The High Chaparral is an American Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The series, made by Xanadu Productions in association with NBC Productions, was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network. The theme song was also written and conducted by Bonanza scorer David Rose, who also scored the two-hour pilot.
The peaks and the valleys. Find the essential episodes — and the ones to skip.
Pima Indians are attacking and killing Apaches in the area. Blue and Buck find two orphaned Apache boys that trail them back to the High Chaparral and morph into ten Apache kids. One is the grandson of Geronimo putting the ranch in danger.
The Tenth Cavalry comes to Tucson to stop crime. They are Buffalo Soldiers who must also contend with racism. With aid from the Cannons they show their pride and great ability as they take on the man controlling the town and his henchmen.
Buck and Manolito come upon two white girls being chased by Apaches. They are able to save the older girl but her sister is retaken by the Apaches. Buck promises they will attempt to save her sister but everyone knows it is not feasible.
After finding his wanted poster, Buck tells Victoria and Manolito about his life after the war as a wanted man. Big John was a lawman who tracked him down helping him against his Civil War pals who held up a bank for which Buck was wanted.
Each point is an episode, plotted in order. Colored bands mark season boundaries. Look for the rise, the plateau, or the decline.
High votes + high rating = beloved classic. High votes + low rating = notorious stinker. Low votes + high rating = hidden gem.
One point per season. Smooths out the episode-to-episode noise to reveal the bigger arc.
Did each season build or fizzle? Green means the finale outscored the premiere. Red means the opposite. Longer arrows, bigger swings.
How steady is each season? Tightly clustered dots mean reliable quality. Scattered dots mean a wild ride.
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