McCloud

McCloud is a unique police drama series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1977. Under the watchful creative eyes of multiple esteemed producers, including Glen A. Larson and Michael Gleason, the show thrived, exceeding audience’s expectations with its unique premise and impassioned performances.

The titular character in McCloud is Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud, endearingly portrayed by actor Dennis Weaver, an actor particularly well known for his work in the western and crime genres. McCloud hails from Taos, New Mexico, a small rural town located in the heart of the American Southwest. In a twist of fate, he finds himself assigned to the Special Auxiliary Squad department of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as part of an exchange program, bringing a distinctly Wild West kind of law enforcement to the streets of The Big Apple.

While the McCloud character is inherently out of place and time, amid the ever-busy and gritty urban landscape of New York City, it is precisely this fish-out-of-water theme that injects the series with an irresistible charm, creating a highly engaging contrast between the old style Western law enforcement methods and the contemporary policing techniques of the densely populated urban environment. As a cross-pollination of the crime and western genres, McCloud expertly balances a lighthearted approach with dramatic undertones.

The supporting cast of characters in the series include Chief Clifford (J.D. Cannon), his immediate superior who is frequently bewildered and annoyed by his unconventional methods but can't deny their effectiveness, and Detective Sergeant Broadhurst (Terry Carter), McCloud's partner and main ally in the NYPD, who often finds himself caught in between McCloud's maverick strategies and Clifford's intense disapproval.

McCloud's cowboy-style manner of solving crimes and his adherence to old fashioned justice often lead him into confrontations with his superiors and the New York City bureaucracy. This tension is a constant undercurrent propelling the show's narrative, providing both conflict and comic relief. Yet despite the many clashes, and in spite of his superiors' skepticism, McCloud's approach proves its worth time and time again, helping to close cases and solve crimes that his cosmopolitan colleagues often find puzzling.

Another enchanting aspect of McCloud is the manner in which the series captures the spirit of New York City in the 1970s, becoming in many ways a love-letter to the time and place. The series propagated a vibrant sense of place, with real-life, on-location shoots that depict and celebrate the bustling energy of the city during this vintage era.

Over its seven-year run, McCloud featured a prolific list of guest stars that included big-name actors and actresses of the era, such as Stefanie Powers, Teri Garr, and even singer Johnny Cash, who all contributed in making every episode an integrated microcosm of intense drama, heightened suspense, and intermittent comedy. Recurring guest-stars often play various roles in different episodes, which was a common practice at the time, and which added an additional layer of appreciation for regular viewers.

To sum up, McCloud stands as a unique blend of the metropolitan police drama and traditional Western genres. The show is distinguished by its distinctive protagonist, compelling storytelling, star-studded guest list, and key set pieces that capture the unique essence of 1970s New York City. Each episode cleverly balances suspense, drama, humor, and an intrinsic element of surprise. With its combination of creative storytelling, a charismatic leading man in Dennis Weaver, and an unforgettable cast of characters, McCloud proved to be an innovative and entertaining oddball in the police drama genre. Its success led to lasting influence, setting the stage for many future fish-out-of-water stories in television history.