Picks and Pans Review: Outlaws

UPDATED 01/05/1987 at 01:00 AM EST Originally published 01/05/1987 at 01:00 AM EST

CBS (Saturdays, 8 p.m. ET)

D

And here we have The Series That Shouldn't Be—or—How Did This Get on the Air? Four outlaws (William Lucking, Richard Round-tree, Charles Napier, Patrick Housier) and one sheriff (Rod Taylor) from rough 'n' tough 1899 Texas are transported by one weird lightning bolt into the Houston of 1986. Surprise: These fellers can't figure out modern times. They call a jet "the devil's own chariot." Outlaws has lots of problems. The first is plot, which rarely made sense in the already-aired premiere. Next is Outlaws' attempt to glorify and justify vigilantism; nobody seemed to notice that the A-Team, Riptide and similar shoot-first shows have died for lack of sympathy. But Outlaws' worst problem is its twisted, reactionary view of our era. The show has murdering, thieving lawbreakers looking down on us and our century, calling us citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. The nerve. The stupidity.

Your Reaction

Follow Us

On Newsstands Now

Jennifer Aniston: Wedding on Hold
  • Jennifer Aniston: Wedding on Hold
  • Exclusive: Kristin Cavallari's Wedding Album!
  • Paris Jackson in Crisis

Pick up your copy on newsstands

Click here for instant access to the Digital Magazine

Advertisement

From Our Partners

Watch It

Editors' Picks

From Our Partners