Fans ofmodern Western showsare enjoying something of a Golden Age for the genre, thanks, in no small part, to the storytelling genius of Taylor Sheridan. The actor turned writer and director is a pioneering force at the very point of a new frontier, with the juggernautYellowstoneshared universe,Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and newly-launchedLandmanexploring the eternal appeal of Old West with a modern spin.
Sheridan’s success wouldn’t be possible without the shows that flattened the long grass before it: you can trace a line straight back fromYellowstonetoThe Lone Ranger, but even more pertinently, the likes of NBC’s long-runningBonanza, which aired 431 episodes between 1959 and 1973, and the even longer-runningGunsmoke. The time settings may not be the same, but Sheridan’s focus on intertwining character dynamics, high-drama, and flexible moral spectrums were the same reasonsBonanzaandGunsmokeearned their stunning longevity.
The best modern Western shows feel timeless for their complexity, rich character arcs, and grit, but their modern settings shouldn’t be seen as a limit to what fans can watch next. Turning back to the past, there are truly great TV shows set in the Old West that bear all the hallmarks of more modern success stories.
Gunsmoke Is The Perfect History Lesson For Fans Of Taylor Sheridan’s Modern Western Shows
Peacock Subscribers Can Enjoy The Trailblazing Western In December
Fans of the likes ofYellowstone,Landman, andall of Taylor Sheridan’s Western projectsmay not know it, but they’re watching a compelling blueprint forged by hundreds of episodes of classic Western TV shows whose heyday came half a century ago. Impressively, some of those shows - particularlyGunsmoke, the longest-running prime-time TV show of all time - are still just as enjoyable to watch in 2024.
Thegood news for fans of Western TV shows with a Peacock subscription is that eight seasons ofGunsmokeare coming to the platform on December 1. The show added a realistic lens to the Old West over an incredible 20 seasons, telling the story of rugged frontier town Dodge City, Kansas, and following the life and complex times of Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness). Peacock’s new announcement confirms thatseasons 7-15 ofGunsmokeare coming to the platform, in time for the binge-friendly holiday season, rather than the whole run.
An incredible number of major actors guest-starred on Gunsmoke including William Shatner, Charles Bronson, Harrison Ford, Sam Elliot, and Burt Reynolds
Like Sheridan’s works,Gunsmokefocused on deep character development and an often unflinching examination of complex moral issues far ahead of its time. Sheridan’s heroes are familiar in their formula, andDillon is almost the prototype for the very best of them: atypical, principled but flawed, and instrospective in a way that more swash-buckling Western gunslingers before him weren’t. And like the modern heirs toitscrown, the supportingGunsmokecast memberswere often just as compelling, with the likes of Miss Kitty, Doc Adams, and Festus Haggen adding heart to the dusty world.
Where You Can Watch ALL Of Gunsmoke For Free
There’s Only One Place To Watch All 600+ Episodes
Gunsmoke
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Set in the American West, Gunsmoke follows Marshal Matt Dillon as he maintains law and order in Dodge City, Kansas. This Western drama explores the challenges of frontier justice and the complex relationships between settlers, outlaws, and Native Americans during the settlement period.
