Maverick was not only one of the greatest westerns ever, it was one of the greatest TV shows ever. It had just the right combination of action, adventure, comedy, and drama. It is a series that would do well in any generation. You could make a case for Bret being TV's first anti-hero. He admits to being a coward, he pulls scams, he gambles, and he loves money. However, when the situation calls for it, he will step up and do the right thing. Plus, most of the people he scams are people who are scam artists themselves. This is James Garner's signature role, and it is just amazing to watch how good his performances are. He is just so charismatic that you can't help, but root for him. Contrary to what some might have you believe, the series was not just about Bret. Along the way he is joined by his brother Bart, played by the very talented and under-appreciated Jack Kelly. It is amazing, because Kelly's appearance was only supposed to be a one-shot deal, but he and Garner had so much chemistry that they decided to keep him on as a regular. My favorite episodes are the ones that feature both Bret and Bart. After Garner left the series in 1960, Kelly did a great job of keeping the Maverick brand going for two more years. While Bret had his fair share of female companions, Bart was more of the ladies' man. It was actually kind of funny just to see how easily he would fall in love. After Bret left, then came cousin Beau, played by future 007, Roger Moore. This must of been one of his first big roles in America. Although, he was only there for one season (15 episodes), Beau proved himself to be worthy of carrying on the Maverick tradition. There ended up being a third Maverick brother, Brent, played by Robert Colbert. However, he only lasted two episodes, and I truthfully didn't think much of him. To me, he just did not have the charm and charisma that Bret, Bart, and Beau displayed. If you have Encore Westerns, it is something definitely worth checking out.
Review of Maverick
