In the mid-1990s, the original Lonesome Dove miniseries inspired a syndicated weekly television series, with the first season entitled Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994-1995) and the second season entitled Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (1995-1996). Even though they were part of the same television series with the same setting and most of the same characters, because the two years differed so much, in our continuing discussion of the Lonesome Dove franchise, we are ranking the two seasons of the syndicated television show separately.
The setting for both years is an alternate universe from Larry McMurtry’s universe, where Newt Dobbs (Call) died from a fall on the Hell Bitch horse within around a year of the end of Lonesome Dove, according to McMurtry’s book Dead Man’s Walk. McMurtry dispatched Newt with only a sentence or two, apparently in an attempt to prevent the TV network from using his character. But in the television world starting with Return to Lonesome Dove, the television writers recognized that much of the heart of the original Lonesome Dove came from the character of Newt Dobbs. Thus, these later series focused on Newt.
The same town and most of the major characters are in both seasons, but The Outlaw Years is the far superior season of the two seasons. Because the first season sets the stage for The Outlaw Years, though, you might want to start there — or at least with a few of the early and final episodes of the season — if you are delving into The Outlaw Years.
(6) Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994-1995): The syndicated series picked up after Return to Lonesome Dove and followed the further adventures of Newt, played by Scott Bairstow. This first season, The Series, is a fairly traditional television western, focusing on Newt settling down with a wife in the town of Curtis Wells. The season ends with a tragedy, setting the stage for a different vision for the second season set two years later in The Outlaw Years.
The title sequence from Lonesome Dove: The Series ended with a young couple laughing and swinging each other in a sunny grassy field. The contrast between the opening title sequence for The Series with the darker one for The Outlaw Years (below) may be the most drastic title sequence change in a series from one year to the next.
The biggest strength of The Series is that it gives the back story for the superior Outlaw Years, so that is the main reason to watch it. The Series Rating: 4.
(7) Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (1995-1996) is one of the big surprises of the franchise. This second season is a much darker western with interesting characters that attempts a harder realism than the first season. There never may have been a television series with this much mud. In some ways, the series is a precursor to HBO’s Deadwood (2004-2006) with its gritty realism — although with less swearing.
Actor Scott Bairstow takes Newt into some darker territory, and Eric McCormick creates an interesting character in Clay Mosby, who is more complex than traditional villains. And for a Western, the series has several important roles played by women.
Overall, as the season continued and some episodes become more episodic instead of focusing on the overarching story of the main characters, the season does not consistently maintain the quality of the earliest episodes. But the continuing stories and the relationships among the regular characters remain interesting through the entire season.
Unfortunately, the series was canceled after this season ended, so we are left hanging about the future of Newt and the citizens of Curtis Wells. But the final episode of the season gives hints about the future, so it is a satisfactory finale for the franchise considering they did not know it would be the final episode.
On our Lonesome Dove rating scale, The Outlaw Years suffers by being rated in comparison with the complete stories of the miniseries in the franchise. But this TV series is worth checking out. The Outlaw Years Rating: 6.
Stay tuned for the fourth and final chapter of the Chimesfreedom analysis of the Lonesome Dove franchise, where we will offer viewing advice based on all the rankings from this post, Part 1: The Prequels, and Part 2: The Sequels. We will also rank the many versions of Woodrow Call.
What did you think of the television series? Leave a comment.
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Loved the series. Left me hanging wondering what eventually happens. I was really getting into the characters and cared about what happens. I wanted to see Call face off with Mosby. Who’s faster on the draw? Did Call seek out Mattie? Did Austin conspire to off Mosby? Series cancelled really sucks. It definitely made me think of HBO’s Deadwood. Another great series cancelled. They just don’t have a market I guess for western themes. Seems like we’re always left to draw our own conclusions. The writers of the series had a great storyline every episode. I’m soooo disappointed we didn’t have the closure for these interesting characters. It feels like your at the table waiting for your favorite food to be served. You sit there and can smell the aroma of your food being prepared anticipating the dish to be served and the waiter spills the food on the floor and your left with nothing but what if. Bit dramatic but I really loved this series and cared about the characters. Darn it Anyway!
I agree completely. It would be great if networks respected fans who watch shows so when they cancel something they give enough advance warning so the writers may make some effort to wrap up the series. Or maybe at least let the writers put together a short book of where they would have taken a series.
I’m also reminded of another Western series from TNT called “The Lazarus Man” that starred Robert Urich (who was in the original “Lonesome Dove” miniseries). The show had an interesting premise where the series began not long after the Civil War with Urich coming out of a shallow grave and not remembering anything about his past. The series was cancelled in 1996 (because Castle Rock overreacted to news of Urich’s cancer), and fans were left hanging, as in the case of the “Lonesome Dove” TV series. Thanks for the comment.
Best TV series, EVER! If I had a billion dollars I would pay the cast whatever it took to reunite them for another season or at least a finale miniseries (though they would all be 10 years older by now). The finale episode hints that Austin would probably continue his metamorphosis into a villain, targeting Moseby who would likely become mayor of Curtis Wells after Josiah Peel, who would most likely die in some senseless crossfire driving Austin further over the edge. He would continue to maintain an uneasy truce with Call, who would clearly take up the mantle of Sheriff. Call would also likely go after Mattie, who would most likely have become the victim of some sort of foul play during her journey to San Francisco, and her assailants would probably turn out to be under the direction of Austin, who is still angry that she deflected his advances and instead gravitated towards Call.
Call would move back in the direction of growing to be that sad and introspective old man who lived out his days alone reminiscing about the past in Season 1, but would also remain dark and complex. Screenwriters and Bairstowe as Call could get a lot of direction on how his character should act by watching Timothy Oliphant’s Seth Bullock in Deadwood.
So many great and interesting story lines to follow. Someone PLEASE give me a billion $$ so that I can get those actors back to work before they’re too old and it’s too late!
I, of course, agree that it is sad that the series left us hanging after getting us to care about these characters. I like how you see the series going, so now I’ll just hope you win the lottery. Thanks for the comment.
I never could get into the series, so I’m grateful that you’ve clarified how different the 2nd season/”Outlaw Years” ended up being. I may have to check it out after all! Thank you. (I also appreciate being forewarned that cancellation left the series with some cliff-hangers).
Definitely check out the second season of the series, but you’ll enjoy it more if you are not expecting something on the level of the original “Lonesome Dove.” Thanks for the comment.