Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violence, racist stereotypes in classic Western miniseries.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Lonesome Dove
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Based on Larry McMurtry's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, LONESOME DOVE (1989) is a four-part miniseries about two retired Texas Rangers and best friends on a cattle drive to the Montana Territory. When Augustus "Gus" McCrae (Robert Duvall) and Woodrow F. Call (Tommy Lee Jones) retired from the Rangers, they established the Hat Creek Cattle Company and Livery Emporium in the small Texas border town of Lonesome Dove. Joining them is former Ranger Pea Eye Parker (Timothy Scott), former Ranger scout Joshua Deets (Danny Glover), and Bolivar (León Singer), a former Mexican bandit who works as the cook. Rounding out the group is teenager Newt Cobbs (Rick Schroeder), the son of a now-deceased local sex worker who doesn't know who his father is. When their lazy but charming gambling friend, ex-Ranger and fugitive Jake Spoon (Robert Ulrich), surprises them with a visit, he inspires them to drive a herd to Montana and build a ranch. After stealing thousands of horses and cattle from across the Rio Grande in Mexico, Gus, Call, and the rest of the company, along with some lost Irish immigrants and most of the men in town, set out on a cowboy adventure. Joining them is Lorena "Lorie" Wood (Diane Lane), who Spoon promises to take to San Francisco to the dismay of cowhand Dish Boggett (D.B. Sweeney). It's a long and dangerous journey filled with storms, wild predators, illness, and bandits, including Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest), a murderer who's half Native American and half Mexican. But they are driven by the desire to forge a new life away from settled country.
Is It Any Good?
The epic series, which is credited with reviving the TV Western, follows aging cowboys as they navigate complex relationships and the inevitable taming of the once Wild West. As the herd moves northward, the Lonesome Dove story becomes more complicated (and colorful!) as characters played by the likes of Anjelica Huston, Barry Corbin, Chris Cooper, and Steve Buscemi are introduced along the way. But always central to the story is the relationship between Gus and Call, who, regardless of the arguments between them, never cease being loyal to each other. The overall narrative relies on the elements of the frontier genre to create this universe, ranging from strict moral codes and lawlessness vs. rough justice to unsurprisingly stereotypical tropes like damsels in distress and saloon women. It also offers a 1980s interpretation of 1870s frontier culture that includes characterizations of Native Americans and Mexicans that are largely considered racist today. If you can get past these cringeworthy details, both original fans and new viewers will find a well-developed chronicle full of adventure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about classic TV series and movies that feature content that is considered inappropriate today. Should we still be watching them? What can we learn from them?
Did you know that the novel Lonesome Dove, from which the TV miniseries is adapted, is based on a movie screenplay intended for John Wayne? Why didn't the movie get produced?
TV Details
- Premiere date : February 5, 1989
- Cast : Robert Duvall , Tommy Lee Jones , Danny Glover
- Network : Peacock
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Animals
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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