What a waste of my time!!!

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Charming and brutal

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I've always been a fan of western such as Bonanza, The Big Valley, High Chaparral, Fury. These shows reflected the true American spirit of adventurism, bravery, good overcoming evil, families pulling together to overcome adversity, individuals standing up against the unruly mob to do the right thing. Westerns are truly an American art form. They are the essence of our cultural mores that, in recent decades celebrating self-interest and materialism, we have collectively lost touch with.Sadly, I missed the pilot and early episodes of The Ponderosa. Though late (December 2000) I was quickly drawn into the series and the characters. The Ponderosa revives one of America's favorite families, The Cartwrights, before they attained their wealth in the frontier west. The characters are well cast and the roles are well acted. True to the Western genre, The Ponderosa portrays a young family struggling to create a home in a wild, foreign frontier land while also struggling to define and maintain their moral values in an often harsh and unforgiving environment. In The Ponderosa, the Cartwright family has been renovated to reflect some of the best of our modern sensibilities: the character Hop Sing is a dignified intelligent man, rather than the stereotyped and ethnically miscast Hop Sing of Bonanza (a Japanese actor), Indians and Mexicans are also permitted dignity and intelligence notwithstanding the period reality of prejudices the majority of white settlers maintained against them. There are strong independent women. Six shooters are missing in The Ponderosa, which is historically accurate. In watching re-runs of Bonanza, it is amazing how quickly the Cartwrights resorted to shooting, and how easily they pointed a gun and pulled a trigger. There is much in Bonanza that just wouldn't fly in a modern series. The Ponderosa writers reflect a responsible maturity in their presentation while maintaining the heart and soul of what made Bonanza great.This show might not appeal to the die-hard fans of Survivor, The Osbornes, Fear Factor, or The Weakest Link, to name a few. But none of those shows will withstand the test of time. The Ponderosa has all the ingredients to become a television legacy in the tradition of Bonanza.There is a void to be filled in television today. Viewers, adults and children, need to see the roots of the American spirit and be reminded of what most Americans strive for: a better world for themselves and their children. The Ponderosa fills this void in returning viewers to a simpler time and reminding them of what really matters in life. The message transcends time and is one we all need to hear in an often chaotic and incomprehensible world.

The Ponderosa is a well made show, that we looked forward to watching at our house. The stories were interesting and very well acted. The hard work of all who brought it together was quite apparent. Having a younger version of the Cartwrights is such a great idea, with so many possibilities. I was able to introduce my daughter to the characters and she really loved them. After one season, this show was really coming together and I hope to see more of it in the future.

As a Bonanza fan, I was intrigued by the concept of the younger Cartwright clan and the embryonic Ponderosa ranch. I also have long appreciated the actor, Daniel Hugh Kelly. My expectations for this series were met and exceeded.The cast, extremely well selected, is more than capable of creating multi-faceted portrayals of the famous Cartwrights. The stories seem to be well-researched and great detail goes into sets and props.Most importantly, there is a dimension to this series that transcends the usual TV fare. This is about honest, hardworking people with values and ethics who are trying to make a life for themselves and figure out some of life's bigger questions as they go. In a time when quality drama is in short supply, The Ponderosa is a reflection of some of the larger issues facing families today. It presents a hopeful, confident view of American life and values.

This movie brought back our beloved Cartwrights. It brought anticipation and excitement for what the future would hold for Ben Cartwright as he brought up his three sons and attempted to build what we all knew would eventually become the famous Ponderosa. The characters had many qualities the older Cartwrights had, and I felt by watching this younger version of each (Ben, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe) we could watch them as they learned the ways of the west and see them as they struggled to survive and become the family we knew. The actors were well chosen for the parts. Diehard Bonanza fans, such as myself, knew Hoss immediately as protrayed by Drew. There was just no question that it was perfect casting. Little Joe (Jared) was a puzzle in the beginning but as he watched his mother die, the beginnings of the rebellious side of his character (which we all expect) appeared,Jared carried the part well. Pa was strict, yet loving, and Daniel was excellent. I had never seen him in previous roles yet I knew of him and some of the parts he had played and was a little concerned he wouldn't be right to play Ben Cartwright. But watching him as Pa interacted with his sons, I knew he was perfect. The mystery was who would portray Adam - my favorite Bonanza character. Matt totally exceeded my expectations for Adam. He portrays a sensitive, thoughtful, exciting, quick to anger when necessary Adam and those are all of the traits I expect to see in the eldest son. I'm sure as he delves further into the character and the history of Adam's life is brought in later episodes, people are going to see what type of versatile actor he appears to be.