Tales of the Texas Rangers

Rating:
Summary: Tales of The Texas Rangers
Review: I believe it was Herodotus who said that the Persians were taught from their youth to do three things: "Ride the horse, draw the bow, and speak the truth." Ranger Jase Pearson rides the horse, shoots the gun, and speaks the truth through eighteen true life stories of crime and detection set in mid-20th century Texas. As a prosecutor who has labored 25+ years in the rural South, I can attest to the authenticity of the stories. Almost any one of these cases could have happened in my jurisdiction. The mysteries are fun to listen to as you "help" Jase and his partner Clay Morgan winnow through the clues to bring the bad guy to justice. Pearson is a sort of cross between Joe Friday and Mat Dillon, with a little Sherlock Holmes stirred in. As good as Pearson is, however, he is not infallible. Several times you will want to grab him by the sleeve and pull him back onto the right track as he wanders down blind alleys.

Now for the quibbles: The characters are cardboard at best, and you occasionally encounter gender and ethnic stereotyping. Apparently forensic science has gone backwards since the 50's. The Rangers' crime lab does some things that would challenge modern crime labs. Pearson runs roughshod over the 4th and 5th amendments to the Constitution. Searches without warrants abound, as do arrests without probable cause. Pearson engages in several gunfights and displays superhuman marksmanship. He almost invariably "wings" his opponent without doing serious injury. Real gunfights just don't happen that way. As the Sundance Kid reportedly said to Butch Cassidy, in a gunfight you "aim for the middle. That way if you miss a little, it don't matter so much."

Despite the shortcomings, "Tales of the Texas Rangers" is an authentic, entertaining collection of radio plays that will give hours of listening pleasure.

Rating:
Summary: Dragnet meets Gunsmoke
Review: I believe it was Herodotus who said that the Persians were taught from their youth to do three things: "Ride the horse, draw the bow, and speak the truth." Ranger Jase Pearson rides the horse, shoots the gun, and speaks the truth through eighteen true life stories of crime and detection set in mid-20th century Texas. As a prosecutor who has labored 25+ years in the rural South, I can attest to the authenticity of the stories. Almost any one of these cases could have happened in my jurisdiction. The mysteries are fun to listen to as you "help" Jase and his partner Clay Morgan winnow through the clues to bring the bad guy to justice. Pearson is a sort of cross between Joe Friday and Mat Dillon, with a little Sherlock Holmes stirred in. As good as Pearson is, however, he is not infallible. Several times you will want to grab him by the sleeve and pull him back onto the right track as he wanders down blind alleys.

Now for the quibbles: The characters are cardboard at best, and you occasionally encounter gender and ethnic stereotyping. Apparently forensic science has gone backwards since the 50's. The Rangers' crime lab does some things that would challenge modern crime labs. Pearson runs roughshod over the 4th and 5th amendments to the Constitution. Searches without warrants abound, as do arrests without probable cause. Pearson engages in several gunfights and displays superhuman marksmanship. He almost invariably "wings" his opponent without doing serious injury. Real gunfights just don't happen that way. As the Sundance Kid reportedly said to Butch Cassidy, in a gunfight you "aim for the middle. That way if you miss a little, it don't matter so much."

Despite the shortcomings, "Tales of the Texas Rangers" is an authentic, entertaining collection of radio plays that will give hours of listening pleasure.

Rating:
Summary: Tales of The Texas Rangers
Review: Pretty darn good listening! Wish I could get more! If you like detective stories and especially things related to the real thing then you will enjoy these classic Radio programs.