Lonesome Dove / Comanche Moon TV-DVD Dates
January 9, 2008
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Posted by Ray Fowler
Update: See comments below for chronological order.
Next week CBS will air the new mini-series, Comanche Moon: The Road to Lonesome Dove (January 13th, 15th and 16th). This is the final installment in the Lonesome Dove series. (Chronologically, Comanche Moon fills in the gap between Dead Man’s Walk and Lonesome Dove. Streets of Laredo closes out the series.) Then on February 26, Sony will release the 2-DVD set of Comanche Moon: The Road to Lonesome Dove – Extended Edition, with extra footage only available on the DVDs. Here is a picture of the initial box art for the DVD set.
I am a huge fan of Larry McMurty’s Lonesome Dove series. I have read all the books and seen all the television adaptations. So I am really looking forward to Comanche Moon next week. However, I must warn you, that the Lonesome Dove books and films are not for children and not for the faint of heart. McMurtry pulls no flinches in portraying a rugged American West where people live and die hard, often in extremely brutal ways. Comanche Moon was probably the toughest read of the four, so this mini-series will not be everyone’s cup of tea (or jug of whiskey as the case may be).
Any other Lonesome Dove fans out there?
Categories: Books, Television
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How did you know when Sony was releasing Comanche Moon on DVD?
Bob – I originally got the dates at TVShowsOnDVD.com, which I have found to be a reliable site for information. But I notice that Amazon now has the February 26, 2008 release date, too. So, did you watch the first installment last night? What did you think? I am really enjoying Steve Zahn as a young Augustus McCrae.
Here is the link to TVShowsOnDVD: TVShowsOnDVD
And here is the link to Amazon: Comanche Moon
Update 1/18/2008: Whoops, I just learned that TVShowsOnDVD took down that information at Sony’s request until after the show had aired. Here is a new link explaining what happened:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=8811
So, as someone who has read all the books, what would you say is the best order to read them in? I hear they were not written in chronological order – i.e. Lonesome Dove was written first, even though Dead Man’s Walk and Comanche Moon describe the times before Lonesome Dove. Is it better to read them in the order they were written, or in chronological order?
Bryan – Great question! I read them in order of publication – Lonesome Dove (1985), Streets of Laredo (1993), Dead Man’s Walk (1995), Comanche Moon (1997). (Chronological order is Dead Man’s Walk, Comanche Moon, Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo.)
I think whatever order you read them in, you should start with Lonesome Dove. Lonesome Dove definitively introduces the characters of Gus and Call, and part of the fun for me in reading the prequels was recognizing the early development of characters whom I had already grown to know quite well.
After that you could either continue in publication order, or you could jump back chronologically and go Dead Man’s Walk, Comanche Moon and then Streets of Laredo.
Thinking back, I am glad I went in publication order, but for reasons I won’t print here because it would contain plot spoilers for those who haven’t read the books or seen the DVD’s. (But I would be glad to email you why if you are interested – just let me know!)
Thank you for clarifying the publication order and the chronological order. Where would return to lonesome dove fit in???
Thank you! This whole lonesome dove series is one of my favorites
Maggie – Return to Lonesome Dove fits chronologically right after Lonesome Dove. I didn’t include it in the list above because it was not one of the novels that Larry McMurtry wrote.
Some Lonesome Dove fans got upset with the production because it took some liberties with the plot lines that created some impossible discontinuities. However, it didn’t bother me. I think it is a great mini-series, and Jon Voigt does a great job with Woodrow Call’s part. Besides, McMurtry has trouble keeping a strict continuity between the novels himself!
Also worth checking out are the two TV series — Lonesome Dove: The Series and Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years. These take place chronologically after Return to Lonesome Dove and focus mostly on Newt Call’s character. (Although Woodrow Call shows up in one episode – played by Lee Majors this time!)
Hello. I want to start watching the Lonesome Dove movies but I want to start from the very beginning. Can you tell me what they are from number 1. Thanks so much….
Rhonda – If you want to watch them all in chronological order, here it is:
Dead Man’s Walk
Comanche Moon
Lonesome Dove
Return to Lonesome Dove
(Lonesome Dove: The Series)
(Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years)
Streets of Laredo
(Note: I put Lonesome Dove: The Series and Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years in parentheses because those were actually TV series rather than full length movies/mini-series like the rest.)
Enjoy! Together these productions are some of the best television I have ever watched.
I just watched Lonesome Dove: Comanche Moon three part series and LOVED it! I am hoping the video store that I rented it from will have the other parts.
Heather – It’s a great series all around. I have enjoyed them all and am watching through The Outlaw Years right now.
ray -
please clarify and email me …
these are the four books in the series written by larry mcmurtry: dead man’s walk 1995, comanche moon 1997, lonesome dove 1985, and streets of laredo 1993.
he did not write a book “return to lonesome dove”, correct?
thanks,
gordon
Gordon – That is correct. There is no book called Return to Lonesome Dove. That was the name of the TV mini-series with Jon Voight as Woodrow Call and Larry McMurtry was not involved. It is still a great installment, though, and I really enjoyed Voigt’s portrayal of Call.
When you say, “not for children” at what age to think Lonesome Dove would be appropriate?
Heidi – My main concern is with the violence and sexual situations portrayed in the Lonesome Dove series. The violence includes both battle violence as well as torture of prisoners. The sexual situations mostly involve prostitution. Sadly, all of this was a part of the times McMurtry portrays.
The books are more graphic than the movie versions. If I was going to put movie ratings on these, I would rate the movies PG-13, and the books R. I would rate the TV series PG, except for the last several episodes of The Outlaw Years which definitely jump back up to PG-13.
I hope that is helpful as a general guide. As far as age, I would wait at least until my children were in their teens. They are some of the most exciting movies I have seen, but I recommend that you preview the material in advance to see when it would be appropriate to share with your family.
hi ray, i am a great fan of all the lonesome dove series, i just love it,i have just finished the outlaw years on dvd and im puzzled to the ending where newt just walks out of maddies store after finding out she has left for miles city,is that it? or is there another follow up? if thats the end of it all then im really disappointed,infact im gutted, please tell me theres more, thanks ray.
Edith – I wish I could tell you there is more, but no, they left it hanging. They had just developed so many interesting storylines, and I guess the show got cancelled before they could start the following season. It’s like reading a book with the last five chapters torn out.