Ok, if nothing better to watch
You might ask: why post this, then? Well, first of all, I heard of this popular "western" out there and I was curious. Secondly, as we know, there's not much else to watch. Ever hopeful, I thought to myself that they can't mess much with a western, and that it could be the reason why the show gathered numbers. Those country folks, or remnants thereof, must have found some refuge and comfort in this Texan cowboy setting. But then, this is Paramount. The bad guy is despicable, mocks hispanic people, and he's white. The main characters have to utter "I hate racists" sentences. Families are mixed. Chefs of prime restaurants are black. And so on with the usual kosher agenda (yes, anything's possible, but why uncharacteristically and relentlessly so?). I guess one could be more sensitive to it in a traditional context like this. Beyond that, the show is well made and pleasantly predictable, with stellar acting from Annette Bening and Ed Harris in secondary roles. The protagonists are certainly charismatic but, till you get used to them, they feel scripted. He (Cole Hauser) ever chews on a toothpick in the corner of his mouth while resting forward on his horse's saddle fork, under his wide brim hat and Ray-bans. He's rock solid and addresses his wife exclusively with "sweetheart". She (Kelly Reilly) may not exhibit much country girl spirit or toughness but you forgive that for her fine looks and presence. The producers seem to take all bedtime scenes opportunities there. The plot is strong and mostly credible and the characters are well defined. Then you get the southern outdoors and horse rides, the cattle herding and the local rodeos, and the heavy duty Ram's for those so inclined. I confess that I'm no longer watching after the first few episodes, so someone else could give this an update.
Lange T. 5/26
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