Bret Maverick (1981–1982) User Reviews

An underrated achievement for James Garner

[tmchacko · 9/10 · 9 November 2009]

On the heels of his fabulous series THE ROCKFORD FILES, James Garner took the risk of reviving the character that made him a household name. However little faith NBC placed in this series, it remains a treat for Garner fans, far superior to the previous effort, THE NEW MAVERICK (starring Charles Frank), and thoroughly enjoyable for anyone who appreciates a Western done with style and class. Fortunately the prints are in good shape, helping us to appreciate the colour photography and production design.

The main attraction, of course, is the star, who once again had a series tailored to his own unique and very likable persona. Some have dismissed this as Jim Rockford in the Old West, but I consider that an asset. As an older, slightly heavier actor - and former stuntman plagued by injuries - Garner could not simply replay the Maverick of 25 years earlier. Instead he made the attempt to gear more lighthearted plots and characters to a 1980s audience. (Perhaps the attempt was futile, considering what most of '80s television turned out to be!)

Garner is aided by a good cast, among them Richard Hamilton, as his "Lazy Ace" ranch hand; Ramon Bieri, as the snooty bank president; Darleen Carr, as the thorn-in-the-side reporter; and Stuart Margolin, his "Rockford" colleague, as a half-Indian con-man. Country singer Ed Bruce plays Maverick's taciturn partner in the Red Ox Saloon, and lends his writing and singing talents to the delightful theme song ("Maverick Didn't Come Here to Lose").

Pity that this series lasted only for one year. My thanks, however, to the Encore Westerns Channel for providing a pleasant, uninterrupted 50 minutes of television. It sure as shootin' brightens my day!

Why only one season?

[jmworacle-99025 · 8/10 · 26 July 2021]

We come across "Maverick" in his later years. Under rated show especially Ed Bruce character.

Welcome back, Maverick

[Televisionretroguy67 · 9/10 · 8 February 2021]

Not being that familiar with the original series, this was my first introduction to Garner's classic character. I did like The Rockford Files and I can see the similarities between Jim Rockford and Bret Maverick, as Garner's easy going style suits both. A little more than a western version of Rockford, here, Maverick must rely on a series of excellent supporting characters to keep his schemes from getting to far out of control. While Maverick never loses, as the great theme song reminds us, he comes awful close in each episode and it is usually played for comic effect.

A little slower and relaxed in Sweetwater, this version has Maverick settled down instead of drifting from town to town. This allows Maverick to have a real presence in town: part redeemed con artist, unofficial mayor and the guy to go to when things get rough.

NBC gave up on this series way too soon and it had decent ratings. With Garner's built in fan based, top executives were too eager to pull the plug as NBC struggled mightily during this time period (they cut short William Conrad's Nero Wolfe too soon as well). This early cancellation was a real shame. The last episode revealed a very fun con story, when, within the last minute, Jack Kelly returned as Brett's brother Bart. It was a great setup for what was supposed to be the return of Bart on a weekly basis. Instead, we get a playful brief interaction between the two of them that sadly, revealed what could have been versus the beginning of a whole new set of adventures for the lead principles. Sad.

But, it's on dvd and check it out if your a fan of Garner. He slips into the role gracefully and the show overall is well written.

Although not up to the standard of the 1957 series, this is diverting and interesting.

[Carson-15 · 24 July 1999]

The 1957 version of this series is the Holy Grail of episodic television, with actor James Garner and writer Roy Huggins creating an unforgettable character. This noble attempt at a revival falls far short of the original, but then so does practically everything else, so perhaps in fairness it should be judged on its own terms. The problem is with the scripts, starting with the poorly paced pilot, an hour's worth of script padded to two hours and resorting to a sequence featuring an Indian guide tediously and endlessly leading Garner around in circles in the desert. This scene is trimmed to good effect for the current version making the rounds as a TV-movie. A gambling sequence earlier on misses a boat by not focusing on the other players at all. The Dandy Jim Buckley character with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. would have been ideal to have been revived for these scenes had that been possible. Some of the celebrities of the day incorporated into various episodes are weirdly the wrong age, with such eye-opening curiosities as an elderly Doc Holiday, and Theodore Roosevelt presented as a spherical figure of comic relief at a point when he would actually have been a wiry young rancher venturing west to recover from the double deaths of his young wife and mother. The worst aspect of the show, though, is the premise of Maverick settling down in one spot, when nonstop drifting is such a signature part of his identity. One of the scripts in particular is embarrassingly bad while some of the others are quite good, and Garner himself is always a vast entertainment to watch, particularly in his best role. Another revival, this time as a one-shot TV movie, should be in the offing while Garner is still around to play the part. Jack Kelly, who played his brother Bart in both series, is dead now, and it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to check in on Maverick at a more advanced age. "Bret Maverick" is a good series on its own merit, but not as good as Garner's other three major series, "Nichols," "The Rockford Files," or especially the original "Maverick," which remains the gold standard in the annals of both Garner and series television. This series stands as a footnote to the original and an intriguing curio. NBC obviously jumped the gun by cancelling it too soon.

What would you get if you imported the cast and scripts of the Rockford Files into Maverick's Old West?

[P_Cornelius · 8/10 · 1 November 2008]

What would you get if you imported the cast and scripts from the Rockford Files into Maverick's Old West? Answer: Bret Maverick, a fairly good Western that occasionally misses a beat here and there. The latter circumstance occurs, alas, in an episode such as "Faith, Hope and Clarity," which not only recycles a Rockford script but imports some of the same guest stars as well. But that's alright, because the series has Garner, who always generates enjoyable performances, especially when he brings along his usual co-stars, such as Stuart Margolin. (Aside: What is it about the Western that it brings to the fore actors such as Garner, Tom Selleck, and Sam Elliott, all of whom at least from a distance appear to be steady, decent, stable, well grounded people? This in contrast to . . . well, just about everyone else in Hollywood.) I suspect that NBC made a tremendous error in not giving this series a chance to breathe and find its own feet. (Wasn't this during the Fred Silverman era at NBC, when the inventor of "jiggle TV" was busy trashing anything that appealed to an IQ above 50 and bringing to the schedule such gems as Hello, Larry and Supertrain?) Too bad, really.

Bret Maverick Revisit

[rudolpe · 10/10 · 25 September 2023]

When i was a kidh, Maverick was one of the top shows to watch.

Just discovered this 1981 series 'Bret Maverick' with James Garner. Loved the cast and fun to see him work with his brother Jack. Sad it was only on for one season.

I understand why it was taken off the air, but wish they had given it a 2nd year to further develop characters on this show. So much talent and didn't get a real chance to shine.

My husband and i watched the original Rockford Files and the reruns. Always knew it would be time well spent.

Thank you, James Garner, for so many yesrs of entertainment on TV and in the movies. Always enjoyed everything you did.

Bret Rockford

[Bob-45 · 6/10 · 20 February 2009]

James Garner created two unforgettable television characters. As Bret Maverick, Garner portrayed a flawed, but essentially lovable winner. As Jim Rockford, Garner played a flawed, but essentially lovable loser. However, the "Bret Maverick" portrayed in the 1981 series was nothing more than "Jim Rockford" in western garb. On "Bret Maverick," nobody respects Jim Garner's character, and that's the biggest problem. Other problems include a not particularly likable supporting cast (Ed Bruce, excepted), and plodding scripts. No wonder "Bret Maverick" lasted but one season, as I'm sure many other "Maverick" fans were as disappointed as I. Still, I watched, hoping the series would improve. At least we got a glimpse of an aging Jack Kelly, as "Bart Maverick," in the last episode.

Not as a good as the original

[Brownsbros3 · 6/10 · 23 May 2009]

It's a show that is not good, but it's not bad either. It's just sort of there. Bret Maverick is an attempt to restart the Maverick franchise twenty years after James Garner left the original series. The main idea of Bret settling down in Sweetwater did not really bother me. What I did not like about the series, was that it was too focused on the comedy. The original had action, adventure, and drama in addition to the comedy. I don't know if it was because Garner was in his early fifties when this series was filmed, but there just is not a whole lot of action to it. Plus, Garner really looks his age with the wrinkles, and the extra weight around the midsection. Garner was also hurt by a less than stellar supporting cast. This series could have used Dandy Jim, Gentleman Jack, Big Mike, Samantha, Cindy, Modesty, or even Doc Holliday. Still, I would have liked for his series to reach a second season just to see Garner re-team with Jack Kelly as the Maverick brothers. In the last episode of this show's only season, Kelly makes a surprise appearance (looking much older himself). Had the show been picked up for a second season, Kelly was going to be added as a regular cast member. My favorite episodes of the original series were the ones in which they both appeared.