MovieChat Forums > How the West Was Won (1976) Discussion > This Is Very Frustrating To Watch

This Is Very Frustrating To Watch

posted 11 years ago by davidwile
2 replies | jump to latest

Hey folks,

I have no idea how I never saw this series when it was first aired. I like westerns, and I like many of the actors in this series, but I am about around the bend after watching three of the episodes.

This past weekend the Western Channel aired eleven episodes, and I recorded them on the DVR. I'm not sure how the different seasons fit together, but I started with two episodes titled Deek, and tonight I am watching The Gunfighter episode. I am not sure I can finish watching it.

Last night I watched as the Molly McCahan woman was so paralyzed with fear she allowed herself to be disarmed by a beast of a man who had physically abused her daughter and clearly indicated he intended to rape her. I forget how she finally got her gun back and gut shot him, but she then allowed him to hide while she just panicked and emptied her gun shooting wildly all over the barn. She then collapsed in trembling fear of the man getting her. James Arness came in the barn just in time to save her, but the bad guy was already on his last breath.

I am an old man who should know better, but I was so frustrated at such a dumb script about such a dumb woman who never would have lived long enough to bear children, and my wife sat there making fun of my frustration. It is humiliating to sit there and have your wife tell you, "It's only a TV show!"

Watching The Gunfighter, episode tonight it is happening all over again. How did this stupid woman ever live long enough to bear children? Tonight there is a new villain who threatens everyone. Same script, same stupid. Again this Molly is content to allow two men ruin her garden, threaten her and her children, and she allows herself to be disarmed again when she clearly could kill her attackers.

Again my wife is telling me it's a TV show, and I am an old fool. Maybe so, but what I have seen of this series so far has completely turned me off, and I do not intend to watch any more of the episodes. I know both men and women can be paralyzed by fear, but such folks simply would not survive long under these conditions. It took tough men and women to settle the frontier, and what the writers did to this woman is more than I can take. All the fine actors in this cast simply cannot make up for what to me is a lousy story.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] barjo4 11 years ago

I would agree with you David except for one thing : Compared to the crap on television now, this show ranks up there with "The High and the Mighty." The episodes here are not always connected much and yes, some of the drama is a bit wrenching, but overall I enjoy most of it. Too bad James Arness wasn't in all the episodes.

[–] stewmandoo 10 years ago

just to give you a little more insight to the character in question, Molly never had children. the kids in question are those of Kate and Tim Macahan. she is an aunt from someplace (very civilized)who came to help out ( when Eva Marie Saint did not want to play Kate for another 24 episodes) she is suppose to be clueless to the frontier. i'm sure it's quite confusing if you haven't watched the earlier tv movie, and 3 part mini series. well worth the price of the DVD. the original movie is included with the mini series.