larrylvn
What is with these people who give such wonderful reviews of this show.? I became a viewer with high expectations having seen Stuart Whitman in big budget westerns such as Commancheros with John Wayne. This show -first of all- had poor lighting. Did anyone bother to pay the light bill?Often...the action, (which was very little, not enough for a half hour much less 90 minutes) was at night and you could not even tell what was going on . The cast was total stereotypes with Percy Herbert, Randy Boone, and Jill Townsend. It appeared that the entire show was filmed on one acre of desert and a saloon. This was no ..Virginian- which had everything- great acting,plots, guest stars,unpredictable big budget production..It was the same thing every week, 5 minutes of action at the end.Stuart Whitman would chase some psycho villain and get either shot or beaten up terribly and miraculously survive. ..The sheriff didn't seem to live anywhere just roamed around This show has poor melodramatic plots.And CBS became cheap and used the same theme music on every western on TV
pennylane-14
One of the finest westerns ever shown on television! Marshall Crown, the hero, was true, gritty, keen-thinking. The villains were believable,often complex, not the "cardboard cutouts" featured in modern TV shows. The scenery was breath-taking, especially the opening sequence of Crown riding his horse across a broad vista of stark beauty, as the theme song, the BEST EVER for a TV western, soars majestically through the horse's dusty wake. A wonderful supporting cast -- Dulcey, MacGregor, and Francis --added just the right touch to Crown's character, "softening or hardening" his edge as the situation demanded. Sadly, it lasted only one season. They don't make 'em like this any more!
piratecat-2
I was very young when I watched the reruns in the early 70s. This was more for my parents but cool enough for me. I knew this Marshall was no fool. Every episode was riveting. I really enjoyed the beginning riding the horse on the trail with that great theme. When your about 6 TV cowboys are real. I am sure I rode a few arm chairs with hat and holster on. The marshal portrayed the American Western Lawman has a prolific hero. The bad villains were really bad men that rode a horse and were not anti heroes or somethings cool. Marshal Jim Crown man's man. Today a show of this caliber would be on an HBO mini series. I don't think the networks could get away with a smart but violent show in which bad guys are left in the dirt. I yearn for good ole quality cowboy shows. A must see if you have never experience the likes of this one. I can't wait till it comes on DVD. Alias Smith and Jones comes out in Feb 2007 another classic. So hopefully soon Marshal Crown rides again.
kruse-2
I still remember the almost mystical episode where a mysterious something was killing folk just outside the perimeter of the town, leaving their bodies so mutilated that no-one could identify whether death was caused by man or beast. Cimarron Strip was like a western version of the Twilight Zone, instead of being the cartoon town which every other show had the Strip was its own place, far removed physically from the rest of the west and far removed in philosophy and execution from the rest of western TV shows. You never knew what complex psychological problem would come riding into town each week. Marshall Jim Crown stalked the Strip like a six-gunned God and town maiden Dulcie was the fairest of the fair. In TV Heaven, they show this every day. They should - there's never been another western like it.BB