Television series

Here Come the Brides

Name: Here Come the Brides
Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Western
Released: 1968
Cast: David Soul, Bobby Sherman, Bridget Hanley, Mark Lenard, Joan Blondell

Comedy
Light-hearted

A 1968 Western comedy about two brothers who gamble their mountain on importing a shipful of women to their isolated logging camp in Seattle. It's earnest and weird in equal measure—part matchmaking farce, part adventure serial, with the kind of offbeat charm that only network TV in the late '60s could muster. For lovers of oddball Americana and shows that don't take themselves too seriously.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like light, romantic frontier comedy in which the fun comes from lovelorn lumbermen, a houseful of fish-out-of-water women and a steady run of comic complications.

Skip it if you want sharp, grounded period drama, since this is breezy, broad and often silly, with sitcom-style misunderstandings that rarely bite.

What it asks of you: Expect an hour each week across two seasons and fifty-two episodes, light and brisk, needing little more than a loose eye on who is chasing whom.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Bonanza1959

Four men (three of them brothers) running a remote frontier property, dealing with outsiders and their own conflicts. The formula works beautifully: humor, heart, and genuine stakes mixed with adventure. It's the template that made the whole genre work.

But It runs fourteen seasons. The early episodes are strongest; later ones can feel repetitive, and the pacing assumes you're settling in for the long haul.

Petticoat Junction1963

Rural comedy about a farm run by a widow and her three daughters, with similar warmth and zaniness. It shares the same DNA—ensemble cast, romantic entanglements, small-town chaos—and that perfect 1960s sitcom rhythm.

But It's broad and cheerful to the point of saccharine if you're not in the mood for it. The humor hasn't aged as well as it thinks.

Cat Ballou1965

A Western comedy that understands the genre is flexible enough for jokes. Lee Marvin in an iconic dual role, Jane Fonda as a heroine who's nobody's prize, and a genuine plot that doesn't collapse under the gags. Stylish and funny without winking.

But The pacing dips in the middle, and some of the slapstick feels quaint now. It's a film from a very specific moment in time.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Here Come the Brides

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Phantom Lady1944

Both are about women arriving in a world that isn't prepared for them, forced to navigate systems designed without them in mind. One finds happiness in that collision; the other finds danger. Same premise, opposite genre.

A woman trying to save an innocent man accused of murder. It's film noir—shadows and desire and danger—but the heroine is brilliant and resourceful, not a prize to be won. Tense, clever, visually gorgeous, and weirdly ahead of its time.

But It's a detective thriller, not a comedy, so the tonal whiplash from Brides will be stark. Noir is uncomfortable by design; there's no warmth here.

The Egg and I1947

Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray in a comedy about city people trying to build a life on an isolated farm. It's about the clash between ambition and reality, wrapped in screwball charm. Surprisingly engaging beneath the fluff.

But The gender politics haven't aged well—it's ultimately about a woman learning her place. If that registers as dated, it will undermine the whole experience.

Alias Smith and Jones1971

Two likable outlaws trying to go straight and navigate the frontier. It's adventure, humor, and genuine affection for its characters all mixed together. The chemistry between the leads is real, and the show knows when to let scenes breathe.

But It was canceled after two seasons, so there's no epic payoff. It feels more like a pilot than a complete statement.

The Beverly Hillbillies1962

Rural outsiders in a strange world, impossible schemes, and a cast that commits completely to the absurdity. It's sharper than it gets credit for—the satire underneath actually lands. Jed Clampett is one of TV's great characters.

But The humor is often at the expense of rural people and their supposed ignorance. If that reads as mean-spirited to you, the show won't work.

Support Your Local Sheriff!1969

James Garner in a Western that's in on the joke. It's a parody that works because it understands and loves the thing it's parodying. Genuinely funny, genuinely charming, and surprisingly touching.

But It's light to the point of weightlessness. If you want drama alongside comedy, this won't deliver it.

The Virginian1962

James Drury as an enigmatic ranch foreman dealing with moral complexity in the Old West. It's a Western with real substance—character-driven, thoughtful, and beautifully shot. The template for everything smarter that came after.

But At ninety minutes an episode, it demands time. Early '60s pacing can feel glacial to modern viewers.

Johnny Guitar1954

A Western where a tough woman who owns a saloon is the story's real center, and a man actually plays second fiddle. Joan Crawford against type, direction by Nicholas Ray, and a strange, haunting mood that lingers. Pure cinema.

But It's weird and oblique—not a traditional narrative. If you want clear heroes and straightforward plot, you'll feel lost.