glennstenb

After having now seen 6 episodes of the series in no particular order I have concluded that the stories are basic and somewhat imaginative but seem to have been produced with neither frills nor subtlety. Certainly the brevity of the episodes is one detriment, including us viewers not being able to get to know Blake as a person so that we at least feel something for him.

It is doubtful that I will stay with the series for all the episodes, but will continue for a few more before I seek out other vintage TV series.

The primary kick out of watching "State Trooper" is the glimpse at real on-location shoots. In this episode, for example, we get to see the facades of the Sahara and Flamingo Hotels, along with a couple of others, with all the 1950's automobiles parked out front. Additionally we see Hoover Dam, including the lineup of tourists waiting for the tour inside the structure. Very fun to see!

I have noticed that El Rancho Vegas is a favorite Las Vegas locale for the series, including what seems to be the facility's actual swimming pool and grounds. As many viewers may know, El Rancho Vegas was largely destroyed by a legendary fire in 1960 (this viewer remembers seeing the destruction in person shortly after the disaster).

One scene in this episode showed Blake coming out of the lady's hotel suite's bedroom while she was waiting in the living area of the suite, this happening after she had been detained and taken from the casino; it was jarring to think he would separate himself from the suspect in such a careless manner. Did law enforcement really operate in such a trusting way back then?

I can't help but compare the series to the era's considerably more compelling and suspenseful "M Squad" series, another law enforcement program that showcased on location views, however in this case the location was Chicago, IL.

Definitely it is fun to see the various Nevada locations in "State Trooper," but, like I said, I may not go on to see all of them.

Well, they finally did it; they had an episode where nearly every scene has the stagecoach present or just a holler away. Because William Bendix is largely absent from this installment Doug McClure has to command all the attention and he does a good job. But at the same time the writers threw just about every twist of calamitous fate they could think of into this one and the viewer's mind never has a chance to gather wool.

McClure's obsession with chasing girls has been clearly established through the first three episodes of the series, so hopefully it crests with this episode and in the next few chapters he will have other things on this mind. Happily the action in this one is constant and never falters.

Lastly, it was nice to see a couple of B-western veterans involved, namely character specialist Earl Hodgins and the truly great keg of dynamite hero of the 1930's and 40's Bob Steele.

I was around when this short series was originally broadcast but I do not remember it. This opening episode, "Perilous Passage," has substantial star power with guests Harry Guardino and Lynn Bari, and, of course, stars Bendix and McClure. Additionally the characters draw from notable names Cole Younger and Belle Starr that would have been widely familiar to audiences of around 1960.

It seems possible that this inaugural program risked losing some viewers' interest by investing so heavily on exterior and interior shots of the coach, but then that is what the program promised. It does seem that a series can only do so much where the stagecoach is the reason for its existence.

Bendix and McClure present themselves as a breezy and comfortable combo and the musical score sounds authoritative and quite cinematic. In sum, this first episode was watchable and I will take a look at the second and probably third installments soon and then decide if I will commit to seeing all of the 19 or so.