Gunsmoke 50th Anniversary Collection Volume 1
July 2007 Reviewed by: John Crossett Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Do you know what is the longest running prime-time TV show? No, it wasn’t M*A*S*H*, Bonanza, or Perry Mason. And I doubt CSI, American Idol or Survivor will have the ultimate legs to be a challenger. The answer: Gunsmoke. From 1955 through 1975 Gunsmoke ruled the airwaves for CBS. As a prelude to the rollout of the individual full seasons (beginning in July 2007), CBS put together a two-volume set of three discs that each cull some 17 of the top episodes from each of the first and second ten years.

With the premier of the first full seasons right around the corner, the question arises as to the need for these compilation box sets. Is there truly a place for boxes such as these in a person’s video library? After all, a quick perusal of Amazon.com displays an overwhelming array of Gunsmoke videos, from the preorder of the first season to full-length movies. I watched the first of the 50th Anniversary boxes, and my own answer is yes. For serious fans, these two boxes will do nothing more than whet their appetites for the full-season episodes. But for the casual fan, the curious, and the collector, these boxes could be all you need. They allow you to sample and enjoy the show without getting bogged down in every word and scrap of the 20 years the show ran.

Besides, the 50th Anniversary box sets are not without their own attractions. Take the picture quality. Yes, it’s black and white (a few episodes in Volume 2 are listed as color). Yes, it’s from an older TV show, so there’s no widescreen viewing. But the picture quality is first-rate, sharp and crisp, with good contrast and excellent edge definition. Then consider the list of co-stars included in this box who later went on to fame and fortune -- like Charles Bronson, Chuck Connors, Aaron Spelling, Cloris Leachman, Angie Dickinson, Barbara Eden, Jack Lord, Richard Chamberlin, George Kennedy, Adam West, James Doohan (who would go on to glory in a series about as far from Gunsmoke as it’s possible to go -- Star Trek), and ending with the introduction of Ken Curtis as Festus. Not a bad collection of talent.

The box is also crammed full of interesting extras. Start off with John Wayne’s series introduction, toss in commentary tracks on select episodes by either the stars or co-stars, add in flashbacks to appearances on the old Ed Sullivan Show and the 1958 and ‘59 Emmy Awards, and wrap up with The Western Channel memories of Arness and Weaver and, of all people, Bill Cosby. Heck, there’s even a gag reel. Top these off with Dennis Weaver’s home movies taken on the set. Yes sir, this box has its own share of interest. I tried to see what extras the first full season would have but unfortunately couldn’t locate any information, though I would expect it to have some of these. And that’s why this set would come in handy for the less fanatical Gunsmoke fan. It packages all these extras together with 17 of the best episodes from the first ten years.

Whether you’ll find these two boxes worthy of your investigation will come down to personal tastes. For me, this box and its companion will be all the Gunsmoke I need. Maybe it’ll be the same for you. Enjoy.

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