Nowadays there is so much choice when it comes to television shows that it can be overwhelming trying to decide what to watch. You may even find yourself wishing for a time when things were simpler. The solution is to give in to nostalgia and watch classic TV Westerns online.
The heyday of the television Western was the Fifties. This was the era of 'Gunsmoke', one of the greatest series in the genre's history. This decade also gave the world popular heroes such as Roy Rogers and two of the most famous masked crusaders, the Lone Ranger and Zorro.
The end of the decade saw two series that starred actors who would go on to much greater things. One of the stars of 'The Alaskans' was a young Roger Moore, who later became famous as Bond, James Bond. The cast of 'Rawhide' included Clint Eastwood, who would become the hero of many a classic Western film before taking on his most iconic role, that of Dirty Harry.
The Sixties was a good time for the Western on television too. Shows such as 'Gunsmoke' and 'Bonanza', which both started in the Fifties, carried on throughout the decade. Popular new shows included 'The High Chaparral'. 'The Big Valley' had a cast that would become big names too, such as Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors and Linda Evans.
During the Seventies, most of the old shows were cancelled. The traditional Western's gun-slinging, macho values didn't fit in with the new era's more gentle spirit. There were still some popular shows, including the miniseries 'How the West Was Won'. However, the Western now tended to have a hero with a softer side, such as the gentle giant Grizzly Adams, or they would have a modern setting or a stronger focus on family.
The Western genre tends to be very male-oriented and women normally have small, supporting roles. There were two notable exceptions, though. In the Seventies, 'Little House on the Prairie', with 'Bonanza' star Michael Landon, made a household name of the young Melissa Gilbert, who played the main character. Former Bond girl Jane Seymour played a strong female role model in 'Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman' in the Nineties.
By the new millennium, a new type of Western, one with an interesting twist, was born. Josh Whedon's 'Firefly' was a so-called space Western. It featured the characteristics of traditional Westerns, with new lands to be tamed, outlaws on the run from the authorities and of course horses but it was set in outer space and the heroes traveled by spaceship. 'Firefly' only lasted one season but gained an exceptionally loyal fan base and is now considered a cult classic.
You'll be able to stream many of the most popular Westerns online. Some sites will charge a small membership fee while others are free of charge. All you need to do is find a show you'd like to see, cook up some cowboy beans and enjoy a great night in.
The heyday of the television Western was the Fifties. This was the era of 'Gunsmoke', one of the greatest series in the genre's history. This decade also gave the world popular heroes such as Roy Rogers and two of the most famous masked crusaders, the Lone Ranger and Zorro.
The end of the decade saw two series that starred actors who would go on to much greater things. One of the stars of 'The Alaskans' was a young Roger Moore, who later became famous as Bond, James Bond. The cast of 'Rawhide' included Clint Eastwood, who would become the hero of many a classic Western film before taking on his most iconic role, that of Dirty Harry.
The Sixties was a good time for the Western on television too. Shows such as 'Gunsmoke' and 'Bonanza', which both started in the Fifties, carried on throughout the decade. Popular new shows included 'The High Chaparral'. 'The Big Valley' had a cast that would become big names too, such as Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors and Linda Evans.
During the Seventies, most of the old shows were cancelled. The traditional Western's gun-slinging, macho values didn't fit in with the new era's more gentle spirit. There were still some popular shows, including the miniseries 'How the West Was Won'. However, the Western now tended to have a hero with a softer side, such as the gentle giant Grizzly Adams, or they would have a modern setting or a stronger focus on family.
The Western genre tends to be very male-oriented and women normally have small, supporting roles. There were two notable exceptions, though. In the Seventies, 'Little House on the Prairie', with 'Bonanza' star Michael Landon, made a household name of the young Melissa Gilbert, who played the main character. Former Bond girl Jane Seymour played a strong female role model in 'Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman' in the Nineties.
By the new millennium, a new type of Western, one with an interesting twist, was born. Josh Whedon's 'Firefly' was a so-called space Western. It featured the characteristics of traditional Westerns, with new lands to be tamed, outlaws on the run from the authorities and of course horses but it was set in outer space and the heroes traveled by spaceship. 'Firefly' only lasted one season but gained an exceptionally loyal fan base and is now considered a cult classic.
You'll be able to stream many of the most popular Westerns online. Some sites will charge a small membership fee while others are free of charge. All you need to do is find a show you'd like to see, cook up some cowboy beans and enjoy a great night in.
