A New Chapter in Western Television
The launch of WEST-Western Entertainment Series Television marks a new addition to the Weigel network family, offering viewers a 24/7 journey through the dusty trails, cattle drives, frontier towns and untamed wilderness that defined generations of TV storytelling. For decades, Westerns were the backbone of classic TV, with series like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Have Gun, Will Travel, and Rawhide drawing millions of viewers every week and helping to shape the myth of the Old West for audiences young and old. WEST, it would seem, arrives with a mission to keep that tradition alive, blending iconic classics with companion adventure programming that broadens the frontier experience.
Opening week highlights remind us just how varied and vibrant the genre could be, from the no-nonsense justice of James Arness in Gunsmoke to the cultured gunslinger-for-hire of Richard Boone’s Have Gun, Will Travel and the colorful blend of Western and espionage in Robert Conrad’s The Wild Wild West. The family-centered drama of Bonanza shares space with the resolve of Hugh O’Brian’s The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and John Russell’s Lawman, while Saturday mornings pivot to the pioneering wildlife adventures of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, proving that the thrill of exploration was more than six-gun showdowns. All told, it’s an exciting return to the Old West.
Weekly Highlights on the WEST Channel
Monday, Sept. 29 – Gunsmoke
- 4:30 PM: “Matt Gets It” – Dillon faces a deadly Texas gunman.
- 5:00 PM: “Perce” – An outlaw helps Dillon fight hired gunmen.
- 6:00 PM: “Old Yellow Boots” – A cowboy is accused of murder.
Gunsmoke (1955–1975), starring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon alongside Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone and Amanda Blake, remains the quintessential TV Western, chronicling life in Dodge City where Dillon upholds the law against outlaws and drifters on the 1870s frontier. WEST spotlights the series on Monday (though it airs each weekday), September 29 with three early episodes: at 4:30 PM, “Matt Gets It” finds Dillon facing down a deadly Texas gunman hiding out in Dodge; at 5:00 PM, “Perce” features an unlikely alliance when outlaw Perce McCall helps Dillon fight off hired gunmen; and at 6:00 PM, “Old Yellow Boots” follows a fortune-seeking cowboy suspected of murdering his fiancée’s brother after he opposed their match.
Tuesday, Sept. 30 – Have Gun, Will Travel
- 11:00 AM: “The Great Mojave Chase” – Paladin takes on a desert posse… on a camel!
- 11:30 AM: “Winchester Quarantine” – Defending a Cherokee rancher from prejudice.
Have Gun, Will Travel (1957–1963) stars Richard Boone as Paladin, a cultured yet formidable gunfighter who operates out of San Francisco’s Hotel Carlton and travels the frontier taking on dangerous assignments guided as much by intellect and principle as by his pistol. On Tuesday the network features two episodes: at 11:00 AM, “The Great Mojave Chase” pits Paladin against a wealthy sportsman’s desert posse, with the stakes raised when Paladin shows up on a camel; and at 11:30 AM, “Winchester Quarantine” sees him defending a Cherokee rancher wrongly accused of spreading disease, drawing the wrath of fearful and prejudiced locals.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 – The Wild Wild West & Rawhide
- 9:00 PM: The Wild Wild West – “The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth,” West faces Dr. Loveless.
- 10:00 PM: Rawhide – “Incident with an Executioner,” Favor’s men are hunted by a feared gunman.
The Wild Wild West (1965–1969), starring Robert Conrad as James West and Ross Martin as master-of-disguise Artemus Gordon, mixed classic Western action with espionage intrigue and inventive gadgetry as the pair carried out Secret Service missions for President Ulysses S. Grant. On Wednesday, October 1, airing at 9:00 PM is “The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth,” in which West fails to protect a demolitions expert from assassination by the brilliant but dangerous Dr. Miguelito Loveless (Michael Dunn), whose scheme to claim California for himself forces West into one of his most perilous confrontations.
Rawhide (1959–1965) starred Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor, with Clint Eastwood in an early breakout role as ramrod Rowdy Yates, chronicling the grueling challenges of a cattle drive where outlaws, harsh terrain and moral dilemmas tested the drovers at every turn. WEST continues its Wednesday, October 1 lineup at 10:00 PM with “Incident with an Executioner,” as Favor and his men, after rescuing stagecoach passengers, find themselves hunted by a feared gunman whose reputation and ruthlessness force them into a tense fight for survival.
Thursday, Oct. 2 – Bonanza
- 7:00 PM: “The Saga of Annie O’Toole” – Annie defends her gold claim.
- 8:00 PM: “The Philip Diedesheimer Story” – Adam and Hoss meet an immigrant inventor.
Bonanza (1959–1973), starring Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon, was one of television’s longest-running Westerns, centered on Ben Cartwright and his three sons as they managed the vast Ponderosa Ranch near Virginia City while confronting outlaws, fortune-seekers and personal tests of loyalty and justice. WEST’s Thursday, October 2 lineup features two early episodes: at 7:00 PM, “The Saga of Annie O’Toole” finds Annie staking her claim in the Washoe Diggings only to battle schemers determined to take it away; followed at 8:00 PM by “The Philip Diedesheimer Story,” where Adam and Hoss meet an immigrant inventor struggling to convince skeptical mine owners of the safety and value of his innovative square set timbering system.
Friday, Oct. 3 – The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp & Lawman
- 9:00 AM: “John Wesley Hardin” takes revenge with deadly tricks.
- 9:30 AM: “The Bank Robbers” threatens Dodge’s Union Bank.
- 10:00 AM: “Bloodline” throws Troop into a violent family feud.
- 10:30 AM: “The Intruders” tackles a murder amid prejudice.
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961) starred Hugh O’Brian as the famed frontier marshal, dramatizing Earp’s early years in Wichita and Dodge City as he rose to become one of the West’s most enduring legends. With his trademark Buntline Special, Earp faced down outlaws and lawlessness while forging the reputation that would eventually lead him to the O.K. Corral. WEST’s Friday, October 3 spotlight includes two episodes: at 9:00 AM, “John Wesley Hardin” pits Earp against the notorious gunman seeking revenge with deadly tricks up his sleeve; and at 9:30 AM, “The Bank Robbers” finds Earp questioning whether to trust Bonnie Dawson’s claim that a reckless gang plans to rob the Union Bank without her wounded outlaw companion.
Lawman (1958–1962) starred John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop, with Peter Brown as his eager young deputy Johnny McKay and Peggie Castle as saloon owner Lily Merrill, portraying the constant struggle to maintain law and order in the rough town of Laramie, Wyoming. The series balanced fast-paced action with the moral questions of frontier justice. WEST continues its Friday, October 3 programming at 10:00 AM with “Bloodline,” where Troop and McKay are caught in a violent family feud after a son sets out to kill his father to prove himself the top gun. At 10:30 AM, “The Intruders” finds them investigating the murder of a Chinese laborer, but fear silences potential witnesses, leaving the lawmen to confront the prejudice and intimidation that threaten to bury the truth.
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom
- 9:00 AM: “Tigers of Sariska” – Perkins films a tigress and her cubs.
- 9:30 AM: “Voyage to Raza” – Exploring the untouched Gulf of California.
- 10:00 AM: “Chincoteague Roundup” – The annual pony roundup tradition.
- 10:30 AM: “Lions of Gir Forest” – Perkins seeks the rare Asiatic lion.
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom (1963–1988, with later revivals) brought wildlife from around the globe into American living rooms, hosted by Marlin Perkins with on-location help from Jim Fowler. Mixing daring field encounters with education, the series became a pioneer in nature television and inspired generations of conservationists. WEST devotes Saturday, October 4 to four classic episodes: at 9:00 AM, “Tigers of Sariska” follows Perkins unarmed into the Indian jungle to film a tigress and her cubs; at 9:30 AM, “Voyage to Raza” explores the Gulf of California, an untouched marine paradise teeming with life; at 10:00 AM, “Chincoteague Roundup” documents the annual gathering of wild ponies on Virginia’s Chincoteague Island, a tradition born of legend; and at 10:30 AM, “Lions of Gir Forest” takes viewers back to India, where Perkins seeks out the rare Asiatic lion in its last natural refuge.
For longtime fans and newcomers alike, WEST establishes itself as a destination channel—much like TCM is for film—where viewers can return again and again to rediscover the heroes, outlaws and landscapes that made television’s Western era unforgettable.
More Fun from the Old West
- How ‘Rawhide’ Launched Clint Eastwood to Stardom: An Exclusive Look Behind the Scenes
- 16 Rare ‘Have Gun Will Travel’ Photos That Reveal Richard Boone and Paladin’s Lighter Side
- 23 Rare ‘Bonanza’ Set Photos With Michael Landon and Cast That Bring the Ponderosa Ranch Back to Life
