Of all the great, classic Western television shows out there, it’s hard to pick any one of them and label it “the best.” So many of them have their merits, after all. Have Gun — Will Travel featured an exceptional lead, and Bonanza was a major hit ahead of its time. The Lone Ranger has maintained a lasting cultural impact, and Rawhide famously gave Clint Eastwood his start. But, of every classic TV Western that aired in the 1950s and ’60s, none hold a candle to the impressive nature of Gunsmoke, which ran from 1955 to 1975 on CBS. If you prefer any of the above, don’t worry, they can still be loved and enjoyed as they are. But as the most prolific Western to ever grace our television screens, Gunsmoke stands above the rest as the best that classic Western TV has to offer.
‘Gunsmoke’ Was Television’s Longest-Running Western — and for Good Reason
When Gunsmoke first launched, it wasn’t on television. That’s right, this Western giant actually started on the radio. This wasn’t uncommon at the time, as plenty of other shows got their start from radio dramas as well. Westerns like the anthology series Death Valley Days or even superhero television, such as George Reeves‘ The Adventures of Superman, had roots on the audio airwaves. Just like these, Gunsmoke‘s Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) was at first a radio star, back when he was voiced by William Conrad. But after a few successful years telling stories you could only listen to, Gunsmoke jumped to television, giving a face to the Marshal Dillon moniker. It wasn’t long before the series became a sure-fire hit, reaching the top 10 television programs list by its second season and nestling into the #1 program spot soon after, a rank it maintained for many years.
Part of what made Gunsmoke so special is that, after years of B-Western television shows and theatrical projects, the series felt infinitely more adult. The show wasn’t just about chasing down Indians or shooting at outlaws, it was thoughtful, mature, and psychologically riveting. With each new installment, Marshal Matt Dillon aimed to solve whatever problem was plaguing Dodge City with as little violence as possible. Though he was a quick gunman himself (one of the best), he never resorted to his big iron unless necessary. Matt Dillon (not to be confused with the actor of the same name) was the type of lawman that you would want in your town. He’s compassionate, fair, and even-tempered. He doesn’t jump into things guns-a-blazing, and, on the off chance that he does, there are direct and clear consequences. Make no mistake, Gunsmoke featured a plethora of shootouts and magnificent gunplay over the years, but the show was a bit deeper than that.
Gunsmoke wasn’t afraid to show every facet of its hero. In the very first (very excellent) episode, “Matt Gets It,” our leading man is shot down and nearly killed in the streets of Dodge, only to be nursed back to health by Doc Adams (Milburn Stone). His weakness becomes evident to us as Dillon is forced to find another, more creative, way to get out of the latest jam. The show went on like this for years, and even when it was bumped out of its #1 spot in the ratings, the series remained in the overall top 20 for the majority of its time on television. Considering the show lasted 20 years, with 635 episodes total, that’s no small feat.
Marshal Matt Dillon Was a Western Archetype Endorsed by John Wayne
It certainly didn’t hurt that the very same episode we see Marshal Dillon gunned down in was presented by John Wayne himself. The Duke had been so impressed by Gunsmoke star James Arness when they worked together on Hondo (another Western that earned itself a television adaptation) that he endorsed the series in its very first episode. While Wayne didn’t often jump to the small screen (and the pair never share any screen time on Gunsmoke itself), that famed opening introduced the series quite effectively. “It’s honest, it’s adult, it’s realistic,” the Duke said of Gunsmoke at the start of “Matt Gets It,” and, from there, the program proved Wayne’s words true time and again. But while John Wayne went on to play dozens of different Western characters, James Arness played Marshal Matt Dillon for the vast majority of his career.
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Unlike the Duke’s often bull-headed, gun-toting take on the Old West hero, Arness and the Gunsmoke writers gave Marshal Dillon serious depth. While other characters, such as Doc, Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), Chester (Dennis Weaver), and Festus (Ken Curtis), were all important to the Western program in its time, Marshal Dillon was the clear-cut star. The show’s first six seasons were often syndicated under the Marshal Dillon name rather than the standard Gunsmoke title. James Arness played the character with a true commitment to the Western ideals he stands for. He was a man of change and progress, while also remaining conservative in his strict sense of morality. In many ways, the character embodied everything that the Western could be but has tragically forgotten over the years. Because of Gunsmoke‘s influence, it could be that again.
‘Gunsmoke’ Was a Consistently Great Western That Shouldn’t Have Been Canceled
Apart from the dynamic characters, Gunsmoke was a trailblazer for horse operas everywhere. The show wasn’t just a mature, adult Western, but a program that rolled with the times. When the show started, it was filmed in black-and-white. The series ran about a half hour per episode, and, like so many other Westerns of the ’50s, told stories that could be wrapped up in about 20 minutes. In 1961, during the show’s seventh season, Gunsmoke expanded into an hour-long program. A few years later in 1966, the Western began airing episodes in color, beginning with Season 12. Having been unafraid to grow up with the television format, Gunsmoke secured its fate. It was nearly cancelled a time or two but saved at the last minute with the cancellation of Gilligan’s Island instead. Eventually, the series would end in the aftermath of the rural purge, and even then, it didn’t feel like the show had really ended.
But, thankfully, there are over 600 episodes of this series to choose from. Episodes like Season 3’s “The Cabin” and Season 7’s “The Gallows” stand out as particularly fine moments, as does the “Island in the Desert” two-part episode from the 20th and final season. There are far too many to name, of course, but other highlights include Season 9’s “Caleb,” Season 11’s “Seven Hours to Dawn,” and “The Killer” from the very first season. Frankly, every season is pretty consistent, so it’s no wonder the show lasted as long as it did. When Gunsmoke finally did end, it did so with another “Stay tuned to exciting scenes from our next Gunsmoke” announcement tagged onto the credits. Sadly, there would never be another Marshal Dillon-centered episode. Instead, Gunsmoke lived on with an array of made-for-TV movies that ran from the late ’80s into the ’90s, pushing an aged James Arness back into the saddle. The only problem was that these productions weren’t nearly as good as the original show, and most of the main cast didn’t return, save for Kitty and Buck Taylor‘s Newly O’Brien in the first installment.
However, despite the unfortunate impromptu ending, Gunsmoke is still considered one of the best television triumphs for a reason. It’s certainly the very best that classic Western television has to offer. The show’s amazing cast (which included Burt Reynolds for a few years), thoughtful teleplays, and strong leading man helped Gunsmoke to remain at the forefront of all television for two whole decades. Few shows can say they had as much impact on the medium as a whole, and certainly an entire genre, as Gunsmoke.
- Release Date
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September 10, 1955
- Cast
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James Arness
, Amanda Blake
, Milburn Stone
, Ken Curtis
, Dennis Weaver
, Glenn Strange
, Burt Reynolds
, Howard Culver
, Dabbs Greer
, Ted Jordan
, Hank Patterson
, John George
, Shug Fisher
, Woody Chambliss
, Gregg Palmer
, Charles Seel - Seasons
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20
Gunsmoke is available for streaming in its entirety on PlutoTV.
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