Maverick: The Complete First Season

When Maverick arrived on American TV screens in 1957, the series signaled a new type of Western hero: James Garner's Bret Maverick was a gambler, con-man, and all-around dapper wit on the frontier. In the opener, Maverick arrives trail-worn and grubby into an anonymous frontier town—looking every inch the saddle tramp—where he uses the $1,000 bill pinned inside his vest and a little sleight of hand to create the illusion of a fortune. That's how he operates throughout the show, revealing a few choice cards and bluffing his way through the rest with nothing but bravado and confidence. Maverick never cheats—he earns his reputation as an honest gambler—but he's quite the rascal when it comes to getting even with bullies and crooks, and he often enlists the help of his brother, Bart (Jack Kelly), who joins the show in the eighth episode and subsequently shares leading man duties. Both men are wily charmers who always play the odds when it comes to poker, money, and women. More than 50 years later, Maverick remains one of the best and best-loved TV Westerns. Compiling all 27 episodes from the 1957–58 first season, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)