For my money no other western achieved as much as this show. Each show without commercials ran one hour and seventeen minutes. Each show felt like a well budgeted studio movie. The writing was rich with strong characterization. The casting of Stuart Whitman as Jim Crown gave gave us a well rounded performance of a man who is trying to hold the line in an impossible situation. Sworn to keep the peace between potential homesteaders and ranchers who want government land for their private grazing Crown and his deputies with little help from the army have a tough road to hoe. There was a greater amount of location photography used in comparison say GUNSMOKE definitely raising the production values. The guest stars like Richard Boone, Robert Duvall,John Saxon Telly Savalas, Warren Oates, Jon Voight and Steve Forrest all turned in superior performances. The music in the pilot and the main title was by film composer Maurice Jarre. A later episode even had an incredible score by Bernard Herrmann and a script by Harlan Ellison! This show only went one season but I prefer it to the nine seasons of the other ninety minute western THE VIRGINIAN which at times seemed bloated to me.
Review of Cimarron Strip
