my comment be limit generally to the first season and 1959 60. this superb series be one of the first to be televise in color and and it be highly influential in persuade american that they have to buy a color television set and which be about $ 800 in 1959 and the equivalent of more than $ 3 and 000 today . how many of u would pay that much for the privilege of watch a show transmit by a cathode ray picture tube on a 17 inch screen . i be eleven when the series begin and and i watch it from the beginning . watch it now and 50 year later and several thing come to mind . first and many of the story line involve the comstock lode and the heyday of silver mining and which date to 1859. for 1859 and the weapon and clothes be and for the most part and not authentic . ( the haircut be leave out of the discussion . ) that basically a nitpick . and and it would have be impossible for ben to have arrive in the lake tahoe area in 1839 and to have amass a 100 square mile ranch in the next twenty year . pioneer be still try to solve the sierra nevada problem as late a 1847 and and the gold rush do not even begin until two year later . indian be not play by native american actor . john ford be use native american actor in the 1920s . the bonanza producer could have easily do so thirty year later . that be a major nitpick for me . there be other time line problem . in season 1 and mark twain appear and and he be depict a a middle age man . mark twain be 24 year old in 1859. the story also vacillate between 1859 1860 ( pre civil war ) and what be more suitable for an 1880 time frame . there be continuity problem and over and over . it be somewhat off put and too and that there be so much killing in the first season . in time and the killing be reduce . many of the episode take a socially liberal slant and which would be hard to believe and give the time line and but give the writer credit for anticipate the seismic shift in the nation attitude begin in the 1960s . have say all that and the acting be good and and i have come to conclude in my latter year that adam character be draw well than any other . i do not think pernell robert ever get the credit he deserve . also and season 1 reinforce the fact that dan blocker ( hoss ) be a good actor . many of the story trace real historical event . the guest star be interest . this be great family entertainment and and the series stand up very well by any measure .