Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Logan Dodd There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

Ortiz Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

markgiardina-77801 One problem with this series, in my opinion, is that there was never a real detailed explanation of what occurred at "Bitter Creek". It was briefly mentioned that McCord's unit was under the command of a General Reed, who apparently was senile. When the attack began Reed was relieved of command by Jason McCord but it was too late and the entire unit was massacred . However throughout the two seasons the show aired, there was never an explanation why McCord was discovered miles away from the scene of the battle and why he never offered a defense at his court martial. Like "The Fugitive" Branded should have offered a series finale. For example the discovery of another survivor of "Bitter Creek" who could have cleared McCord of the charges that resulted in him being cashiered out of the Army. Another problem, which is not Chuck Conner's fault, is that he was in the minds of many TV viewers, he was still Lucas McCain, the Rifleman. Once an actor is stereotyped it is difficult to shake that role.

aimless-46 The 48 half-hour episodes (13 in B&W, 35 in color) of the western "Branded" originally aired from 1965-66 on NBC. Although some sources (insert Walter Sobchak here) believe there were 156 episodes.The premise was set out each week in the title song: "All but one man died, there at Bitter Creek, and they say he ran away.."Branded"..marked with the coward's shame. What do you do when you're "Branded", you fight for your name. He was innocent, not a charge was true, but the world would never know.."Branded"..scorned as the one who ran away. What do you do when you're "Branded" and you know you're a man? Wherever you go for the rest of your life you must prove you're a man." The series was creator Larry Cohen's attempt to incorporate the themes of "They Came to Cordura" into an episodic format and to capitalize on Chuck Conners' fading "Rifleman" fame. Conners plays Army Captain Jason McCord (Gary Cooper's character in the film) who as the song says was the only man to survive an Indian attack at Bitter Creek, Wyoming. He was knocked out but the Army thinks he ran and hid (a smart move considering the alternative). So the Army dramatically strips him of rank and drums him out at the beginning of each episode. Poor Jason is left to wander the west Caine-like (insert "Kung Fu" here) with the broken half of his saber. Like Richard Kimble he hopes to find someone who saw what actually happened at Bitter Creek who can clear his name. Unlike "The Fugitive" there is no wrap-up episode but the song has already revealed his innocence so there is no real loose end to worry about. If this ponderous mess wasn't the worst television western of all time it is certainly in the running. This level of pompous nonsense would not be seen again until the early episodes of "Battlestar Galactica". As Mad Magazine liked to point out, each episode made you regret that Conners had not made it out of the minor leagues to become the Dodgers' first baseman. "Branded" is one of the few television westerns that would be a good candidate for MST3K treatment. The bad writing has become legendary over the years and was satirically incorporated by the Coen brothers into "The Big Lebowski": Walter (looking at his hero "Branded" writer Digby Sellers in an iron lung): "Does he still write? " Pilar, Sellers' Housekeeper: "Oh no no, he has health problems". Lebowski addicts looking for mock-fest laughs will not be disappointed by this DVD collection. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

possumopossum I thought the premise behind this show was pretty good. Seems like the unjustly accused man going from town to town to solve other people's problems while trying to clear his name was a pretty popular theme for television in the sixties. I didn't get to see too many of these episodes, but what I saw was pretty good. Did Jason McCord ever clear his name? I never found that out. That was a great theme song. And I will now give you the lyrics to the alternate version. These are correct and they go with the rhythm.Stranded, stuck on the toilet bowl.What do you do when you're stranded and you haven't got a roll? To prove you're a man You must wipe with your hand Becaaauuuuussseee....you're stranded.

jonesy74-1 As a "Rifleman" fan, I wasn't impressed with this series too much, even though I've always liked Chuck Connors' work.The premise, a man who was thought to have abandoned his cavalry brothers in cowardice - but not really, gave the opportunity, like Star Trek, Route 66, The Fugitive and other t.v. shows, for the main character to roam from town to town, place to place, etc., to meet other people and help them deal with whatever crisis they happened to be facing at the time.The theme song was great and gave opportunity for some wag to come up with alternative lyrics... "Stranded, on the toilet bowl. What do you do when you're stranded without a roll?"