Full disclosure: I just got the Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray set of this show. Although I am a huge fan of TV westerns, I had never seen this show before, and I'm not even sure if I've heard of it before. The title while it sounds familiar, is likely because of the actual name of the classic gun (which figures heavily into the show), the beer, and a movie with the same title.
I am only just about finished with the first disc, just about to watch the 6th episode.
But based on what I have seen so far, I think it is a show that for better as it went on. I would probably only give the pilot episode, maybe a 6.5 -7 at the highest. But by the time I got to the third episode, I could see them finding their stride and it getting better with each one.
Now, that I have seen 5 full episodes (and in this beautiful pretty high definition, projected on my wall), I would say it's easily a 7.5 - 8.
And based on that trajectory, I could easily project that it might even get to the level of a 9 by the end of the series (which I guess only ran three seasons. Probably part of the reason I have never seen it before: probably was not as widely syndicated as some other classic TV Westerns).
Just as a point of reference, I would rate much of the first few seasons of THE VIRGINIAN, GUNSMOKE (at least for the first 5 seasons or so), HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE and TOMBSTONE TERRITORY, as 10/10. Probably also THE REBEL (short entire series), and THE WESTERNER. I don't think this is quite going to be in that top tier for me.
But I am really enjoying it and can see myself watching a few of these many times.
And any of these classic B&W Westerns (and that gets at least a point in its favor from me), that tells their stories in less than a half-hour (a sadly dead storytelling form these days: the half-hour *drama*), also is rarely gonna be less than a 7.5 for me already. My bias is showing.
I plan on reviewing some of the individual episodes. And probably will also cover the show a bit on my podcast: THE CHAPLAIN AMERICA STORY HOUR.
