The
Magnificent Seven Season One is a Charming Marathon
by
Kristin Battestella
Gunslinger
Chris Larabee (Michael Biehn), bounty hunter Vin Tanner (Eric Close),
lothario Buck Wilmington (Dale Midkiff), gambler Ezra Standish
(Anthony Starke), preacher Josiah Sanchez (Ron Perlman), and medic
Nathan Jackson (Rick Worthy) school new kid in town J.D. Dunne
(Andrew Kavovit) on the code of the West while they help Judge Travis
(Robert Vaughn) and his daughter-in-law newswoman Mary (Laurie
Holden) protect the town from bandits, corrupt ranchers, and all
manner of outlaws...
In
the winter of 1998, CBS brought back the familiar charm of The
Magnificent Seven with
nine episodes of good old fashioned cowboy adventure beginning with
the ninety minute “Ghosts
of the Confederacy.” The prejudice against Seminoles and freed
slaves is immediate thanks to half breed hatred made physical with
cannon fire and general Kurtwood Smith's (That
70's Show) demands
for gold. The
opening credits introduce us to the heroes before we see them
onscreen, assuring viewers can recognize when our Seven are roused
into fighting alongside the oppressed. Too many people are looking
the other way, and this motley crew intend to do something about it
with shootouts, cemetery standoffs, swagger, and sarcasm. Such lively
lawlessness, however, isn't scene chewing laugh out loud set piece
spectacles. Sardonic deadpans about greeting one with hostility
versus hospitality come amid more subtle bonding over drinks, licking
of wounds, and even moments of doubt. The
Magnificent Seven is
not high drama, but we need something to root for and big moments
happen with firm western grandstanding. Seven horses march down main
street at sunrise and shots are fired while capture, turncoats, and
near executions have consequences. This pilot has a lot to establish,
but different pairs of the team have a chance to get together and
respect each other's skills. Now, on shows such as Enterprise,
Robin Hood, and
Merlin, there's
always an obligatory out of place save a town from marauders by
teaching them how to fight episode. With The
Magnificent Seven,
however, that's the whole story, and it would get old fast to save
the day every week. Fortunately, “One
Day out West” takes time at home as the new judge in town lays down
the law against cattleman Brion James (Blade
Runner). Local residents
are reluctant to join the jury – justice isn't as important if you
have to live in town once the trial ends. Wounds linger, characters
question if they should stay or go, and both good and bad guys end up
in the jail cell. Standoffs in the rain lead to coffins filled with
rocks, legal ruses, and court presiding in the saloon as chases and
heroics give the town courage. The Seven sign on for a dollar a day
plus room and board to establish The
Magnificent Seven's ongoing
possibilities, and despite the common ranchers, homesteaders, and
rowdy, this bottle episode gives the audience a chance to enjoy the
charming interplay. When you have the cast, characters, and story you
don't need the in your face, look look notice superficial try hard
problematic last seen in the 2016 Magnificent
Seven remake. Explosions,
ladies in the prison wagon, and kids in the saloon set off
“Safecracker” alongside sheriff turned conman Jeff Kober (China
Beach), cheating
at poker, and staking out the bank to plan the robbery. Kidnappings,
across the border hideouts, and double crosses make for an
entertaining heist. It's not all guns and glory but our boys
are multifaceted scoundrels just as comfortable in the sanctuary as
the saloon.
Intense
black and white flashbacks and distorted gunshots through the eyes of
a quiet, shy, terrified boy open “Witness” – the first slightly
darker standout episode of The
Magnificent Seven that
should have come sooner than the fifth episode. Past unsolved crimes
are revisited thanks to scary
threats, dangerous horses in the street, stagecoach chases, bandits,
nightmares, and family trauma. Viewers know who the well to do
murderer is, but the focus here is our directly involved characters
and lady-centric themes deepen the town ensemble and family dynamics.
Who would have wanted a newspaper man dead? Well, a lot of people,
and new details printed in the paper are used to flushed out the
killer amid runaways, prairie shootouts, and confessions. Pain,
memories, motherhood, and parent child conflicts divide and conquer
our boys as they get to the truth, and The
Magnificent Seven gets
better as the season goes on in balancing serious individual stories
and tall western yarns. In
“The Collector” a tough old lady tells her young niece to save
the last bullet for herself as rival cattle baron Tim Thomerson
(Who's Harry Crumb)
wants their homestead so he can sell big to the railroad. He believes
in Three Gs – God, Guns, and Get the hell of my property – and
today's troubles add to the talk of “Indian givers,” demeaning
use of “boy,” burnings, and lynchings from a character called
“Top Hat Bob.” Buying one's own deed and $300 taxes would be
impossible but for a loan from The Seven, and the threatening raids
and ill gotten gains are evenly paced with the awkward smitten and
love lost plots. A and B stories mean the team is involved in each
other developments as well as their own, topping The
Magnificent Seven off
with drunken diversions and dynamite that won't light.
Unfortunately, The Seven don't think a Native American abduction of a
white woman is as cut and dry as it seems in “Manhunt.” Her
minister father and loud mouth brother incite town mobs and posses at
funerals, and even some of our group suspect a savage only wants one
thing from a lady. The upstanding white folk not being as righteous
as they seem follows the previous episode's suggested ugly with more
overt issues. The
Magnificent Seven is
a fun show with western plots that were common twenty years ago, yet
some of the series' discourse on xenophobia and religious conflicts
are unfortunately
relevant again. Missionaries wanting to help make the situation worse
– tribal law and punishment aren't enough for locals who want a
hanging and some men are unable to accept the mistakes made. Despite
jail cell rituals, escapes, and mano y mano fights, wise men on both
sides try to quell the anger, grief, and bitter truths.
Despite
mentions of the Union Army, General Lee, and Fort Laramie, The
Magnificent Seven is
unfortunately nondescript in its time and place beyond the generic
West. Several episodes
in a row also resort to a make the bad guys believe their quarry is
dead ruse, and yeah, nobody knows how to contact The
A-Team, sure.
This is a family show, so while “son of a bitch” is rough and
authentic, no one will dare say “whore” or “brothel.” In the
late nineties, a series thought it could takes it time, so the
earliest entries here are see one, seen 'em all with the ensemble
charm carrying what today wouldn't be much to hold on to if viewers
were watching weekly. These shows are also short – forty-eight
minutes at most but often a quick forty-four minutes with credits
when an extra scene and just more time overall would elevate the
lighthearted into something more mature. Of course, today a show like
this would kill one of The Seven or rotate the players, and although
The Magnificent Seven has
peril, there isn't enough cruelty to ruin the heroic escapism.
Unfortunately “Working Girls” was as tired then as it is now.
Perhaps one can excuse the Saturday night network lack of spice but
the un-sexy bathtub humor and jokes about not charging a guy she
really likes don't work amid the screams, bruised women, and abusive
pimp plot. Already awkward for a family show, the jokes go from bad
to worse with Ezra hoping to sell off the women as mail order brides
after some charm school lessons in the church. Everyone goes along
with this too, for they all think marriage and gentility are the
hookers' only hope – when not resorting to stereotypical drag to
save the day, of course. This entry feels like it was filmed much
later in the season; filler lark when we are supposed to already know
and laugh alongside our characters. When aired as the third episode,
however, the tone is too off kilter. Ironically likewise hurt by its
place as the season finale is “Inmate 78.” Despite modern
feelings thanks to shivs, false arrests, backwater justice, numbers
instead of names, and hard labor sentence in a private prison camp,
this is a fine entry thanks to wanted posters, shackles, and escape
attempts. The team has to pull together without their leader's
heroics. References in the plot, however, reveal this entry was
clearly filmed earlier in the season and it should have aired at
least fourth. Rather than sending the series gunning right out of the
gate, The Magnificent Seven
saved
all the more serious episodes for the traditional spring sweeps,
leaving the easy going episodes to rally initial viewers on charm
alone. But hey, the
finale is the only episode where we see one of the guys shirtless.
Nowadays, each of the boys would have to be buff and tussling topless
by the horse trough every week. C'est
la vie.
Man
in black Chris Larabee is suave be it whiskey and a cigarette or
unfettered in the shootout, and Michael Biehn (Aliens) is a
fitting leader in the spirit of Yul Brynner and George Kennedy. Chris
is cool in his simplicity but wise and sarcastic. He let's everyone
have their shots at the clouds, knowing they didn't stop and reload,
yet insists no one is ever shot in the back. When asked where he came
from, he says the saloon. Where is he going next? The saloon. His
reputation precedes him, and Larabee's backstory anchors The
Magnificent Seven. Since his
wife and son were killed, Chris silently endures his torment,
threatening Buck for talking about it and saying nothing when people
ask about his past. He objects to being called a cowboy, but
sticks around even if he admits he feels out of place with the new
businesses and opportunities in town. Chris chooses his battles,
saying money can't buy everything, and makes his own justice when
pretending to be the bad guy – such as robbing a bank and giving
the money back to the locals. While in a prison camp he earns respect
when defending those who can't help themselves and apologizes for
being trigger happy many years ago. He's met the devil more than once
but hasn't been beaten by him yet. Although he has a few lady
friends, Chris clearly likes Mary's moxie. He whittles a toy horse
for her son, but doesn't think he's the right person to nurture the
boy. He thinks getting shot is just a scratch, too, but has no time
for racists – insisting they should watch their backs if they don't
thank Nathan for his help. When a prisoner has information on the
Larabee murders in “Nemesis,” Chris holds the witness under in
the trough until he gets the details. He doesn't trust all of the
team to return to his homestead and confirm the story, but the trip
only brings bittersweet, sunny flashbacks for Chris, colorful and
idyllic scenes compared to his current dark facade. Evidence of
co-conspirators and left handed clues aren't much to go on against
slick killer Stephen McHattie (Deep Space Nine...”It's
a faakkkeee!”). He's always one step ahead, and violent
confrontations lead to shot in the back consequences. This superb
episode should have been the season finale, and the rest of The Seven
ride in to save the day – for now.
In
double tribute to Steve McQueen, Eric Close's (Without
a Trace) bounty hunter with
a price on his own head sharpshooter Vin Tanner uses a Mare's Leg for
The Magnificent Seven. He's
quiet and sensible –
dressing in sandy buckskin like an angel on the shoulder contrasting
Chris' gruff darkness. Chris confides in him, but they also nod to
each other in an unspoken respect. Vin always says he's going to
clear his name and start fresh elsewhere, but he sticks around
because he's no worse than the rest of the trouble coming to town. He
helps an old lady because he likes her courage and returns her things
when they are stolen before insisting he is no gentleman. Vin knows
Ezra keeps his money in his boots and cons him out of it for a good
cause but backs out of the room when he walks in on a love triangle.
Most importantly, Vin wants to do right by his late mother, and after
spending time living with Native Americans in his buffalo hunting
days, he insists on being on the opposite side of a lynching party –
whether that seems like the wrong side or not when others go along
with racist rumors. In contrast, Dale Midkiff (Pet
Sematary) as raised in a
brothel womanizer Buck Wilmington loves to fight against the odds if
it means there are ladies to be rescued. Life's tough and then you
die, so he's making the most out of it when not drunk or taking J.D.
under his wing. Although he says he only puts up with him because he
can't be bothered to think of something nice to say at J.D.'s
funeral. There are running jokes, too, about where he left his hat or
boots and how he always gets them back, and after reading a book on
animal magnetism, he claims that is his curse – the reason why he
can't get rid of all the women coming on to him. Then again, Buck
unsuccessfully flirts with Mary Travis and has a long time
cantankerous relationship with Chris. He gets wild when Chris is in
danger, but also “gets the devil in him” for a little good cop,
bad cop when The Seven need it.
Of
course, my favorite was always Anthony Starke (License
to Kill) as gambler with
the southern charm and swindler style Ezra Standish. He pretends to
be drunk before hustling on double or nothing odds and has more card
tricks up his sleeve – literally along with his two shot. He says
he stays in town for the laughs yet entertains kids with his slight
of hand. Ezra may speak in fancy colloquialisms to confuse others,
but he has moments of doubt, ditching the action when Chris calls his
bluffs before returning in the nick of time or sleeping on the church
pew with his gun ready to defend one in need. When not running afoul
with the law, he's delighted to have a kid protege who knows how to
cut cards, however, Ezra won't help a lady fix her fence like the
rest of the men, for “a gentleman does not debase himself by
engaging in menial labor.” He thanks a woman who says he'd never be
mistaken for a ranch hand and refuses to give his winnings to a
“wizened crone, no offense ma'am.” Ezra doesn't trust Vin and
dislikes “Mr. Tanner's” Robin Hood ways, insisting he do the
talking because the rest of The Seven terrorize people, have no tact,
and “rude would be an improvement.” Then again, Ezra swears on
the grave of his sainted mother Michelle Phillips (Knots
Landing), who we later meet
in “Witness” shuffling cards to exercise her rheumatism. Her
luggage – filled with rocks because appearances are everything –
is gen-u-wine French leather, and Ezra wishes he'd left off his
return address in his letters after she embarrasses him with poker
playing and childhood tall tales. Maude Standish is proof there is a
god according to Josiah, for he always thought Ezra was raised by
wolves, and their opposites attract is great fun. Her appearance may
be brief and Maude doesn't care for Mary very much, but they have
intriguing, multifaceted conversations on how raising a son never
gets easy, mistakes will be made, and regrets will happen. However,
she also wants to run a cotton gin investment scam on the locals,
tells free fortunes to J.D., and cleanses his luck with a discounted,
five dollar ritual. Maude's shocked that Ezra's employed and wasting
his talents, but he insists it's his job to protect the town from
people like him and her. Despite the humor, zingers, and passive
aggressive smiles, this relationship gives The
Magnificent Seven a
dramatic undercurrent that's explored more in Year Two.
Preacher
Ron Perlman (Hellboy)
is rebuilding a church as his penance for killing too many men.
Josiah Sanchez has already seen hell, a dry strongman who would
rather face death head on than turn the other cheek. He drinks of
course, turning to the wrong kind of spirit when not ringing his
church bell if he spots trouble in the distance. Josiah resents his
missionary father for not practicing the rhetoric he preached, but he
shelters kids in his church, regaling them with tales of sacred
warriors who cleanse the earth of evil – a nod perhaps to The
Magnificent Seven's Samurai
past. He dresses up for
“Getting Gertie's Garter Show,” smitten and ready to renew her
acquaintance after choosing to pursue a spiritual journey with a
Cherokee medicine man over her. Josiah is a man of god with a gun
who's likely to get Old Testament if he's on a mission, for his faith
only goes so far. Desperate for glory Andrew Kavovit (As
the World Turns) as the kid
J.D., however, is jumping off the noon stage in a bowler hat – a
poor eastern boy bungling everything he tries yet wanting to help
nonetheless. Chris doesn't want “young and proud” written on
J.D.'s tombstone, and despite taking thirty dollars a week to be
sheriff, he follows Chris' orders. J.D. also takes Buck's advice when
it is good but will tell him when he is full of crap, too, saying he
should take a bath to get rid of his smelly animal magnetism. Josiah
is embarrassed by his cultural impasses with the Native Americans,
and J.D.'s jokes are terrible – “a three legged dog walks into a
bar and says 'I'm looking for the man who shot my paw.'”
Unfortunately, Rick Worthy's (Enterprise)
former slave Nathan Jackson is the least developed member of our
team. Once a stretcher bearer, Nathan had to learn medicine on the
side, and his cutting skills are handy be it weapon or scalpel. He
seems to be the only one that can calm Chris, whether he's yelling at
him or racing to stop him from killing the wrong man. Nathan patches
up Josiah the most and helps him build his church, but confronts Ezra
several times, saying his faux gentility can't hide his knack for
making money off the backs of others. A pesky dime novel writer wants
to write his life as From
Slave to Surgeon, but
Nathan insist he isn't a doctor and just wants to help people.
As
an original member of The
Magnificent Seven, the
late Robert Vaughn
provides a stamp of approval to series despite appearing in only two
episodes this season and four more in Year Two. Judge Travis stands
in the street armed and defiant, telling troublesome men to drop
their guns with a tough old law stance to counter the outlaw. As
father-in-law to Laurie Holden's (Silent Hill) Mary Travis, he's a
kind support helping raise her son, and The Seven take their position
seriously when Judge Travis relies on their help and protection.
Certainly, it might have been interesting to have had more of the
passing townsfolk on The
Magnificent Seven, including
a western novel writer
embodying fun self-referential winks, a shrewd widowed shopkeeper,
and the obligatory undertaker. Initially Mary is the only strong
willed person in town, trying to stop a lynching in her contrasting
red dress and rifle. She's intelligent and runs her own newspaper
since her husband's death – not afraid to bend the facts and write
some streets ran red with blood hyperbole if such sensational
headlines keep the bad element out of town. Mary wants to know
everything about these heroes, and she's obviously curious about
Chris, who she initially vilifies before realizing you need someone
like him to keep away the real riffraff. Mary has moment with each of
The Seven, helping Nathan, providing womanly insights, or just being
nosy about the latest danger. She admits she has a say in the town
and will say it whether anybody wants to hear it or not. Her press is
small and doesn't need more employees, but she objects that it is
high and mighty prejudice when she won't higher a working girl. The
Magnificent Seven opens
with Mary as harsh and all business yet softens her as a woman by
having her get rough to protect her son. She dresses down and is
ready to ride when he is missing. Of course, this being a good old
fashioned western, Mary is put in peril and in need of rescue a time
or two.
With
such feel good music and lively open credits, we know we're in for a
good time on The Magnificent
Seven. Big
smiles, winks, and smooth profiles set off the snippets of adventure
amid saloons, player pianos, horses, and western main streets.
Perhaps some of the set looks a little cardboard stock simple, but
that's almost expected in the western tradition with a general store,
telegraphs, and pocket watches. Dusty breezes or sunny outdoor
filming make up for any facades alongside well done action stunts and
wagon chases across a variety of natural terrains. Dusters, boots,
spurs, and cowboy hats make for some big entrances through the
swinging saloon doors, and references to Kit Carson and western dime
novels provide an extra touch. While the
Native American designs are colorful, they are unfortunately not
tribe specific – a surprising oversight when The
Magnificent Seven otherwise
has an award winning attention to detail with lace, frills, gloves,
parasols, and bonnets. Thankfully, weapons, scopes, stagecoaches,
saddles, and leather provide a rough and crusty to match the
deadpans. Although the familiar, even whimsical cues suggest when to
be amused, the audience isn't underestimated with over editing or
extra visual excess. Granted, the nineties action is small scale with
up close on the camera corners and slow motion emphasis on the nick
of time moment amid the shootouts. Night time filming can be tough to
see and the video transfer is grainy. However, this is also an era
where not every smirk, trick shot, or cool moment has to be a GIF in
the making, and The
Magnificent Seven allows
viewers to chuckle when we want to not when we are told. Big
silhouettes, sunset skies, and riding across the prairie set off the
pre-Y2K escapism even as our boys are wounded, shot, and bloodied.
The theme has some down notes too – playing in a lower key when one
of our boys gets angry. Perhaps today's audience also has to consider
that this Magnificent
Seven wasn't
that far removed from the Original Film's sequels before the western
in the eighties death knell. Young
Guns and
Bon Jovi briefly stirred a cowboy cool before the dark and realistic
likes of Unforgiven,
and
with its action adventure and sardonic sophistication, on the surface
The Magnificent Seven
seems to be the male answer to Dr.
Quinn, Medicine Woman. The Magnificent Seven served
as mid-season filler on CBS between Dr.
Quinn's final
season and Walker,
Texas Ranger when
believe it or not – the whole family stayed in on Saturday nights
and watched westerns. Ironically, the writer who penned the most
overall episodes of The
Magnificent Seven, is
Melissa Rosenberg, of later Dexter
and
now Jessica Jones.
Back then I taped The
Magnificent Seven when
it originally aired, and the DVD releases seemed late coming. After
sporadic reruns on the western channels and current streaming
opportunities, the thing that excites me most is subtitles. Some of
those pseudo Old West shaggy looking mullet hairstyles, err no.
Despite
a few standard plots, great characters, atmosphere, and personality
keep The Magnificent Seven
fresh
and friendly. By placing charm and western spirit above post-modern
grit, this quick First Season of The
Magnificent Seven provides
rousing crescendos and riding into the sunset adventure for the whole
family.
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