michaeldouglas1
An all-time favorite! First saw "Here Come the Brides" in 1968, and have loved it ever since. I find HCTB one of the best of that entire era, and has "aged" far better than many more recent shows. I don't think Screen Gems and ABC were ever quite sure what kind of show they had on their hands, an ambiguity that probably worked to the show's favor, since it managed to combine so many elements into one: rollicking fun comedy, action, bittersweet drama, western, and even some serious themes. A terrific, ensemble cast helped, which allowed the varied characters to be alternately featured, yet ultimately participating equally. HCTB is one of the few shows which I can honestly say that I like every major character! Each added their own special ingredient, making the whole a delight to partake in! The Bolt brothers are well played by Robert Brown, David Soul, and Bobby Sherman, each balancing the others well. Excellent also are Bridget Hanley and Susan Tolsky as brides, veteran actress Joan Blondell as the saloon owner with a heart of gold, and Henry Beckman as a boozy Captain Clancy. Fine support from Mitzi Hoag, Bo Svenson, Hoke Howell, and all the various guest stars.Mark Lenard, most remembered today for his participation in the "Star Trek" franchise, also lends great support as rival sawmill owner Aaron Stemple. Interesting to watch how the writers slowly changed Stemple's character from an unlikable baddie in the early series to a more complex "good bad-guy" who sometimes supports the Bolts in their efforts to build Seattle.The writing on HCTB is almost uniformly excellent, especially during the 1st season. The writers don't follow classic TV formula of sticking to comedy or drama, instead they manage to infuse every episode with elements of both, finding a near flawless mix. Some episodes are delightfully fun, such as my personal favorite "The Log Jam," which is a real romp from start to finish. Others take a more serious tone, and even touch upon social issues (prejudice, racism, arson, early conservation), yet they're done subtly and with enough lighthearted moments so that the viewer isn't left feeling "beaten over the head" with the Message.Since HCTB only lasted 2 seasons, it was never put in syndication, and took 20 years to be aired again nationally. I was delighted in the late 1980's to discover that The Family Channel was including it in their daytime lineup, and even more happy to find that the show was still so fresh and good! Since I worked weekdays, I had to set my VCR to tape the episodes, and eagerly looked forward to watching them every night. The first episode I was able to videotape was #9 "The Stand Off" (featuring "Ox" the lumberman), so it took a couple rotations thru the entire series on The Family Channel before I managed to collect them all, but it was worth it.I definitely favor the 1st season over the 2nd. For one thing, the wager between the Bolts and Aaron Stemple was up, so a major plot dynamic was lost. The 2nd season also saw a change in emphasis from the brides getting married to more serious subjects (Jeremy kidnapped by a loony ex-soldier, Candy kidnapped by a hostile young gunslinger, a conservationist-minded man sabotaging the Bolts logging operation, etc). But it still was good, with episodes such as where Clancy has to act like he's a rich, polished businessman to impress his brother, a visiting priest (played by Bernard Fox, best known as "Dr Bombay" on "Bewitched"), or where the Bolt's Scottish uncle Duncan shows up in Seattle, bagpipe, kilts and all, to settle down and run their logging business.Undoubtedly the worst change from seasons 1 to 2 was the inclusion of Candy's recently orphaned little brother and sister. Not only did it put a crimp in the Jeremy-Candy relationship, but the two actors they got to play the kids simply weren't very good, and they came off as both wooden and without charm. The only good thing was that they weren't written as the usual precocious brats, tossing off one-liners, that always seemed to populate sitcoms.I was delighted when Sony decided to release the 1st season on DVD, so that I could replace my aging VHS episodes with crisp, clear ones.One interesting thing about the DVD set is that, unlike Family Channel broadcasts, they are COMPLETE! Since commercial breaks in the 60's were shorter, more of the time-slot could be allotted to the show itself. By the 80's, The Family Channel had to edit down each HCTB episode from it's original length (approx 55 minutes) so that it would fit into the same time slot, yet accommodate far more commercials. So, in watching HCTB on DVD, I found many "new" scenes (to me)! True, the TV broadcasts didn't cut any of the essentials from episodes; but that extra 5 minutes DOES lend a little greater character development and plot detail, which is always enjoyable. One other interesting tidbit, which many Seattle residents might be aware of, is that HCTB is actually based (though VERY loosely) on historic fact. Back in the 1860's an enterprising young Seattle man named Asa Mercer DID travel east to bring back women to the largely male populated Seattle (in fact, he actually made two such expeditions, totaling about 75 women). Many Seattle residents today can trace their lineage back to a "Mercer Girl", and Mercer himself is remembered by downtown's Mercer Street, and Lake Washington's Mercer Island.
