The Rifleman

I think much of the success of "The Rifleman" TV series was due to the casting of Chuck Connors as the "hero." We quickly grew used to him in this part but at the time the series started, he was probably regarded by many casting directors as a "bad guy" -- such as the part he played in "The Big Country." There was something mean and menacing about him. But by casting him as the boy's father in "The Rifleman," the show used Connors' toughness to counteract the sentimentality that might otherwise have enveloped this series. (Can you imagine how syrupy "The Rifleman" would have been had Doug McClure played the lead?)

I am so pleased this marvelous "TV Noir" from the late 1950's is back on TV re-runs (Hallmark Channel). As a kid, I watched this show because I wanted a rifle like the one Lucas McCain had. As a 50+ year old now, I enjoy the show for a different reason - the very different style of filming it used - B&W of course, but dark, with high contrasts much like film noir. As a father of two sons I also like the interaction between father and son on the show, and how Mark is taught from "The good Book" as well as from experience, and Lucas teaches by example, hard lessons and easy ones, a stern but always loving father. The depiction of a simple life with hard work, long days, and well deserved rest at supper is perhaps fantasy in today's world, but good to strive for. Micah as a no-nonsense sheriff who has lost an edge to old age, and compensates by packing a sawed-off scatter-gun and common sense to keep the peace. No blood or gore, no entry and exit wounds, who cares? That's why I like this genre of TV, it's simple and plain, but sends a good message of hard work, simple life, and good overcomes evil in the end.

Chuck Connors showed more acting in this show than he did in any other, and seems to have been made for the part. Forget all the gibberish about guns and TV. I love this show, and other westerns, and have never owned a gun, nor do I plan to (unless I take up hunting). That's not the point. The point to me is the lessons taught in these shows, good overcomes evil in the end, and justice is served. Real life? No. But that's why I like to watch these shows - good overcomes evil at least for a Saturday afternoon.

This show, and a couple of others - Virginian and High Chaparral were some of the best TV viewing for me growing up. Emphasis on character building, the Western scenery was just window-dressing to me. Even Bonanza (after Michael Landon started to influence stories more) became a great show emphasizing character building. As a father, I learned from all the fathers in these shows (as well as from my own father) how to be a good father, and help to build good character in my own sons. Who said the TV was an "idiot box". Like a computer, it's a tool, and can be used for idiot purposes, or for growing.

I first saw this show as a 6-year-old kid and didn't think too much of it at first but once I got a few years older, I really started to appreciate it and now I consider it one of my all-time favorites...not so much as a replication of authentic Western living (I recall Chuck Connors' quote during the show's run: "We offer relaxing entertainment. If you want period realism, go read a book")as it was an interesting show with GREAT background music by Herschel Burke Gilbert, one of my all-time favorite TV composers. I've noticed that people usually have pretty strong opinions about the show....they either really like it or they hate it...usually those who hate the show focus on the violence (they claim Lucas would kill over nothing, which certainly never happened in any episode)...and those who love the show tend to focus on...well, the violence! I've heard comments like, "If there were N number of Rifleman episodes, the body count during the show's run would be >N"...a funny quote, to be sure, but simply not true. In fact, there were episodes where a bad guy would draw on Lucas, he'd sense it, and fire near him to show that "I've got enough firepower to cut you in half"..there'd be other episodes when somebody would draw a gun and Lucas would "sting their hand" to keep from having to shoot them. (hokey, yeah, but that's TV for ya). You have to remember that the TV audience and the ABC network in particular expected action in its Westerns and crime dramas. The ABC network wanted a lot of action in its shows at that time because they were trying hard to get established as a network and compete with NBC and CBS. Some claim "The Rifleman" was something of a gimmick show. It slipped close to becoming one from time to time but the warm interaction between Connors and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark were part of what kept the show from becoming a "Colt .45" or "Hotel de Paree" period parody. Fans of the show often mention the cinematography. Yes, it was good, indeed. In fact, until I started seeing episodes on DVD, I didn't know just how good the film work was. Was it a grim show? No. Those who really don't care for dramatic, near-baroque background music probably get that "grim" idea. Was Micah the sheriff near-useless? Yes, I admit that. Lucas usually ended up being a one-man North Fork SWAT team, to be sure. But man oh man, could a viewer get revved up! They got great character actors like Jack Elam, Martin Landau, James Coburn, and John Anderson to play bad guys...and they'd just work you to this crescendo, just get you where you couldn't wait for Lucas to get out that gun and wail on' em! I'd recommend by-passing most of the last-season (1962-63) episodes of the show. By then, Johnny's Mark was now into puberty, Chuck looks bored and tired of the show (he, in fact, WAS tired of doing it and afraid of being typecast by the Lucas character by then)and although Patricia Blair looks great, the shows are pretty uneventful and stale and they tried too much to play to the Ricky Nelson angle and give Crawford an excuse to sing. "The Rifleman" has really aged well, from the dramatic opening sequence right down to the Four Star Banner logo at the end. It's a TV classic near and dear to my heart, regardless of the body count, heh heh...

After some people thought that Chuck Conners as the "bad guy" in such films as "The Big Country",it was quickly misjudged by his character when he played Lucas McCain in "The Rifleman". The show was centered around him and his son Mark in the town of Northfolk. But the coolest thing on that show was that Winchester rifle he had,and he could fire at any range from it!!! He never used a six shooter. The way he took on the baddies with that rifle was the absolute trademark of that show which was one of the coolest and most exciting TV westerns ever to come out of the 1950's,and to this day it still holds up to other TV westerns that would endure years later. A great classic from that golden age of grand TV.

I watched this show every week as a kid - I'm 56. I liked it a lot but being around 10 I don't think I really appreciated all it had to offer. Compared to what's on TV these days (I know this makes me sound old. OK, point taken.) the writing was very good. The interplay between Lucas & Mark was genuine; I understand they were fast friends until Connors' death. The only thing I didn't understand was why North Fork even needed a sheriff; Lucas bailed Micah out nearly every week. Oh, well....

It's running on Encore right now. I'm just glad to see that somebody in authority has realized that these old shows shouldn't be dismissed just because they were filmed in black & white. It's the quality of the product that matters. I'm hoping to see Have Gun Will Travel, The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Rebel, and other shows of this era soon too.