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The Rifleman has always been my favorite western TV serial and it holds up perfectly well after all these years. Most of the stories led to a gunfight at the end and that is what attracted the viewers to the show, but there is no way I would classify it as a violent show. Lucas McCain never failed to preach to his son that his gun was a last resort - fortunately for us, it usually came down to it anyway. It was almost a letdown when he was able to resolve the episode's problems without using the rifle, although those shows usually drove home the lesson that there are always better ways to deal with your issues. Sometimes the show was almost too preachy, but for kids growing up in the late 50's and early 60's it was terrific wholesome entertainment. Lucas McCain taught his son (and all of us) that it's not OK to make fun of people who are different, that sometimes it's better to walk away from trouble, and that the strong should defend the weak. Rarely was anyone shot who not only deserved it but left no other way out. This kind of violence does not, in my opinion, leave any kind of bad impression on youth. What does cause most of the violence in society today is the bad language and 'insult comedy' typical of almost all sitcoms since the mid 70's. Violence is bred from total lack of respect for others, and nothing shows disrespect more than bad language and insults. There was a very clear message of respect for others in the Rifleman series.
score /10
trobinson32 22 January 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1272525/ |
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22-11-2020 11:45:10