First Season in ‘Big Valley’ Yields Rich Crop of Passion

In spite of what some TV reference books imply, “The Big Valley” is not just “Bonanza” with a ma instead of a pa.

There are similarities, to be sure. The Barkleys of California’s big valley (that’s the San Joaquin, of course) and the Cartwrights of Nevada are ranching families that are rich but benevolent, independent and righteous.

The difference goes beyond the fact that Ben Cartwright has been thrice married and that widow Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck) is confronted with major evidence of her husband’s infidelity.

What sets the first season of “The Big Valley” (which originally aired from 1965 to ‘69) apart from virtually every other shoot-’em-up is its passion. The premiere episode, “Palms of Glory” (Sunday at 4 p.m. on KPXN Channel 30), is full of life. Stockton bustles, tempers ignite and rousing speeches are delivered. Even quiet pronouncements are electric.

The Barkleys struggle with themselves and each other over how to battle the evil railroad, which happens to have the law on its side: Lawyer Jarrod (Richard Long) wants to continue to go through the courts; hotheaded Nick (Peter Breck) prefers a more direct solution; college boy Eugene (Charles Briles) needs to think about it (“That’s right, kid, you go ahead and think!” Nick yells sarcastically. “You think while the barn is burning down!”).

In the meantime, the family must come to terms with past indiscretions that will affect its future.

Unfortunately, by the series’ second season, all the characters had mellowed, the show’s rawness gave way to slickness, and “The Big Valley” was just another good western.

The young Lee Majors, who played Heath, would become a fixture on TV (“The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Fall Guy”), and Linda Evans, who played Audra, would go on to have big shoulders on “Dynasty.”

DETAILS, DETAILS: Where did “Big Valley” character Eugene go to college--before he disappeared from the show and was never spoken of again? Answer next week. Answer to last week’s quiz (In which ‘80s series did “Touched by an Angel” star Della Reese play a judge?): The Richard Crenna-Patty Duke Astin comedy, “It Takes Two.”

Set Your VCR

Credit “Saving Private Ryan” with saving Pvt. Kirby--and Pvt. Littlejohn and Sgt. Saunders and Lt. Hanley. All the renewed interest in World War II has prompted KDOC Channel 56 to bring back “Combat!” twice on Saturdays--at noon and 1 p.m.--beginning this weekend. KDOC is also airing a “Combat!” marathon Monday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (with a break from 8 to 9 p.m.). The marathon’s episodes are all from the fourth season of the series, which ran from 1962-67.

KDOC begins showing “The Streets of San Francisco” Mondays through Fridays at 6 p.m., beginning Tuesday. “The Rockford Files” moves to 7 p.m., replacing “WKRP in Cincinnati” and “Hogan’s Heroes,” which will no longer be shown.

Viewers get a sneak peak at an exciting new Disneyland ride, the Pirates of the Caribbean, in “Disneyland: From the Pirates of the Caribbean to the World of Tomorrow” on “Walt Disney Presents” (Sunday at 9 p.m. on the Disney Channel). The show was from 1968.

Get out your handkerchiefs: Saturday’s retro shows on the Pax network--seen in Southern California on KPXN Channel 30--have a wedding theme, including “Bonanza” (3 p.m.), “The Big Valley” (4 p.m.) “Flipper” (5 p.m.) and “Barnaby Jones” (midnight). But not all the brides and grooms live through the end of the episodes.