Lynne Simpson

I've never run into anyone else who watched this show. It's surprising that I got sucked into it, because I don't watch much TV and am not a big fan of westerns. As far as I can tell, the two main reasons I got hooked back in 1996 are a) bad insomnia and b) I didn't have Dish Network in those days and could only get two local channels, one VHF and one UHF. John and I weren't married yet, and he still lived in the barracks at Fort McPherson. Every Sunday night, I'd drop him off at the base and drive back home. I've had insomnia ever since I was four years old, and for some reason, it's always worse on Sunday nights, so I'd reluctantly flip on the TV and look for something to make me drowsy. With just two channels to choose from, my selections were severely limited. I found the depressing antics on shows like Jenny Jones not at all conducive to sleep, so I was left with Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years, also known to fans as Studs in the Mud. (Fully a fourth of their budget must've been spent on mud creation and maintenance, I swear!)

I'd forgotten all about LD:TOY until a year ago when my sister bought me the five-DVD set for Christmas. John and I have been on a DVD-watching kick recently, so two nights ago we started the first of the five DVDs. 

Wow. I did not remember how utterly dark this series is. There are maybe two regular characters who are decent, reasonably sane people, and the rest are unscrupulous, sadistic, borderline insane, or some combination thereof. In spite of this — and/or because of it — the whole thing's fascinating. You keep hoping and hoping you'll see a hint that Mosby, the dandified local kingpin played by the brilliant Eric McCormack, can be redeemed, and every once in a while, the writers throw you a crumb. 

One thing this show does is give you an appreciation for just how DIRTY the Old West must've been. We've been through eight shows already with nary a costume change in sight for one of the main characters, and I'd swear he's had the same three smudges on his face in every scene so far. Of course, Mosby is perfectly groomed and wears two or more outfits per show, and the same goes for Amanda, the adventuress who buys The Lonesome Dove Hotel in the eighth episode. 

Did any of you ever watch LD:TOY? If so, what did you think? If not, are there any shows you watched that you think no one else remembers? DVD sets are a beautiful thing. :-)