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OK maybe this was not the Hight if Original TV back in the early 70's but I can remember this being on at a strange time like 7:30 on Saturday nights. I use to watch it and for a 9 year old this wasn't all that bad. But yet I did know that this was a Rip off of Gilligan's Island with the Writers just lifting Storys from Gilligan's Island and Putting them into the Old West.

I found this again while walking around a Discount store a few days ago and I picked up The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West just because I had Fond Memories of the show. Now I know why It didn't last but still Its better then some of the Garbage on TV now.

Maybe I am just looking for a show you can sit down and watch with your Kids and don't have to Worry about them asking you any Questions about Sex and why are those Two Guys Sleeping Togeather. This show came from a Better time; at lest in my View.

Take a chance and watch it with the Kids its not that Bad actually and its kind of Fun watching Bob Denver and Forrest Tucker Ham it up for the Screen. Try it you might like it.

This show was Gilligan's Island set in the old West. Instead of being shipwrecked on a deserted island, they are a group separated from a wagon train and lost in the wilderness.

Every character in Gilligan's Island has a direct counterpart in Dusty's Trail. Of course, the title character is played in both series by Bob Denver. The Skipper is replaced by the wagon master, Forrest Tucker. There is a rich married couple, farm girl, and smart guy in each group. And this series substitutes a saloon hall girl for an actress to round out the group of seven.

Just as the castaways in Gilligan's Island spent every episode trying to get off the island, in Dusty's Trail, they try to find their way out of the wilderness, and failing every time. Just the same, the episodes are amusing, although they seem a little watered-down for us Gilligan's Island fanatics. We only watch this series to see Bob Denver in his usual antics.

This was probably the perfect example of Hollywood's lack of imagination. Ironically, this show is basically Sherwood Schwartz and Bob Denver ripping-off the show that was so successful for them. In fact, the concept for this show was so lame that none of the networks would pick it up, so it was sold to different stations to be shown in first run syndication. Each character is basically a carbon copy of the classic cast of Gilligan's Island. You had the sweet Mary Ann type, the smart Professor type, the sexy bombshell and the snobbish older couple. At least the cast from Gilligan had a lot of chemistry that this cast doesn't. .The only difference was that it was set in the old west instead of a deserted island and instead of the occasional native causing the castaways trouble you get a wild assortment of desperadoes wreaking havoc on our lost wagon train. No wonder this show isn't in reruns anymore

Well, now, Gilligans Island it is not. But it does grow on you. My four year old watches it all the time. Better than Barney. I have watched it a number of times and found that the characters seem to all be waiting for Dusty to carry them. Of note, is that the additional characters actually seem to be better actors than the regulars. There are some genuinely funny lines and looks. Does make you appreciate Gilligan's Island more. And even Dobbie Gillis. Seems as though the characters were content to get a season's worth of pay. Bad as this was, it was better than the return to Gilligan's Island movies. And yes, it a recycling of the Gilligan's Island characters but only Foster Tucker comes close. Although each of the other characters have their moments. I bought the DVD for a dollar. It was worth that.

Two career roles kept Bob Denver typecast for the rest of his life, that of the title role from Gilligan's Island and Maynard G. Krebs from Dobie Gillis. He could never get away from that for as long as he lived.

In Dusty's Trail which was Gilligan's Island out west Denver was once again in the title role and he's a scout for a wagon train where Forrest Tucker was the wagon master. He got two of the wagons lost and worse than that Tucker was with them. The first was your basic settler family William Cort and wife Lori Saunders and saloon girl Jeannine Riley who was a hitchhiker. The second wasn't even a wagon it was millionaire Ivor Francis and his high living wife Lynn Wood in a coach equipped like a Rolls Royce. When you got it, flaunt it and Francis and Wood apparently never travel anything less than first class.

These characters were totally ripped off from Gilligan's Island, you would have to have been in solitary confinement not to recognize them. The situations were Gilligan Island like. I will say that the locale of this show did allow for slightly more realistic guest star situations than the castaways had on Gilligan's Island.

But some of it was so dumb. That storm that blew the castaways off their course was something that could realistically happen. But it sure doesn't say much for Tucker as a wagon master to have Denver as a scout. And he got lost with him.

The coach was just plain ridiculous. These two Francis and Wood I don't care how many millions they had would have had that luxury vehicle breakdown real quick. Can't see it handling mountain passes. Just an incredibly dumb premise.

The show had its amusing moments, but the whole thing was ridiculous.