The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., typically referred to as just Brisco or Brisco County, is an American Western/science fiction television series created by Jeffrey Boam and Carlton Cuse. It ran for 27 episodes on the Fox network starting in the 1993 - 1994 season. Set in the American West of 1893, the series follows its title character, a Harvard-educated lawyer-turned-bounty hunter hired by a group of wealthy industrialists to track and capture outlaw John Bly and his gang. Bruce Campbell plays Brisco, who is joined by a colorful group of supporting characters, including Julius Carry as fellow bounty hunter Lord Bowler and Christian Clemenson as stick-in-the-mud lawyer Socrates Poole.
While ostensibly a Western, the series routinely includes elements of the science fiction and steampunk genres. Humor is also a large part of the show; the writers attempted to keep the jokes and situations "just under over-the-top". A large number of episodes involve the Orb, a powerful device from the future. John Astin plays Professor Albert Wickwire, an inventor who assists Brisco with anachronistic technology including diving suits, motorcycles, rockets, and airships. The search for new technology and progressive ideas, what the writers of the show called "The Coming Thing", is a central theme throughout the series.
Brisco was developed by Boam and Cuse at the request of Fox executive Bob Greenblatt. Impressed by the duo's work on the script for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Greenblatt suggested they develop a series that bore the tone and style of vintage movie serials. The initial ideas and proposals from the show's writers were more often suited for film than television and had to be scaled down. Brisco was one of the last television shows to be filmed on the Warner Bros. Western backlot. Randy Edelman composed the distinctive theme music, which has been reused by the National Broadcasting Company during its coverage of the Olympic Games.
During its original broadcast, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. gained a small but dedicated following and was well received by critics. The series earned high ratings at the beginning of its season, but later episodes failed to attract a substantial number of viewers. Fox canceled the show at the end of its first and only season. In 2006, Warner Home Video released a DVD set with all 27 episodes and bonus material. The series has been praised by critics for its humor and unique blend of genres.
Summary[]
Main cast[]
Starring[]
- Bruce Campbell as Brisco County, Jr.
- Julius Carry as Lord Bowler
- Christian Clemenson as Socrates Poole
Also starring[]
- Kelly Rutherford as Dixie Cousins
- Billy Drago as John Bly
- John Astin as Prof. Albert Wickwire
- John Pyper-Ferguson as Pete Hutter
- Jeff Phillips as Whip Morgan
- Gary Hudson as Aaron Viva
Production crew[]
- Jeffrey Boam – co-creator
- Carlton Cuse – co-creator
Episodes[]
Season 1, 27 episodes:
External links[]
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. at the Internet Movie Database