Gunsmoke: The Complete First Season

An Essential DVD Purchase!!
I applaud this release of the entire first season of Gunsmoke on DVD, and hope the remainder of the best TV western ever made will also be released.

Gunsmoke, the longest running western in TV history (or TV drama for that matter at 20 years and 635 episodes), is complex and textured, dealing with mature themes and unforgettable characters that became part of our culture. It was billed as the first `adult western.'

I grew up watching the series, which debuted in 1955 as a half-hour black and white show then progressed to an hour in its seventh season, and began being produced in color in 1966.

The original opening depicted the Marshall in a fast-draw gunfight against a villain he killed, but this was toned down years later after groups complained of violence. As a result, rather than seeing the villain fall dead, the camera instead stayed only on Dillon as he drew his `peacemaker.' In the 70's, the opening eliminated the gunfight altogether and...

Longest Running Episodic American Television Series Finally Makes It To DVD In A Full Season Package
After waiting so many years and being teased by three compliation releases, Gunsmoke is finally being released on DVD in a complete season package.

By releasing the first season of the show on DVD, Gunsmoke is finally being accorded the honor due it but first given to many other shows who didn't last as long and/or weren't nearly as good. The show didn't last 20 years without capturing the imaginations of a lot of viewers. Back in 1955, CBS thought viewers were ready to see an adult Western - one that was not created and written for kids, but one that intended to tap into the large audiences that were rushing to theaters to see Gary Cooper, James Stewart, John Wayne, and Henry Fonda on the prairie.

Casting Wayne protege James Arness as Dodge City, Kansas US Marshal Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke set the stage for all of the great television Westerns that came after it, like Bonanza, The Rifleman, Cheyenne, and others. First, the hero or heroes were stalwart, salt-of-the...

With a John Wayne intro; How can you go wrong?
I'll weigh in with this; Gunsmoke in the first season came from a very adult level. They showed us a West that was rugged, merciless, ruthless, lonely, grimy, dirty, sweaty, and corrupt! Along with varing shades of GRAY! It wasn't all black and white, good vs. bad!!
But on the flip side of that doulbe eagle coin, was justice, compassion, friendship, and hope.

Enjoyable from a nostalgic sense of view or as a first timer to Gunsmoke!

The dvds look great! Clean, clear and sharp black and white tranfers! Enjoy!

Click to Editorial Reviews