How the West Was Won: The Complete First Season

Bowing in 1977, this ABC series was loosely based on the Oscar-winning 1962 film of the same name, but directly inspired by a 1976 made-for-TV movie called The Macahans, which is included here. In The Macahans, frontier patriarch Zeb Macahan (James Arness) helps relocate his brother's family to Oregon in early 1861, thereby keeping the latter's young sons away from the inevitable Civil War that is spreading across the country. The three feature-length episodes from the first season of the TV show find Zeb searching for his nephew, Luke (Bruce Boxleitner), who has deserted from the Union Army and is living among a non-violent religious sect called the Simonites (the Army is also in furious pursuit of Luke). Also featured is a subplot about an Indian tribe being agitated into conflict against the white settlers. Unfortunately, the writing here is formulaic, the direction is flat, and the actors bring little vibrancy to the proceedings. Eva Marie Saint costars as Zeb's sister-in-law, Kate, but the biggest disappointment is Arness, who fails to display any of the charisma and versatility from his Gunsmoke years. Optional, at best. (P. Hall)