I'm usually underwhelmed by reality series and don't even bother to check out most of them. Most reality series I have seen are the opposite of reality. They come across as manufactured and they just don't have the ring of a truth about them. But this series really grew on me. It centers on themes of hard work, loyalty, inner strength, and family values in a straightforward way that resonated with me even though as a child of the 60's I turned my back on the conservative lifestyle of my parents and grandparents generation.
My renewed appreciation for old-school values is not just late-life nostalgia, though. I'm comfortable in my skin as a liberal thinking, urban dwelling, intellectually-oriented individual. I don't wish I'd become a cowboy or a rancher or a farmer nor do I idealize that lifestyle to mythic proportions.
But the Last American Cowboy did a good job of showing that for those who do choose the hard working life style of ranching, it has a level of nobility and sacrifice that gets to the core of being a human. The three families which this series chose to follow were exemplary and their personal stories were compelling.
I recommend this show to anyone who wants a respite from the daily headlines of greed, corruption, and celebrity icons. The Last American Cowboy is about real people who meet their lives head-on and never look for the easy way out. It's a heartwarming and beautifully told story.
