This is probably just a pilot order and nothing more (at this time).
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/cbs...logridis-chris-columbus-and-carol-mendelsohn/
http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/cbs...logridis-chris-columbus-and-carol-mendelsohn/
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CBS TO REVIVE "THE RIFLEMAN"
- Thread starter gregg75
- Start date
Sounds like a short run summer filler to me. (instead of reruns)
Personally I would love to see more westerns on TV. Except for reruns, there aren't anymore.
I liked Wanted Dead of Alive with Steve McQueen. But since he's been dead for 31 years, I don't expect him to be on any remake of that show, should a network decided to revive it.
I liked Wanted Dead of Alive with Steve McQueen. But since he's been dead for 31 years, I don't expect him to be on any remake of that show, should a network decided to revive it.
These days, the "western" genre seems to flourish only on the big screen, i.e. OPEN RANGE, YOUNG GUNS, and all of the Clint Eastwood "spaghetti westerns", etc. LONESOME DOVE would be an exception; it was a successful TV mini-series. And so would DEADWOOD, although that racey, profanity-laced series airs only on cable for obvious reasons. Those other western movies enjoy replays on TV, but again, mostly on cable.
Today's tastes are edgier than the viewing appetites of TV's so called "golden age". Now, the edgier the program, the higher the ratings. Edginess drives the successful beat of today's reality shows, primetime sitcoms, dramas (especially the Dr shows) and even the evening news. But I doubt that edginess would succeed on a TV western. One modern western whose storie line focused on a trio of rough but good-hearted bounty hunters, was tried in the early '80s. That forgettable series lasted for one season. I can't recall the show's title (it featured the nemesis character actor William Smith). Then again it was not a memorable western.
Today's tastes are edgier than the viewing appetites of TV's so called "golden age". Now, the edgier the program, the higher the ratings. Edginess drives the successful beat of today's reality shows, primetime sitcoms, dramas (especially the Dr shows) and even the evening news. But I doubt that edginess would succeed on a TV western. One modern western whose storie line focused on a trio of rough but good-hearted bounty hunters, was tried in the early '80s. That forgettable series lasted for one season. I can't recall the show's title (it featured the nemesis character actor William Smith). Then again it was not a memorable western.
High ratings and popularity not-with-standing, the suits of Madison Avenue bristled at the sophistcation-challenged hick shows on CBS' primetime lineup. All felt the heat, and were unceremoniously canceled. Madison panned the network for airing Mayberry RFD, The Beverly Hillbillies, which begot Petticoat Junction, which begot Green Acres... The successful Hee Haw show, whose ratings flourished for 2-years even in the NY Metro market, fell to the ax as well. One pompous TV critic welcomed the wholesale slaughter, calling it "The Cornball Cleanup". No doubt the ad-jockies lived to regret it though, even if they didn't admit it; BEVERLY..., PETTICOAT... and GREEN... were scoring well enough, but the biggest embarassment, especially for the EYE-guys, was the killing of the goose that would have laid them a golden egg: HEE HAW. That show's popularity soared in 20-years of non-afilliated syndication.trapper12 said:
Talk about cutting your own corporate throats. Maybe CBS is still licking it's wounds. Maybe they learned a lesson.
jfrancispastirchak said:
I don't think you can credibly use the term "unceremoniously cancelled." Hillbillies did 9 seasons, Petticoat 7 seasons, and Green Acres 6 seasons. Perhaps they were cancelled a season too soon, but that's the best you can claim. And whether you like it or not, image does matter. CBS had been the "Tiffany Network," and then became the butt of many jokes and derision for these "hick" shows.
Many shows in TV history have been cancelled by the networks for reasons other than strictly ratings. And the reverse is also true - many stupid programs with mediocre ratings manage to survive for years. According to Jim, anyone?
It's only with the benefit of multiple decades of hindsight that we've realized Beverly Hillbillies was actually pretty funny from even a "sophisticated" perspective, and Green Acres was actually brilliant from time to time. Petticoat Junction....uh...not so much...still pretty lame.
Lkeller said:
And all of those shows became pretty awful in their final years. For example, compare the black & white episodes of Beverly Hillbillies to the later efforts, and there is a huge difference. Sometimes mercy killing is a necessity.
As for Gunsmoke, Johnny Crawford is available, now in his mid 60's.
As for Gunsmoke, Johnny Crawford is available, now in his mid 60's.
[/quote]
Gunsmoke? Think you mean RIFELMAN...
[/quote]
Gunsmoke? Think you mean RIFELMAN...
Gunsmoke? Think you mean RIFELMAN...jfrancispastirchak said:
[/quote]
No - I think he means The "RIFLEMAN."
If you're my age (just a couple years younger than Johnny Crawford), it's kind of spooky that Crawford is now way older than his "Paw" (Chuck Conners) was when the show was new.
Gunsmoke? Think you mean RIFELMAN...jfrancispastirchak said:
[/quote]
Yikes, yes I meant Rifleman...must have been a Rick Perry moment. :
Mediafrog+ said:
Yikes, yes I meant Rifleman...must have been a Rick Perry moment. :
[/quote]
No...a Rick Perry moment would have been:
"Gunsmoke? Think you mean...uh...uh...........uh......oops!"
Yeah, all the "Hillbillies" acors, even Max Baer, gave quality performances in the pilot. And a few more episodes.Mediafrog+ said:
I liked "The Rifleman" because the star had a son.
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