It’s time to saddle up and ride out to the Ponderosa once again. For the first time ever, all 14 seasons of the classic long-running western seriesBonanzaare coming together in a complete remastered DVD collection titledBonanza: The Complete Series. The whole box set features 431 full-length episodes restored from the original 35mm film camera negatives to let the beautiful vistas of Lake Tahoe, Nevada and the rest of the American West shine. It also comes packed with a bonus disc full of two and a half hours of bonus content for fans who want a deep dive into all things related to the classic series. With thewild west back on the risewith plenty ofexcellent neo-western shows, there’s no time like the present to revisit the so-called First Family of the West.
Years before viewers were introduced to the various generations of the Dutton clan and their fights to keep hold of theYellowstoneranch from1883to theHarrison FordandHelen Mirren-led1923and beyond, there wasBonanza. The series, which began airing in 1959, is arguably the biggest influence onTaylor Sheridan’s wide-reaching western universe. It follows the Cartwright family, headed by the patriarch Ben Cartwright (Lorne Green) with his three sons Adam (Pernell Roberts), Hoss (Dan Blocker), and Little Joe (Michael Landon), in 1860s Nevada as they confront moral dilemmas while defending their homestead, the massive ranch known as the Ponderosa, from poachers, outlaws, and more.
Created byDavid DortortandFred Hamilton,Bonanzawould run until 1973 and score three Emmys across that time period for its excellent editing and music along with several other nominations. The collection keeps the excellent score, including one of the most iconictheme songson television, intact, restoring the sound to make it all sound better than the day it was released. Paramount Home Entertainment has taken care to preserve all 370 hours of content for future generations to enjoy as the classic it is right alongside theshows it inspired.
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In addition to its main cast,Bonanzaalso featured appearances byVictor Sen Yung,Ray Teal,Bing Russell,David Canary,Mitch Vogel, andTim Matheson. The series was no stranger tospecial guestseither, with some of the most prominent including Academy Award winnersLouis Gossett Jr.(An Officer and a Gentleman),Jo Van Fleet(East of Eden),Dean Jagger(Twelve O’clock High), andBen Johnson(The Last Picture Show).
See the Bonanza of Bonus Features FromBonanza: The Complete SeriesBelow
Bonanza: The CompleteSeries' bonus disc is a treasure trove of rarely-seenBonanzacontent, including old interviews, appearances on talk and late-night shows, blooper reels, and much more. Here’s the full list of features:
Bonanza: The Complete Seriesrides onto DVD on May 23 at the hefty price of $244.99. Other individual seasons, including Season 2 and, for the first time, Seasons 12, 13, and 14, will be available restored and remastered for $50.99. Check out a clip from the iconic western series below.
