Virginian: The Complete First Season, The (DVD Review)

27 May, 2010 By: John Latchem

Tales of ‘The Virginian’

The third-longest running TV Western is finally on DVD. Timeless Media Group’s new 10-DVD set of The Virginian: The Complete First Season ($79.98) contains all 30 episodes from the 1962-63 debut season of the show, which is based on a 1902 novel by Owen Wister.

The set comes in a handsome tin case, and the episodes look pretty good for being nearly 50 years old. But fans of the show and of classic TV in general will really appreciate the bonus interviews included, especially a 45-minute sit-down with series star James Drury, who ruminates on everything from the history of the show, to the violence it portrays, the legacy it leaves and the importance of using DVD to bring it to new generations.