(no subject)

For all the old films and TV series I've liked since childhood, I had a late start on westerns, partly because my parents got tired of their dominance long ago. By now I've seen about 30 western movies and only a handful of shows that could even remotely be called westerns ("Firefly" anyone?). But I've finally noticed a pattern to my enjoyment of the latter: I prefer ones where the action moves to new settlements in each episode. "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke" couldn't sustain my interest, whereas my overall favorite so far has a key to success right in the title: "Have Gun -- Will Travel."

This pattern is a little strange, since the Old West locations don't vary that much, at least not the way Hollywood portrays them. The main effect is to let the hero be a stranger almost everywhere he goes. Is that what appeals to me? Do I feel so isolated that I relate best to men who know neither the people nor the geography but still keep coming out on top? Or am I so settled in that I want to escape with someone who never sticks around for long?

Perhaps this calls for further research....