Bonanza: The Official Sixth Season, Volume 1

The years 1964–65 marked the point at which NBC's powerhouse Western reached the top of the Nielsen ratings (where it remained for three years) and was also the final run for Pernell Roberts as Adam, the eldest Cartwright son. The plots traditionally offer a mix of drama and comedy, with some of the most memorable moments coming in “Old Sheba,” in which Joe (Michael Landon) and Hoss (Dan Blocker) take an elephant as payment from a circus, much to the distress of their father, Ben (Lorne Greene). Also notable is “A Knight to Remember,” in which Henry Jones plays a man who claims to be King Arthur and winds up rescuing Adam time and again. And Landon has an opportunity to flex his dramatic muscles in “Between Heaven and Earth,” which finds Joe struggling to overcome his fear of heights. Overall, the scripts are strong, and they offer stellar opportunities for a raft of guest stars, including Rory Calhoun, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy, Bruce Cabot, James Gregory, and Charles Bronson—to name a few. Presenting the first 18 episodes from the sixth season, extras include audio commentaries, guest appearances by Greene and Landon on variety shows, rare promos, and photo galleries. Highly recommended. [Note: Bonanza: The Official Sixth Season, Volume 2 is also available.] (F. Swietek)