Not many media pundits gave Bonanza much of a chance when the hour-long Western series inaugurated its first season in the fall of 1959.

Sure, it was filmed in beautiful color; and yes, the acting was superb, the writing terrific, the production values first-rate. But how could NBC hope to compete against Bonanza's principal Saturday night competition, CBS' indomitable Perry Mason?

The first episode, "A Rose for Lotta" offers a special treat for Bonanza enthusiasts: a full-blooded, a cappella performance of the series' theme song (yes, there were lyrics!) by stars Lorne Greene (Ben Cartwright), Pernell Roberts (Adam Cartwright), Dan Blocker (Hoss Cartwright), and Michael Landon (Little Joe Cartwright). "A Rose for Lotta" also guest-stars Yvonne de Carlo as fabled entertainer Lotta Crabtree, one of several real historical characters who would cross paths with the Cartwrights over the next 14 seasons: other season one examples include humorist Sam "Mark Twain" Clemens (Howard Duff), financier Henry Comstock (Jack Carson), and actress Adah Isaacs Menken (Ruth Roman).

One of the season's final episodes, "The Avenger, is essentially a showcase for guest star Vic Morrow as a man named Lassiter, whose heightened sense of justice was forged years earlier when his parents were lynched. "The Avenger" was clearly intended as the pilot for a spin-off series, but nothing came of it; Morrow would have to wait two years before landing his own weekly program, Combat.

The predictions of industry Cassandras seemed to come true when Bonanza failed to make a dent in Perry Mason's ratings; indeed, Bonanza wasn't even able to crack the Top 30 shows. However, its sponsor, RCA Victor, could not help but notice the upsurge in the sale of color TV sets during Bonanza's freshman season, thus the show was renewed for a second year on the air.


Special Features: Volume 1

- Closed Caption
- Archival interviews with creator-producer David Dortort
- Galleries of extensive episodic and rare behind-the-scenes photographs
- Original NBC network peacock logo, bumpers and Lorne Greene RCA promo on "A Rose for Lotta"
- 1953 Fireside Theater episode: "Man of the Comstock" - David Dortort's "Genesis of Bananza"
- Original Episodic promos on selected episodes
- Credit drawings: Joseph Messerli's early concepts



Special Features: Volume 2

- Closed Caption
- Archival interviews with creator-producer David Dortort
- Extensive episodic and rare behind-the-scenes photographs
- Original episodic promos on selected episodes
- Original NBC network peacock logo, bumpers, and RCA spots on "The Avenger"

I stopped at my local WalMart thinking "Surely a great show like Bonanza will be sold at Walmart". Not a copy to be seen anywhere. When I asked at the desk, they said if it isn't amongst the TV sets, they aren't carrying it. I will try a different Walmart tomorrow. :mad: :confused: :faint:

I stopped at my local WalMart thinking "Surely a great show like Bonanza will be sold at Walmart". Not a copy to be seen anywhere. When I asked at the desk, they said if it isn't amongst the TV sets, they aren't carrying it. I will try a different Walmart tomorrow. :mad: :confused: :faint:

Or you could order it online like the rest of us do in the 21st century.

I went to Target, Meijer, Wal-Mart and Best Buy in search of Taxi: Season 4 and the two Bonanza volumes. I couldn't find either one at any of those stores. So I'm gonna have to order it online as well.

Personally, I prefer actually going to a store, finding the DVD on a shelf, grabbing it and taking it to the counter than getting online and ordering it. But where I live, it seems like many titles just don't make it to the stores around me.

Special features on both volumes above.

Got both at a reduced price as used-like new, because of cuts in the bar codes. Who cares if there is a cut in the bar code as long as the dvds are new and in great shape.