Rod Serling's Existential TV Western: The Loner

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Following the cancellation of his epochal Twilight Zone after five seasons, six-time Emmy winner Rod Serling re-entered primetime with an unorthodox experiment — a humanist, existential Western titled The Loner (1965–66). Created by Serling, the mostly forgotten semi-anthology series featured only a single recurring character, William Colton (Lloyd Bridges), a former Union cavalry officer roaming the West in search of meaning in the aftermath of his traumatic experiences during the Civil War.

Serling envisioned The Loner as an antidote to the escapist Westerns that had once dominated television, opting instead to focus on character-driven stories that explored moral issues, including non-violent resistance and racism. When the network reportedly called for more action to be incorporated, Serling, a World War II combat veteran, went to the press, declaring that he interpreted the interference as a call to add violence to the series’ cerebral scripts. Embroiled in network controversy and too far ahead of its time in daring to expand the rigid conventions of the medium, The Loner was canceled after only one season. Viewed today, the innovative series represents a fascinating genre detour in Serling’s prolific Television Hall of Fame career, illuminating his unwavering dedication to exploring the human condition, from the gray netherworlds of the Twilight Zone to the unforgiving prairies of the old West.

Join us for a trio of powerhouse Serling-penned episodes of The Loner, starring Lloyd Bridges, Tony Bill, Brock Peters and Dan Duryea.

Programmed and notes written by John H. Mitchell Television Curator Mark Quigley.

The Loner: “An Echo of Bugles”

U.S., 9/18/1965

In this series premiere written by Rod Serling, former Union officer William Colton (Lloyd Bridges) struggles to break a deadly cycle of violence as a sadistic young gunman (Tony Bill) confronts a defeated Confederate soldier (Whit Bissell). The humanist episode establishes the titular character of Colton, a wandering veteran of conscience suffering from post-traumatic stress due to the bloody violence of the Civil War.

DCP, b&w, 30 min. CBS. Production: Greenway Productions, in association with Interlaken Productions and 20th Century-Fox Television. Executive Producer: William Dozier. Producer: Andy White. Director: Alex March. Writer: Rod Serling. With: Lloyd Bridges, Whit Bissell, Tony Bill.

The Loner: “The Homecoming of Lemuel Stove”

U.S., 11/20/1965

In the dramatic zenith of the series, Colton (Lloyd Bridges) is unexpectedly rescued from an ambush by Lemuel Stove (Brock Peters), an African American Union soldier who has just won his freedom in the Civil War. The two fast friends soon encounter tragedy when they arrive at Stove’s hometown for a family reunion, only to find a Klan-like group has committed a deadly act of racial violence. Broadcast at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Serling’s hard-edged teleplay serves as a timely allegory, with Brock Peters delivering a tour de force performance conveying unspeakable pain and towering strength.

DCP, b&w, 30 min. CBS. Production: Greenway Productions, in association with Interlaken Productions and 20th Century-Fox Television. Executive Producer: William Dozier. Producer: Andy White. Director: Joseph Pevney. Writer: Rod Serling. With: Lloyd Bridges, Brock Peters, Don Keefer.

The Loner: “A Little Stroll to the End of the Line”

U.S., 1/15/1966

In this Serling teleplay with a Twilight Zone-worthy twist, Colton (Lloyd Bridges) encounters a feared expert gunslinger (Dan Duryea), seemingly out for revenge against a charlatan preacher (Robert Emhard). As the corrupt preacher holds the town in sway with his dubious sermons, acting deputy Colton must defend the immoral fraud from a seemingly imminent execution. However, the gunslinger’s tragic past dictates a different fate for the preacher.

DCP, b&w, 30 min. CBS. Production: Greenway Productions, in association with Interlaken Productions and 20th Century-Fox Television. Executive Producer: William Dozier. Producer: Andy White. Director: Norman Foster. Writer: Rod Serling. With: Lloyd Bridges, Dan Duryea, Robert Emhardt.

Part of: Archive Television Treasures