This post continues our discussion of the Lonesome Dove series, focusing on the series set after the original Lonesome Dove. Our post in Part One evaluated the original series and the prequels. In preparation for writing this series, I re-watched all of the series to be able to compare them.
(4) Return to Lonesome Dove (1993) is the one miniseries in the group that is not based on a book by Larry McMurtry. The television network wanted a follow-up to Lonesome Dove before too much time passed, and since Larry McMurtry was not done with a sequel, they hired another writer and kept McMurtry as a consultant. Like the other series, Return to Lonesome Dove features some very good big-name actors, including Jon Voight (Woodrow F. Call), Barbara Hershey (as one of the best Clara’s in the series), Louis Gossett, Jr., and Oliver Reed. In addition to again using Basil Poledouris’s great musical theme from Lonesome Dove, Return to Lonesome Dove also features some of the same actors from Lonesome Dove, including Rick Schroder as Newt Dobbs and Chris Cooper as July Johnson.
While Return to Lonesome Dove does not live up to the original, it is still an engaging series. The one weakness is that Lonesome Dove author Larry McMurtry did not write Return to Lonesome Dove, and it does deviate from some of his themes, etc. His books are interesting in that they try to escape from some of the Western myths. For example, in the other series, he does not follow the convention of having the main bad guy killed by one of the heroes, while Return to Lonesome Dove does feature such a resolution.
Still, this series does have some surprises, and it is enjoyable to see some of the same characters and actors continue where the tale left off in Lonesome Dove. And it features standout characters from actors Oliver Reed and William Peterson, as well as Jon Voight’s excellent performance adding some new vulnerability to Captain Call. Even if McMurtry abandons his Newt character after Lonesome Dove, we still want to see more of his growth into manhood. If you expect another Lonesome Dove, you will be disappointed, but if you go into it with an open mind, you might enjoy it very much. Rating: 8
(5) Streets of Laredo (1995) brought Larry McMurtry back into the franchise and for the most part still fits in the Return to Lonesome Dove universe because it picks up about two decades later in the 1890s, following Woodrow Call (this time played by James Garner) on one last adventure hunting a deadly killer. The film features a new set of fine actors, including Sissy Spacek as Lorena Parker. It is a little difficult at first to imagine Sam Shepard as Pea Eye Parker but he is an excellent actor and does a great job.
Besides Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo is the only other book in the series that I have read, and from my recollection, it seems to follow the book well. To some extent, the book negates Return to Lonesome Dove by noting that Woodrow left the Montana ranch the Spring after they arrived and Newt was killed by a horse the following summer, with the ranch failing after just two years. But Streets of Laredo takes place far enough in the future from Return to Lonesome Dove that it minimizes any inconsistencies.
Streets of Laredo revisits some of the themes from Lonesome Dove, especially on the role of family, how far we will go for our family, the search to find a family, and how one may still love a troubled family member. Streets of Laredo does not have the excitement or humor of some of the other series, but it is a good story and an honorable final portrayal of the character of Woodrow F. Call. Rating: 6
In the next installment of Chimesfreedom‘s posts on Rating the Lonesome Dove Series, we consider the weekly television show. The previous installment, Part One, rated the original and the prequels. Check out all four posts on Rating the Lonesome Dove Series.
Which is your favorite Lonesome Dove sequel? Leave a comment.
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