ELYSSA DAVALOS IN 'HOW THE WEST WAS WON' TELEVISION SERIES

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON Years from 1976 to 1979

After twenty years of GUNSMOKE, James Arness was ready to be a character-actor, while still remaining the lead. His gruff trapper Zeb Macahan is a success just for being better suited to the genuinely muscular role than the completely miscast James Stewart in the horrendous motion picture, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, which on the small screen makes for a pretty entertaining sequel miniseries-style TV series that was an early "binge" watch...

But the best stories go to Zeb's war deserter nephew Luke, played by Bruce Boxleitner. While his Native American-friendly uncle deals with politically-correct "all white men suck" issues, young Luke goes from one roving adventure to the next, initially tailed by a formidable bounty hunter, and then captured and joining forces with an eclectic, merry band of mountain-holed criminals led by Richard Basehart and a quick-draw Tim Matheson...

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

The most fun's had when Luke winds up in a small town where he meets gorgeous tomboy Elyssa Davalos, spunky daughter of tried-and-true sheriff Lloyd Bridges. The romance between handsome drifter and sexy/spoiled lass takes its time for the payoff — a literal roll in the hay...

The hook is that the town ends up under the perilous shadow of Luke's criminal friends, an involving dilemma that keeps the viewer locked in, randomly curbed by Arness's comparably melodramatic tales that, despite the fact he does a fine job in the acting department, slows down the pace that, eventually, when becoming less of an addictive miniseries and more of a standard television show, loses its charm considerably, but is a pretty good ride while it lasts.

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Elyssa Davalos in HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Vicki Schreck as the tomboy niece from HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Britt Lind in HOW THE WEST WAS WON as a perfect yet doomed Morman wife of Boxleitner

Elyssa Davalos in How the West Was Won