Gunsmoke – The Third Season, Vol. 1

The setting for Gunsmoke was the by now famous Dodge City, circa 1870’s. Phrases like “get out of Dodge” would enter the popular lexicon as a result of this resilient series. Marshall Dillon (Arness) was charged with keeping the peace in Dodge City. The only other character to see the entire 20 year run was kindly Doc Adams (Stone). Star Trek’s own Doc, Leonard McCoy, took many of his traits from Doc Adams. He was the humanitarian of the city, always looking to help someone. Like McCoy, he had a taste for bourbon and a soft heart underneath a rather gruff exterior and was always ready with free advice. Dillon’s love interest throughout most of the series was Miss Kitty Russell (Blake). While there were certainly a few romantic undercurrents, the romance never came to fruition. Miss Kitty was a prostitute on the radio and was likely one here as well, but CBS chose to underplay that aspect of her character as a “saloon girl”. Finally Dillon’s faithful sidekick deputy was Chester (Weaver). Chester often found himself in trouble and was the naïve son figure to Dillon.

Gunsmoke is the longest running scripted live action television show in history. The series ran from 1955 to 1975. At first it was a half hour black and white show that evolved into a color hour by 1967. It actually started before the days of television, premiering on radio in 1952. Then it was William Conrad as the tough as nails Marshall Matt Dillon. When television came into its own, Gunsmoke made the jump to the bright living room box and made history. Westerns would ride across our small square screens for the next 3 decades, making it the most successful genre of that time, and it was Gunsmoke that started it all. The television version of Gunsmoke was originally conceived as a vehicle for John Wayne, who opted to remain in movies. Yet it was Wayne himself who suggested James Arness, and it turned out to be a career for the once “carrot” monster from The Thing. Gunsmoke started before all of the big westerns and was around when most of them had departed.

Among the episodes found in this collection, you can look forward to some fine western television drama, with just enough comedy to break of the tension. Matt Dillon matches wits with a hired gun in the first episode of the season, Crack-Up. Can you believe someone wants to kill poor old Chester? He’s the target in Gun For Chester. The problem is will anyone believe him? Kitty is a suspect in a bank robbery when it appears she’s helping the crook in Kitty’s Outlaw. A forbidden love might just be the end of Dodge City in Romeo. Doc is the target of the brother of the man he shot for killing his horse. It’s a tangled web in Doc’s Reward, because the brother thinks Doc did it for money. Finally in, Kitty’s Caught, a gang of outlaws takes Kitty hostage.

Video

Each episode of Gunsmoke is presented in its original broadcast full frame format. The series was shot in black and white. The transfer is not a great one, but you just can’t expect a heck of a lot from a master that is over 50 years old. The detail is actually pretty nice, and the prints are pretty solid, again allowing for age. The real problem is the amount of grain present throughout. The problem is likely the original film stock and can in no way be considered a flaw with the transfer. Black levels fluctuate quite a bit but are usually fair.

Audio

The Dolby Digital Mono track delivers exactly what you are looking for and nothing more. The dialog is clear, and that’s all you’re going to get out of this minimalist presentation.

Special Features

Original Sponsor Spots: This is a short collection of clips of James Arness pushing a product. In the case of this collection, most are for L&M cigarettes. Paramount includes a disclaimer warning that smoking is not being recommended by them; of course in the 1950’s it most certainly was. The rest are for electric shavers.

Final Thoughts

Paramount has this annoying habit of splitting some of these vintage shows into half season sets. I know I keep complainin’ and nothin’ gets to happenin’. Here you get the first 19 episodes of the 3^rd season. The show is still worth a good look, it’s just those half season sets…”What I told ya before, this thing ain’t right.”