A Man Called Shenandoah: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review
“A Man Called Shenandoah” is an underrated western series.
1965’s “A Man Called Shenandoah” is a half-hour western TV series that lasted a single 34 episode season. The series begins with an unnamed man being ambushed by 3 men. He is shot and left for dead but is rescued by 2 men. Under the care of a Doctor and a woman named Kate, he is nursed back to health but has amnesia. He doesn’t know his name, who he is or where he comes from, but the Doctor names him in Shenandoah in the interim. In a twist of fate, he encounters his would-be assassin and ends up killing him. Wanting answers, Shenandoah sets on a journey wandering from town to town trying to learn more about his past.
Throughout the series, plots involve horse troubles, an Army fort, false accusations of murder, encounters with those who may know who he is, Shenandoah becoming a short term Marshall, outlaws, a locket, a bounty hunters, searches for certain individuals, a Church bell, odd jobs for money, a hired gunman after Shenandoah, gold, a bank robber, a saddle, poker, a clown, a Doctor wanting to help his amnesia, and a shady Sheriff who is hiding a secret from Shenandoah.
Created by E. Jack Neuman, “A Man Called Shenandoah” is a different sort of TV western. Most shows of the era were episodic and while this show certainly has elements of that, this was also a serialized story. The ongoing story arc of Shenandoah trying to learn about his past is really the heart of the show. Clues pop up and are touched upon in later episodes. Moreover, ‘Man’ is also much more of a psychological character study about identity, secrets, truth, and the past (and present). It’s a much darker show and, had it continued on, had so much storytelling possibilities. Yes, the series has a tendency to become a bit repetitive as Shenandoah travels from town to town meeting people who seem to know him, but the puzzle mystery hooks you and leaves you wanting to know more about the man. For those wondering, you do get some answers here, but as the series only lasted a single season, you do not learn everything sadly.
Robert Horton is the main star here. The actor is no stranger to westerns having starred in “Wagon Train.” His work here is top notch. He does some of his own stunts, he has a complex character to work with, and he seems to relish the role even though he was reportedly burnt out on westerns. The show is, of course, also filled with guest stars like Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Dern, Ed Asner, Martin Landau, Cloris Leachman, among others.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.33:1 1080p. How does it look? The B&W series gets the Warner Archive treatment here and the result is another breathtakingly beautiful transfer. Keep these classic western series coming!
Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? Viewers can expect a nice crisp 2.0 track.
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