Riding the Video Range

Riding The Video Range

by Gary A Yoggy

Westerns were the most dominant genre during the 1950's and 1960's, and then for some reason they disappeared from the creative landscape. When Gunsmoke captured their last villain, and later when Little House finished it's respectable run on television, the western has never made a true comeback. There have been glints of greatness with "Deadmans Gun", which would have fit in perfectly with any decade of television. Even "Walker, Texas Ranger" flashed onscreen for an eternity today on TV (8 years), but succumbed to retirement. "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman" became an institution but never made it into it's second decade.

Today, we are seeing an upsurge in interest in Western series. Peacemaker with Tom Berenger, ran for an initial 8 episodes and is awaiting word on it's future. There is a planned "Legend of Butch and Sundance" series if the pilot is accepted by NBC. And more are on the horizon. On the big screen we have had "Open Range", and "Spirit", and Tom Selleck and company have thrilled us with "Crossfire Trail", and "Monte Walsh." The new Lone Ranger made a dismal appearance, then thankfully disappeared into the teen shows he came from.

In an impressive work of reference, Gary A Yoggy traces the history of the western from Hopalong Cassidy all the way up to the early 1990's and the arrival of "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman." The chapters focus on:

'Hoppy, The Ranger, Gene and Roy Ride In:'
'Television Westerns Grow Up'
'Law and Order Arrive in the Video West'
'Alone Against the West'
'Bounty Hunters, Gamblers, and Hired Guns'
'Wagon Trains and Cattle Drives'
'Single Parent Families on the Video Frontier'
'Meanwhile Back on the Reservation'
'The Video Ranger Gets Bigger'
'Spoofing the Television Western'
'James Bond Goes West',
'Two by Two in the West'
'When East Met West'
'The Saga of Little House on the Prairie'
'Which Way Did They Go.'

An extensive appendix, bibliography, and index accompanies the book, cross referencing the shows discussed. Rare cast and action photographs illustrate the book, and quotes from sources such as TV Guide, interviews, scripts and fan magazines make this book a legitimate work of research.

Within each chapter, the 150 shows are discussed in varying detail. From concept genesis to their eventual demise , from actors to characters played, to plot synopsis and significant events, and even anecdotal stories from the cast and crew make this book a joy to read, a treasure worth keeping, and a reference book worthy of any film connoisseurs book shelf.

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