Die Abenteuer des Brisco County jr.

I love this show ! I used to watch it every Friday night--my sister and I started watching it because it starred "that guy from EVIL DEAD", but it wasn't till "Brisco" that I considered myself a Bruce Campbell fan. The show also introduced me to another favorite actor, Billy Drago, who made John Bly the weirdest Old West villain in TV history. The camaraderie between Brisco, Bowler, and Socrates was great, and I loved the anachronisms and bad puns ("You got the sheriff!" "Yeah, but I didn't get the deputy."). Some great guest stars from earlier Old West shows, and John Astin as the recurring Prof. Wickwire. Sci-fi, Old West, slapstick--this show had something for everyone. Find it and check it out!

This is one series you either get or you are far too enamored of reality. It was obviously made by a group of people who escaped from an institution featuring padded halls, probably on some other planet in a galaxy far, far away where the residents were tortured by watching too many old westerns spiced by the occasional grade "B" science fiction movie and bedroom farce. Billy Drago has never been better, utterly over the top and so far off the wall that he is in the next room; John Pyper-Ferguson gets to speak some of the most bizarre lines in television history; Bruce Campbell is simply perfect as the titular lead; and nobody lets down the side in acting. The music by Bunch, Edelman and Graziano is among the best ever composed for a television series, perfectly complimenting the Western theme of the series and the absurdity of the incidents chronicled. The writing of the first episodes is unsurpassed though it, as so many series, fails in some later ones. Still the most amazing writing: where else can one find a character criticize Impressionism, refer to Existentialism, and make references to "The Wizard of Oz"? And, by the way, Sergio Leone should sue over the gunfight in the pilot. I have been forced to wait far too long for the DVD, and purchased it on the day of release. I must say that "Brisco County Jr." is even funnier than I had remembered. I cannot recommend it highly enough, though not for children who would miss most of the jokes anyway. Simply great, if quite entertainingly bonkers with the most absurd one liners.

There were a lot of Briscoe County fans who went postal when it was canceled. I had mixed feeling about it. Yes, it was one of the best TV series of all time, but I'd seen too many other great series turn mediocre after the creative well ran dry. Given a choice between ending where it did and seeing it slip into formulaic mediocrity, I was satisfied. The original story arc was neatly wrapped up with lots of diverting side trips along the way.

I've always been a big fan of shows that aren't easy to categorize. This was one such show. A western with elements of SF, overlaid with clever writing and wit without self-consciousness. Each character was eccentric in his/her own way and great fun to watch.

There isn't a bad performance in sight! Bruce Campbell as Briscoe is perfect, as always. It's to his credit that the late Julius Carry as Lord Bowler was able to routinely steal scenes from him. Kelly Rutherford as Dixie does the best Mae West since the original. John Astin as Professor Wickwire is excellent, as usual. Billy Drago as John Bly has to be one of the creepiest villains ever, and John Pyper-Ferguson as Pete Hutter has to be one of the funniest and most bizarre villains of all time. All of the "minor" roles, stating with Comet "the wonder horse" are equally excellent.

But what makes the characters stand out is uniformly excellent writing from a team of certifiable eccentrics in their own right. With the talent in front of and behind the cameras, everything just clicks!

WB finally brought out a boxed set of DVDs and it's great! I just watched it again and felt compelled to update this review. The only sad note was learning of the death of Julius Carry this year. Highly recommended!

I totally agree with the shape23's comments. I first saw TAoBCJ back in about 94/95 when it was first aired in the UK and really liked it. I have recently downloaded the series and watched it again 10 years later. I now see far more than I did then, the chemistry of the cast is superb between Brisco, Bowler, Socrates and Dixie. You can see how the relationships have formed due to the 'adventures' they have shared. If I had to give this series a liking, it would be an Indiana Jones cowboy series, where the violence is enough to set the scene but not graphic, the humour is enough but not distracting from the story, the stories & plots enough to ensure you forget the historical inaccuracies and see a really good family programme. Unfortunately only released on video shortly after its TV release, its gonna be released on DVD supposedly in the summer of 2006 ( follow this link for more details http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4615 ). I suspect this release will be on R1 only. A great pity unless you have a multiregion player, but then this series is worth the cost of investing in one.

I am now sitting down to watch it again, this time with my stepson who is curious to see "whats it all about". After all who doesn't enjoy a good cowboy.

It's one of those sad things that sometimes, shows don't really market themselves very well and, as a result, are woefully undervalued. Such is Brisco County, a western genre light comedy show with a hint of sci-fi thrown in for good measure.

When this show first came out I didn't watch it, primarily because I assumed it was simply another Western series, like Bonanza, or High Chapparal, to which I had been forced to endure by my parents as a kid. So I missed out (first time round) on something really fantastic.

Luckily, I have since started gathering up any episodes I can find and have been able, at last, to appreciate the wonder that is Bruce Campbell. Is there nothing he can't do? If ever there was an actor that is deserving of fame and fortune, it is him.

As for Brisco County, Bruce's portrayal is surprisingly subtle to those familiar with his Evil Dead work. But the trademark quips and facial expressions are all still there, just slightly understated.

As a show Brisco is harmless and great fun. It won't tax your brain, and is a welcome way to unwind with a beer or two. The supporting cast are all good, even the Mr T clone, Julius Carry. I haven't seen all the episodes yet, but I look forward to watching Messrs Campbell and Co eagerly.

Look out for Comet, Brisco's horse. He's as much a character as any of the human cast.