The Alaskans: The Complete Series (1959-1960) [Warner Archive Blu-ray review]

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The Alaskans is so much of its time that it almost feels like a Bounty Law parody. Taking place in an Alaskan frontier town in the 1890s, it’s a typical Western show of the era. Roger Moore and Jeff York play a pair of adventurers that make friends, have adventures and generally show off Alaska at a time when it was just obtaining statehood. The rest of the cast is pretty average and its thread bare comparisons to shows like Maverick and other westerns are worn on its sleeve. So, how does The Alaskans fare in 2024?

Roger Moore goes West and then North in The Alaskans

The Alaskans offers viewers a glimpse into the rough-and-tumble world of the Gold Rush era, where people from all walks of life gathered in the hopes of striking it rich. The show emphasizes the themes of opportunity and survival in a land where fortunes are made through hard work or cunning. Silky, Rocky, and Reno represent different approaches to this opportunity—Silky through clever cons, Rocky through her grit, and Reno through his optimistic bumbling.

At its core, The Alaskans highlights the precarious nature of life during the Gold Rush, where everything could change in an instant. There’s a strong sense of frontier justice throughout the series, with each character navigating the line between morality and survival.

Cancelled because of the Writer’s Strike?

“The Alaskans” only lasted for one season, but it has maintained a place in television history as part of the Western genre’s golden age. Roger Moore’s role as Silky Harris was a stepping stone to his later fame, particularly in The Saint and the James Bond series. Although the show’s episodic plots and formulaic storytelling were typical of the era, The Alaskans stood out for its unique setting and charismatic cast.

The 1960 WGA Strike caused a lot of strain on productions including those that were middling in the ratings. The end result was a lot of excess scripts for popular shows got updated for shows without scripts. The Alaskans had its later episodes adapted from material meant from Maverick. Which is kinda funny because Roger Moore would immediately join Maverick after The Alaskans was cancelled.

Would I like The Alaskans?

The Alaskans is a very older style Western/frontier show that will leave a lot of younger people cold. However, the aesthetic is a ton of fun. That might not mean much for a younger person that hates Westerns, especially TV Westerns. That being said, the show is insanely great looking and packs a bunch on a strong aesthetic level. But, it’s not exactly going to tug at the brain.

Still, it looks amazing on a technical and home video presentation level. The direction of The Alaskans balances action with character-driven drama. Episodes are fast-paced, with a mix of suspense, humor, and adventure. Each episode’s plot follows a familiar formula but is kept fresh by the unpredictable nature of frontier life and the chemistry between the leads.

Let’s talk about the Warner Archive Blu-ray

The Warner Archive remastered release of The Alaskans offers a significant improvement in picture quality compared to its original broadcast. While still in black and white, the new release provides crisper images, with cleaner contrasts and sharper details. The snowy landscapes and bustling towns of the frontier are brought to life with greater clarity, allowing modern viewers to appreciate the visual style of the show more fully.

The audio has also been cleaned up, offering clearer dialogue and more balanced sound effects. The score, which complements the show’s adventurous tone, benefits from the improved audio, making the viewing experience feel more immersive. Love that fresh DTS-HD 2.0 mono track. Hell, I’m loving how these seemingly forgotten shows are looking brand-new on Blu-ray thanks to Warner Archive.

The Alaskans: The Complete Series is now available to buy from Warner Archive at MovieZyng

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