Those Great minisries

While awaiting more responses to my question, “What is the greatest TV miniseries of all time?” I want to say a bit more about why I voted for Lonesome Dove and Robert Duvall as Captain Augustus McRae of the Texas Rangers.

“We're rangers, Woodrow. We don't need a reason to go somewhere. We just go.”

In the Lonesome Dove miniseries, Gus’s ramblings in the novel become humorous soundbites. He and Woodrow Call share an unspoken affection mostly missing in Larry McMurtry's novel, to the novelist’s consternation.

In the preface to the 2000 edition, McMurtry says, “I thought I had written about a harsh time and some pretty harsh people, but to the public at large, I had produced something nearer to an idealization … a turnabout I'll be mulling over for a long, long time.”

Me, too, Larry, but I’m damned glad it turned out this way.

Duvall was originally offered the role of the stern, hardworking Call. But after Duvall read the novel, he turned down the part, saying it was Gus who best fit his instincts. Then he pushed for Tommy Lee Jones to play Call instead of James Garner, who was originally cast, or Jon Voight. Both great actors, but I firmly believe Duvall was the perfect choice. Furthermore, I believe nobody has ever worked harder or more effectively to become a character than Duvall did.

To prepare for the unique role, Duvall imitated the speech, mannerisms, an attitude of an old Texas rancher, who he considered moved, spoke, and thought exactly like an old Texas Ranger. Feeling that a Western actor's credibility lived or died by his hat and how he sat on a horse, he studied riding extensively and performs his own stunts.

Ironically, Garner had declined the Gus part because of health reasons that at the time prevented him from riding horseback.

Duvall also trained to handle his heavy 1870s Walker revolvers with a legendary Texas marksman. And instead of a modern trailer, Duvall used the crude, prop outhouses on set to stay in character.

There’s so much more to say, but I’ll limit myself to just a few more words. Jones is great as Call, showing admirable restraint as Duvall gets all the laughs. Angelica Huston is wonderful as Clara Allen, Gus' long-suffering former love. And Frederic Forrest is a memorable villain as the ruthless half-Comanche, half-Mexican outlaw Blue Duck.

I’ll leave you with this thought. According to McMurtry's memoir,  Gus and Call were based on crazy old knight Don Quixote and his pragmatist sidekick Sancho Panza. 

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Oops, not quite finished. Let me remind you that my observations here are based on research and sources I enjoyed but will not document.

By the way, since I failed to define a miniseries, no wonder readers have expanded the scope beyond my original intention, which is fine by me. I’m delighted to entertain discussion about any and all great TV shows. So, I hope you will continue to tell me what you think they are.

For the record, though, a miniseries tells a complete story in a predetermined number of episodes, with a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end. It’s not meant to return for regular yearly seasons, and is essentially a very long film split into parts, with the same characters and actors throughout.

Please keep those cards and letters coming in!