Nichols

Strangely, I agree with everything that has been said so far. This really was a different kind of television show. Great cast with an impossibly hot Margot Kidder and excellent stories, I especially remember one about a madcap treasure hunt that had so many twists, turns and reversals that it quite rightly turned out to be a dream. And just to prove I've been there: as already reported the last episode killed off the Nichols character and replaced him with his brother the only difference between the two being the new brother's full on black mustache. The whole episode the brother seesaws about whether or not he'll stay and take over for his dead brother. Finally he goes to the barber shop and looks at his mustache in the mirror, putting his hand over it as if to visualize what he would like like without it (i.e., take over for his dead brother and keep the series going).

"Naw", he says and leaves the town of Nichols ending the show.

Garner played Garner as only Garner can. For this short lived series, he was a disreputable sheriff in one horse western town in the early 20th century. The great Margot Kidder played the saloon keeper, a sorta equivalent of Kitty on Gunsmoke. It was clear, however, that her saloon offered more than a drink and a song. Above all, Nichols was really funny.

NBC was putting out a lot of good product when this series came out, but none of it was getting viewers. At least according to their executives who wisely canceled good shows like Star Trek & My World & Welcome To It because of low ratings. NBC's advertisers were getting a bargain from NBC's ignorance.

This show stands out as the only time James Garner wasn't enough to get viewers. It is ashame as this show had an excellent support cast from Stuart Margolin (later Angel in the Rockford files), to Neva Patterson to Margot Kidder.

It was set in a 1900 western town. Garner was playing a sheriff who did not want to use violence to do his duties. It was small town stuff, but it was excellent. It wasn't long after this that Jim Rockford brought Garner back to success, but for my money, this show was good enough, it just wasn't in the right time, right place, or given the right opportunity.

The show was so good that most of the folks who worked on it also got jobs on Rockford.

I guess I'm one of the few who remembers this very funny show. The turn of the century Old West, with technology about to change the frontier forever, made for a very interesting setting, and the cast did a good job of getting into the period, pulling it off without being camp. Garner was great, Margot Kidder was delightful, and John Beck made a terrific villain. The show was of such high quality it's no wonder it lasted such a short time.

I remember this series vividly from grade 8 or 9 in Canada. I remember that it was my favorite series and was shocked when it ended - but what a last episode. I have searched everywhere for reference to it but never been able to find it. I have also always been astounded that no one I spoke to about it ever heard of it. Will it ever be shown in reruns? What a cult classic! I really miss it and would really love to relive my early years by seeing it again. Has there ever been an issue on video or DVD?