Les mystères de l'Ouest

Looking back at this show after all these years, two things stand out. First, doing this show must have been nirvana for Ross Martin. In almost every episode, he got to change costumes, add makeup, and play a completely new character, usually with a different voice and/or accent. What character actor doesn't dream of that, and what a marvelous talent he was!

Second, when this show first aired, I was going through puberty, so it was probably a big influence - but I cannot recall a TV series that consistently featured, week in and week out, more drop dead gorgeous women than this one did. To the producers I say thank you, thank you, thank you!!

I loved the "Wild, Wild West" TV series that blended horror , the western & Steam-punk on many episodes. Robert Conrad was James West &Ross Martin was Artemus Gordon, "Man of a thousand faces".It had different stories each week but there were recurring villains- Dr. Miguelito Loveless ( What a great name for a villain !) was played by Michael Dunn ( Star Trek's" Plato's Step-Children") &Count Manzeppi (magician turned assassin) was played by Victor Buono. "Wild, Wild West" was the closest TV ever got to capturing the flavor of comic books. I hope you will someday get to see this series, perhaps on DVD. There are a few episodes out on video. I particularly recommend " The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth", the first Dr. Loveless episode. I loved the Dr. Loveless episodes & the 2 with Victor Buono as Count Manzeppi. Quintessential "Wild, Wild West "episode- "Night of the Vicious Valentine" that deservedly won guest-star Agnes Moorehead an Emmy.

They say time can play tricks, but I would bet that if some cable channel started to show "The Wild Wild West" again it would work its magic on me the same way it did when I watched it as a youngster in Barbados in the 1980s. Just the animated opening titles were spellbinding; this may sound weird, but I always thought it was a plus when the last panel to be filled in was one of the lower two (especially the one with the lady on the ground). It had action, it had mystery, it had everything.

It also had a theme tune that was a helluva lot better than anything in that dispiriting 1999 movie (if Warner Bros thought no one would remember it, they were wrong). Robert Conrad, Ross Martin (RIP), and creator Michael Garrison, we salute you.

I've just read the comments posted here and agree with almost everything positive said. I don't think Ross Martin received enough praise at the time for the work he did. Nor do I think the show receive the respect it deserved.

It was riveting when it first aired, and had the feel of a really good mystery show, with many excellent twists and turns of plot.

But, I can't believe no one mentioned that this show had the greatest theme song of all time! If you can find it do hear it. It has both a "western" sound to it, as well as a really great theme and arrangement. Warning: there were two versions produced. The original is better, but both are excellent.

In 1965 someone had the bright idea to mix the two most popular genres at that time, spy shows and westerns, and came up with this classic series. The western elements were obviously the horses, Indians and a strong hero and the espionage elements were the gadgets and megalomaniacal villains. Robert Conrad was excellent as Jim West and Ross Martin was just as great as the master of disguise Artemis Gordon. This chemistry between the two leads helped to make this show a classic. However, Michael Dunn pretty much stole the show as Miguelito Loveless, or as Artie would often call him, "The Little Wizard". This show will always be one of the wildest things about the decade of the 60's.