‘Vanderpump Rules’
New Cast, Same Old Hit TV Show …
Receives Early Renewal

Published
February 21, 2026
4:16 PM PST
|
Updated
February 21, 2026
5:15 PM PST

The “Watergate scandal” involving the administration of President Richard Nixon has been one of the most well-documented moments in American history. In addition to films like All the President’s Men and Dick that were about the break-in itself, Watergate has also been an essential part of biopics of the President, including Nixon, Frost/Nixon, and Secret Honor. The implications of Watergate also inspired several conspiracy thrillers that created similar scenarios, including The Conversation, The Parallax View, and Capricorn One. However, in all these studies of Watergate, attention was rarely paid to those who actually performed the break-in, and why they were motivated to act on behalf of President Nixon. White House Plumbers is a quirky, enlightening HBO series that shines a spotlight on the colorful characters involved in a major incident that shaped the next few decades of American politics.

Inspired by a non-fiction novel by Egil Krogh and Matthew Krogh, White House Plumbers explores the bizarre true story of two self-proclaimed patriots within Nixon’s White House who were convinced to stage the Watergate break-in, and ultimately end up taking the fall for it. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) was a longstanding member of the CIA who worked alongside the bumbling White House lawyer G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux) to serve as a covert organization known as the “White House Plumbers,” who were tasked by the attorney John Dean (Domhnall Gleeson) with fixing any “leaks” that may have come from Nixon and his allies. However, this isn’t a typical HBO drama about the “best and brightest” members of an espionage crew; the misadventures that Hunt and Liddy get into result in a hilarious satire about who actually has the power to shape the actions of a nation.

HBO’s ‘White House Plumbers’ Spoofed One of America’s Greatest Scandals

White House Plumbers is unique among recreations of the Nixon administration because the series is focused on the actual minutia of how the break-in happened, and not just about its ramifications. Although Watergate would become a stand-in for many political films of the 1970s, the scandal escalated because of the way that the Nixon administration doubled-down on their obstruction of justice. The actual burglary was a relatively minor incident, which makes it so funny that Liddy and Hunt treat it as an important moral duty that they have on behalf of their nation.

The show explores how the desire for power and legacy is enough to convince people to take elaborate risks that they can’t justify. Hunt at least seems to be aware that what they are doing could have severe consequences, but he sees performing a dangerous activity as a means to possibly gain the favor of senior members of Nixon’s inner circle. Of course, most of the powerful Republicans at the time had no idea who Liddy and Hunt were, which is made clear within a particularly amusing scene with John Caroll Lynch as Attorney General John N. Mitchell.

Related

HBO’s Prestige Crime Drama Miniseries Vindicates Ryan Coogler’s Smartest ‘Sinners’ Casting Decision

Mosaku gave her most powerful, impactful performance in this underrated HBO miniseries.

Advertisement

Even ignoring the pointed commentary on who actually ends up shaping history, White House Plumbers is a great buddy comedy with two actors who have finally been able to sink their teeth into comedic roles. Harrelson has done so many serious television and film roles recently that it’s easy to forget that he was once a comedy icon with White Men Can’t Jump, Kingpin, and Wag the Dog. Similarly, Theroux had been doing more serious work with The Leftovers and The Mosquito Coast, and White House Plumbers gave him the opportunity to be just as colorful and idiosyncratic as he was with his animated voice work. One of the standout moments of the scene is a painfully awkward dinner party in which Liddy and Hunt introduce each other to their respective wives; Hunt and his wife Dorothy (Lena Headey) quickly learn that Liddy and his wife Fran (Judy Greer) are eccentrics who shouldn’t be given any degree of influence.

HBO’s ‘White House Plumbers’ Is a Relevant Piece of Satire

White House Plumbers finds it comedy in showing the escalation of the situation and how poorly managed it was from the beginning. Liddy and Hunt were clearly ill-fitted for the responsibility of infiltrating Democratic headquarters, but they ultimately couldn’t be blamed for a heist for which there was little planning. It was due to the vast ignorance of the other conspirators that everyone else ended up being prosecuted, as no one would ever believe that Liddy and Hunt were the “masterminds” behind it all.

It’s a scathing takedown of how scapegoating works in conspiracies, but also an ironic reflection on how history is written. Even though Liddy and Hunt were involved in a failed plot that resulted in a changing-of-the-guard within the White House, they won’t be remembered in history textbooks the same way that the more prominent conspirators were. Given that HBO has a knack for historical miniseries like Band of Brothers and John Adams, White House Plumbers was a nice change of pace because it wasn’t afraid to poke fun at the self-importance of people who tried to avoid culpability. Looking back at the past in White House Plumbers wasn’t just revelatory, but successful in putting history into perspective.

If there’s any genre that perfectly lends itself to high ambitions, it has to be science fiction. Throughout the entire history of sci-fi television, there have been countless shows that have aimed for the stars—whether they met those aspirations or not. From big chapters in huge multimedia franchises to entirely original series that changed the game, these sci-fi shows are proof of the heights that the genre can reach when done with enough passion.

Whether it’s The Mandalorian bringing Star Wars to the world of live-action television or The Leftovers proving that sci-fi and the world of prestige TV can get along wonderfully, these series have shown that determination and big ideas can be all a show in this genre needs to be great. Ambition doesn’t always equal greatness, but in these shows’ case, that’s certainly what it ended up amounting to.

10

‘WandaVision’ (2021)

Image via Disney+

Proving that a new formula for shows properly and fully connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after the downfall of Netflix’s street-level side of the franchise, could work; paying homage to different eras of the American sitcom format through complex and varied visual tones; delivering a metafictional, genre-bending narrative that prioritized character work over traditional superhero action (most of the time, at least). Those are but a few of the things that make WandaVision ambitious.

Had this series not worked, who knows whether the franchise would have built up the confidence to make the jump to more TV series? But as one of the most perfect sci-fi miniseries ever, WandaVision clearly did work, despite an underwhelming finale. Its aesthetics were the cherry on top of what was already one of the MCU’s most ambitious projects to date, and it all paid off wonderfully.

9

‘Andor’ (2022–2025)

Image via Disney+

A show centered on the deuteragonist of a prequel spin-off where he dies at the end, returning to the focus on space politics that made so many people dislike George Lucas‘ prequel trilogy, leveraging a high budget to deliver a gritty, grounded, mature political thriller that prioritizes complex character study over fan service. Those are but a few of the things that make Andor ambitious.

It’s one of the highest-rated prequel shows on IMDb, and for good reason. It’s Star Wars at its best: Politically charged and refreshingly nuanced, packed with thrilling action sequences, and full of emotionally satisfying character arcs that aren’t without their occasional bits of tragedy. It might just be the best that the franchise has been since the ’80s.

8

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Image via HBO

Ever-so-subtle uses of science fiction that keep its plot grounded in reality and character work; refusing to ever fully explain its mysterious central premise, instead focusing on the emotional and philosophical effects that it has on the characters and their world; touching on aspects of the human condition so intellectually challenging that most shows wouldn’t dare touch them with a ten-foot pole. Those are but a few of the things that make The Leftovers ambitious.

The best thing about the series is that all of its philosophical, intellectual, and narrative ambitions pay off. It’s one of the best sci-fi shows with zero filler episodes, an engrossing and emotionally raw drama with some of the most intricate thematic work of any HBO show. It’s a modern classic that sometimes doesn’t get nearly as much love as it deserves, and though it may not be all that technically ambitious, its narrative aspirations are sky-high.

7

‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)

Image via HBO

Adapting both one of the most acclaimed video games in history and its sequel, one of the most divisive video games of all time; expanding the games’ lore and changing key aspects, trying not to upset fans in the process (sometimes successfully, sometimes not); and translating the many ambitions of both of its pieces of source material into a televisual language. Those are but a few of the things that make The Last of Us ambitious.

For the longest time, video game adaptations on both the big and small screens had a track record bordering on embarrassing. At some point during this century, though, creatives seemed to start figuring things out. By this point, video game adaptations seem to have found in television their ideal home, and few shows prove that better than The Last of Us. It can be scary, it can be exciting, it can be emotionally devastating, and it never fails to be entertaining. Even in the face of a disappointing second season, fans are still hoping for a return to form, so this will likely continue being one of the most-watched HBO shows ever.

6

‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ (1993–1999)

Image via Paramount Television

Constantly breaking the established Star Trek formula to deliver a more serialized, morally grey story; bringing Gene Roddenberry‘s romantic and optimistic view of humanity into question throughout its whole run; making it so that all actions had far more permanent consequences than in any show the franchise had seen before. Those are but a few of the things that make Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ambitious.

The Star Trek franchise as a whole is one of the most ambitious multimedia sci-fi franchises in history, and all of its television installments have made sure to aim for the stars. But even though it may not be the most popular Trek show, Deep Space Nine is one of the only installments in the franchise mainly known precisely for being ambitious. Its commitment to giving the Star Trek franchise and all the traditions it had built up a refreshing spin remains admirable almost three decades after its conclusion, and it always made it so that this was one of those sci-fi shows that gets better every season.

5

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

Image via Netflix

Diving deep into a tale about time travel and parallel universes in a way so layered that viewers practically need a notebook to keep up; telling a pre-planned three-season story while always remaining true to the original thematic and tonal vision; having to pay far more meticulous attention to detail than most sci-fi series, lest a plot hole seep in through the cracks and bring the whole house of cards crashing down. Those are but a few of the things that make Dark ambitious.

For the mere fact that it was Netflix’s first-ever German-language show alone, Dark could have already been labeled ambitious. But on top of that, there’s everything that makes it one of the most nearly-perfect sci-fi shows ever: Profoundly intricate plotting, several jaw-dropping twists, satisfying character arcs, and flawless production values. It’s an entirely unique masterpiece of a show.

4

‘The Mandalorian’ (2019–Present)

Image via Disney+

Being the very first live-action TV show in Star Wars history, after 42 years of the franchise’s existence; bridging the gap between the beloved original trilogy and the divisive sequel trilogy; giving fans Easter eggs to be excited by while establishing new characters (some of which ended up being among the best Star Wars TV show characters ever); and revolutionizing the visual effects industry with the introduction of StageCraft, a.k.a. “The Volume.” Those are but a few of the things that make The Mandalorian ambitious.

Underwhelming third season notwithstanding, The Mandalorian ended up being one of the best things that Disney has done for Star Wars since their purchase of Lucasfilm, expanding the lore and world-building of the galaxy far, far away in all sorts of thrilling ways. It would have been very easy for the House of Mouse to just haphazardly put a cash-grab together and call it a day, but instead, they allowed Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni to aim as high as they wanted.

3

‘Lost’ (2004–2010)

Image via ABC

Breaking the conventions of network television by blending a high-budget cinematic aesthetic with a complex, serialized mystery structure, having an ensemble of more characters than one can count, while giving each one of them their fair share of time under the spotlight, and constantly aiming higher and higher with its fractured narrative structure and “mystery box” storytelling. Those are but a few of the things that make Lost ambitious.

Throughout the show’s run, it felt like everyone and their grandmother were watching Lost and talking about it. And if its divisive finale achieved anything, it was at least ensuring that the series would remain a part of the pop-culture conversation for many more years. It’s one of the most ambitious drama shows ever, and regardless of whether it stuck the landing in the end or not, the fact that it never stopped swinging for the fences is worthy of props.

2

‘Doctor Who’ (1963–Present)

Image via BBC

Constantly refreshing itself by allowing its main character to change their appearance and personality every time they die; finding ways not to run out of creative ideas after over 60 years on the air (hiatus not counted); transforming itself as society has changed over the years since 1963. Those are but a few of the things that make Doctor Who ambitious.

Technically, Doctor Who consists of the original show and two revivals, all three shows having different pages on IMDb; but with the series holding a Guinness World Record as the longest-running sci-fi TV show ever, it can all be considered a single iconic show. There has probably never been a television series better at reinventing itself than Doctor Who, which was originally devised as an educational show for children, but has since evolved into one of the biggest pillars of sci-fi pop culture ever. It’s one of the best sci-fi shows with over five seasons, perfect for fans of the genre looking for a long commitment.

1

‘Babylon 5’ (1993–1998)

Image via Warner Bros. Television

Revolutionizing American broadcast television by telling a serialized pre-planned five-year story arc at a time when such a thing was virtually unprecedented; being the first-ever TV show to use CGI as its primary method for VFX; covering a wide range of themes far more complex than what most sci-fi shows were tackling at the time; and doing all this with a fraction of the budget of most of its contemporaries. Those are but a few of the things that make Babylon 5 the most ambitious sci-fi show in television history.

Saying that Babylon 5 broke the mold would be an understatement. Sci-fi television would probably not be what it is today without it, and the world certainly would be a far sadder place. Not all of its elements have aged gracefully, as can be expected from a mid-budget ’90s sci-fi show, but that has never been a problem for fans. Babylon 5 was, and still is, utterly historic.

Team USA figure skater Ilia Malinin made a triumphant return to the 2026 Winter Olympics ice after his disappointing 8th place finish.

Wearing a dark sweatshirt and distressed jeans, the Olympian performed at the figure skating exhibition gala on Saturday, February 21, to “Fear” by NF, batting away invisible demons as the music played during a skate that the athlete previously teased would represent the negative impact social media is proven to have on young people’s mental health.

After performing his signature backflip — a move that was illegal from 1977 to 2024 — the 21-year-old skater became visibly emotional as the crowed roared with applause.

“On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” Malinin wrote after he failed to podium in the men’s free skate, shocking the figure skating world. “Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure.”

Related: Ilia Malinin Had ‘Traumatic’ Thoughts Before Shocking 8th Place Finish

After a heartbreaking performance in the men’s free skate final at the 2026 Winter Olympics, figure skating phenom Ilia Malinin said he felt “overwhelmed” in the moment. “It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” Malinin said on Friday, February 13, after his shocking eight place […]

He continued, “It all builds up as these moments flash before our eyes, resulting in an inevitable crash. This is that version of the story. Coming February 21, 2026.”

Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God,” missed the podium after the men’s free skate on February 13 at the 2026 Winter Olympics in a shocking upset that saw him finish in eighth place.

Malinin was the gold-medal favorite after finishing the short program, but the mistakes began almost as soon as he hit the ice for the free skate. After completing his first jump, a quadruple flip, Malinin attempted a quadruple axel but managed only a single.

He went on to fall twice and botched several other jumps, including a quad loop that turned into a double.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan ultimately won gold, with Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama finished with silver and Shun Sato, also from Japan, earned bronze. Shaidorov, 21, is Kazakhstan’s first-ever gold medalist in figure skating. Kagiyama, 22, previously won silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“I was not expecting that,” Malinin told NBC after his shocking performance. “I felt so ready getting on that ice. Maybe I was too confident it was going to go well.”

Related: Figure Skater Ilia Malinin Speaks Out After Falling in Olympic Free Skate

Advertisement

Days after he stumbled during his 2026 Olympics free skate, Ilia Malinin is taking some time to reflect. “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside,” the figure skater, 21, captioned a montage of highlights via Instagram on Monday, February 16. “Even your happiest […]

Malinin is the only figure skater in history to successfully land a quadruple axel in competition, and it had never been done at the Olympics. He was expected to attempt the jump on Friday.

Malinin went on to admit that he felt “overwhelmed” in the moment leading up to his free skate final performance.

“It was really just something that overwhelmed me, and I just felt like I had no control,” he said on February 13. “Honestly, I still haven’t been able to process what just happened. It’s a lot of mixed motions. Going into this competition, I felt really good. This whole day, I felt very solid, and I jus thought that all I needed to do is go out there and trust the process that I’ve always been doing with every competition. But of course, it’s not like any other competition, it’s the Olympics.”

Authorities in Ohio have arrested and charged a former ‘American Idol’ contestant with shooting and killing his wife and staging the crime scene to mislead investigators. Caleb Flynn pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of murder, assault and tampering with evidence, per the Associated Press.

RELATED: Former Prince Andrew Arrested On Suspicion Of Misconduct In Public Office Over Ties To Jeffrey Epstein

What Is The ‘American Idol’ Contestant Accused Of Doing?

Caleb’s wife, Ashley Flynn, was found dead Monday (Feb. 16) after officers received a report of a burglary and shooting at a Tipp City home, according to a news release by Tipp City Police. Her husband and two children were inside the home when officers arrived. Ashley’s body was reportedly in the master bedroom, along with two empty gun shell casings from bullets for a 9mm handgun.

In a 911 call released by authorities, a frantic Caleb Flynn told a dispatcher someone broke into his home and killed his wife. He claimed the person shot Ashley Flynn twice in the head. Also, he said he didn’t know whether the intruder was still in the home.

“There’s blood everywhere, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” he says in the call, which can be heard in the KHOU11 video below.

Police arrested Flynn on Thursday, approximately three days after the Monday shooting. In a video of his arraignment from jail, the 39-year-old pleaded with Judge Samuel Huffman for his release. “I just want to take care of my daughters. I’m not a risk,” Caleb Flynn told Huffman. In the end, the judge set his bond at $2 million and said will be on house if bond is paid. The former ‘American Idol’ contestant will also be under a no contact order which includes not communicating through family.

Police Reacts To Flynn’s Lawyer Alleging A Rushed Case

On Saturday (Feb. 21), Attorney Patrick Mulligan said in a statement that he and the former ‘American Idol’ contestant felt “disappointed and concerned about the short timeline and seeming rush to judgment in this case.”

“When the government runs out of leads or can’t develop leads and looks at a surviving spouse in cases such as these, the chance of a wrongful conviction increases,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins defended the investigation, saying in an email on Saturday that it had “not moved fast.”

“Rather, it has progressed at a pace dictated by a thorough and deliberate investigative process,” Adkins said.

Fundraiser For Ashley Flynn’s Daughters Raises Over $100,000

The late Ashley Flynn was a middle school volleyball coach and substitute teacher, Tipp City Schools said on its Facebook page.

“She was known for her beautiful smile, warmth, kindness, and the positive impact she had on so many—both in and out of the classroom and on the court,” the post said. Our thoughts are with all who are grieving during this difficult time. 🤍

One day before Caleb Flynn’s arrest on Thursday, GoFundMe shared a Facebook post detailing the death of Ashley. At the time, her husband was not a public suspect. Therefore, the post preached that the funds were to help Caleb and their daughters “during this unimaginable time.” By that point, donors had raised $77,000 and as of Saturday the amount has surpassed $107,000.

The GoFundMe fundraiser description says the funds raised “will be transferred to an account managed by Ashley’s uncle, Rob Groeschen.” It adds: “These funds will be used for the benefit of Ashley’s daughters.”

RELATED: Big Blessing! Bun B Celebrates His Wife Ringing The Bell After Beating Breast Cancer (VIDEO)

Associated Press writer Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

Lindsey Vonn is addressing the haters… again.

“It wasn’t all for nothing… it wasn’t a dream… although sitting in this hospital bed it seems far away now…,” Vonn, 41, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, February 21, defending her decision to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics despite tearing her ACL nine days earlier.

“But I did it. I came back. I won,” she continued in the caption, shared alongside a highlight video of her recent races. “I showed up and did what most thought was impossible at my age with a partial knee replacement. These memories I’ll have forever and I’m grateful for every one of them. Every moment was amazing. Every moment was worth it.”

After tearing her ACL in a World Cup competition on January 30, Vonn decided to compete in the Olympics despite the athlete publicly confirming the ligament was “100 percent gone.”

Just 13 seconds into her first run of the Games on February 8, she broke her left tibia after clipping a flag and crashing out. She was airlifted off the course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and transported to a nearby hospital where she underwent four surgeries.

She returned to the United States on Tuesday, February 17, and underwent several additional surgeries.

Critics jumped on Vonn after the second injury, with some claiming she should not have competed in the Olympics after tearing her ACL and, instead, let someone else compete in her spot.

Vonn is having none of that, listing out her achievements in Saturday’s Instagram post.

“One thing that stung was when people said I was selfish and should give my Olympic spot to someone else,” she said in the post. “So… I just wanted to recap my season for all the haters out there that don’t understand what it means to earn your spot, and on a more positive note, to just reflect… #1 in the downhill standings; 3rd in sg standings; 2x Downhill wins; On every downhill podium all season; 7/8 podiums overall (only one 4th place).”

She continued, “It’s not impossible until it’s done. I didn’t reach my ultimate goal…. But I still did a lot. Thank you to those who believed! ❤️🙏🏻 #BELV.”

Vonn previously defended herself on social media after several people were questioning the extent of her ACL injury, even before breaking her leg at the Olympics.

“lol thanks doc,” Vonn posted via X on February 7, in response to a sports medicine doctor who was questioning the state of her injury. “My ACL was fully functioning until last Friday. Just because it seems impossible to you doesn’t mean it’s not possible. And yes, my ACL is 100% ruptured. Not 80% or 50%. It’s 100% gone.”

On Friday, Vonn shared a new photo of her broken leg, an x-ray showing what looks like a medal stabilizing brace on her bone.

“As you can see, it required a lot of plates and screws to put back together but Dr. Hackett did an incredible job,” Vonn posted via Instagram on Friday, along with a carousel of videos of her in the hospital with the x-ray photos. “Thank you Dr. Viola for the surgery assist as well!”

She acknowledged the struggle of her long recovery, saying she has not been on her feet in over a week.

Through it all, she claims her second, more grueling, injury had nothing to do with her original ACL tear.

“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash,” she shared via Instagram after the crash. “My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.”

As far as genre fiction legends are concerned, William Shatner is near the top for his part as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series. However, in the decades following his time as Kirk (a role that would define his entire career), Shatner pivoted from the far future to the (relatively) recent past for How the West Was Won. No, not the theatrically-released feature film that featured John Wayne, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda. We’re talking about the three-season television drama headlined by Gunsmoke star James Arness. And boy, did Shatner deliver in this harrowing Western tale.

William Shatner Stands Out In This Fabulous Performance on ‘How the West Was Won’

Appearing in the second season of the underrated three-season Western drama, Shatner shows up briefly at the end of “Orville Gant” as Captain Robert Harrison. However, it’s his performance in the following episode, “Amnesty,” that is especially of note. After mountain man Zeb Macahan (Arness) saves Beth Harrison (Vera Miles of Psycho fame), an old flame of his from decades earlier, he follows her to her secluded mountain home, where he encounters the old Union captain. As it turns out, Harrison, who had been presumed dead by the army after a Native American massacre, was blinded as a result of a battle against the group of warriors who had kidnapped Beth. As a result, Harrison has become somewhat suicidal, wishing to die or for Beth to leave him, despite her remaining faithful in the 20 years since.

Shatner is genuinely powerful here, showing off his dramatic acting chops and reminding audiences that he can play the serious part just as well (and perhaps even better than) his more pulp-inspired characters. The moment he recalls the battle that resulted in his blindness, there’s an intense shift in the way Shatner presents himself. His stone-cold demeanor captivates the viewer, and even the sound design changes so that we spiral into the captain’s uneasy headspace, hearing the horrors of war that he recalls every day of his life. It’s a brilliant technique that adds to the depth of his words as he meditates on the incident that has driven him nearly to madness and informed his life for the last two decades since. What Shatner is able to do here with this powerful monologue is indeed fantastic. “You know, the more I’m around you, Captain, the less I like you,” Zeb tells him the moment they meet, but Harrison feels the opposite.

Related

From ‘Deadwood’ to ‘Yellowstone’: The 16 Greatest Western TV Shows of All Time, Ranked

Venture back to the Wild West with these TV shows.

Advertisement

While the Star Trek icon may not be traditionally associated with the Western genre (though the franchise certainly delved into Old West territory, and no wonder, as Gene Roddenberry wrote for Have Gun — Will Travel before creating Star Trek), this is one performance that stands out among the rest of his filmography. It reminds us that there has always been more to Shatner than his work in the science fiction genre, be it as Captain Kirk or in The Twilight Zone. As Captain Harrison, Shatner dove deeper into the psychological recesses of the American frontier, highlighting some of the most uncomfortable aspects of westward expansion while exploring the deep-seated issues of a man who has failed to let go of his last battle.

‘How the West Was Won’ Was Notable For Its Impressive Guest Stars

After launching with a made-for-TV feature titled The Macahans, How the West Was Won was picked up as an official series by ABC soon after Gunsmoke came to a close. In that time, the Western epic pulled in plenty of big names for guest stints in its 28 separate 90-minute episodes. From classical Western TV stars like Lloyd Bridges of The Loner fame and Jack Elam of The Dakotas to other big stars like Christopher Lee and Michael Conrad from Hill Street Blues. While William Shatner was one of the biggest of these names (barring Lee, of course, who played a visiting Russian politician), there was never any shortage of recognizable faces on the late ’70s Western program. For goodness’ sake, Tron legend Bruce Boxleitner was one of its leading stars, as was Fionnula Flanagan in the second and third seasons.

Although not a man known for venturing too often into Western territory — save for movies like White Comanche and some guest appearances on Gunsmoke, The Virginian, and The Big Valley — William Shatner proved his ability within the genre here on How the West Was Won. Without even leaving the confines of his hidden cabin home, Shatner’s Captain Harrison made such an impact on the series in his brief 20-minutes of screentime that he’s still talked about by fans all these years later.