The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
Sunday, July 26, 2009 16:06:37
Just finished the complete series of The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. on DVD. The show lasted only 27 episodes from 1993 to 1994, but like many other short-lived shows, has somewhat of a cult following.
The series follows the adventures of bounty hunters Brisco County Jr. and Lord Bowler in 1890's California, as they tracked down various members of the John Bly gang, the gang responsible for murdering Brisco's father, as well as other fugitives. It's a mix of western action, science fiction, and comedy, featuring colorful characters and fun subplots. There were many well-known guest stars, such as John Astin, Terry Bradshaw, Denise Crosby, and several others.
One running theme of the show focused on "the orb", a mysterious device whose origin and purpose are revealed a little bit at a time throughout most of the series, and was behind most of the science fiction elements of the story. Many episodes also featured newly invented technologies (the "coming thing"), such as motorcycles, rockets, tanks, blimps, denim, and "rain baths" (showers), and out-of-time cultural references, such as Dunkin Donuts, an Elvis-like character, and several lines alluding to future pop-culture.
Aside from the science fiction and comedy, the show was a pretty straightforward western - chasing the bad guys on horseback, gunfights in the streets, rescuing the damsel in distress, and facing imminent doom nearly every episode. I personally wasn't a fan of the sci-fi elements of the show - the orb and magical powers seemed to get in the way sometimes, and the show would have been just as strong without it. However, this was a quality show with a lot to offer as both a western and a comedy, and I definitely recommend it.
Tags: review tv
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