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Bonanza

1959 – 1973Show14 seasons431 episodesTV-PG

Action & AdventureWestern
73
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.3Metacritic–7.1

A nostalgic, wholesome western series about history and family.

Good for family movie night · kids · teens

Skip it if you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, laughs or brutality.

Shows with

Episodes

14 seasons · 431 episodes · best: S10E23 "The Wish" 8.4

Episodes

7.3
7.3
7.4
7.3
7.4
7.3
7.2
7.3
7.7
7.6
7.4
7.4
7.3
7.5

Story

America's Favorite TV Western

The High-Sierra adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their ranch while helping the surrounding community.

Feels like

  • Classic Western Drama
  • Patriarchal Family Saga
  • Nostalgic Americana
  • Moral Certainty
  • Iconic Theme Music
  • Historical Frontier Life
  • Wholesome Comfort Viewing
  • Generational Conflict
  • Traditional Storytelling

Cast

24 of 885 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Michael Landon, Christian Nyby, Robert Altman
Written by
Michael Landon, Leo Gordon, Larry Markes
Produced by
David Dortort
Music by
David Rose, Walter Scharf, Harry Sukman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

September 12, 1959 · January 16, 1973 · Ended

First aired
September 12, 1959
Last aired
January 16, 1973
Status
Ended
Length
14 seasons · 431 episodes
Age rating
TV-PG
Content
Violence
Genres
Western, Action & Adventure, Drama, Family
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
131 countries

Tropes

Faux Affably Evil, Remember the New Guy?, Criminal Doppelgänger +9

  • Faux Affably Evil
  • Remember the New Guy?
  • Criminal Doppelgänger
  • Monkey Morality Pose
  • Bar Brawl
  • Loud Sleeper Gag
  • Big Eater
  • Sinister Whistling
  • Never Going Back to Prison
  • Evil Uncle
  • Distressed Dude
  • The Lad-ette

12 of 140 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Bonanza?"

Questions about Bonanza

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Bonanza?

fuboTVPhiloThe RokuHooplaYouTube TVPure FlixShout! Factory TVFlixFling

In the United States, Bonanza streams on fuboTV, Philo, YouTube TV, Pure Flix, and FlixFling, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Hoopla, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, Fawesome, Xumo Play, Mometu, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from FlixFling. It also streams in 130 other countries.

Is Bonanza worth watching?

73
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 73 (IMDb 7.3).

Which season of Bonanza is best?

Season 9, with an IMDb average of 7.7. Season 7 is the weakest at 7.2. The highest-rated episode is The Wish (season 10, episode 23) at 8.4, and the lowest is The Strange One (season 7, episode 10) at 5.3.

Is Bonanza okay for kids?

TV-PGViolence

Yes: it's rated TV-PG in the United States for violence, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch Bonanza?

352 h

About 352 hours: 431 episodes in 14 seasons of about 49 minutes each, aired from 1959 to 1973.

Can I half-watch Bonanza?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 3 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Will I feel good after watching Bonanza?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for hopefulness and 8 for wholesome.