Whenever a film is turned into a tv series something gets lost in the translation from the big to little screen, especially when it is derived from an R-rated film like Blazing Saddles. There is a good chance that I caught this on its one and only showing back in the 70's. I have no idea if I had yet seen the actual film beforehand. I was too young to have seen the film when it was initially released and had to wait until the heavily censored version aired on network television. But watching it now it's easy to see why it failed. It's primary problem is that it isn't the least bit funny, although I'll give it credit for not shying away from the racist tone of the film and even drops a couple N bombs. That was shocking to hear. A good cast is wasted. Hearing Steve Landsberg (who is my favourite character on Barney Miller) struggling with a southern accent is cringeworthy. In our current era where canned laughter is a thing of the past it really sticks out awkwardly whenever a "joke" just falls flat. I can only the reaction of Mel Brooks and the rest of the cast thought when they saw this and probably heaved a sigh of relief when it died a quick death. After watching the pilot one gets the impression that those involved with this never actually saw the film and if you didn't know otherwise you'd never guess one spawned the other. The series has none of the inventiveness of the film. This is just curiosity now and how wrongminded tv executives could be.
Review of Black Bart
