Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke: Fourth Season, Volume One

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You may recall that when Season 2, Vol. 1 of Gunsmoke was released, it accidentally substituted an episode entitled "How to Cure a Friend" (airdate November 10, 1956) with one from this season entitled "How to Kill a Friend" (airdate November 22, 1958).

Well, as a solution, the season 2 episode in question is being included as a bonus feature on this set. It's not the best solution they could have used, but at least they have now given us the missing episode. "Sponsor spots" are also listed as a bonus feature.

I'm 61 and, as a kid, I remember enjoying the early Gunsmokes when Dennis Weaver was part of the cast as Chester. I didn't realize just how terrific the series was until its release on dvd and watching it from an adult perspective. I've been watching the hour episodes on Encore Western channel as well, when Chester was still a character on the show (Dennis Weaver left in 1964) and these early episodes are uncompromising in their outcome. Likeable characters are often killed. You just never know what is going to be the outcome of a particular situation. John Meston and Kathleen Hite are two writers who have been responsible for many of these outstanding pre-1965 Gunsmokes. The chemistry among the cast (Matt, Kitty, Doc, Chester) is perfection. I agree with everyone that all subsequent seasons should have been released as one volume like season 1. Since they're not, I'll pay the price. I have to own these.

I'M GLAD THEY ARE FINALLY RELEASING THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF GUNSMOKE! IT IS WELL WORTH THE WAIT, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET AROUND TO RELEASING ALL (?) THE SEASONS, I PROBABLY WON'T BE AROUND TO ENJOY THEM!! AT LEAST CUT THE TIME IN HALF AND RELEASE THEM AT THE COMPLETE SEASONS EDITIONS INSTEAD OF VOL. 1 & VOL 2. WHICH BY THE WAY, IS PROBABLY WHY THEY ARN'T SELLING REAL GOOD!!!
I LOVED THE SHOW THEN,(WHEN I WAS A CHILD) AND I LOVE THEM NOW (60).

A WESTERN LOVER,
LARRY w.

I'm so happy that another Gunsmoke set has come out! Gunsmoke is one of my all-time favorite TV shows, and I'm greatly enjoying being able to watch the early episodes, many of which I haven't seen before since the first six seasons don't run in syndication. I was a little worried that season four would never come, since it's been so long between release dates, but this is one time I was glad to be wrong.

Please keep it up, Paramount. It will take a while to release the entirety of a show that ran for twenty years, but I think I speak for all die-hards when I say that we'll stick with it as long as you do!

This is probably one of the Best Westerns and longest running shows from Hollywood to date. It is well worth the price to add to your collection.

I've been buying all these collections of "Gunsmoke" since Season 1. Vol. 1 of Season 4 has been of equal quality. If you are a hard & fast "Gunsmoke" fan like I am, you will not be disappointed in this set. I'll soon be ordering Volume 2 of Season 4 & plan on buying each season as it's available. These are a must for any enthusiast's library. If you're not familiar with "Gunsmoke," you're in for a treat. The writing is excellent; it is well researched historically & sometimes there are real people referred to in the dialogue, e.g., Mark Twain; the characters are each unique & the way they play off of each other is very real & delightful; the stories are always good; & the actors are well cast & do a terrific job--the regulars are amazing--you'll think you know these people. It's much more than good guys & bad guys. There is a great deal of comedy, there is sadness, & there is disappointment when there are moral dilemmas & a character chooses the "wrong" path. I can't say enough about this series; but, again, I'm a huge fan.

James Arness (1923-2011) who passed away this week at age 88, did an outstanding job for twenty seasons on Gunsmoke. I waited for a 30 percent price break at Amazon before purchasing season four, but I am thrilled with the quality of each show. The restoration efforts on the episodes look fantastic compared to TV reruns through the decades. CBS, please release the hour episodes of Gunsmoke on disc, and pick up the pace. None of us are getting younger

Gunsmoke has always been my favorite TV show as I remember growing up with my Dad laughing at the barbs traded by Doc and Festus. I was too young to remember or see some of the earlier years so now its a huge pleasure to be able to go back in time and see some of episodes that were missed by me. Each night I come home from work to watch an episode. I am watching slowly as I want my enjoyment to last as long as it can. I plan on purchasing Volume 2 of Season Four once I am finished with Volume 1. The stories so far all seem to have a solid meaning and a lesson behind them. One can only hope the genre as we hear of recent times is making a comeback! The westerns growing up were a huge part of Americana and rightly so. There is with good reason I believe that they were so popular at one time, as Gunsmoke king of all the TV westerns reined #1 for a lot of years and outlasted them all.

I was very happy to find this product. It was given as a gift. There will be many happy memories as we watch this beloved series.

Season 4 of Gunsmoke ran from the fall of 1958 to the spring of 1959. By this time, Gunsmoke was the number 1 show in America and for good reason. Season 4 is just as good as the first three. This is just not a good western show, it is excellent drama. The stories are believable, the characters are realistic, the production values are superb, and the guest stars without equal. Every episode displays the reality of human nature - greed, anger, and dishonesty. Marshall Dillon and his right hand man Chester work tirelessly to bring law and order to the city of Dodge and justice to the victims. There is not a weak episode in this package. This is the only series I have watched where I would give every episode 5 stars. The brutality in some of the episodes is hard watch but in true Gunsmoke form, Marshall Dillon gets to the bottom of the issue and the outlaws get what they deserve - a six foot plot of ground on Boot Hill cemetery or time behind bars. What I like about the show is that the main characters have their imperfections as well. Sometimes they make mistakes and let their emotions get the best of them. The one thing that stands out in season 4 of Gunsmoke is the belief that the wild west was no place for a weak and passive man. If you didn't own a gun and know how to use it, you were raw meat for the outlaws and less scrupulous citizens of the Kansas plains. Although the show is very clean and can be watched by all family members you need to decide if your child is old enough to handle the brutality and violence in the show. For example, one episode is about an old man who wants to raise sheep. The cattle men in the area don't like sheep ranchers so they decide to run him off his land. They first shot all his sheep. They then burn down his house. Finally, they tie a rope around the old man and drag him behind a horse which almost kills him. During this whole ordeal the old man - who doesn't own a gun - never defends himself because he does not believe in violence. He refuses to tell Marshall Dillon who his tormentors are. In the end good prevails but it is hard to watch the story play out. With that being said, I think Gunsmoke is the best television show ever created. Buy it.