Magnificent Seven (TV)

(1998-1999)

‘One Day out West’

Episode One, First Season, aired 10th January, 1998

Summary by Helen Chavez

Michael Biehn (Chris Larabee), Eric Close (Vin Tanner), Dale Midkiff (Buck Wilmington), Ron Perlman (Josiah Sanchez), Andy Kavovit (J.D. Dunne), Anthony Starke (Ezra Standish), Rick Worthy (Nathan Jackson)

Laurie Holden (Mary Travis), Robert Vaughn (Judge Travis), Brion James (Stuart James)

Plot Summary

When Lucas James, the nephew of wealthy cattle baron Stuart James (Brion James) shoots a man in cold blood, Judge Orin Travis (Robert Vaughn) arrests him and determines to put him on trial.Unable to raise a jury in the frightened town, whose sheriff absconded weeks previously, he decides to try James in a bench trial.

Meanwhile, the Seven are relaxing in town, recovering from their ordeal in the Seminole village and each in their own way deciding what to do next. J.D. is dismayed to discover his compatriots seem to be going their own way; Vin has every intention of riding back to Tascosa and clearing his name, and a cynical Chris Larabee decides to ride with him the following day. Nathan has taken a room in the saloon while worrying about Josiah, who is still recovering from his wounds. Buck and Ezra are just relaxing in the sawdust-and-spittoon atmosphere of the saloon, when Judge Travis enters through the batwing doors and offers thirty dollars to any man who wants to be sheriff.

Up steps young J.D. Dunne, and despite the Judge’s misgivings, he gets the job – and is promptly given the task of jailing Ezra for jumping bail in Fort Laramie.

Things go from bad to worse when Stuart James sends men to free his nephew – an action that leaves the Judge wounded and the town defenceless. Chris decides to apprehend Lucas James, and enlists his compadres’ help – all except Buck, who thinks the plan is crazy and doomed to fail.

And so they ride to Stuart James’ ranch, hopelessly outnumbered, and it is left to a reluctant Buck Wilmington to save the day …

Josiah Sanchez (Ron Perlman)

The episode is set soon after Ghosts of the Confederacy (Pilot), and Josiah seems to be somewhat surprised he is still alive;

"I knew it, Nathan," he says, "I knew with absolute certainty that I was going to meet my Maker in that Indian village."

Josiah’s sense of Fate has taken a blow, and he appears quietly bemused by it – his ‘signs’ have let him down, and he is perhaps realising that his life has some purpose after all. His destiny has taken him in a direction he didn’t expect, and he sits in the saloon, whisky in hand, and peruses his surroundings.

"Look around you, Nathan. What do you see?"

Nathan is somewhat nonplussed.

"I see people drinking."

Josiah watches the drunks and the barflies closely, his decision made.

"Lost souls, every one. You know what they need, don’t you? They need me, dammit!"

He seems to have taken the idea to heart, for later he is seen on the roof of the old, broken-down town church with Nathan, earnestly hammering in nails and trying to repair damage to the roof-tiles.

On being told by Chris that "We got a little situation," the big ex-preacher thinks carefully.

"Situation?" he replies, as though already knowing the answer.

"Situation? This ain't another one of those 6-1 odds kind of thing, is it?" asks Nathan.

"No, I don't think so. I'm figuring more like, uh, 10-1," explains Larabee.

Josiah looks thoughtful, then smiles.

"Sure know how to lead a man into temptation, don't you?"

This is a man who relishes a fight.

He joins his five friends on the ride out to James’ ranch, where they manage to apprehend Lucas, Ezra’s slick charm and Vin’s eagle-eye with a rifle enabling them to pry him away from his uncle’s men. When one of Stuart James’ hired guns attempts to draw his gun, he suddenly discovers Josiah’s Schofield pointed unerringly at his chest.

Josiah may be an erstwhile man of God, but at that moment the hired gun sees a man ready and willing to pull the trigger if he so much as moves a muscle. Josiah looks at him through mild blue eyes, his face relaxed and calm.

"Nice gun." The voice is soft and deceptively gentle. Josiah’s head tilts imperceptibly. "Can I have it?"

And it is then the hired gun sees the cold ruthlessness in the blue eyes – and gives up his gun.

With the murdering Lucas James under lock and key, Judge Travis asks the Seven to stay on for thirty days as peacekeepers. Despite misgivings, they all agree, Josiah leaning on his saddle-horn and thinking about the offer. He decides to stay.

"A man could stay pretty busy in a town like this," he ponders …

Trivia

The "Did he just call me a cowboy?" speech in the opening sequence was ad-libbed by Michael Biehn, Andy Kavovit, Anthony Starke and Ron Perlman.

Robert Vaughn was one of the original Seven from the 1960 classic western of the same name.