Mikes Film Talk

Longmire is back in the saddle, long-live-Longmire. Season four is now on Netflix, which opted to drop all 10 episodes at once,  and it picks right up where A&E left the show dangling at the end of season three. . In terms of demographics, which was the former network’s excuse for dropping the uber popular show, there may not be that many in the older fanbase  of the Wyoming lawman’s weekly story who care to binge all 10 episodes but they are there just in case these “old fogies” feel the urge.

Netflix, of course, do not care about age groups and target demographics too much, they just want to make a profit and bring new customers to their world. Shows like Longmire are a welcome addition to the streaming site.

The fourth season has been up on the site for a few days now. Deciding to watch the first three episodes seemed like a good idea, although the excitement of watching more than one segment at a time was almost enough to make watching all 10 a necessity. Those who have not watched  beyond the first episode might want to stop reading now…

*Sidenote* Although it has been mentioned before…How ironic is it that one of the most popular western figures on television is Australian? Robert Taylor was born in the land down under and worked there, a lot, as well as in England (Ballykissangel Father Vincent Sheahan) and is now playing a “cowboy detective” for American audiences. And doing it very well too.

In the first episode all the main characters had to deal with the death of Branch (Bailey Chase) who was shot by dad Barlow (Gerald McRaney) who worked to make it seem like the distraught lawman had shot himself.  Of course the cliffhanger at the end of season three left it up to the imagination as to just who shot whom. The season four open made it clear who was shot.

*Sidenote* Firstly…How horrible that one half of “Simon & Simon” and the guy who was “Major Dad” turns out to be such a huge villain  that he shot his own son! Gerald McRaney was brilliant in the last episode of season three and the first three episodes of season four. Secondly, why was it not obvious from the very start that Branch would not shoot himself with birdshot? If a cop was going to kill himself surely he would use buckshot, or even a slug.

Episode two continues the investigation into Branch’s death and includes a death up at the Japanese interment camp at War Eagle.  This side trip, where Walt and Vic have to investigate the murder of a community CB enthusiast and civic minded citizen, was a welcome step back from all the fraught business of Longmire looking a little like Columbo.

Like the raincoat wearing detective in the big city, we the audience knew already who killed Branch. It was just a matter of time before either McRaney’s Connally slipped up (which he does) or Longmire as Columbo figures it out. The two came nicely together at the conclusion of episode three.

Speaking of the third episode, Cady is offered one of those “too-good-to-be-true” jobs which ends in her quitting, but not before learning something that will help her dad solve who killed Branch and who really (after three seasons of searching) ordered his wife murdered.

Turns out that Walt was barking up the wrong tree for a very long time, although there was/is a Nighthorse connection, just not the one Longmire thought there was. Interspersed throughout the first three episodes is Henry’s decision to become the new “Hector.”

“Hector Lives” becomes his new mantra and tag (while wiping up the message that Henry scrawled on the club’s mirror with permanent marker, he tells best friend Walt that vandals have struck) as he starts answering the notes left in Hector’s jar at the old wall.

Just as Walt Longmire dispenses justice in Wyoming, so too have Netflix dispensed a form of justice for all those outraged, and too old, fans of the show. It was criminal of A&E to cancel a program that starred actors of the caliber of Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cassidy Freeman, McRaney and that Aussie cowboy Taylor.

Once again we are treated to the “will they, won’t they” thing between Vic and Walt. The power struggle between Walt and Officer Mathias and, of course,  Jacob Nighthorse (Zahn McClarnon and A Martinez) and Henry’s issues with Graham Greene’s Malachi Strand.

All 10 episodes of Longmire are available to watch via Netflix, as are the first three seasons for those who want to catch back up or get introduced to this modern western cop show. Great television with great storylines and actors. Watch it, whether you fit the “old” demographic or not. This is great telly!