The Western supposedly died some time in the 1970s. In reality, the genre merely faded. Westerns will never truly die, as evidenced by the genre’s current renaissance spurred by the Taylor Sheridan-verse. Interestingly enough, Sheridan himself has his own view of why the Western will never die, essentially viewing the post-Civil War era in American history as the country’s version of the medieval period in Europe. The Western is modern culture’s way of exploring this indelible piece of American history. The United States is inseparable from its past, and by extension, the Western itself.
With that in mind, the Western should become the artistic equivalent of a national heritage site. The public surely deserves access to this artistic attempt at reckoning with foundational United States history. Thankfully, many mid-20th-century Westerns can be seen without paying a penny. In fact, some of the best Western TV shows ever are available entirely for free.
Who might be offering such a crucial service? The government? Non-profits? How about Tubi and Pluto TV? Two of the best free streaming services have all the Western TV shows you could need, from long-running standards to more obscure, overlooked gems. So, if you’re ready to take an expedition into the United States’ Middle Agesangled the best Western series you can stream entirely free
Bonanza
“Bonanza” is one of the longest-running Westerns in TV history. As such, if you have a chance to see this seminal series for free, you should probably take it. Unfortunately, while the show itself ran for an incredible 14 seasons on NBC, only parts of Seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch for free. Still, with “Bonanza” being as significant as it is, it’s well worth sampling the show if you’ve yet to see it. Luckily, you have options here, as the free episodes are available to watch on a veritable bonanza (sorry) of streaming platforms, from dark horses like Xumo and The Roku Channel to old standbys such as Tubi and Philo.
Set in the 1860s, “Bonanza” stars Lorne Green as Ben Cartwright, who, as wasn’t uncommon in the harsh environs of the Old West, has been widowed three times. The Cartwright patriarch soldiers on for his three sons, Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts), Eric “Hoss” Cartwright (Dan Blocker), and Joseph “Little Joe” Cartwright (Michael Landon), all of whom live on the Ponderosa ranch on the shore of Lake Tahoe, supporting each other through the vicissitudes of life on the frontier. In fact, “Bonanza” is a much more family-focused show than other Westerns of the era, with the Cartwrights typically enduring ordeals designed to convey specific moral messages.
“Bonanza” started airing in 1959, the same year as Clint Eastwood’s “Rawhide.” But it lasted much longer than the adventures of Ramrod Rowdy Yates, with “Bonanza” running until 1972. It’s a classic Western TV series and a cornerstone of the genre, so if this one somehow passed you by, or if you just want to revisit a few favorite episodes from the early seasons, now’s the time to watch while it’s free.
Death Valley Days
Did you know the first-ever Western anthology TV series and one of the longest-running shows of its era was essentially one long marketing ploy? “Death Valley Days” began as a way for the Pacific Coast Borax Company to promote its product, much of which was mined in California’s Death Valley. In fairness, to say the entire show was a marketing exercise is to do it a disservice. “Death Valley Days” is a hugely influential and important moment in the history of the genre. It began as a radio show in 1945 before transitioning to the small screen in 1952, where it ran for an impressive 18 seasons until 1970. During that time, it featured multiple hosts, including Ronald Reagan, who welcomed viewers to the anthology series between 1964 and 1966.
As you might imagine, given its title, the show was set in and around Death Valley (though later episodes took place elsewhere), where all manner of escapades played out. Due to its anthology format, “Death Valley Days” was able to tell a wide variety of stories ranging from the comedic to the thrilling and deeply serious. These tales were rooted in historical fact, lending the series an element of legitimacy that set it apart from more fanciful shows of the era. It also hosted several future stars, from Clint Eastwood and Angie Dickinson to James Caan and George Takei.
If you’re intrigued by what is arguably one of the best anthology TV series ever made, or indeed fancy revisiting “Death Valley Days,” all 18 seasons of the show are available for free on Tubi. That’s a heck of a lot of Western TV, but hey, at least you’ll have something to watch when you run out of “Bonanza” episodes.
Wanted Dead or Alive
Unlike the other shows on this list, “Wanted Dead or Alive” is not often cited as one of the greatest Western shows ever. Perhaps that was because it only ran for three seasons, or because it was overshadowed by star Steve McQueen’s best films, which came quickly in the years after “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Whatever the reason, this CBS Western often doesn’t get its due even though it’s more than worthy of a spot on any list of the finest Western series.
“Wanted Dead or Alive” turned McQueen into a TV star before he became a big screen icon. As Confederate soldier-turned-bounty hunter Josh Randall, the actor portrayed a unique Western protagonist who was at once coolly removed and conflicted by his innate sense of morality. In an early episode, for instance, he’s duped by Alan Hale Jr. (aka The Skipper from “Gilligan’s Island”), whose wanted man, Shawnee Bill, tricks the bounty hunter into giving him $1,000 dollars. Rather than gunning him down and claiming his bounty, however, Randall forces Bill to accompany him on a perilous trek to deliver the criminal alive, ultimately losing everything in the process. This isn’t the infallible gunslinger of so many other Westerns. McQueen’s hero is flawed, which, alongside witnessing the actor’s magnetism taking shape, makes for a compelling watch.
“Wanted Dead or Alive” aired from 1958 to 1961, and all 94 episodes are now available for free on Tubi. That makes the show an easier watch than some of the sprawling epics on this list, but regardless of its length, “Wanted Dead or Alive” is an oft-overlooked series featuring great performances that’s well worth watching.
Rawhide
“Rawhide” was the series that turned Clint Eastwood into a cowboy. Sure, Eastwood had guested on “Maverick” prior to “Rawhide,” and even had a small role in the aforementioned “Death Valley Days,” but his CBS series was the show that transformed him into a TV star and began his journey towards becoming the pre-eminent Western hero of his generation.
Beginning in 1959, “Rawhide” saw Eastwood play Ramrod Rowdy Yates alongside Eric Fleming’s trail boss Gil Favor, both of whom led a cattle drive from Texas to Sedalia, Missouri. As you might expect, the crew gets into all sorts of adventures along the way, many of which deal with serious topics, including racism and the lingering effects of war. The show also never shied away from depicting the harsh realities of cowboy life. Instead of simplistic white-hat good guys facing off against black-hat baddies in standard Hollywood gunfights, “Rawhide” showcased what it really meant to be a cowpoke in the Civil War era, making it a more grounded series than many others of the time.
One of the most interesting storylines to watch play out, however, isn’t actually an in-episode narrative. As the show goes on, Eastwood’s screen presence evolves in real time, with his character becoming more of a focus and the actor growing into his talents. It’s fascinating to watch, especially since he was essentially working up to his debut as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy. For this and so much more, “Rawhide” remains one of the greatest Western series ever made, which is why it’s great to see that Pluto TV is hosting all eight seasons of the show for free.
Gunsmoke
The granddaddy of Western TV shows was ordained by the granddaddy of the Western himself, John Wayne. In 1955, the Duke appeared on television across the country, introducing audiences to James Arness’ U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon in “Gunsmoke,” and endorsing the actor for the role that Wayne himself had turned down. Describing the show, Wayne said, “It’s honest, it’s adult, it’s realistic,” before hailing it as “the best thing of its kind that’s come along.” Of course, he would say that, given he was tasked with promoting the show by CBS. But there was something to his “honest” and “adult” claims.
“Gunsmoke” brought moral struggles and grounded drama to small-screen Westerns, complicating the prior simplicity of the genre and delivering a more adult take. “Gunsmoke” co-creator John Meston claimed the show’s secret weapon was simple honesty, which at the time might have seemed like a gamble for a genre that had captured public attention with daring gunfights and one-dimensional heroes. But it was the right move, as evidenced by the fact that the show ran for 20 years. It wasn’t exactly the kind of revisionism that would come into vogue in the late ’60s and ’70s, but it was a significant change, even while it maintained much of the whitewashing of American history that had characterized prior series.
Regardless, Matt Dillon and his deputies’ quest to keep the peace in Dodge City remained popular from 1955 through 1975, when “Gunsmoke” was abruptly canceled after a 20-year run. By the time it ended, the show had racked up a full 635 episodes, all of which are available on Pluto TV. The streamer even has the “Gunsmoke” TV movies, collected under “Season 21.” If you’re looking to return to Dodge City, Pluto TV is the most comprehensive way to do so.
