The Magnificent Seven

Yes, it is a western and sometimes violent by some standards, but there is so much more. How many shows are there that can be set over a hundred years ago and still address problems faced today?

The cast includes seven very different actors (much like the characters they portray) who come together in perfect harmony. The stories are well-written and directed. There is the perfect blend of action, suspense, and a little humor for good measure.

I jumped for joy when I found out that "The Magnificent Seven", formerly of CBS, was picked up by TNN. It now airs Wednesdays at 10pm eastern. It is the best show to come around in a long time and deserves the chance. Even if you don't like westerns, there's something here for you.

It is Saturday Jan.4,2003. The Hallmark Channel has picked up the syndication of The Magnificent Seven TV show. I just finished watching the 2 hour pilot show. I still love the show. We watched the show every week when it first aired. We were saddened when it went off the air. Thank you Hallmark channel for running it in syndication. I now can enjoy a wonderfully done, televison remake of a classic movie.

As a dyed-in-the-wool western fan for most of my life, I was a little dubious about the series, but when it finally aired in the UK I loved it!

Some of the direction in the Pilot was a little poor and haphazard, but I loved the chemistry between the seven actors, all of whom looked as though they were having a whale of a time.

The subject matter has been varied, from prostitution to slavery, serial murder to religious intolerance, a welcome change from the shoot-em-up mindless tosh we have been offered previously. Coupled with well-written, witty scripts and a fabulous cast, it has been a revelation.

Each of the seven is well-delineated, their characters complimenting each other; from the haunted leader to the smiling ladies'-man, the earnest healer to the acquistive gambler, the quiet, deadly sharpshooter to the brash greenhorn, and, of course, the great Ron Perlman as the penance-ridden ex-preacher, it has been a true delight.

Very saddening that it only lasted two seasons - the Powers-That-Be should be ashamed of themselves.

This was an amazingly well crafted show, that was over too soon! In a market that was glutted with cookie-cutter dramas and sit-coms, Magnificent Seven was a welcome change. Sylistically, it didn't look like anything else on TV, and it certainly didn't have the same story lines as anything else on any other network. Unfortunately, westerns on TV were not destined to make a comeback that season.

I'm a big fan of the original with Brynner and McQueen, and believe me -Biehn and Close were well able to fill those remarkable shoes! Eric Close even LOOKS like Steve McQueen! And believe me - the chemistry of the seven actors is something I've not seen on TV since - and likely will not see again. There was a friendship between all seven main actors, which made their characters easier to believe and twice as engaging to watch.

This show had action, drama, comedy, brotherhood, and just a pinch of romance. It was clean enough, yet entertaining enough for younger kids to watch, and interesting enough to keep adults coming back each week. I think it's still viewable on the Hallmark channel, but not everyone has that channel available. What I wouldn't give for DVD's...

It was a wonderful film and TV series with great chemistry between the cast and terrific character development. I enjoyed the original movie, but this one far surpasses it in the casting, you couldn't have found a better ensemble that worked so well together. Even the bit characters were well done. It was nice also to have some connection besides the original music when they put Robert Vaughn in as Judge Travis. In the original movie a viewer couldn't really connect with the characters as well as you could with the remake in 1998. The interaction between the men was much better than the original. Also this cast would work well with the same characters even if they were moved to a different time and occupation (ie: maybe an ATF team or military team) simply because of the chemistry. It should have lasted longer.