug McClure, Gary Clark and Roberta Shore, and each week brought talented guest stars to The Virginian. Season One's line-up of luminaries reads like a who's who of Hollywood, including George C. Scott, Lee Marvin, Bette Davis, Robert Duvall, Brian Keith, Colleen Dewhurst, Hugh O'Brian, Ricardo Montalban, Eddie Albert, Tammy Grimes, Clu Gulager, Fabian, Vera Miles, Michael Rennie, Ida Lupino, and many more!
