Saturday Morning Cult-TV Blogging: BraveStarr: "No Drums, No Trumpets"

In “No Drums, No Trumpets,” a former marshal and his young daughter land on New Texas to settle, and run afoul of a bandit named Sandstorm. The family wishes to settle on unclaimed farm land in Peaceful Valley, but Sandstorm wants the property himself.

Complicating the matter, the former lawman -- who once served New Arizona Space Command -- refuses to carry a gun or fight his enemies, because he once killed a criminal in the line of duty. Now his daughter considers him a coward for his reluctance to confront his enemies.

When the lawman’s daughter is kidnapped, however, the former marshal takes up arms, and he joins BraveStarr in an attempt to defeat Sandstorm and claim Peaceful Valley.

This episode of BraveStarr looks at the idea of courage and commendably so. In particular, a former lawman -- battling with his conscience -- refuses to carry a gun, and is mocked and taunted because of his principles.  He sticks to his stated belief that “violence is wrong,” and BraveStarr notes, tellingly, that sometimes “it takes more courage not to carry a gun than to carry one.”

That’s a sentiment we don’t see, hear or read often enough today in our entertainment, and it is refreshing that BraveStarr doesn’t suggest that a gun is, itself, the thing that creates justice for people. On the contrary, a thoughtful man like BraveStarr, or the other marshal, can be a “hero” without brandishing weaponry.

Still, “No Drums, No Trumpets” hedges its bets some.  

When the former marshal’s daughter, Michelle, is abducted, for instance, he takes arms and announces “sometimes you have to fight.”   I think there is truth to this sentiment too, but it is difficult to bridge the gap between “violence is wrong” and “sometimes you have to fight” in one twenty-two minute episode.

Entirely successful or not in terms of philosophy, I find it rewarding that BraveStarr continues -- at least periodically -- to attempt to tackle big ideas. There are plenty of “action” episodes where nothing of tremendous depth occurs, but there are also shows like this one in the catalog that ask the viewer to think about violence, and about the use of guns in a civilized society.

The lesson of the week, oddly enough, has nothing to do with gun safety or responsibility.  Instead, it’s a PSA-like message not to start smoking.

Finally, it's nice that Tex Hex gets a break this week, and we encounter a different bandit instead. BraveStarr gets tiresome when it becomes one Tex Hex vs. BraveStarr clash after another.

Next week: “Showdown at Sawtooth.”