Having spent so much time lately with my Dad as he recuperates, I’ve had the opportunity to watch hours of programming on Encore Westerns. They play mostly obscure westerns and western themed television shows from the 50’s and 60’s like Maverick, Bat Masterson, Big Valley, and The Rifleman.
It’s hard to remember a time when if you didn’t catch a show when it came on TV, you just totally missed it. My Dad says The Rifleman would come on once a month along with several other programs.
Watching all these shows you quickly realize that the TV western is a dead genre. Maybe like good old country music, it represents a longing for simpler times and the belief in certain values. The Rifleman is full of moral lessons: what it means to be a man, responsible for others and standing up for what’s right; the importance of hard work and honesty. Each episode Lucas McCain never misses a chance to instruct his son Mark on how to do the right thing. Watching a show like The Rifleman, you realize that popular media has the amazing ability to promote certain values through story. It just doesn’t seem to anymore. Can you think of any recent music, film, or television show which tries to promote certain values beyond the purely political? In what venue do we now consider larger moral questions?
I remember watching reruns of the rifleman when I was a kid. There was an episode where Lucas was blind for some reason but he was still a badass with his rifle. I'm not sure why that episode stands out in my memory but there it is.
A lot of stuff goes down in North Fork. He pretty much has to kill bad guys
every episode.
Hi there! I just found you again… I used to be bellis, back in the day. Hope all is well. Are you still writing?
Hey Bellis!
How have you been? I do write occasionally. but, not recently!