I originally posted this November 15, 2009 little knowing one year later Encore Westerns would disappoint fans by excluding it from their broadcasts of The Virginian. To exclude the final season is selling the fans short. For those who missed my post first time around or who haven’t located it in my archives here it is again. I’m only sorry loyal fans aren’t able to watch this season on Encore Westerns and judge the merits of the season for themselves..
Was the choice of ditching Percy Faith’s distinctive theme and the familiar ride-in sequence in favor of Ennio Morriconne’s Spaghetti Western influenced theme and tinted images a mistake? It’s a matter of opinion. I like the new theme and graphics but feel they belong to a spin-off show and not the 9th season. The departure is too radical and feels alien to the original concept of The Virginian TV series.
The definite mistake was Trampas’ new outfit and his mustache. And a dry stoical ‘batman’ replacing any female regular at Shiloh Ranch.
The new format never had time to grow on audiences before the cancellation of The Men From Shiloh in 1971. An era was at an end.
The Virginian Weblog 
I would like to have seen the Men from Shiloh again as it has been many years since I saw it. I didn’t like the changes made back then even though I did like the new theme however it was not the theme that I loved nor were the opening credits what I loved about the Virginian. I realize Universal made those changes in their mind for a very good reason. It didn’t wash with me.
I love the show as it was but started losing interest when both Don Quine and Clue Gulager left the show. I still watched the show but was not that impressed with either Jim Horn or the other one, David Hartman came on. I do like both actors but did not care so much for them in the show.
I’ll admit the first time I found myself a little bored watching an episode was during the 7th season Christine. A couple of factors were at work. Jeanette Nolan and David Hartman. I liked Tim Matheson and thought the 8th season regained some lost ground. The Men From Shiloh had a promising start but I didn’t care for the action being away from Shiloh Ranch. It resembled independent TV movies rather than a cohesive series.
That is a shame. Old syndication packages used to have it. On my many trips down to St. Louis I remember about ten years ago a local religious station was showing ‘The Virginian’ and they went all the way up through ‘The Men From Shiloh.’ That was the first time I’d seen an episode in years (‘Lady at the Bar’ was the ep I saw then).
I liked the new graphics and theme and the new outfits, but I didn’t like the dumbed-down Trampas or the way most of the episodes took place away from Shiloh and the resultant lack of a “family” feel.
Only a few years ago the entire nine seasons were shown in Ireland as you know Bob. I can’t understand why it’s missing from this package. Maybe they’ll promote it as a one season spin-off show sometime in the future. It makes you lose faith in the people in charge at Encore Westerns if they think The Men From Shiloh is a separate show.
Who knows, maybe they are afraid the name change will create too much confusion for viewers, especially younger ones not as familiar with the series.
As much as I enjoy the channel I find some of their scheduling frustrating.
Either way this is disppointing. I have been recording each episode as they air at 4:30 in the afternoons which is during my drive home from work. I usually get home about a half hour into the broadcast. Yesterday I got in and turned on the TV just to see if ‘Men From Shiloh’ was airing. Nope, first person I saw on screen was Hugh O’Brian so I knew we were back to Season 1. Having purchased the Season 1 DVD last spring there is no need to tune into the ‘The Virginian’ at least for a few months.
To be honest Jim the name change caused confusion back in 1970-1971. James Drury told me viewers were looking for “The Virginian” in TV Guide and couldn’t find it so they didn’t tune in.
Later syndicated versions did include a change of title to The Virginian : The Men From Shiloh. So there’s no real excuse for Encore other than the fact their package simply didn’t include season nine. But how can a specialist Western channel buy a syndicated package that’s inferior to one bought by an average TV station in Eire! Simply not good enough.
Has Encore announced any new series to the lineup for this coming year? I can’t seem to find any word of any.
I ordered all episodes of virginian 45 discs from way back dvds but I download the men from shilo from btjunkie does anyone know how many men from shilo episodes there are?
Thanks
Hello Dianna : Twenty-four
episodes were made.
I believe that they’re 22 episode of Men From Shiloh. Good news is that Men From Shiloh is being released on DVD October 25. You can purchase it on Amazon.com
24 episodes of The Men From Shiloh were produced Lisa. You have two extra to enjoy. 🙂
We bought the season one Virginians from James Drury website and come autographed.
It’s a very unfortunate decision. It’s also a disservice to Stewart Granger and his fans to omit his lone season on the series.
I agree David. Stewart Granger was a major star.
I do not think Granger will mind since he complained the entire time he worked on the series. His character was the worst owner of the entire series since insisted the teleplays make his character twenty years than Granger was and it did not do well on the screen.
Allow me to re-write parts of my comment. Granger insisted his character be written to be 20 years younger than Granger.
Encore Westerns also isn’t playing “Storm Over Shiloh” from season 7 for some mysterious reason!!!
I AM VERY VERY UPSET ENCORE WESTERN IS NOT SHOWING SEASON 9 OF THE VIRGINIAN!!!!!!
You’re not alone Jeff. At least it’s now available on DVD.
Great news Men From Shiloh is being released on October 25 in a very attractive collectors tin. I have already ordered my copy and you can purchase yours at Amazon.com.
I have been trying to get hold of a CD with the brilliant Ennio Morriconi theme from The Virginian (men from shilo ).Does anybody out
there know where I can get this??? It would make me a happy man
Graham, I have a CD called “Television’s Greatest Hits (in Living Color) Vol. 5” from TVT records that has the Men From Shiloh theme on it. It sounds exactly like what they play on the opening of the tv show, if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s only 1:03 in length.
I was mistaken. There is indeed 24 episodes not 22 of Men From Shiloh. I was missing Jump Up and the Animal which I now got to enjoy because I purchased the new DVD of the final season. I was very excited since the two that I was missing had my favorite leading man Lee Majors as Roy Tate as the main character. Not that I don’t enjoy the others as well, but I think Lee is the hottest one of the bunch.
Well Encore announced they have removed the Virginian totally and even took it off of Netflix.. I’m happy they added Loredo the Virginian spinoff, but highly disappointed and voiced my opinion to the Starz network..
Sorry to hear that Josh but I guess their rights to broadcast The Virginian elapsed at the end of 2011.
I just want to let everyone know that Peter Breck recently passed away. I know he wasn’t in Men From Shiloh, but he was a guest star, and Lee Majors’ costar in The Big Valley. He died just a month before his 83rd birthday, and will always be remembered as Nick Barkley. The episode he appeared in Men From Shiloh was called Hannah.
Thanks Lisa. I watch “The Big Valley” every day on Insp. It’s one of my favorite Westerns. I was in touch with Peter Breck’s wife shortly before his passing and will post a tribute on this site very soon. He was a fine actor and I was saddened by news of his deteriorating health and death.
I’m happy to see the Men from Shiloh DVD’s are now available.
The DVD’s got a very negative rating from fans due to the very poor quality of the prints. Universal should hit the vault and have it redone.
I for one am very happy with the quality of my copy of Men From Shiloh. It’s much better than the copies I had.
I Like Seasons 1 Thru 4. I Like Lee J.Cobb On The Virginian. Better Than Charles Bickford I Liked John Mcintire On Naked City And Wagon Train Better Than The Virginian I Didn’t Like Don Quine I Did Not Like
The Graingers On The Virginian. I Got DVD’s Of Season 1 Thru Season 4 And I Didn’t Like The Graingers I Liked Judge Garth Better Than The Graingers And MacKenzie.
The Lee J. Cobb seasons are considered the classic years of “The Virginian” – when Cobb and Roberta Shore left it was a big loss. Similar to Pernell Roberts leaving Bonanza or Mark Slade leaving The High Chaparral. The shows were never the same again. Personally I liked Tim Matheson and feel he should have survived into The Men From Shiloh.
I Got The Virginian On DVD. I Really Like The Theme Song. I Used To Watch That Every Other Week. I Watched It Occasionally. It Was In Color From The Start. I Like Sara Lane On There. Tim Matheson Would Have Joined The Men From Shiloh.
James Drury And Doug McClure Stayed With The Series From The Start. The Producers Of The Virginian Made Trampas Into A Good Guy. On The Virginian. As A Loveable Character On The Series. Doug McClure Died February 5,1995 Of Lung Cancer At Age 59. Doug McClure Sang Leaving The Straight Life Behind.
I love this show it is so awesome
Please Ask Encore Westerns To Air The Virginian And The Men From Shiloh Very Soon In September 2015.
Encore Western must have heard from you since the last season is currently running on the 2017-18 season. NBC made a major mistake dropping the ranch from the show in season 9. The few times the ranch is featured it has no hands other than whatever star is featured in the episode.
James Drury finally got his wish to ride a brown horse rather than Joe D (his white horse) though I think Trampas is riding Joe D in “Legacy of Spencer Flats”.
Despite Season nine being the worst of the series the episodes featuring James Drury and Lee Majors were good. The McClure episodes were uneven because of the writers making him stupid. None of the episodes featuring Granger were worth watching though he didn’t sink the show.
NBC made up its mind about the show early in the season because it wanted flasher shows like “Name of The Game”.
Thanks for your comments Bill. No, that isn’t Joe D in the “Spencer Flats” episode. The markings on his face are different. He was retired after season 8. I agree the Drury and Majors episodes were good and the Trampas episodes uneven due to the reasons you mention. NBC wasn’t behind the show’s final season because it felt the Western was attracting too old an audience to please the sponsors. By the way, “The Name of the Game” was also canceled in 1971. “The Mystery Movie” became the new format for the 90 minute shows.