If you think I am going to talk about the stories, the direction, the photography or even the acting, you, my friend, are mistaken. Robert Conrad, who looked like a guy who did 100 pushups every few hours just to break the monotony, did all his own stunts. And that was the show. You tuned in, got cozy with the notion of a bunch of special agents who had their own train (no planes in that era) and reported to the president directly, but really it was all about waiting for the fight scenes. (And the gadgets were something Q's great-grandfather might have thought up.) It was fun and it was reliable. Factoid -- Ross Martin was pushing 50 when this show was done. Not sure whose idea it was to cast Martin as second banana in a role requiring action and stunts, but this put even more pressure on Conrad to deliver the goods each week. And he did.
65 Reviews
Spy/Sci Fi Western Fun
pdwebbsite11 April 2007
I was a TV kid in the sixties, and that's when all the really fun shows came out, with Wild Wild West high on the favorite list. Westerns were fading in the sunset of viewer interest and spies and sci fi was coming on the scene. Why not combine all of them into one amazingly creative and entertaining program? Of course the show will only go so far if there is no chemistry with the cast. All is present in those regards. Robert Conrad and Ross Martin had such engaging rapport that they remained friends off the set as well. Even with the fifteen year difference between them they were a team, and the regard they had for one another truly showed.
WWW blended parody with western style 007 tricks and action packed conflict. On top of well-written, engaging scripts big name guest stars like Boris Karloff, Richard Pryor, and Sammy Davis Jr added to the fun. It seems ironic that the show ended because the network felt it was too violent. Compared to what is available today, WWW was Romper Room. Even when the bad guys were shot there wasn't any blood! I'm now introducing WWW to my own kids and with the series out on DVD it makes for a great family hour (and hours) of viewing. Just like the good old day, and no commercials!
WWW blended parody with western style 007 tricks and action packed conflict. On top of well-written, engaging scripts big name guest stars like Boris Karloff, Richard Pryor, and Sammy Davis Jr added to the fun. It seems ironic that the show ended because the network felt it was too violent. Compared to what is available today, WWW was Romper Room. Even when the bad guys were shot there wasn't any blood! I'm now introducing WWW to my own kids and with the series out on DVD it makes for a great family hour (and hours) of viewing. Just like the good old day, and no commercials!
Daft steampunk
Lejink5 September 2017
I was born in 1960, I admit it and all the great TV shows of my youth that I remember naturally hail from the late 60's and early 70's. What a feast of programmes there seemed to be in those days, I just love it when one of the series I remember airs on TV again. Of course it was a time of escapism and fuelled by the success of the James Bond films, TV shows quickly picked up on variations of the spying game for our edification and delight.
The twist with "The Wild Wild West" was that it depicted two secret service agents saving the USA and / or the world from the master-villain-of-the week, usually an unhinged megalomaniac, only it was set in the mid-1800's out in, naturally, the Wild West. Every week, the intrepid duo of Jim West and Artemis Gordon (Robert Conrad and Ross Martin) faced up to the threat of some century-ago Blofeld-equivalent and did so with style, humour and excitement.
Conrad's Jim West loses no opportunity in getting his shirt off and displaying his six-pack and invariably gets romantically involved with some passing female in every "The Night Of..." adventure. He's the more all-action of the duo, gets into more scrapes and fights, indeed I believe Conrad did many of his own stunts in the show. Martin's Artemis Gordon ran back-up, usually intervening when his buddy was held captive as he usually was, donning flamboyant disguises to hoodwink the bad guys as he did so. He provided the show with a somewhat sardonic humorous slant, sort of Bones McCoy to Jim Kirk. Every episode saw one or both of them in a life-or-death situation which they always miraculously or ingeniously escaped, while the women in the show invariably play second-fiddle and are usually stereotypically pretty, helpless and adoring.
With a distinctive theme tune and title sequence too, it was a great way to spend a fun hour back in the late 60's, indeed it's still a great way to spend a fun hour today.
The twist with "The Wild Wild West" was that it depicted two secret service agents saving the USA and / or the world from the master-villain-of-the week, usually an unhinged megalomaniac, only it was set in the mid-1800's out in, naturally, the Wild West. Every week, the intrepid duo of Jim West and Artemis Gordon (Robert Conrad and Ross Martin) faced up to the threat of some century-ago Blofeld-equivalent and did so with style, humour and excitement.
Conrad's Jim West loses no opportunity in getting his shirt off and displaying his six-pack and invariably gets romantically involved with some passing female in every "The Night Of..." adventure. He's the more all-action of the duo, gets into more scrapes and fights, indeed I believe Conrad did many of his own stunts in the show. Martin's Artemis Gordon ran back-up, usually intervening when his buddy was held captive as he usually was, donning flamboyant disguises to hoodwink the bad guys as he did so. He provided the show with a somewhat sardonic humorous slant, sort of Bones McCoy to Jim Kirk. Every episode saw one or both of them in a life-or-death situation which they always miraculously or ingeniously escaped, while the women in the show invariably play second-fiddle and are usually stereotypically pretty, helpless and adoring.
With a distinctive theme tune and title sequence too, it was a great way to spend a fun hour back in the late 60's, indeed it's still a great way to spend a fun hour today.
Hi-Tech Action Adventure set in Wild West...
cariart23 January 2004
At the peak of the 007 craze (1965), television was virtually inundated with 'secret agent' series, some clever ("The Man from U.N.C.L.E."), some dazzling ("The Avengers"), some novel ("I Spy"), and more than a few just bad ("Amos Burke, Secret Agent"). Yet the most unabashedly entertaining series of the genre was also the most far-fetched, set in the 1870s, with two Secret Service agents operating out of a private train. "The Wild Wild West" lived up to it's title, and had more imagination, action, and romance than any other series of it's time.
The brainchild of producer Michael Garrison, the Sci Fi/Western starred 30-year old TV veteran Robert Conrad ("Hawaiian Eye") as James West, an impossibly handsome, yet dedicated secret agent. While Conrad's acting skills were no threat to Olivier, as an ex-boxer, he was in superb physical condition, and performed nearly all of his own stunts, throughout the series' run. Dressed in a waist coat and tight toreador pants ("If I turned the wrong way, they'd split", he joked), he exuded a sex appeal that no other TV star of the sixties could match.
His partner, Artemus Gordon, was portrayed by respected character actor Ross Martin, a 45-year old with impeccable credentials ("Mr. Lucky", "The Twilight Zone") over a twenty-year career. He had begun acting on radio in the forties, playing a wide variety of characters, and his role as Gordon gave him a similar opportunity, as a master of disguise. Witty, and with a childlike thirst for knowledge, Martin and 'Gordon' had much in common, and he and Conrad quickly developed a friendship that would continue until his death, in 1981. The loyalty between the pair was so strong, in fact, that when Martin suffered a mild heart attack, during the series' run, the star and producers refused to write his character out of the show, but filled his 'position' with 'guest stars', until he was healthy enough to resume the role.
The premise of the show was simple; each week, in episodes always entitled "The Night of...", a megalomaniac would come up with a nefarious scheme, involving prototype weapons way ahead of their time, and West and Gordon would have to defeat him and his gang (a group of stuntmen who would reappear, every episode, in a variety of guises), while West would seduce the inevitably beautiful girl involved with the bad guys. Each episode would feature two spectacular brawls between West and the henchmen, one or two disguises for Gordon, and a climax where the heroes, held prisoner, would have to find a clever means to escape, and destroy the weapon. Many of Hollywood's legendary actors would guest as the villain, but the most popular, by far, who would reappear the most frequently, was the brilliantly funny, yet evil dwarf, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, portrayed by gifted actor Michael Dunn. A 31-year old best remembered for his work in the film, SHIP OF FOOLS, Dunn's 'Loveless' was as popular as Conrad and Martin, and his episodes were always the most stylish and entertaining.
Unlike the rest of television's 'spy genre', the cancellation of "The Wild Wild West" was not due to declining ratings, but to CBS' knee-jerk reaction to protests that the program was excessively violent. The network constantly badgered the producers to 'tone down' the show, and they finally refused to 'soften' the program any further, preferring to end the series 'on top' rather than see it lose the qualities that made it work.
Two high-rated TV 'reunion' movies were made, in 1979 and 1980, featuring the original stars, and more were planned, but, with the death of Ross Martin, Robert Conrad decided to 'retire' the franchise, out of respect to his friend.
The legendary status of the show led to an inevitable big screen adaptation, in 1999. While Conrad was invited to make a cameo, after reading the script, he publicly ridiculed it, saying it demeaned the memory of both Martin and Michael Dunn. George Clooney, who had signed to play Artemus Gordon, felt he had a point, and left the project, his role then filled by Kevin Kline. The resulting film, starring Will Smith as 'Jim' West, Kline, and Kenneth Branagh as a crippled Dr. 'Arliss' Loveless, was everything Conrad had said; tasteless, and totally lacking the chemistry and magic of the series. It quickly bombed at the box office, ending Smith's string of hit films.
"The Wild Wild West" maintains a unique position among 'spy' shows, and television in the 1960s, with a fan base that is extremely loyal, to this day. It is STILL one of the most entertaining series in syndication, and a tribute to Michael Garrison's vision, and Robert Conrad and Ross Martin's terrific chemistry together.
Accept no substitutes!
The brainchild of producer Michael Garrison, the Sci Fi/Western starred 30-year old TV veteran Robert Conrad ("Hawaiian Eye") as James West, an impossibly handsome, yet dedicated secret agent. While Conrad's acting skills were no threat to Olivier, as an ex-boxer, he was in superb physical condition, and performed nearly all of his own stunts, throughout the series' run. Dressed in a waist coat and tight toreador pants ("If I turned the wrong way, they'd split", he joked), he exuded a sex appeal that no other TV star of the sixties could match.
His partner, Artemus Gordon, was portrayed by respected character actor Ross Martin, a 45-year old with impeccable credentials ("Mr. Lucky", "The Twilight Zone") over a twenty-year career. He had begun acting on radio in the forties, playing a wide variety of characters, and his role as Gordon gave him a similar opportunity, as a master of disguise. Witty, and with a childlike thirst for knowledge, Martin and 'Gordon' had much in common, and he and Conrad quickly developed a friendship that would continue until his death, in 1981. The loyalty between the pair was so strong, in fact, that when Martin suffered a mild heart attack, during the series' run, the star and producers refused to write his character out of the show, but filled his 'position' with 'guest stars', until he was healthy enough to resume the role.
The premise of the show was simple; each week, in episodes always entitled "The Night of...", a megalomaniac would come up with a nefarious scheme, involving prototype weapons way ahead of their time, and West and Gordon would have to defeat him and his gang (a group of stuntmen who would reappear, every episode, in a variety of guises), while West would seduce the inevitably beautiful girl involved with the bad guys. Each episode would feature two spectacular brawls between West and the henchmen, one or two disguises for Gordon, and a climax where the heroes, held prisoner, would have to find a clever means to escape, and destroy the weapon. Many of Hollywood's legendary actors would guest as the villain, but the most popular, by far, who would reappear the most frequently, was the brilliantly funny, yet evil dwarf, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, portrayed by gifted actor Michael Dunn. A 31-year old best remembered for his work in the film, SHIP OF FOOLS, Dunn's 'Loveless' was as popular as Conrad and Martin, and his episodes were always the most stylish and entertaining.
Unlike the rest of television's 'spy genre', the cancellation of "The Wild Wild West" was not due to declining ratings, but to CBS' knee-jerk reaction to protests that the program was excessively violent. The network constantly badgered the producers to 'tone down' the show, and they finally refused to 'soften' the program any further, preferring to end the series 'on top' rather than see it lose the qualities that made it work.
Two high-rated TV 'reunion' movies were made, in 1979 and 1980, featuring the original stars, and more were planned, but, with the death of Ross Martin, Robert Conrad decided to 'retire' the franchise, out of respect to his friend.
The legendary status of the show led to an inevitable big screen adaptation, in 1999. While Conrad was invited to make a cameo, after reading the script, he publicly ridiculed it, saying it demeaned the memory of both Martin and Michael Dunn. George Clooney, who had signed to play Artemus Gordon, felt he had a point, and left the project, his role then filled by Kevin Kline. The resulting film, starring Will Smith as 'Jim' West, Kline, and Kenneth Branagh as a crippled Dr. 'Arliss' Loveless, was everything Conrad had said; tasteless, and totally lacking the chemistry and magic of the series. It quickly bombed at the box office, ending Smith's string of hit films.
"The Wild Wild West" maintains a unique position among 'spy' shows, and television in the 1960s, with a fan base that is extremely loyal, to this day. It is STILL one of the most entertaining series in syndication, and a tribute to Michael Garrison's vision, and Robert Conrad and Ross Martin's terrific chemistry together.
Accept no substitutes!
The One & Only Wild Wild West
DKosty12317 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This is it, & it will never happen again. This is a wild west with great acting chemistry, & the best stunt work in the history of television. This series had it all. The show was popular enough to influence other shows especially Star Trek.
Gordon always has different roles. West usually got caught in at least 1 cliff-hanger in every episode. Lots of super villains and wild women kept things moving. Special effects were most often good & gadgets that would make sense or sometimes non-sense.
Michael Dunn as Dr. Loveless is often pointed out as a great villain & he was, with Richard Kiel early on as his aide Voltaire, & always with a good looking woman on his side though sometimes West would make them change their side. Loveless would always do the impossible to boot. Wish Michael Dunn could have found more roles in his life.
The rest of the guest villains were a veritable who's who of talent. Harvey Korman, Agnes Moorhead, Orsen Welles, Harold Gould, Burgess Meredith, and others. When the talent did not match the villain, the plot would still wrinkle it for the viewer to enjoy plenty of action.
Fred Friedberger, Gene L Coon, both who worked with Gene Roddenbury on the original Star Trek series worked behind the cameras on this show too. Trekies take note, there are several common themes used on Star Trek & on this series including Michael Dunn who did a guest shot on Star Trek. James T Kirk's fight stunts were NBC's answer to James Wests. John Mantley who did a lot of Gun Smoke work with James Arness did some episodes of Wild Wild West too. Richard Donner directed several of the better episodes of this series. He would go on to direct some very good movies.
I wish they could still make a show like this. Doubt there are enough talented stunt men around today, & without Conrad, Martin, & Dunn, the talent pool has gotten too shallow. Enjoy this series, there is only one and it will never be better.
Gordon always has different roles. West usually got caught in at least 1 cliff-hanger in every episode. Lots of super villains and wild women kept things moving. Special effects were most often good & gadgets that would make sense or sometimes non-sense.
Michael Dunn as Dr. Loveless is often pointed out as a great villain & he was, with Richard Kiel early on as his aide Voltaire, & always with a good looking woman on his side though sometimes West would make them change their side. Loveless would always do the impossible to boot. Wish Michael Dunn could have found more roles in his life.
The rest of the guest villains were a veritable who's who of talent. Harvey Korman, Agnes Moorhead, Orsen Welles, Harold Gould, Burgess Meredith, and others. When the talent did not match the villain, the plot would still wrinkle it for the viewer to enjoy plenty of action.
Fred Friedberger, Gene L Coon, both who worked with Gene Roddenbury on the original Star Trek series worked behind the cameras on this show too. Trekies take note, there are several common themes used on Star Trek & on this series including Michael Dunn who did a guest shot on Star Trek. James T Kirk's fight stunts were NBC's answer to James Wests. John Mantley who did a lot of Gun Smoke work with James Arness did some episodes of Wild Wild West too. Richard Donner directed several of the better episodes of this series. He would go on to direct some very good movies.
I wish they could still make a show like this. Doubt there are enough talented stunt men around today, & without Conrad, Martin, & Dunn, the talent pool has gotten too shallow. Enjoy this series, there is only one and it will never be better.
James Bond on horseback. Commemorating "The Wild,Wild West" on its 50th anniversary
raysond8 January 2016
The television series "The Wild,Wild West",represented CBS at it's most daring that in 1965,creator-producer Michael Garrison developed a television show like no other. A show that was part Western and part Espionage/Spy genre with elements of Ian Fleming, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Louis L'Amour,and Lewis Carroll. A series that came at the peak of the James Bond/007 craze not to mention when there were a slew of espionage shows on all three television networks when it was virtually inundated with 'secret agent' series with "The Man From UNCLE" becoming the most successful. Not to mention other espionage-spy laced series that were dazzling and eye-popping ranging from "The Avengers","The Saint","Danger Man","I Spy",and some that were not like the short-lived "Amos Burke,Secret Agent",just to name a few. But the most unabashedly entertaining series of the genre was also the most far fetched that stood out from all the rest. Set in the 1870's in the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant,the series featured two secret service agents operating out of private train with an assortment of special gadgets while saving the nation and the world from the forces of evil.
"The Wild,Wild West" lived up to its title,and had more imagination,romance, and exciting action-packed episodes than any other series of it's day. Created and Produced by Michael Garrison along with Producers John Mantley, Phillip Leacock, Bruce Lansbury, Gene L.Coon, and Leonard Katzman(who served as Executive Producer),the series aired on September 17,1965 and was placed in prime-time on CBS' Friday night schedule for the remainder of it's run,lasting four seasons on the air and producing 104 episodes until it's abrupt cancellation on April 11, 1969. Out of the 104 episodes that this series produced only 26 episodes in it's first season were telecast in black and white from September 17,1965 until April 22, 1966. Seasons 2 thru 4 produced 78 color episodes that ran from September 16, 1966 until April 11, 1969.
The Espionage/Western series starred Robert Conrad(of "Hawaiian Eye") as James West,the dedicated,handsome,resourceful secret agent. While Conrad's acting skills stood out as impressive,he was in superb physical condition for the part,and performed all of his own stunts, throughout the series entire run. Dressed in a waist coat and tight toreador pants he exuded a sex appeal that no other star of that decade could match. His partner,Artemus Gordon,was portrayed by respected character actor Ross Martin(an actor with impeccable credentials ranging from his work in television series like "Mr. Lucky",to his guest star appearances on "The Twilight Zone","Bonanza","Peter Gunn","One Step Beyond","Naked City",and "Richard Diamond",along with his theatrical work in such movies as "The Great Race","An Experiment In Terror", and "Geronimo" just to name a few)who was the master of disguise.
The premise of the show was simple with episodes entitled "The Night Of.." in which this week's villain or villainess would come up with a nefarious scheme that would involved weapons of mass destruction or a murder or an attempt to assassinate a politician that brings our leading agents West and Gordon to solve either the mystery of clues or a murder of who done it in the meantime while our heroes would have to defeat the henchmen(group of stuntman who would reappear in every episode in a variety of disguises),while West ends up seducing the inevitably girl in distress who is involved with the villain's schemes. Each episode would feature several spectacular fight scenes between West and the henchmen,or one or two disguises for Gordon where our heroes are captured by the villain which leads to a climax where our heroes,held prisoner or trapped inside one of the villain's surprise chambers would find a clever means to escape with an incredible array of special gadgets. Once freed,they solve the mystery or the murder that goes along with the plot and towards the end they end up in another spectacular fight scene with West or Gordon destroying the villain's weapon of destruction or having a bare-knucking climated fight cliffhanger between West and the villain while West and Gordon captures our evil villain or villainess and they henchmen to justice.
Many of Hollywood's legendary actors ranging from Boris Karloff to Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Buono, Ida Lupino,and Ted Knight would guest star as this week's villain,but the one actor who became the most popular,by far,and would reappear the most frequently throughout the show's entire run was the brilliantly funny,unpredictable,yet evil dwarf Dr. Miguelito Loveless,portrayed by the gifted actor Michael Dunn who became more popular than Conrad and Martin,but what made the show stand out was the Loveless episodes of the series which were the most stylish and entertaining. Not to mention as far as guest stars go,Robert Conrad recruited his former "Hawaiian Eye" stars for several episodes with included Anthony Eisley and Connie Stevens. Not to mention other guest stars from Jim Backus, Alan Hale, Jr., Dabbs Greer, Ray Walston, Martin Landau, Leslie Nielsen, Carroll O'Connor, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tina Louise, Dawn Wells, Ricardo Montalban, Suzanne Pleshette, William Windom, John Dehner, Yvonne Craig, Richard Pryor, Michelle Carey, Pernell Roberts, and Keenan Wynn just to name a few that made guest star appearances on the show.
The phenomenal success of "The Wild,Wild West" holds a unique position among the spy shows of the 1960's with a huge fan base that is extremely loyal and to those babyboomers who remember watching the show during it's run on CBS. The success after it's cancellation spawned two made for television movies in 1979 with "The Wild,Wild West Revisited" and in 1980 with "More Wild,Wild West" featuring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin in their original roles. A show that even 50 years after its debut still entertains. Happy Anniversary to "The Wild,Wild,West"
"The Wild,Wild West" lived up to its title,and had more imagination,romance, and exciting action-packed episodes than any other series of it's day. Created and Produced by Michael Garrison along with Producers John Mantley, Phillip Leacock, Bruce Lansbury, Gene L.Coon, and Leonard Katzman(who served as Executive Producer),the series aired on September 17,1965 and was placed in prime-time on CBS' Friday night schedule for the remainder of it's run,lasting four seasons on the air and producing 104 episodes until it's abrupt cancellation on April 11, 1969. Out of the 104 episodes that this series produced only 26 episodes in it's first season were telecast in black and white from September 17,1965 until April 22, 1966. Seasons 2 thru 4 produced 78 color episodes that ran from September 16, 1966 until April 11, 1969.
The Espionage/Western series starred Robert Conrad(of "Hawaiian Eye") as James West,the dedicated,handsome,resourceful secret agent. While Conrad's acting skills stood out as impressive,he was in superb physical condition for the part,and performed all of his own stunts, throughout the series entire run. Dressed in a waist coat and tight toreador pants he exuded a sex appeal that no other star of that decade could match. His partner,Artemus Gordon,was portrayed by respected character actor Ross Martin(an actor with impeccable credentials ranging from his work in television series like "Mr. Lucky",to his guest star appearances on "The Twilight Zone","Bonanza","Peter Gunn","One Step Beyond","Naked City",and "Richard Diamond",along with his theatrical work in such movies as "The Great Race","An Experiment In Terror", and "Geronimo" just to name a few)who was the master of disguise.
The premise of the show was simple with episodes entitled "The Night Of.." in which this week's villain or villainess would come up with a nefarious scheme that would involved weapons of mass destruction or a murder or an attempt to assassinate a politician that brings our leading agents West and Gordon to solve either the mystery of clues or a murder of who done it in the meantime while our heroes would have to defeat the henchmen(group of stuntman who would reappear in every episode in a variety of disguises),while West ends up seducing the inevitably girl in distress who is involved with the villain's schemes. Each episode would feature several spectacular fight scenes between West and the henchmen,or one or two disguises for Gordon where our heroes are captured by the villain which leads to a climax where our heroes,held prisoner or trapped inside one of the villain's surprise chambers would find a clever means to escape with an incredible array of special gadgets. Once freed,they solve the mystery or the murder that goes along with the plot and towards the end they end up in another spectacular fight scene with West or Gordon destroying the villain's weapon of destruction or having a bare-knucking climated fight cliffhanger between West and the villain while West and Gordon captures our evil villain or villainess and they henchmen to justice.
Many of Hollywood's legendary actors ranging from Boris Karloff to Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Buono, Ida Lupino,and Ted Knight would guest star as this week's villain,but the one actor who became the most popular,by far,and would reappear the most frequently throughout the show's entire run was the brilliantly funny,unpredictable,yet evil dwarf Dr. Miguelito Loveless,portrayed by the gifted actor Michael Dunn who became more popular than Conrad and Martin,but what made the show stand out was the Loveless episodes of the series which were the most stylish and entertaining. Not to mention as far as guest stars go,Robert Conrad recruited his former "Hawaiian Eye" stars for several episodes with included Anthony Eisley and Connie Stevens. Not to mention other guest stars from Jim Backus, Alan Hale, Jr., Dabbs Greer, Ray Walston, Martin Landau, Leslie Nielsen, Carroll O'Connor, Sammy Davis, Jr., Tina Louise, Dawn Wells, Ricardo Montalban, Suzanne Pleshette, William Windom, John Dehner, Yvonne Craig, Richard Pryor, Michelle Carey, Pernell Roberts, and Keenan Wynn just to name a few that made guest star appearances on the show.
The phenomenal success of "The Wild,Wild West" holds a unique position among the spy shows of the 1960's with a huge fan base that is extremely loyal and to those babyboomers who remember watching the show during it's run on CBS. The success after it's cancellation spawned two made for television movies in 1979 with "The Wild,Wild West Revisited" and in 1980 with "More Wild,Wild West" featuring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin in their original roles. A show that even 50 years after its debut still entertains. Happy Anniversary to "The Wild,Wild,West"
The Conrad and Martin Show
Laight3 January 2006
One of the best shows of the 1960s. Robert Conrad was simply amazing in those tight, tight pants; and Ross Martin was a great second banana. Their relationship helped make the show--Conrad was all handsome muscular action, winning over all the girls and beating up all the bad guys, while Martin was the cerebral planner, and the master of costumes, the guide to the end of the maze. Whenever Jim got in trouble, Artie was there to rescue him. Sure, the plots were wild, and the villains insane, but that was the point--the WWW stretched the idea of both western and sci fi, and turned the conglomerated concept into something remarkably entertaining -- the strangest part is, if you watch the show today, it still holds up.
West, James West
BumpyRide24 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The amazing thing about this show, unlike so many others, is that everything came together and they got it right straight out of the gates. The concept was highly original, and while there was a nod to James Bond, the show really was its own entity. Setting the show during the Cival War, yet giving West advanced gadgets and a very non-traditional costume (who else wore Toreodor pants and jacket?), along with memorable villains who also had Cival War inspired devices of mass destruction only enhanced the originality of TWWW. The acting was top notch both by Conrad and Martin, who consistently gave it their all. The guest stars, and the bevy of beauties, must have relished the parts they were given. Who wouldn't want to appear on that show, yet it stayed clear of being Camp, unlike many other 60's shows. It's still great fun today, a true sign of being ahead of its time.
The Wildest!
estabansmythe28 May 2007
"The Wild Wild West" might be the one series that I consider the most fun ever. If not, it's certainly ONE OF the most fun, along with "Get Smart," "The Maan From UNCLE" and "Burke's Law." How can it not be? After all, it's 007 in boots, spurs and cowboy hat. Mix in ample doses of Louis L'Amour (sort of), Jules Verne & a drop of Conan Doyle and it's easy to see why this series was such a smash for four seasons in a time when the networks were loaded with now-legendary classic shows.
Bob Conrad and Ross Martin were the perfect choices to play Secret Service agents James West and Artemis Gordon batting an incredible array of bad guys - and bad gals.
Even the music is classic! Quite simply, you really cannot do better than to choose "The Wild Wild West" when it comes time to select a TV show to watch.
BTW, after many years, "The Wild Wild West" returned to Southern California TV on May 28 at 7 pm on KDOC-TV.
Bob Conrad and Ross Martin were the perfect choices to play Secret Service agents James West and Artemis Gordon batting an incredible array of bad guys - and bad gals.
Even the music is classic! Quite simply, you really cannot do better than to choose "The Wild Wild West" when it comes time to select a TV show to watch.
BTW, after many years, "The Wild Wild West" returned to Southern California TV on May 28 at 7 pm on KDOC-TV.
Back to the Retro Futuristic Old Days!
redryan6412 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
THE EMERGENCE OF Ian Fleming's JAMES BOND as an eminently successful series of movies put the film genre of the Secret Agent on he front burners of all of the Hollywood movie & Television production companies. Within a few years, we witnessed a procession of Spy Epics such as THAT MAN IN IATANBUL (with Horst Bucholz), OUR MAN LIKE FLINT & IN LIKE FLINT (with James Coburn) and Mel Brooks & Buck Henry's TV spoof, GET MART (with Don Adams & Barbara Feldon).
BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG the way, the notion of producing a sort of hybrid series; being a cross breed between the red-hot Spy Story, with the perennially popular Western. The series would have to have a Lead who had the physical make-up to do the action and Martial Arts Combat scenes in a very convincing manner; while still being able to deliver some very clever serio-comic dialog-much in the same manner (though not to the same degree) as Adam West's BATMAN would do, about a quarter of a year later.
IN CHOOSING THE Lead in Robert Conrad's "James West", the production team couldn't have done a better job. Mr. Conrad's physique packs on plenty of muscle on a basically average sized frame & height; adding plenty of speed, agility and athletic ability to boot. Screen & TV veteran Conrad was undoubtedly at time viewed as one of those many "James Dean Types".*
AS A SORT OF intellectual counter balance, they presented us with an experienced actor; who could portray the cerebral member of the team in a sort of eccentric, yet complimentary manner to the Action Hero's physical prowess. (This is not to say that the brains & brawn elements are or should be mutually exclusive to either Team Member!)
CASTING THE ROLE of "Artemus Gordon" with Ross Martin gave th stories a certain range that may not have been reached with actors. He had a versatility range that was truly long and wide. Drama, Tragedy, Comedy or Farce were all well within his range and he often displayed many of these in a single episode.**
IN MUCH THE same manner as we would view an adaptation of a Jules Verne SCi Fi epic, the production opted for what can only be described as "Retro Futuristic" in its looks and its on screen representation of technology yet to come. It's at once a before and after view of what would have been then considered to be "fantastic." In essence, we're looking 'forward' from the late 1860's during the Administration of Ulyses S. Grant. Get what we mean?
THERE WAS A CONSCIOUS effort to use 'futuristic' (for the times) technology and inventions/weapons. Also, Agents West and Gordon had many useful 'weapons' in their belts, shoes, coats, hats, underwear, etc,; much like Bond/007 and Batman's Utility Belt.
THE SERIES WAS laden with many Guest Stars (in much the same way as the ABC 20th Century-Fox BATMAN Series did); and both the series and the appearing stars benefited from riding the crest of popularity that it rode during its 4 seasons on the tube.
ONE OTHER FACTOR THAT should be mentioned is that of the outstanding dialog that was written for Mr. Robert Conrad and Mr. Ross Martin. It contributed to the fun sand success in no small way!
NOTE: * Like everything else in Hollywood, success breeds copycat entries. Other members of this "type" include Nick Adams.
NOTE ** As testament to Mr. Martin's versatility, just screen EXPERIMENT IN TERROR to see him as a most creepy and scary villain. His talent for varied dialects was put to good use on a short lived adaptation of the Quality Comocs' feature, BLACKHAWK; in which Martin did the voices of 7 different characters of 6 different ethnicities!
BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG the way, the notion of producing a sort of hybrid series; being a cross breed between the red-hot Spy Story, with the perennially popular Western. The series would have to have a Lead who had the physical make-up to do the action and Martial Arts Combat scenes in a very convincing manner; while still being able to deliver some very clever serio-comic dialog-much in the same manner (though not to the same degree) as Adam West's BATMAN would do, about a quarter of a year later.
IN CHOOSING THE Lead in Robert Conrad's "James West", the production team couldn't have done a better job. Mr. Conrad's physique packs on plenty of muscle on a basically average sized frame & height; adding plenty of speed, agility and athletic ability to boot. Screen & TV veteran Conrad was undoubtedly at time viewed as one of those many "James Dean Types".*
AS A SORT OF intellectual counter balance, they presented us with an experienced actor; who could portray the cerebral member of the team in a sort of eccentric, yet complimentary manner to the Action Hero's physical prowess. (This is not to say that the brains & brawn elements are or should be mutually exclusive to either Team Member!)
CASTING THE ROLE of "Artemus Gordon" with Ross Martin gave th stories a certain range that may not have been reached with actors. He had a versatility range that was truly long and wide. Drama, Tragedy, Comedy or Farce were all well within his range and he often displayed many of these in a single episode.**
IN MUCH THE same manner as we would view an adaptation of a Jules Verne SCi Fi epic, the production opted for what can only be described as "Retro Futuristic" in its looks and its on screen representation of technology yet to come. It's at once a before and after view of what would have been then considered to be "fantastic." In essence, we're looking 'forward' from the late 1860's during the Administration of Ulyses S. Grant. Get what we mean?
THERE WAS A CONSCIOUS effort to use 'futuristic' (for the times) technology and inventions/weapons. Also, Agents West and Gordon had many useful 'weapons' in their belts, shoes, coats, hats, underwear, etc,; much like Bond/007 and Batman's Utility Belt.
THE SERIES WAS laden with many Guest Stars (in much the same way as the ABC 20th Century-Fox BATMAN Series did); and both the series and the appearing stars benefited from riding the crest of popularity that it rode during its 4 seasons on the tube.
ONE OTHER FACTOR THAT should be mentioned is that of the outstanding dialog that was written for Mr. Robert Conrad and Mr. Ross Martin. It contributed to the fun sand success in no small way!
NOTE: * Like everything else in Hollywood, success breeds copycat entries. Other members of this "type" include Nick Adams.
NOTE ** As testament to Mr. Martin's versatility, just screen EXPERIMENT IN TERROR to see him as a most creepy and scary villain. His talent for varied dialects was put to good use on a short lived adaptation of the Quality Comocs' feature, BLACKHAWK; in which Martin did the voices of 7 different characters of 6 different ethnicities!
Wild Time
galahad58-118 January 2017
The first season of Wild Wild West is fantastic. The first season is well written and well acted. Robert Conrad is perfect as James West and his character is far smarter and more adventurous than James Bond.
The sad thing is that season 2 is dreadful. The stories are terrible, poorly written, with horrible plot lines. If you happen to watch the second season, you wonder how the show continued onto a 3rd and 4th season.
I have not had the opportunity to watch seasons 3 and 4 because season 2 created a feeling of disinterest towards the show.
I rated the show a 7 - due to season 1. Season 2 would rate a 4.
The sad thing is that season 2 is dreadful. The stories are terrible, poorly written, with horrible plot lines. If you happen to watch the second season, you wonder how the show continued onto a 3rd and 4th season.
I have not had the opportunity to watch seasons 3 and 4 because season 2 created a feeling of disinterest towards the show.
I rated the show a 7 - due to season 1. Season 2 would rate a 4.
My all time favorite show
briangetmail15 August 2006
If I had to pick my favorite show this would probably be the one. I liked the action and all those gadgets that Jim West carried with him. Another thing that really impressed me was that Robert Conrad did almost all of his own stunts. I've always wanted to ask him how did he get permission to do this this since most studios don't want their stars getting hurt. Conrad was hurt badly in a fall and the series had to stop filming for awhile. I was surprised to learn that the same stunt-men were used in several shows. They wore disguises so no one would notice. Also I liked the sets and all of those fantastic escapes, just when you thought there was no way out James West would find a way. I was disappointed with the Wild Wild West movie, in the TV series Jim and Dr. Loveless show respect for one another, in the film version they called each other names. As to Will Smith I do like him but he could never replace Conrad who's an excellent stuntman.
First twe seasons are the best
robert375015 April 2022
The show successfully combined two highly popular genres at the time-the super able and confident secret agent, armed with amazing (and anachronistic) gadgets (inspired, of course, by the James Bond films) , and the western. Agent James West (played by Robert Conrad) was the athletic, handsome fighting man, capable of great feats of derring-do. Agent Artemus Gordon (played by Ross Martin) was the gadget inventor and master of disguises. Together they made an invincible team. Conrad wasn't much of an actor, limited to mostly action scenes and (in the first two season) romancing some of the best known and most beautiful women on 1960s television. Ross Martin's acting, OTOH, was great. In his many disguises, he was able to portray a great variety of eccentric characters with widely ranging accents. Typical storylines in the first two seasons revolved around a brilliant, but evil megalomaniac plotting some fantastic crime ranging from not so simple theft all the way up to world destruction and/or conquest. The latter plots were most often the creation of the series' best and most memorable villain, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, played brilliantly by Michael Dunn. The episodes often had a strong science fiction and even fantasy flavor to them that was quite enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the series largely moved away from the fantastic plots in the third season, becoming more of a conventional western. This made it very dull, IMO. The fourth season suffered from the absence of Martin for over a third of the episodes, as he recovered from a broken leg and a heart attack. Charles Aidman and William Schallert were pretty good substitutes, but they didn't have the chemistry that Martin brought to the show. IMO, the nadir of the substitutes was reached with the episode with Alan Hale Jr. The episode descended into ultimate silliness with a wink to the audience at the end, as the theme from Gilligan's Island was played.
The last two seasons also made changes to the James West character. First of all, West's propensity for romancing the female guest star was abandoned, leaving him doing little more than shaking hands with them. I don't know why this was done. Second, West had a flatter, less interesting hairstyle in the last two seasons.
All, in all, I remember the series best for the first two seasons, which best exemplified the escapism element.
Unfortunately, the series largely moved away from the fantastic plots in the third season, becoming more of a conventional western. This made it very dull, IMO. The fourth season suffered from the absence of Martin for over a third of the episodes, as he recovered from a broken leg and a heart attack. Charles Aidman and William Schallert were pretty good substitutes, but they didn't have the chemistry that Martin brought to the show. IMO, the nadir of the substitutes was reached with the episode with Alan Hale Jr. The episode descended into ultimate silliness with a wink to the audience at the end, as the theme from Gilligan's Island was played.
The last two seasons also made changes to the James West character. First of all, West's propensity for romancing the female guest star was abandoned, leaving him doing little more than shaking hands with them. I don't know why this was done. Second, West had a flatter, less interesting hairstyle in the last two seasons.
All, in all, I remember the series best for the first two seasons, which best exemplified the escapism element.
A terrible dated looking TV copy of a fantastic movie
wrongreview6 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
First off they recast James West, an iconic BLACK character as WHITE! I mean I understand a TV spin off like this couldn't afford a star like Willard Smith but come on! there are so many talented black actors that could've taken on the role I'm so tired of this blatant Hollywood whitewashing. The casting isn't the only outdated thing in this train wreck. The production values are TERRIBLE I mean it looks like the whole thing was filmed in the '60's or something! The first season is in black and white for peat's sake! Trying to make up for budget constraints by giving the series a 'retro' feel but at the same time losing the steam punk and socially progressive elements that made the original Film such a masterwork. And don't get me started on the theme song! they've traded in the incredible collaborative efforts of Kool Moe Dee, Rob Fusari, Stevie Wonder and Willard Smith himself for something that sounds more like it belongs at the beginning of the Brady Bunch! Last but certainly not least *SPOILER WARNING* there was not a single giant mechanical spider to be seen! very disappointing. Bottom line, save your time and just go and re watch the original movie instead.
Have Gun, Will Travel Meets the Avengers
Sargebri2 October 2003
In 1965 someone had the bright idea to mix the two most popular genres at that time, spy shows and westerns, and came up with this classic series. The western elements were obviously the horses, Indians and a strong hero and the espionage elements were the gadgets and megalomaniacal villains. Robert Conrad was excellent as Jim West and Ross Martin was just as great as the master of disguise Artemis Gordon. This chemistry between the two leads helped to make this show a classic. However, Michael Dunn pretty much stole the show as Miguelito Loveless, or as Artie would often call him, "The Little Wizard". This show will always be one of the wildest things about the decade of the 60's.
My all time favorite show
mysterygirl60921 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Ladies' man James T. West (Robert Conrad) and his partner Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) are undercover agents working for President Grant. You can totally feel the chemistry between the two and in real life they were actually close friends. This show is adventurous, fun, and sometimes comical. No one can watch it and say truthfully that they don't like it because that is impossible. One of my favorite villains, Doctor Loveless, is in many episodes and even though he is frustrating, you gotta love him. So, if you are a bad guy and you the man in the blue suite, just leave and forget committing your crime. It's not worth it because Jim always gets his man...and in between sometime he always gets the girl, too.
Highly entertaining, very fun
wrudd18 December 2006
Wild, Wild West is one of those shows where so many things worked out well. The music and the opening credits (which come a couple of minutes in) are great. Conrad and Martin made a great team, it's a real chemistry. You feel that they really are good friends rather than just acting. They had humor and the episodes had plenty of action. Michael Dunn was fantastic. To have a villain who didn't even try to compete with Jim West physically was a brilliant idea. Dr Loveless was one of the great TV characters of all time. I really enjoyed the fact that they had him be cultured and was very polished a nice contrast to West's shoot-now-ask-questions-later attitude. I loved the show. Maybe one of the reasons I remember it so well is that it was taken off so early (due to an anti-violence swing at the network rather than ratings) so there is no long decline. You can see any episode and be entertained rather than having to check which season it was one in order to determine if it's worth your time or not.
The Best TV Spy Series
Gislef24 April 1999
Ironically, WWW is actually better than the stuff like I Spy and Man from UNCLE that inspired it. The chemistry of Conrad and Martin is indisputable, and the plotting is great, with a weird Vernes/H.G. Welles sensibility that makes the idea of giant robot squids, time travel, ghosts, mad scientist dwarves, and super-weapons appealing and believable. The plots do tend to be rather formulaic, and the show reached its peak in the second season. On the other hand, there really wasn't much further they could go, either. This was 60's TV - character development, story arcs, etc., were a thing of the future.
Incredibly Creative Series was a Top Show of the 1960s
mrb198021 April 2008
One thing about "The Wild Wild West"--there will never be another show like it. A secret agent/western/fantasy series with lots of surreal touches, the series occupies a unique niche in TV history.
The show was about two Secret Service agents, James West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), who repeatedly saved the country (and the world for that matter) from destruction by traveling from place to place in their futuristic train. The plots always concerned guys with Napoleonic lusts for power and their plans to conquer civilization. West and Gordon would set out to stop him and his henchmen (and henchwomen), and usually West would be captured and Gordon would have to come to the rescue. Lots and lots of bizarre plots, weird secret agent-type gadgets (I just loved the bootheel plastic explosive and the wire thingy that transported the heroes across vats of fuming acid), elegant sets, nonstop action and great humor kept the viewer's attention at all times.
Criticized during its run for being too violent, the series seems positively tame compared to latter-day action and police dramas. I do admit, there were lots of fistfights.
Stylish, intelligent, and relentlessly creative, the series left the air far too soon. Two reunion movies in 1979 and 1980 rekindled the old magic, but Ross Martin's sudden death in 1981 ended the series. Too bad the 1999 movie had to desecrate the memories of Conrad and Martin, they deserved much better.
The show was about two Secret Service agents, James West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), who repeatedly saved the country (and the world for that matter) from destruction by traveling from place to place in their futuristic train. The plots always concerned guys with Napoleonic lusts for power and their plans to conquer civilization. West and Gordon would set out to stop him and his henchmen (and henchwomen), and usually West would be captured and Gordon would have to come to the rescue. Lots and lots of bizarre plots, weird secret agent-type gadgets (I just loved the bootheel plastic explosive and the wire thingy that transported the heroes across vats of fuming acid), elegant sets, nonstop action and great humor kept the viewer's attention at all times.
Criticized during its run for being too violent, the series seems positively tame compared to latter-day action and police dramas. I do admit, there were lots of fistfights.
Stylish, intelligent, and relentlessly creative, the series left the air far too soon. Two reunion movies in 1979 and 1980 rekindled the old magic, but Ross Martin's sudden death in 1981 ended the series. Too bad the 1999 movie had to desecrate the memories of Conrad and Martin, they deserved much better.
A ton of fun
jc1305us25 April 2022
Admittedly, I have not watched every episode of this series, but the ones I have watched, all have the same things in common: Great chemistry between leads Robert Conrad and Ross Martin, great guest stars, wonderful costumes and sets, and really out there, but cool plots. For a series that started in the late 60's, it was probably more than anyone then could have hoped for! Robots, spies, crazy disguises, femme fatales, evil masterminds, cool weapons and gadgets (all in the same episode at times!) made WWW a fun watch. Try and spot all the great character actors appearing through the run, its a blast. Give Wild Wild West a shot, you'll be thankful you did!
Wild Wild West and Gordon too.
searchanddestroy-117 April 2019
Now I have finished to watch the entire series, I can see that there are a few things, actually details, I want to point out. I have noticed that Jim West used more his legs for fights in the first season than in the next ones. Some kind of karate or tae kwon do. That doesn't mean his fights were worst or less spectacular in the colour seasons, not at all, but the choregraphy was different. Second thing, I want to emphasize on is that in those very same fist fights, our lead West did not ALWAYS make it, even against only ONE man. He seldom was beaten. And that's a pretty good thing after all. Is not it?
The Wild Wild Best of the West!
neosildrake29 January 2008
This is probably one of the best TV-Shows of all times. The actors are brilliant, the stories range from petty crime to world domination schemes and every episode you ask yourself: "What have they come up with this time?" No matter how trivial the plot seems to be, even a simple murder-chase turns into a story filled with hidden deathtraps and very unique methods of killing people. This show has something for everyone and I never ever met a person who didn't like the show... after he/she decided to watch it despite it being from the 60s and not featuring CGI-monsters or tons of blood or sex.
They don't make things like this anymore, which is a shame. Not that todays shows are boring but... they can hardly be called unique anymore. I think there's no show out there that can be compared to The Wild Wild West, simply because it has spread its plot-wings so wide. And they actually pulled off the impossible - uniting several genres like western, action, crime, sci-fi, comedy, mystery and supernatural. Never again did it get this wild in the west and it probably never will.
The chemistry between the actors was a major factor in the success as were the various villains. I think Michael Dunn and Victor Buono were mentioned by nearly everyone who reviewed and they are right. While you root for Jim and Artie, you cannot help and at least slightly cheer for the eccentric Count Manzappi and especially the genius Dr. Miguelito Loveless too. While you do not want to meet them in a dark alley, you still kinda like them.
The movie with Will Smith was terrible. Every character was so... un-WildWildWest-ish. A great disappointment for those who actually knew the series beforehand.
To all out there who still haven't seen this: You missed out great TV history. get the DVDs and watch it!
They don't make things like this anymore, which is a shame. Not that todays shows are boring but... they can hardly be called unique anymore. I think there's no show out there that can be compared to The Wild Wild West, simply because it has spread its plot-wings so wide. And they actually pulled off the impossible - uniting several genres like western, action, crime, sci-fi, comedy, mystery and supernatural. Never again did it get this wild in the west and it probably never will.
The chemistry between the actors was a major factor in the success as were the various villains. I think Michael Dunn and Victor Buono were mentioned by nearly everyone who reviewed and they are right. While you root for Jim and Artie, you cannot help and at least slightly cheer for the eccentric Count Manzappi and especially the genius Dr. Miguelito Loveless too. While you do not want to meet them in a dark alley, you still kinda like them.
The movie with Will Smith was terrible. Every character was so... un-WildWildWest-ish. A great disappointment for those who actually knew the series beforehand.
To all out there who still haven't seen this: You missed out great TV history. get the DVDs and watch it!
Loved this show as a kid, but hated as an adult!
mm-391 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I remember this show as a kid around 6 years old. My friend Dwight and I would watch this Western meets James Bond T V series. There is is a trap, an impossible way to get out and a army of cowboys our out to get the the protagonists and side kick must help Conrad save the day. There was make shift spear guns for and escape. Meter devices, and other M gadgets I said you got to be joking. A kids show in a 60's way. I can not believe how much I like it, when I saw it as a 15 year old I said boy this is dumb. 4 stars.
The one, the only, the original!
grendelkhan7 February 2003
This was the coolest series of its time. Yes, you can argue that the Man from UNCLE, Mission Impossible, and the Avengers were also good, but this show was so unique. Take a western, mix with the spy genre, add a dash of steampunk (i.e. Jules Verne, H.G. Wells), a teaspoon of comedy, and 1 3/4 cups of stunts and you have a show unlike any other.
Robert Conrad and Ross Martin were unparalleled as Secret Service agents Jim West and Artemis Gordon, operating from their gadget-laden private train. They had tremendous chemistry and handled all aspects (comedy, drama, action) with equal skill. Michael Dunn was inspired as the diabolical genius Dr. Miguelito Loveless, whose genius far outreaches his stature. Dunn was a fantastic performer who could both sing and act beautifully.
The stories were inventive; mixing madmen, crooks, and murderers with science-fiction elements and cool gadgets. Who can forget the sleeve gun, the boot knife, the pool cue swords, etc. We had ironclads, submarines, super cannons, flying saucers and other futuristic devices.
The various elements that make up a tv show all had a unique spin here. We had the animated title sequence which gave way to the chapter breaks, as the story progressed. There was the wonderful theme song, the costumes, the make up, and the great stunt work. Everything about this show was quality.
I greatly miss this show and if there was ever a show deserving a dvd release, this is the one. The less said about that abomination of a film, the better.
Robert Conrad and Ross Martin were unparalleled as Secret Service agents Jim West and Artemis Gordon, operating from their gadget-laden private train. They had tremendous chemistry and handled all aspects (comedy, drama, action) with equal skill. Michael Dunn was inspired as the diabolical genius Dr. Miguelito Loveless, whose genius far outreaches his stature. Dunn was a fantastic performer who could both sing and act beautifully.
The stories were inventive; mixing madmen, crooks, and murderers with science-fiction elements and cool gadgets. Who can forget the sleeve gun, the boot knife, the pool cue swords, etc. We had ironclads, submarines, super cannons, flying saucers and other futuristic devices.
The various elements that make up a tv show all had a unique spin here. We had the animated title sequence which gave way to the chapter breaks, as the story progressed. There was the wonderful theme song, the costumes, the make up, and the great stunt work. Everything about this show was quality.
I greatly miss this show and if there was ever a show deserving a dvd release, this is the one. The less said about that abomination of a film, the better.
Great TV Show.
SGuiliano106497218 December 2017
I've always loved THE WILD WILD WEST as a kid growing up in NC. I watched the reruns wishing that I was James West fighting the Bad guys and Artemus Gordon being witty, funny and always there for West when he's in a tight jam when He's trapped and the Babes? Woo Wee!. I have the DVD set and The Music is also great and I have 4 CD set, By Markowitz, Shores and among others and who could forget that theme and the animated opening. This was a great TV from CBS by the show marked as a James Bond type in the President Grant administration in 1870's.
Now, since I'm older, I still feel like a kid watching the Episodes. Again, A great show. My rating 8.0.
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