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If you love TV westerns, this Maverick set is really gonna whet your whistle....
Warner / 1350 Minutes / 1957-1958 / Unrated / Street Date: May 29, 2012
TV-on-DVD set typically cater to nostalgia, and that's it. Part of the wonder and enchantment of great television is that it's often fleeting - shows like Seinfeld or The Cosby Show might still retain some of their evocative power, but they don't play like they did at the time of their debut. Times change, I guess. But every once in a while, the boob tube gods are able to harness lightning in a bottle and deliver a show that has both throwback, "Aw, don't you remember...?" thrills and legitimate narrative value: Maverick is one of those shows.
James Garner's western series might appear to be a bit antiquated on this Complete First Season compilation, but what seems as fresh as ever is the show's mighty sense of old-fashioned good-vs.-evil storytelling. In the show, James Garner plays the titular Bret Maverick, a hustler and card player with a heart of gold. He travels from town to town as this collection unfolds, finding himself both intrigued by and hip to the troubles that the post-Civil-War America presents to him.
In a nutshell, this Maverick set is a treat, a bona fide gem in television's epic crown. It isn't an unpredictable show, nor is it at the height of its powers on this Complete First Season release - fans say the show's next season is when it really starts cooking with gas - but thanks to Garner and creator Roy Huggins, this is irresistible television entertainment. And the fact that it looks and sounds as solid as it does doesn't hurt things at all...