S1.E1

Leaving

Episode aired Feb 5, 1989
TV-14
1h 34m

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Diane Lane and Robert Duvall in Lonesome Dove (1989)

Two former Texas Rangers reunite with old friends and set off on an adventure.Two former Texas Rangers reunite with old friends and set off on an adventure.Two former Texas Rangers reunite with old friends and set off on an adventure.

Director
- Simon Wincer
Writers
- Larry McMurtry
- William D. Wittliff
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

613

YOUR RATING

Director
- Simon Wincer
Writers
- Larry McMurtry
- William D. Wittliff
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos5

Storyline

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Trivia
As originally broadcast in 1989, this episode included two partial scenes that have since been edited out of the DVD release. 1) How Dish got his name: apparently, at some point, he drank from a pail of dishwater; and 2) the amendment of Deets' name on the Hat Creek sign: everyone always just called him Deets. His first name, Joshua, was added later, which is why it appears after Deets, and in smaller letters. Together, these two scenes took up about a minute of screen time.

Goofs
When they come back from stealing horses in Mexico, Gus says they have "over 100 horses, and 2 lost Irishmen". When the horses are standing in the river, there are only about 60 horses in the herd, not over 100.

Quotes
Gus McCrae: Only way to get better food around here is by shooting Bolivar. And another thing, Bol, I want you to quit whackin' that dinner bell for supper. You can hit it at noon if you want to, but lay off doin' it in the evenin'. See, a man with any sense at all can tell when it's sundown, without you whackin' that bell.
Bolivar: General Robert E. Lee freed the slaves. I can whack it if I want to.
Gus McCrae: It was Abe Lincoln that freed the slaves, Bol, not General Lee.
Pea Eye Parker: He didn't free Mexicans, anyway, Bol. It was Americans he freed.
Gus McCrae: You're in over your head, Pea. It was a bunch of Africans Abe Lincoln freed. No more American than Call here.
Woodrow Call: I'm American! By God!
Gus McCrae: You was born in Scotland, as I recall. You was still draggin' on the tit when they brought you over here.
Woodrow Call: I reckon I'm as American as anyone from Tennessee.

Soundtracks
Lorena
Written by Joseph Philbrick Webster

User reviews2

Review

Featured review

They don't rent pigs

Two grizzled former Texas Rangers rustle up a herd—horses, cows, a bunch of addle-brained cowboys who need as much herding as they're paid to do—and make north where is money and adventure. Western fans have long known about this, I was late myself. This first episode is all of it setup, getting to know who's who, who's going to be trouble, who's going to have demons to chase after..

And gosh darnit, what clean storytelling we have, pure American western, no-nonsense filmmaking. If smooth transition is the essence of classicism, then surely this is in the classic vein of Hawks—they've all been rascals at one point or other, and tease each other about it, but they're close as a group, as guys who work with their hands tend to. Women haunt every one of the guys, including a sheriff who we assume is going to be on their trail in coming episodes.

The purpose of the journey as stated by Woodrow, is to see one last piece of the West before the lawyers and bankers roll in.