The Magnificent Seven
TV Highlights Weekly January 2002 (German)

Many thanks to SILVIA and DANNY for providing this translation

The Magnificent Seven
A Western Legend returns

They ride on and on - The Magnificent Seven! In the beginning they walked by foot, of course, in Akira Kurosawa's cinematographic piece of Arts called The Seven Samurai (1954), which was turned into one of the finest Western Movies ever by John Sturges 6 years later: The Magnificent Seven.

Gunslingers here, Samurais there - the plot was almost identical. A village is exploited by crooks year after year, until they scratch together what's left to have some old troopers fight for them - but the price they pay is so much higher...

The gunslingers win the fight, but most of them die. Of all seven actors playing the gunmen (Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Horst Buchholz, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn) only Brynner (Chris), McQueen (Vin) and greenhorn Buchholz (Chico) survived. Brynner was the only one to return in 1966 in the far weaker sequel The Return of the Magnificent Seven. The parts of Vin and Chico went to other actors. The decline kept going on in 1969 with The Revenge of the Magnificent Seven, in which only Chris' part was continued by George Kennedy (a good actor in supporting roles without any resemblance to Brynner) to lead a Dirty-Dozen-like rescue mission. In The Ride of Death of the Magnificent Seven Chris had miraculously transformed into Lee van Cleef and the movie had acquired matching elements of italian Western films.

Nothing happened for more then 25 years, but in 1998 they rode again: The Magnificent Seven - in a surprisingly good television series, that, after many years of screen-absence, was supposed to revive the western genre which had once dominated TV with hit-shows like Evergreen, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Big Valley and High Chaparall.

For the original movie they had assembled a top-cast of actors who were stars already and others who wanted to become stars themselves. For the television series they managed to assemble another great team: Leader Michael Biehn was a well-known hero of the big screen who once defeated the Terminator, Dale Midkiff from Time Trax and Eric Close from Dark Skies had a strongly approved tv-presence, and Ron Perlman, who looks back at countless roles apart from The Beauty and The Beast, seemed to guarantee for success all the same. With Robert Vaughn even one of the original Seven showed up as guest-starring (whose former part is best seen in Ezra)

Of course, after the pilot that picked up the idea of the first major movie, none of the Seven died. Instead they made it throught many more thrilling adventures.
Due to a healthy mix of action and character-portrayals it developed into a gripping series, but despite of a considerable amount of fans it was called off after only two half seasons (i.e. 9/10 episodes). The last episodes didn't even get airtime, though Kabel 1 [german TV station, the translator] is showing all episodes right now.

One day they'll sure be riding again: The Magnificent Seven, though certainly in yet another line up of actors....

Chris Larabee

...lost his wife and child (original Chris in 'Ride of Death' had lost his wife, too). Chris, who is convinced that the fire that killed them was set for him leads a life full of torture and darkness since then and drowns his horrors with alcohol ever so often, yet the comradeship with his friends gave him some new courage for life. But on the anniversary of that doomed day his mind clouds over again and like always it is his surpreme goal to take revenge for the death of his loved ones. Without that goal he'd go insane. A couple of times he got very close to the murderers but again and again they slipped through his fingers. In all that sadness there is one woman to promise a new life: Mary.

Michael Biehn

...was born as Michael Connell Biehn on July 31st 1956 in Anniston, Alabama, but grew up in the first 13 years of his life in Lincoln, Nebraska. When he was 14 his family moved to Lake Havasu City in Arizona. Two years after receiving a scholarship for drama at the University of Arizona he started a modelling-career in Los Angeles, appeared in commercials and got small parts on the television. A first bigger part he had in 1982 when playing The Fan who stalks well-know actress Lauren Bacall, but it took him three more years to gain fame by himself for being hunted by the Terminator in James Cameron's Schwarzenegger-flick. A solid friendship developed between him and Cameron, which was crowned by parts in Aliens and The Abyss, in which he was allowed to act psychotic again as an officer of the hard kind. His (dream) sequence in Terminator2 was deleted and only re-surfaced in the director's cut. Although he appeared in K2 (1991), Tombstone (1993) and the Rock (1996) a huge big-screen career wasn't meant for him and Michael popped up in TV-productions like Asteroid again, without leaving the cinema for good (for example the teen-slasher movie Cherry Falls [was a theatric release in Germany last year, the translator]). Biehn was married first time with actress Carlene Olson (Frightmare 1982) and has twin-sons with her. Since 1988 the name of his spouse is Gina Marsh. He lives with her and their Son Caelan Michael in Sherman Oaks, California.

Vin Tanner

...used to be a headhunter and marksman but was working at a shop when joining the Magnificent seven. Since he was wrongly accused for murdering the greasy Eli Joe, he is wanted dead or alive himself with a reward on his head. Vin and Chris are a perfect team and they (almost) always seem to know what the other has on mind.

Eric Close

...was born on May, 24th 1967 in Staten Island, New York. He already hit the stage in elementary school but rather went for a career behind the cameras first. When playing in a few movies done by students during his college days his passion for acting came back to live. After college Eric managed to get along by doing commercials until he got a casted in a small theatre-production called Rat Songs. While eagerly taking acting classes he gained his first speaking part in American Me. As Sawyer Walker he appeared in the NBC-soap Santa Barbara. He also belonged to the regular cast of McKenna and played a cop in the final season of the much appraised series Sisters.

Close calls the performance as a young criminal in the play Thanksgiving Cries as the best part he ever did.

It needed several meetings and two rehearsals to convince NBC and the producers to cast him as the starring character in the mystery-series Dark Skies. It's complex gripping plot got cancelled after only one season, despite of a sex-add-on by Jeri Ryan. Close was never lucky with any of his series. After the Magnificent Seven had to get off their horses the Sci-Fi series Now and Again turned out to be only short-lived as well. Since that Eric Close appeared in several TV-movies and together with Julie Benz from Buffy in the mini-series Taken. He is married since 995 with Keri, his daughter Katie was born in 1998.

Buck Wilmington

...is a wild one since his childhood days but knows how to charm women. He loves them - and they love him. Afterall he treats them as good as possible. Of course he doesn't do that just because of mere politeness but often for an, ahem, hormon-driven reason. Buck is the one who knows Chris for the longest, he even was in Mexico together with him when fate happened on Chris' family. In this group he developes a special relationship to J.D. whom he treats like his baby-brother which J. D. doesn't like that much.

Dale Midkiff

...is American born and got his first big part in Joan Freeman's Thriller Streetwalkin, in which he played a brutal pimp. After playing no-one less than Jock Ewing (J.R.'s Daddy) in Dallas: The Early years, he performed The King himself in My Life with Elvis. The successless TV-series Dream Street was followed in 1989 by a small box office hit with the screen adaption of Stephen King's Pet-Cemetary. After many TV-movies like The Story of Marla Hanson, Sins of a Mother and Deadly Affairs there was the popular series Time Trax. In The Life of Margaret Mitchell he was the passionate lover of the successfull writer performed by Shannon Dougherty. After performing Ed McBain's New Yorker Cop Steve Carella in Death of a Showgirl and The Decoy the Magnificent Seven became his new home. Following that he was on a misssion in Alien Attack - the Final Innvasion and Falcon Down and found himself last year on Route 66 leading into the direction of B-horror movies. He is married and has a son and two daughters.

Josiah

...is the most philosophical, spiritual and also clerical member of the group. The son of a missionary man was a preacherman himself but doesn't like it anymore when somebody tries to talk others into his religion. When people turn to him for advice he doesn't solve their problems but opens their eyes for the truth. He already was a friend of Nathan's who helped him building his church.

Ron Perlman

...was born as Ronald Francis Perlman on April 3rd 1950 in New York. After succesfully attending the George Washington High School, the Lehman College and the University of Minnesota he started a long lasting filming carreer. His striking looks predestined him mostly for ununsual parts. He was a Stone-Age man in In the Begining there was Fire (1981), fought in space in Icepirates (1984) and suffered in the Dark Age in The Name of the Rose (1988). From 1978 to 1990 he was part of the cult-status series The Beauty and the Beast together with Linda Hamilton - she was a sensible lady of the high society, he was a deformed misfit living in an idyll in the catacombs underneath the city. His lion-like mask gave Perlman a beauty that he never had without. Among the highlights of the uncountable number of movies he made are Stephen King's Sleepwalkers, the ingenius vampire movie Cronos, Murdered on the 4th of July (next to Ally Walker), The City of the lost Children, D.N.A.-the Isle of Dr. Moreau, Prince Ironheart and Alien 4-Resurrection. The last ride of the Magnificent Seven was followed by the Stalingrad-drama Duell-Enemy at the Gates, Blade2 and -soon to come- Star Trek: Nemesis. Since September 14th 1981 he his happily married with his wife Opal, and has a daughter (Blake Amanda, 1984) and a son (Brandon Avery, 1990) with her.

Nathan

...is a former slave, who led a hard life as a doctor in the Northern States during the civil war. He saw many horrible things but also learned a lot from his contact with the wounded. It was Nathan who convinced his friend Josiah to defend the indian village toghether with the others. He is attached to Rain, one of the inhabitants. Though they hardly meet their love is deep and affecionate.

Rick Worthy's

...date of birth is March 12th and he comes from the vicinity of Detroit. 1985 he finished the Southfield Senior High School and in 1990 the University of Michigan. He had his first TV-appearance being only seventeen when he breakdanced with his brother Tim on the show Dance Fever. In Detroit however he mainly appeared on stage, worked in several noted theatre ensembles after having moved to Chicago and only turned to the movies and TV in Los Angeles. In the beginning he just got the smallest of parts in Richie Rich (1984), the adoption-drama The Other Mother and in the Sandra-Bullock-comedy While you Where Sleeping before taking part in the excellent done detective series Murder One - though not on the front line either. The well-made apocalyptic thriller The Trigger-Effect about the world after a power failure and a boring flick about the black super-hero Steel (1997) were followed by joining the Magnificent Seven. After that he was on the big screen with the Computer-thriller Startup (Antitrust) and of course with Star Trek-the Uprise. In Voyager-Episode 28 The Prototype he had to hide himself underneath the metallic masque of the unfathomable roboter 3947, while in ep 119/120 Equinox he was allowed to show his face as crew-member Noah Lessing just like in Deep Space Nine Ep 119 Honour of Martok. In Felicity he had a reappearing part as Jeremy Cavallo.

Ezra Standish

...is an obsessed gambler and an kind-of-cured swindler, but of course you still have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't just pack his things and clears off. Nevertheless he isn't a bad guy and has his charming sides. In any case he's the best dressed one of all seven and has the largest choice of jackets, in all colours of the rainbow one might say. His stock of words is extraordinary all the same. But that shouldn't deceive you about the facts that Ezra is full of doubts and led a live in the shadow again and again. As a child he was constantly moving around and had hard times finding his identity. Though his mother could have granted him a better childhood she does love him. It takes a while until Ezra respects and appreciates ex-slave Nathan.

Anthony Starke

...was born on June 6th 1963 in Syracruse, New York. When he was five his parents moved to Pleasant Hill in San Fransisco Bay Area and when he was ten they moved to the north of Illinois. He attended Antioch High School and then Marquette University intending to become a jurist when he decided on acting to the dismay of his parents. They tried to put him back on the straight and narrow by sending him lots of newspaper-clippings about failed acting-careers but became his most flamboyant fans after he took part in his first movie of the week. His First Steps (1985) in showbiz were followed by Nothing in Common, a good Tom-Hanks-comedy. The One Big Family he belonged to in a comedy series in 1986/87 lasted only for a short time and after the nice exchange-of-bodies-story 18 Again he had to stand up against the Return of the Killer-Tomatoes in the sequel of that notorios trash-epic (either in 1988), before he fought with James Bond over the Licence to Kill (1989) and tried some exorcism on Linda Blair who was Obsessed (1990) yet another time. In 1993 his career seemed to have No Escape as he had to act in a Jean-Claude Van Damme flick, but after that he was well back in business with three consecutive series. The taxi-driver comedy The George Carlin Show (1993) was followed by The Last Frontier (1996), that had an highspeed ending which was soothed by the jump on the saddle of the Magnificent Seven. "You get cool clothes, you may shoot a lot and kiss a girl every now and then - that's every boy's dream" he explained cheerfully. After the catastrophe-movie Inferno he experienced one himself because the ratings for Cold Feet, a romantic set-up series, crashed fast. He did a few guest-starrings in series, for example in the 1rst season of The Pretender (Ep10 Playing with the Fire), and another one in the 4th season of Charmed, in which he appears on Muse to my Ears as Warlock, what prooves that we still have take him into account. If he's not on location he spends his time in Los Angeles with his wife Lolly and his son Garrett.

JD Dunne

...is the youngest of the Seven. After the death of his mother who was a maid servant for rich people and saved all she could for college (he was a staple boy) he went West to become a gunslinger. It wasnt' easy for him to get accepted by the other six, because he had to proove that he was not just a highnosed city-slicker who only wants to breathe in some of the wild wild west's air. JD has a crush on Casey, the unusual but nice rancher's niece, who prefers to dress like a boy. Buck tries to share his rich experience in love-matters with JD.

Andrew Kavovit

...was born as Andrew Michael Kavovit on July 19th 1975 in the New York Bronx. After winning his first spurs as the fourth actor playing Paul Ryan on the endless-soap running since 1956 As The World Turns, Andrew worked his way co-starring in typical TV-movies like Death after School-a Teacher Under Accusation (1995), Terror in a family-a Daughter Goes Amok and Seduction to Murder (both 1996). The Magnificent Seven pushed him up a bit what was followed by playing the title-role on The David Cassidy Story (2000), a starring part on The Meeksville Ghost (2001) and (next to Sabrina Melissa Joan Hart) in Rent Control (2002). He also had a few interesting guest-appearances in Burning Zone (as Dr. Joey Weatherall in EP 14 Tainted Water) and in Star Trek Deep Space Nine (as Kirby in Ep. 102 The Battle for Ajilon Prime). The movie G-S.P.O.T. (2002) could be a new turning point for his career, as he doesn't only act and did win Ron Perlman as a co-(riding)actor, he also produces and directs the dramatic comedy.

Mary Travis

...is a beautiful woman who doesn't belong to the Magnificent Seven but is of an almost indispensable support to them. The courageous journalist is so attractive that Chris as well as Vin feel drawn to her.

Laurie Holden

...was born as a daughter of Larry Holden (son of Gloria Holden who was for example Dracula's Daughter in 1936) and Adrienne Ellis on December 17th 1972 in Los Angeles but her parents divorced when she was five. Later Adrienne married famous director Michael Anderson so that the man who directed classics like In 80 Days Around the World (1956) or Sandman (1976 with Michael York) is Lauries step-father. So it's no surprise she started her screen career being only seven years of age as the screen-daughter of Rock Hudson in the (miserable) Mars Chronicles by Anderson. Due to her step-father's job her childhood was very unsettled as they were constantly moving from one filming-location to the other. Laurie lived parttime in L.A. and Toronto. Already as a teenager she won the model-award Look of the Year. Michael Anderson casted her also for Seperate Vacations (1986) and The Young Katherine (1991) and bestselling author Michael Crichton casted her on his thriller The Lawyer (1989). After one year of studying economics at the McGill University of Montreal she had long changed to UCLA, where she graduated in theory of drama in 1993. Temporarily she found a home in the family-series Power of Passion, following were Tek War-movie Excalibur-sword of power, the cheap VR-thriller Expect No Mercy and finally The X-Files, where she caught attention as Mulder's obscure informant Marita Covarrubias. After escaping a Deathsquad From Future in 1998 she added some female charm to the Magnificent Seven. The Race Through Time wasn't a very exciting TV-movie but Frank Darabont's new big-screen-hit The Majestic with superstar Jim Carrey might help her to the final breakthrough. Laurie Holden is still single. She is said to have dated Nicholas Lea, but that might have only served to plan the murderer of the Smoker.

A personal note from Danny:

Since English isn't my first language some of my sentences are lacking in grammar or proper use of phrases. However if you find mistakes in the episode summaries (you will know what I mean when you read the summary of The Trial), they were made by the author of the article, obviously he didn't watch all the episodes himself or had trouble remembering the story. Considering we all know the summaries better than him I left them in there, some of them are actually quite funny. Okay, and now on with the translation:

The Magnificent Seven
USA 1998 - 2000
22 episodes, ca. 42 minutes each

Executive Producers: Pen Densham, Richard Barton Lewis, Walter Mirisch, Mark Stern, John Watson
Producer: Steve Beers, Lynne Symons
Music: Elmer Bernstein, Don Harper
Cut: James R. Symons
Casting: Janet Hirshenson, Jane Jenkins
Costumes: Dan Moore
Make-up: Christina M. Guararra, Loretta James-Demasi

Cast: Michael Biehn - Chris Larabee
Eric Close - Vin Tanner
Andrew Kavovit - John 'JD' Dunne
Dale Midkiff - Buck Wilmington
Ron Perlman - Josiah Sanchez
Anthony Starke - Ezra Standish
Rick Worthy - Nathan Jackson
Laurie Holden - Mary Travis
Dana Barron - Casey

Season 1:

German title: Pilot, part 1/2 - Ghosts of the Confederacy
Director: Geoff Murphy, Script: Frank Q. Dobbs, Chris Black, John Watson, Pen Densham

Guest Stars: Kurtwood Smith - Col. Anderson
Tony Burton - no character name given
Michael Greyeyes - Imala
Daragh O'Malley - Capt. Corcoran
Ned Romero - Indian Chief
Siena Goines - Rain
Lisa Nelle - Toakhulga
Lisa Montour - Opa Locka
Eric Lawson - Sergeant Darcy

Chris, who, after the civil war, is looking for the murderers of his family, gathers six men around him, after a Seminole chief asks him for help getting rid of bandits. The Magnificent Seven take on a superior force but with bravery and cunning they can defeat the gang of Colonel Anderson. Very soon these seven men are the last hope for all the people who can't fight for themselves against injustice.

German title: Just One Day in the West - One day out west
Director: Peter Markle; Script: Josef Anderson

Guest Stars: Brion James - Stuart James
Sam Hennings - Lucas
Jerry Hardin - Mr. Conklin
Jeremy Roberts - Flint
Karen Hensel - Widow Potter
Sonny Carl Davis - Mr. Potter
Jim Cody Williams - Man (now, that helps !)
Robert Vaughn - Judge Oren Travis

A powerful cattle rancher tries to get the town in his clutches and treats the law like dirt until elderly Judge Orin Travis arrives to regain control. His daughter-in-law, Mary Travis, the local newspaper publisher asks Chris Larabee and his men to help the judge. Step by step the men manage to show the greedy rancher his boundaries.

German Title: The Camp - Working Girls
Director: Christopher Cain; Script: Melissa Rosenberg

Guest Stars: Barry Corbin - Wickes
Katy Boyer - Lydia
Boti Ann Bliss - no character name given
Marissa Coughlan - no character name given
Mark Burnham - Quint
William Bassett - Barkeeper
Kendis Chasse - prostitute

The Magnificent Seven want to relax - and for that purpose they go to Wicks Town, a kind of amusement park in which Wicks is offering entertainment for adults: Gambling, Whiskey and prostitution. When they arrive they notice that many women are being abused - now of course the amusement is over. They decide to help the women escape from their brutal boss.

German title: On Probation - Safecracker
Director: T.J. Scott; Script: Rick Husky

Guest Stars: Shannon Kenny - Terry Greer
Jeff Kober - Morgan Hill
Alexa Vega - Olivia Greer
Les Brandt - Starkweather
Bob Kane - Prison guard
Fred Kronenberg - banker
Matt O'Toole - Beall

Terry, a very attractive convict has served her time in prison and the Magnificent Seven are going to escort her to Four Corners. After arriving in town Buck immediately starts to flirt with her, who wants to start an honest life here. But she encounters an accomplice from old times who tries to convince her to help him rob a bank. When she declines he kidnaps her daughter.

German title: Deadly Memory - Witness
Director: Bill Wages; Script: Melissa Rosenberg

Guest Stars: Michelle Phillips - Maude
Ken Jenkins - Mr. Wheeler
Leon Russom - Virginias Father
Justin Cooper - Billy Travis
Tamara Braun - Virginia
Geoff Koch - Coachman
Keith Lewis - Stephen Travis

Billy, Mary's little son who is living with his grandparents is paying his mother a long visit. The boy is still plagued by the memories of the murder of his father. At the same time he feels that the danger for him is not over yet - this feeling is to become reality. But the Magnificent Seven will take care that Billy will be all right and the murderer of his father is going to face trial.

German title: The Only Witness - Nemesis
Director: Jerry Jameson; Script: Steve Hattman

Guest Stars: Stephen McHattie - Cletus Fowler
Jeff Asch - Jock Steele
Jimmie F. Skaggs - John Blackfox
Caelan Biehn - Adam
Heather Holland - Sarah
David Kagen - Sheriff
Matthew Kimbrough - Barkeeper
Ralph Morris - Outlaw (hm, which one, there were so many?)
Marissa Perez - Hooker

A criminal who is facing his execution claims he knows something about the murder of Chris's wife and son three years ago. Judge Travis offers the man a pardon if he can give concrete facts and names. Chris, who is forced to face his terrible past leads the confict to his former ranch, where he gives him an important clue that can lead to the man in charge of the brutal murder.

German title: An Old score - The Collector
Director: Gregg Champion; Script: Michael Norell

Guest Stars: Anne Haney - Nettie Wells
Tim Thomerson - Guy Royal
Dana Barron - Casey
Mike Moroff Burciaga - Marshal Bob Spikes
Alyson Reed - Emma
Karen Hensel - Mrs. Potter
Bernard Hocke - Curly

An old woman, who reminds Vin of his mother, is seeking help from the Magnificent Seven after her ranch is plundered. Vin takes care of her. The woman leads the Seven to the gang which is responsible for several other raids. Chris discovers that the leader of this gang is an old enemy with whom he still has a score to settle. A welcome opportunity to settle it now.

German title: The Truth About Chanu - Manhunt
Director: Steve Beers; Script: Rick Husky

Guest Stars: John Cullum - Rev. Owen Mosley
Daren Flam - Rafe Mosley
Greg Serano - Chanu
Gordon Tootoosis - Chief Ko-Je
George Randall - Shamon
Meredith Monroe - Claire Mosley

The Indian Chanu has kidnapped the daughter of the local missionary. The Magnificent Seven try to find both of them before the locals do - because these are so enraged that they would do a lynching. When they manage to catch Chanu they protect him until Judge Travis arrives who will lead the hearing. But when Chanu escapes and the girl turns up murdered, Vin discovers a trail that leads to somebody else.

German title: Life on Bail - Inmate 78
Director: Gregg Champion; Script: Robert Franke

Guest Stars: Cliff DeYoung - Sheriff Quince
Art LaFleur - Warden
Anthony Lee - sorry, no character name given
Julianna McCarthy - Jesse
Don Swayze - no character name given
Bill Bolander - no character name given
Steve Rankin - Deputy
Time Winters - Watch Salesperson
Lyle Kanduse - Cook
Randall Rapstine - Mr. Anderson
Will McAllister - Codger

When Chris travels to the neighbouring town, Jericho, to visit a bar there he is suddenly arrested without reason by the local sheriff and deputy and thrown into jail. In prison he makes the aquaintance of others who were arrested without reason and learns that the sheriff tries to get the bail from the folks of the victims. But rescue is on the way - in the form of Chris's six faithful friends.

German title: The New Badge - The New Law
Director: Christopher Cain; Script: Melissa Rosenberg

Guest Stars: M.C. Gainey - Earl
Peter Firth - Federal Marshal Walter Bryce
Gemini Barnett - Billy Travis
Dana Barron - Casey
Lisa Brenner - Millie
Samuel Thompson - Army Sergeant
Brent Kirkland - Cabinet Maker
Karen Hensel - Mrs. Potter
Lola Glaudini - Prostitute
Brion James - Stuart James
Tim Thomerson - Guy Royal

A marshal is taking over bringing law and order into town - meaning the Magnificent Seven are no longer needed. Judge Travis is forced to break up the group who start settling back into their former lives. But of course things don't go as planned and when aggressive cattle ranchers try to take over the city they have to ask the Magnificent Seven for help again.

Second Season

German title: The Avenger - Sins of the past
Director: Steve Hattman; Script: Gregg Champion

Guest Stars: Michelle Phillips - Maude
Vincent Castellanos - Eli Joe
Jack Conley - Federal Marshal Yates
Fabiana Udenio - Inez Rosillos
Nicole Nieth - Lucy
Al Fleming - Buffalo Hunter
Danielle Beckstrom - Little Girl
Huck Liggett - Luther
Ezra Buzzington - Barker
Jack Knight - Gundersson
Joanne Baron - Working Woman

Vin's past catches up with him when a shady marshal arrests him for a murder he didn't commit. Years ago he was falsely accused of this murder. Vin asks his friends for help - they should find the real killer so he can regain his honor. Buck on the other side has some different problems. An ex-lover claims he is the father of her son.

German title: Duel for love - Love and Honor
Director: Gregg Champion; Script: Rob Wright

Guest Stars: A Martinez - Raphael Cordova de Martinez
Dana Barron - Casey
Jesse Borrego - Don Paulo
Marco Rodriguez - Alonzo
Fabiana Udenio - Inez
Clay Lilley - Guillermo
William Paul Brown - Pico Chavez

The Mexican landowner Don Paulo comes to town to bring Inez back, he wants to punish her because he thinks she dishonoured his family. Buck saves her and for the next day they schedule a duel between both men. But Buck is in trouble deep when he discovers that the weapon of choice is not a gun but a sabre - a weapon he never has used before. Guest star A Martinez is known for his part in 'Profiler'

German title: Blood vengeance - Vendetta
Director: William Wages; Script: Mark Haskell Smith

Guest Stars: Tyne Daly - Ma Nichols
Ed Lauter - Hank Connolly
Dana Barron - Casey
Michael DeGood - no character name given
Geoff Meed - No character name given
Jonathan Quint - Anthony Nichols
Casey O'Neill - Luke Nichols
Ty O'Neal - Matthew Nichols
Will Cascio - Mark Nichols
John Kendall - Shopowner

Hank, Chris's father-in-law, comes into town and seeks protection from the Magnificent Seven. He is being chased by the Nichols family, whose youngest son he shot because he believed he was the murderer of his daughter and grandson. Sophia Nichols and her sons are all wanted criminals. Chris hasn't much sympathy for his father-in-law but he still hides him from the clan.

German title: The Settlers part 1 - Wagon Train part 1
Director: Christopher Cain; Script: Melissa Rosenberg & Sara Davidson

Guest Stars: Bruce McGill - Dicky O'Shea
Kathryn Morris - Charlotte Richmond
James G. MacDonald - Will Richmond
Michael Woods - Gerard Whitman
Bobbie Phillips - no character name given
Gemini Barnett - Billy Travis
Tim de Zarn - no character name given
Nancy Jeffries - no character name given
Alan James Morgan - no character name given
Kevin West - Powder Man
Chris Close - Jack

Judge Travis orders the Magnificent Seven to accompany a wagon train because it is threatened by landowner Dicky O'Shea: The Irish claims that part of the land to become the new home of the settlers is his property. As a security measure the seven escort them, one never know what O'Shea has in store - even after a trial proved that the settlers have the older rights to the land.

German title: The Settlers part 2 - Wagon Train part 2
Director: Christopher Cain; Script: Richmond Kletter

Guest Stars: Bruce McGill - Dicky O'Shea
Kathryn Morris - Charlotte Richmond
James G. MacDonald - Will Richmond
Michael Woods - Gerard Whitman
Bobbie Phillips - no character name given
Gemini Barnett - Billy Travis
Tim de Zarn - no character name given
Nancy Jeffries - no character name given
Alan James Morgan - no character name given
Kevin West - Powder Man
Danny Ohaco - Fife

O'Shea has hired an explosives expert to scare the settlers so much that they abandon their plan of settling on a piece of land that O'Shea - illegally - claims to be his. When some settlers are hurt some of them want to give in but the majority decides not to stand down. When they finally arrive on their land they managed to defend their land with the help of the Magnificent Seven.

German title: Lynching justice - The Trial
Director: William Wages; Script: Michael Nobell

Guest Stars: Michelle Phillips - Maude Standish
Carl Lumbly - Obadiah Jackson
Brad Greenquist - James Lightfoot
Patrick Cronin - Preston Wingo
Rick Dean - Sheriff Stains

When a murder is committed in a neighbor town Judge Travis asks the Magnificent Seven to keep the peace because the people are so enraged that they want to lynch the murderer. Nathan is shocked: The accused is his father Obediah. During the trial, thanks to Judge Travis, a fair one, it is discovered that Obediah really killed the man. But this happened 20 years ago when he still was a slave and the man mistreated him.

German title: Chinatown - Chinatown
Director: Christopher Cain; Script: Neil Landau

Guest Stars: Brad Dourif - Rupert Brainard
John Cho - Wo Chin
Barry Cullison - no character name given
Thomas F. Duffy - no character name given
Kathleen Luong - Li Paong
Tzi Ma - no character name given
Pat Skipper - One-Eyed man
Fabaina Udenio - Inez
George 'Kee' Cheung - Chung Sun
Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad - Dr. Chi-Chow
Jim Lau - Wo Chin's Uncle
Roland Nip - Trader

The Magnificent Seven are send out to take a closer look a building site of the railroad because for some time now Chinese workers have disappeared. Soon they discover that there are hate crimes committed in the railroad camp. A Chinese boy, whose uncle was killed, tries to take the law into his own hands because the head of the railroad company is corrupt and involved in some dirty deals.

German title: The Stray Bullet - Achilles
Director: Gordon C. Lonsdale; Script: Mark Haskell Smith

Guest Stars: Jack McGee - Big Lester Banks
Glynn Turman - Achilles Thompson
Dana Barron - Casey
John Hawkes - Thief
John Allsopp - Hiram Neuhaus
Krisinda Cain - Annie Neuhaus
Marley McClean - Winnifred
Christina Fredlund - Miriam
James Lomas - Undertaker
Paul Keith - Banker

JD shoots a man who is attempting to rob the bank. But during the gunfight something terrible happens: One of JD's bullets accidently hits an innocent woman, who falls dead to the ground. Haunted by his guilt he discovers that even his best friends can't look him in the eyes anymore. Totally despaired he decides to leave town when the brother of the killed bank robber decides to hunt him down.

German title: The Serial Killer - Penance
Director: Gregg Champion; Script: Don Michael Paul & Jeff Vlaming

Guest Stars: Lenny von Dohlen - Sirus Poppler
Siena Goines - Rain
Joe Lara - Pace McCormick
Blake Adams - Sledge McCormick
Amy Hayes - Miss Irene
Steven J. Olive - Banker
David Michaels - Showgirl
Jennifer Edwards - Josiahs Sister
Wendy Robie - Nun

When a rodeo show arrives in town Josiah also comes back from his tour to Vista City, which he does on a regular basis to get majorly drunk there. From time to time Josiah seeks comfort in alcohol. A girl is murdered and the officer in charge of the investigation thinks it's a serial killer whose latest victim was found in Vista City. Josiah is under suspicion - and even he can't remember what he did in Vista City.

German title: Bounty Huntresses - Lady Killers
Director: William Wages; Script: Melissa Rosenberg

Guest Stars: Rebecca Cross - no character name given
Ashlee Levitch - no character name given
Dana Barron - Casey
Gregory Scott Cummins - no character name given
Raynor Scheine - no character name given
Keith Brunsmann - Bart
Monty Stuart - Garber
Al Fleming - Burly Fellow

A gang lead by Darryl Spivak tries to break free one of their man when he's sentenced to death. A gunfight ensures between Spivaks men and the Magnificent Seven in which Kate and Mattie Stokes take part, two attractive women who claim to be bounty hunters. Buck falls for Mattie but then he finds out that the gunloving sisters were once part of Spivaks gang.

German title: The Obsessed - Obsession
No director or guest stars given for this episode

Ella, an ex-girlfriend of Chris comes to town to ask the Seven for help: She is being threatened by a land owner. The men drive to her ranch, were they enjoy the comforts that the house of their rich friend offers. When Ella confesses to Chris that she never stopped loving him Chris tells his friends that he'll stay with Ella on her ranch after the mission is over. A fatal decision because Ella has a dark past.

German title: The Snake - Serpents
No director or guest stars given for this episode

The debate about separatism is being brought to a boiling point when Governor Hopewell arrives in town - he is one of its biggest adversaries. At the same time the body of Lucius Stutz is found in a hotel room, he was a wanted assassin. The Magnificent Seven think that Stutz was in town to eliminate Hopewell and protect him. But then they find out that Mary was to be the victim of Stutz.

In the USA the last two episodes were never shown. Kabel 1 will show all of them. Let the last word be spoken by a female English fan: I love seven men at once and even for me, that's a record! In case you should ever read this, thanks a thousand times for being so fantasticly fantastic! Ezra, you are the most charming guy since Casanova and Chris, I love men in black and with guns. Thank you, thank you, thank you !!!!

Once again, I want to say thank you to Silvia and Danny for all their hard work.