Brisco County

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.

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!

Without a doubt, THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY JR. was one of the most unusual shows on television at the time. One part Bond, one part Indiana Jones, one part western, and one part sci-fi, it was also one of the most fun shows. It had the right combination of cast, characters, comedy, action, and adventure. And unlike the shows that would try it later (HERCULES, XENA, and others), BRISCO knew how to make its contemporary stylings work. The show never took itself too seriously. Billy Drago was a great villain as John Bly, a character that appeared in a story arc running through the season. Whenever Brisco wasn't busy tracking Bly, he was busy searching for one of Bly's gang or some other bad guy. It was also interesting to see the buddy cop concept (one white, one black) in a western setting. Bruce Campbell and Julius Carry had great chemistry. The interplay between them was often hilarious. I also liked how Brisco and Bowler weren't friends at first, but rather were more like competitors, and only after several episodes of crossing paths and being forced to work together did they learn to like one another and partner up. Of course, Kelly Rutherford was hot as Brisco's on-again/off-again love interest, saloon singer Dixie Cousins. Many episodes featured some nice father/son moments as Brisco found himself talking with the ghost of his legendary bounty hunter/father, well-played by Lee Ermy. Those scenes, while sometimes brief, were always a nice addition. It's tame violence and family-friendly stories helped make it an audience favorite and develop a following that continues to this day, but Fox ultimately decided to pay attention to THE X-FILES instead, and they canceled BRISCO after just one season, despite it's big audience and decent ratings. But I'm glad the show was then and not now, as it would have been canceled after just the third episode to make way for some lame drama or comedy. Cudos to Carlton Cuse and (the late) Jeffrey Boam for creating such a good show.

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.

Adventures took the TV Western in a direction that hadn't been seen since Maverick and The Wild Wild West: light-hearted comedy. As an additional twist, they tossed in the TV-parodying elements of Maverick (we see 'Dr. Quintano, Medicine Woman' and Terry Bradshaw leading a team of football players/bounty hunters), and the futuristic (by 1890's standards) gizmos of the West (motorcycles, dirigibles). Throw in the story arc of John Bly, master villain of the future, and you've got a story that is a very weird blend of so many elements its hard to describe. Bruce Campbell show she has the stuff to be a series regular, but another strength of Adventures... is the continuity and the supporting cast - many of which are given a chance to show up often and get some character development. Catch it on TNT.