For much of its run, the series revolved around County's quest to bring to justice the infamous John Bly Gang who murdered his father, Marshal Brisco County, Sr. (R. Lee Ermey). Along the way, he gets into a series of seriocomic adventures involving fantastic villains, beautiful women, and a mysterious brilliant golden sphere known as "The Orb". The Orb's paradoxical nature and seemingly supernatural power is the driving force behind two-thirds of the series.
Contents
1Style
2Supporting cast and characters
2.1Cameos
3Cancellation
4Theme music
5Syndication
5.1DVD Release
6Episode list
7Trivia
8Notes
9External links
Style
The series featured a mix of tongue-in-cheek, self-referential humor (a running joke throughout the series was that County could actually understand the neighing of his beloved horse, Comet) and real drama, usually centered around County's troubled relationship with his late father and his growing fear that he will never be able to settle down.
Supporting cast and characters
In addition to Campbell, the show also starred Julius Carry as County's rival/partner Lord Bowler (real name James Lonefeather), and Christian Clemenson as his milquetoast sidekick Socrates Poole. Kelly Rutherford guest-starred in several episodes as County's love interest, Dixie Cousins, as did Billy Drago as his mysterious archnemesis John Bly, and John Astin as Professor Wickwire, an eccentric inventor who supplied him with wacky gadgets that were precursors to modern inventions, such as a land-based rocket on railroad tracks or an "Inner Space Suit". The dialogue also referred to future trends as in-jokes, like "Duncan's doughnuts".
Though the show only lasted one season, the series' majestic theme song composed by Randy Edelman found a new life as part of NBC's sports productions, namely during NBC broadcasts of the World Series and the Olympic Games (played while announcing the upcoming events).
The show was later broadcast in syndication airing on the U.S. cable channel Turner Network Television (TNT) from January 1996 to January 2001, but has only been rebroadcast sporadically since. The series was released on DVD on July 18, 2006. On November 16, 2005, AOL and Warner Bros. announced that the series would be included in their new In2TV online television network, and available for viewing online.
On March 28, 2006, Warner Bros. Home Video announced that an 8-disc DVD set containing the complete series of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. would be released on July 18, 2006. The set includes commentary tracks from Bruce Campbell and Carlton Cuse; an interactive menu of Brisco's signature references narrated by Campbell; The History of Brisco County, Jr. documentary; a feature called A Reading from the Book of Bruce; and another gallery hosted by Campbell focusing on the gadgets from the show.
The "Booklet liner notes by Bruce Campbell" listed under the Special Features on the back of the DVD box, is an episode guide that seems to have not been packaged with some units in the first release. All of the units sent to Canada were sent without the booklet, while the US units are complete [1].
Episode list
Each episode ran for 1 hour (with commercials), except where noted.
Marshal Brisco County is killed by John Bly and his (12 strong) gang during their escape from the train transporting them. Brisco County, Jr. is hired by "the robber barons" to bring the escaped men to justice. Elsewhere, the Orb is unearthed in a cave which gives the Chinese indentured servants digging it incredible strength allowing their escape.
Brisco and Lord Bowler both track John Bly to Poker Flats, where Brisco's childhood partner Deputy, Donovan, is sheriff. While there, Brisco meets a man, Professor Coles, who seems to have been studying the Orb for a long time and may know its secrets.
Brisco and Professor Wickwire end up in a town with only women. Elsewhere Lord Bowler has been hired by the government to track down and take back a "mobile battle wagon" (tank) stolen by The Swill Brothers who also end up in the women's only town.
Brisco captures a suspected member of John Bly's gang, Jack Randolph. While in custody he claims to be a different Jack Randolph and hires Iphigeneia Poole, Socrates' sister, to defend him.
Brisco tracks Brett Bones, a member of Bly's gang, to New Orleans. While there he attempts to win back the money that Socrates lost to Bones gambling and get justice for another murder Bones committed despite his friends in high places.
Blackbeard LaCutte, a member of Bly's gang and a former pirate forced off of the sea, is wreaking havoc on a small town. Brisco (and Bowler) track him down and attempt to steal back the medicine he stole and capture him.
Jason Barkley, son of "robber baron" Jebediah Barkley, is kidnapped by John Bly who demands an Orb rod that belonged to Brisco, Sr. for his safe return.
Brisco returns to his childhood home and finds that lawless ranchers have taken over. When he begins to police the town the ranchers hire Utah Johnny Montana to kill Brisco.
Dixie Cousins is involved in an early test of audio recording and records a "sensitive" conversation with a politician. Instead of placing herself in danger by testifying she flees and it's up to Brisco to bring her back.
Brisco is framed for a murder and suddenly finds himself running from his fellow bounty hunters. Female bounty hunter Crystal Hawks is hot on his trail as Brisco tries to clear his name and find out what all of this has to do with the Orb.
Juno Dawkins, a member of Bly's gang, steals "the coming thing" in transportation, motorized steel horses to aid them in a train robbery (for the Orb). Brisco and Bowler, with help from Prof. Wickwire, must get back the "steel horses" and stop the train robbery from taking place.
Brisco and Bowler run into three women from the East coast who are headed for a small western town as "Mail-order brides". However, on their journey westward The Swill Brothers attacked them and stole their dowries, without which no man will take them. Brisco and Bowler volunteer to track down the Swills and get the dowries back for the ladies.
Doc McCoy, a member of Bly's Gang and Dixie Cousins' ex-husband, attempts to steal a "super cannon" which can precisely drop knockout gas from a distance so he can use it to steal the Orb from the facility it is being stored at.
A number of bounty hunters, including Brisco and Bowler, are invited to a "convention" on a small island. Upon arrival the bounty hunters all begin mysteriously dying one by one and it's up to Brisco to figure out why and at whose hand.
Brisco and Bowler are contacted by Professor Coles who asks them to come find him. Instead of Coles they find his daughter Lillian, who says she too was asked to come, but can't find her father. Brisco, Bowler and Lillian attempt to track down Professor Coles and find themselves tangled up with members of Bly's Gang in a fight for the Orb.
Brisco and Bowler ride into "Hard Rock", the town Bowler grew up in. While there they meet Sheriff Viva and try to help him stop Roy Hondo, a member of Bly's gang who has been running a "Protection racket". They also meet Whip Morgan who is attempts to "call out" Hondo.
Brisco and Bowler run into two orphans who are on their way to San Francisco to claim an inheritance before the leader of their orphanage can claim it. At the same time members of the New York Irish Mob begin hunting the children in hopes of claiming the inheritance.
Brisco and Bowler are tracking down the last member of Bly's gang, Pepe Bendix, but lose him in an alley when the US Government saves him under the condition that he will steal the Orb for them. Later a naked time traveler named Karina appears in Brisco's room while he's sleeping and informs him of the supernatural nature of the Orb. She convinces Brisco to track it down and kill Bly once and for all.
A man reads his son a Brisco County, Jr. dime novel which recaps his dealings with the notorious, and mouthy, bank robber Ned Zed and his "machinery gun" and Frenchy Bearpaux who still holds a grudge over what Brisco County, Sr. did to him.
Brisco must escort a spy to the Mexican border where a prisoner trade is to take place, who unbeknownst to him is in danger from a high ranking government official who is attempting to incite a war.
Dixie Cousins' sister Dolly is cheated out of her casino in Reno. She enlists the help of Whip Morgan to win it back, but he too is cheated. Meanwhile Brisco and Bowler have a money truck they are escorting to Reno robbed. Brisco, Bowler, Whip, Dixie and Dolly all join forces to get back Dolly's casino and drive out the mob element that is sprouting up in Reno.
Pete Hutter has been contracted by the "Black Lotus" clan to steal a baby. After doing so they back out of their agreed upon payment and Hutter, in a panic, drops the baby off with Dixie. It's up to Brisco, Bowler, Dixie and Whip to keep the baby safe and return him to his rightful home.
Socrates is kidnapped from his birthday celebration and Brisco, Bowler and Whip track his kidnappers to "Midnightville". While looking for Socrates the guys find themselves in the midst of a lot of creepy goings on.
Brisco and Bowler escape their fate and go on a quest to prove, once and for all, that they are innocent.
Trivia
Although by the time of "Bye Bly", Pepe Bendix is said to be the last member of Bly's gang still at large, only 9 members of the 13-member gang were seen to be captured by Brisco on screen. They were, in order: Bly himself, Big Smith, Jack Randolph, Brett Bones, Blackbeard LaCutte, Juno Dawkins, Doc McCoy, Ned Zed (though Ned's episode was shown as a flashback episode) and Bendix. The capture of the other 4, and their names, were not made known during the series.
Two Mare's Leg pistol props were later used in the science fiction television series "Firefly" as a rifle by the character Zoe Washburne.[1]
Notes
^Whedon, Joss (2006). "Have You Ever Been with a Warrior Woman?: Zoe's Pistol and Vest". Firefly: Official Companion, Volume One: 104, Titan Books.
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