This originally aired in the mid 70's on CBS, when that network was home to shows like MASH and the Norman Lears series (All in the Family, etc). The potential was there for this show to evolve into a MASH-like ensemble comedy (or a Norman Lear-type social satire in old West drag), but we'll never know if it would've gone that route.
Some of the changes in names and characters (Paris AZ instead of Rock Ridge, Belle (wearing an eye patch) instead of Lili, The Waco Kid now a former rebel soldier) were puzzling, others made sense (Landesberg repeatedly falling off the wagon, making the town's mayor/banker the villain in place of Hedley LaMarr) in terms of turning the movie into a weekly TV series. The credits listed the show as 'Created By' Andrew Bergman (NO mention of Mel Brooks), so perhaps these elements dated back to Bergman's original screenplay before Brooks, Pryor etc worked on it.
The repeated use of the N-word - by the white actors - was surprising but appropriate, since the show's intention (like the movie) was to point out their racism and stupidity. The casting was adequate to good & more than a few of the lines were fairly funny. The most grating element of the pilot was its laugh track - I'd forgotten how much I hate them!
Some of the changes in names and characters (Paris AZ instead of Rock Ridge, Belle (wearing an eye patch) instead of Lili, The Waco Kid now a former rebel soldier) were puzzling, others made sense (Landesberg repeatedly falling off the wagon, making the town's mayor/banker the villain in place of Hedley LaMarr) in terms of turning the movie into a weekly TV series. The credits listed the show as 'Created By' Andrew Bergman (NO mention of Mel Brooks), so perhaps these elements dated back to Bergman's original screenplay before Brooks, Pryor etc worked on it.
The repeated use of the N-word - by the white actors - was surprising but appropriate, since the show's intention (like the movie) was to point out their racism and stupidity. The casting was adequate to good & more than a few of the lines were fairly funny. The most grating element of the pilot was its laugh track - I'd forgotten how much I hate them!