Kurt Russell starred in this short-lived western series you missed

If we use the name Kurt Russell magical things happen with the Western genre. The actor has certainly put his own spin on the horse opera and we always wish he had done a few more. But long before he played Wyatt Earp or landed a role in a certain Quentin Tarantino film, Russell was the star of his own short-lived western television show. That’s right, before he was a theater star, Russell was a leading man on the small screen in a series simply titled: The pursuit.

But don’t be fooled, this show should not be confused with the modern fantasy reality series of the same name. Instead, Russell’s The pursuit was set in the Wild West and followed two long-lost brothers (Russell and Matheson) searching for her long-lost sister. The show aired briefly in 1976 and, despite its quick cancellation, is actually pretty solid.

The pursuit

The Quest follows Morgan “Two Persons” Beaudine, a former Boy Scout torn between his tough profession and a deeper, personal mission. After surviving captivity among Native Americans, he embarks on a perilous journey through the American West to find his long-lost sister Patricia. Along the way, he meets a number of characters, including his brother Quentin, a doctor who aids him in this quest. As they traverse the dangerous, lawless landscape, Morgan wrestles with the inner conflict of his past.

Release date

13 May 1976

Pour

Kurt Russell, Tim Matheson, Brian Keith, Keenan Wynn, Cameron Mitchell, Morgan Woodward, Neville Brand, Art Lund

Main genre

Western film

Seasons

1

Creator

Tracy Kennan Wynn

What is “The Quest” about?

The original premise behind The pursuit was admirable. After the events of the infamous rural purge, westerns simply were no longer popular with television audiences. Many considered them outdated or perhaps even too simplistic, and so the three major networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) eliminated the vast majority of their westerns and other rural-themed programs. Exceptions were The Waltons, Our little farmand, in short, The pursuit themselves. In the wake of dozens of urbanized and modern police dramas that had flooded the airwaves, series creators, Tracy Keenan Wynnand executive producer, David Gerberhad a very specific idea of ​​the Western that they wanted to pass on.

The series itself was set in the 1890s and followed the recently reunited Beaudine brotherswho had been separated as children after a Native American raid. Quinton, played by Matheson, was later brought to California and became a doctor by profession. He was urbanized in his youth, in stark contrast to Russell’s character Morgan. Often known by his Cheyenne name “Two-Persons,” Morgan was held captive by the Native Americans for eight years, where he learned all about survival. When the Union Army released Morgan, he was eventually found by his brother and they were reunited to search for their younger sister Patricia, who had also been separated from them. This is the famous “quest” the Beaudine brothers find themselves on, although in true Western fashion, most of the series’ episodes follow a variety of different concepts and storylines. Still, it was their never-ending search for their relatives that kept them going. The pursuit‘s story forward.

From the beginning, The pursuit aimed at attracting new viewers. There was an obvious appeal for those who loved shows like Smoking Colts And Goldmine (Russell appeared in two episodes of the first and Matheson was a recurring character in the final season of the second), but Because of the show’s unique characters, there was potential for viewers of shows like Police history turn on. NBC manager, John J. McMahontook this idea a step further and hoped that the series would tell “realistic” stories that 1970s viewers could identify with, albeit with the Wild West as a backdrop (via The Odessa American). The juxtaposition of the brave and simple Morgan “Two-Persons” with the complicated and sophisticated Quinton was a wise decision. “We basically John Wayne‘s movie, The Seekersand remade it into a television series,” Matheson recalled decades later. “It was an attempt to remake the Western, reach a younger audience, and not make the Native Americans the enemy.”

“The Quest” ran for less than one season before it was canceled

There is a debate about why exactly The pursuit was canceled. When NBC finished the two-part pilot, they made it into a 90-minute TV movie called The pursuitThis hour-and-a-half adventure by Russell and Matheson was broadcast on May 13, 1979. later in the top 20 of all television programs based on the Nielsen ratings at the time (above The Decatur Daily). It was this increase in ratings that probably gave the channel the green light The pursuit as a sequel series, with Russell and Matheson returning to their main roles for another 13 episodes. And it’s no wonder, as the pilot was a strong start to the uniqueness of this particular series. As Two-Persons and Quinton learn to work together, the two wrestle with their differences (a frontiersman versus a city boy) while chasing the only family they have left. The pursuit This was followed The search: The longest journey (later re-edited into the two-part episode “The Longest Drive”) and later with The Captive – No Place Without You IIan extended version of the show’s first broadcast episode, “The Captive.” With a compelling new Western concept (and room for improvement), NBC seemed to have landed a real hit. Unfortunately, television can be a cutthroat business.

From September 22, 1976 until shortly after Christmas The pursuit aired on NBC on Wednesday night. One critic compared the show somewhat unfavorably to Starsky and Hutchand noted that the series is not much different from some of the most famous TV Westerns that came before it. The show’s declining ratings were just another nail in the Western’s coffin. In her book, she states: The complete directory of prime time network and cable television shows from 1946 to present, Tim Brooks And Earl Marsh explained what they thought about the show’s cancellation. “The previous season marked the first time in over 20 years that no Westerns were shown in prime time on network television,” they noted.There was plenty of action and violence on The pursuitbut it could not compete with the beauty of the new ABC station opposite, Charlie’s Angels.” There are many other action-packed and sexy shows, The pursuit had no chance.

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That is not to say, however, that Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson did not get the recognition they deserved. The NBC western was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama or Comedy Series, and the show’s writers, Katharyn Powers And Michael Michaelianwere awarded the Western Writers of America Award for “Best Television Screenplay” for the episode “Hatcher’s Drive”. The pursuit Although it was praised for its good character work and costume design, the series was canceled before the first season could be completed. Only 11 episodes of the series were broadcast on televisionThe last four were not broadcast by NBC. Only years later The pursuit was acquired for reruns by networks such as GetTV, so these final episodes would air in the United States.

Kurt Russell has built a strong Western legacy throughout his career

Although The pursuit didn’t end the way Kurt Russell or Tim Matheson probably planned, but it wasn’t the end of the Western either. The genre came and went on television well into the 21st century, and has even picked up steam again now. Russell did not return to this genre until 1993, when he appeared in Gravestonewhich cemented Russell’s appeal as a Western star and emphasized his range as an actor. Earp was a completely different (and arguably more complex) character than Two-Persons, and Russell played the role masterfully. While he was still learning the acting skills in The pursuit, Gravestone is one of his most notable achievements and for good reason.

Russell then took another break from horse operas until he starred in the horror western in 2015. Bone TomahawkThis film only pushed the boundaries of what the genre could do and terrified audiences in the process. That same year, Russell found his way into Quentin Tarantino’s The hateful eighthis last Western project to date. Looking back, nothing can be said about The pursuit, it is that it went beyond the usual “big and responsible cattle ranch owner” cliche and instead tried something completely different. Sure, it had some common themes with other TV westerns of the past, but that’s the case with almost every Wild West series. Although the show was ultimately short-lived, it was never boring, and both Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson did an excellent job bringing the Beaudine brothers to life.

The pursuit: The longest journey can be streamed on Tubi in the US

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