Line #47 Series/TheWildWildWest


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5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thewildwildwest_1.png]]
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7	''The Wild Wild West'' is a 1965-1969 Creator/{{CBS}} TV series created by Michael Garrison that combined two then-popular genres: TheWestern and SpyFiction ("Film/JamesBond on horseback" as Garrison summed it up). It follows the anachronistic adventures of two Secret Service agents roaming the [[TheWildWest Western United States]] during the UsefulNotes/UlyssesSGrant administration. James West (Creator/RobertConrad) is a borderline [[TheAce Ace]], the ladykilling ActionHero, while his partner Artemus Gordon (Creator/RossMartin) is TheSmartGuy, a GadgeteerGenius and a MasterOfDisguise.
8
9	The duo, who move around in a private train that serves as their headquarters, battles a wild assortment of [[MadScientist mad scientists]] and criminal masterminds, their most persistent foe being the EvilGenius dwarf Dr. Miguelito Loveless (Creator/MichaelDunn). Depending upon just how exacting a person's definition of {{Steampunk}} is, this series could be said to be the first high-profile example of the genre ever to appear on American live-action TV. More assuredly, it's the UrExample of CattlePunk.
10
11	Following the show's cancellation, two [[ReunionShow reunion movies]] were produced in the early 1980s. In 1999, ''Film/WildWildWest'', a big-budgeted [[TheFilmOfTheSeries feature film]] starring Creator/WillSmith as West and Creator/KevinKline as Gordon, was released.
12
13	In 2010 CBS announced plans for a {{revival}} series, to be helmed by Ronald Moore (''Franchise/StarTrek'', ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica\|2003}}'') and Naren Shankar (''Series/{{CSI}}''), but it never made it out of DevelopmentHell.
14
15	The series now has a [[Recap/TheWildWildWest recap page]].
16	----
17	!!Tropes:
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19	* ActorAllusion: At the end of "The Night of the Sabatini Death," Ned Brown, one of Artie's pinch hitters in the fourth season, mentions to Jim that on his vacation he's planning to fufill his dream: to spend time alone on a desert island. The actor was [[Series/GilligansIsland Alan Hale Jr.]]
20	* AndStarring: Ross Martin got this on the pilot and every season one episode... and on some season four episodes, due to the fact that [[RealLifeWritesThePlot he was sidelined by a heart attack for several shows]]; as a result, those episodes produced/aired after the attack in which he appears (such as "The Night of the Diva") include an "And" above his credit, while the ones in which he doesn't (such as "The Night of Miguelito's Revenge"), don't.
21	* AnimatedCreditsOpening: The episodes are introduced by a short, stylized cartoon which portrays a gunslinger foiling various evildoers, followed by the actual credits superimposed over drawings of the Wanderer.
22	* AppliedPhlebotinum: If Artie has any kind of college degree, it's probably in this. He and the various villains come up with endless variations.
23	* AsLongAsItSoundsForeign: Most of the English-speaking foreigners who appear in the series.
24	* ATeamFiring: Averted. The bad guys rarely come out of gunfights unscathed and even the good guys get hit on occasion (this happened most often in the third season - see "The Night of the Amnesiac," "The Night of Jack O'Diamonds" and "The Night of the Death Masks").
25	* BaitAndSwitchCredits: The heroic cowboy who's meant to represent Jim West in the AnimatedCreditsOpening is dressed practically like any other cowboy and punches a woman who was going to stab him. In the show proper, West favors expensive suits and WouldntHitAGirl.
26	* BaseOnWheels: The ''Wanderer'', the private train of West and Gordon. The duo's weapons, gadgets and disguises are stored in it.
27	* BloodlessCarnage: Of the "small amount of blood" variety.
28	* BondVillainStupidity: Almost every villain in the series puts Jim and/or Artemus into a death trap... and leaves the room.
29	* CanonDiscontinuity: Three different versions of a tank turn up over the course of the series - two invented by villains, one by Artie. The agents don't seem to retain any memory of the previous times such a device appeared.
30	* CattlePunk: More or less invented the genre.
31	* CharacterAgedWithTheActor: In the reunion movies.
32	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Due partially to EarlyInstallmentWeirdness and partially to behind-the-scenes drama, the first season is noticeably different from the others in terms of Artie's characterization and the relationship between the agents.
33	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome:
34	** Jim's valet, Tennyson, disappears after three episodes as suddenly and mysteriously as he arrived.
35	** Also Loveless's ladyfriend Antoinette (unlike Tennyson, she at least gets replaced. Three times).
36	* CommercialBreakCliffhanger: At least OnceAnEpisode, and usually more than once (the better to enhance the IdiosyncraticWipes with).
37	* ComicBookAdaptation: A series of comic books based on the series were released by [[Creator/GoldKeyComics Gold Key]]. In 1990-1991, a small publisher called Millennium produced a second series based on the show.
38	* CoolTrain: The Wanderer, West and Gordon's mobile headquarters.
39	* CostumeDrama: Very much so, especially after the series went to color in the second season.
40	* CreateYourOwnVillain: The first reunion movie features a young man seeking revenge on James West for killing his father. [[note]] Or, to be more precise, causing his father to die from ulcers brought on by West repeatedly foiling his plans for world domination. It was Loveless's son[[/note]]
41	* DeathTrap: Most episodes, especially in season one, from the classic DescendingCeiling to a glass box specially rigged to become a GasChamber if escape was attempted.
42	* DeceptionNoncompliance: In "The Night of the Death-Maker". A group of monks at the Santa Paula Monastery make and sell wine. When their monastery is taken over by the villains, they subtly change the taste of their wine as an S.O.S. signal.
43	* DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: In the second TV movie, Artemus Gordon hums the main theme from the show while getting ready in front of a mirror.
44	* DisguisedInDrag: Artie in the first reunion movie, and ''twice'' on the original series ("The Night Of The Freebooters and "The Night of the Green Terror").
45	* DistressedDude: The agents end up in this situation with rather astonishing frequency.
46	* EasyEvangelism: If the villain has a beautiful female assistant (and they almost always do), Jim can usually get them to switch sides with five minutes of heartfelt conversation or less, regardless of how fanatically loyal they previously were. (Exceptions: Astarte in "The Night of the Druid's Blood," Antoinette in the first five Loveless episodes, Elaine in "The Night of the Vicious Valentine," Carlotta in "The Night of the Bubbling Death" and Dominique in "The Night of the Watery Death".)
47	* {{Fanservice}}:
48	** For those who like guys, a frequently shirtless Robert Conrad and his penchant for sporting ''very'' tight pants.
49	** For those who like ladies, see GirlOfTheWeek.
50	* FauxFluency: Averted for the most part, at least in Ross Martin's case. He really could speak most of the languages Artemus Gordon uses.
51	* {{Flynning}}: Jim and Artie both get to indulge in this from time to time.
52	* GadgeteerGenius: Both heroes and villains fall into this category. Interestingly, occasionally the heroes' gadgets don't work properly, notably in "The Night of the Deadly Bubble" [[spoiler: when Jim and the GirlOfTheWeek are trapped in a room filling with steam; the explosives Jim tries to use to get out won't light because the matches are too damp. You'll just have to watch the episode to see how they escape.]]
53	* GenreBusting: An oddball combination of TheWestern and Franchise/JamesBond-[=like=] SpyFiction with occasional forays into sci-fi and the supernatural. It is the UrExample of CattlePunk.
54	* GirlOfTheWeek: The series ''is'' inspired by the Franchise/JamesBond franchise, after all. Almost every episode features a beautiful young woman for the hero(es) to romance - often ''more'' than one.
55	* GoodOldFisticuffs: And how; Conrad has been quoted as saying it's perhaps just as well the show was canceled when it was, as making it was so physically taxing for him and the stunt crew. Plus, unlike many TV stars of that time (and this time), it's clearly Conrad doing most of his own stunts. One of these stunts very nearly got him killed.
56	* GorgeousPeriodDress: There is a great deal of finery to be seen on the main characters and the guest stars alike.
57	* GrapplingHookPistol: Jim's Derringer can be converted into one.
58	* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: Allows the heroes to escape from imprisonment numerous times.
59	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Presidents Grant and Juárez.
60	* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Every episode title begins with "The Night...", and usually "The Night of the..." (although technically season 1's "Night of the Casual Killer" is the only exception).
61	* IdiosyncraticWipes: The last shot of every act was freeze-framed into either a textured picture (season 1 post-pilot), a tinted still (early season 2) or a drawing (in the pilot, and from mid-season 2) that took its place among the series's title design. This led to some painfully obvious posed shots (such as act 1 of "The Night of the Torture Chamber") and a tendency to advertise the upcoming freezeframes by a rapid zoom in (see "The Night of the Arrow," "The Night of the Undead" and any episode directed by Irving J. Moore - which is pretty easy, as he helmed more episodes than anyone else). (Also, the FadeIn of the series title completed the wipe.)
62	* IdiotBall: Loveless's genius is demonstrated enough times for it to not be an InformedAbility, but having encountered Artie in disguise in several episodes, he's still fooled every time... especially since Count Manzeppi, in only his second (and last) episode, ''immediately'' realises "Uncle Hansi" is actually Artie:
63	--> '''Count Manzeppi''': [[CommercialBreakCliffhanger Don't shtumble on the vay up, Mr. Gordon.]]
64	* ImprovisedWeapon: In a pinch, the agents will often resort to any weapon-like item available - a chair, a bottle, a frying pan... even a turkey's leg bone [[spoiler: "The Night of the Murderous Spring"]].
65	* TheInfiltration: One of Artie's primary weapons, though Jim also tries his hand at it on occasion. An infiltration of some kind seems to be required in every other episode.
66	* InstantMessengerPigeon: At least four of them - Henry, Henrietta, Annabella and Arabella.
67	* InstantSedation: Artie's bright red knockout gas. Also any such gas used on the agents.
68	* KarmicDeath: The fate of many a VillainOfTheWeek.
69	* LargeHam: Quite a few. Many of Artemus Gordon's assumed identities fall into this category as well.
70	* LighterAndSofter: The reunion movies are very much comedies, to the point of {{camp}}, while the original series is a drama. (The reunion movies were from the writer-director team behind ''Film/SupportYourLocalSheriff'', which explains a lot.)
71	* MadScientist: Many of the villains.
72	* TheMainCharactersDoEverything: James and Artemus are Secret Service agents employed by the Department of the Treasury. Technically, their job is to track down and stop counterfeiters (which they actually ''do'' sometimes - see "The Night of Sudden Death" and "The Night of the Circus of Death")... and that's it. In reality they act much more like U. S. Marshals.
73	* MeanBoss: The agents tend to have these, particularly in the first two seasons before Colonel Richmond showed up. Colonel Armstrong in "The Night of Eccentrics", is a good example, but far from the only one.
74	* MrFanservice: Robert Conrad is very easy on the eyes, and the series does not shy away from the fact. Conrad would joke that the pants he wore on the set were so tight they would tear if he turned the wrong way.
75	* NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: Any weapon wielded by a villain far in advance of real late 19th century technology will be this, to explain why nobody ever heard of it again after Jim and Artie destroy it and kill its owner.
76	* {{Novelization}}: "The Night of the Double-Edged Knife" was turned into a paperback novel, simply titled ''The Wild Wild West'', by Richard Wormser.
77	* PaperThinDisguise: Most of Artemus' disguises are this, although none of the other characters (even genius Loveless) realize that it's Artemus wearing a disguise.
78	* ProchronicProduct:
79	** Set in the early 1870s, throughout the series West and Gordon face up against numerous {{Mad Scientist}}s, several of which have invented a variety of futuristic gadgets and devices including: radio controlled missiles (The Night of the Steel Assassin), a homing torpedo (The Night of the Watery Death), advanced plastic surgery (The Night of the Ready-Made Corpse), a matchmaking computer (The Night of the Vicious Valentine) and a tank (The Night of the Juggernaut). The episodes nearly always end with their inventor dying and thus their discovery lost, with either Artie occasionally mentioning the shame at the loss or it being stated their tech was taken in by the government but it's predicted it will take the scientists years to figure out how to replicate it.
80	** The standout example of the series being West and Gordon's personal Archenemy [[EvilGenius Doctor Miguelito Loveless]] who regularly invents inventions decades ahead of his time; in his first two appearances alone he has already perfected light bulbs, cathode tubes, electric fences etc. Loveless is a misanthropic criminal mastermind who makes it absolutely clear he has no interest in his inventions benefiting anyone by himself, though Jim and Artie still occasionally marvel at or mock his technological innovations.
81	* PunnyName[=/=]EpunymousTitle: The Wild Wild... James West?
82	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Colonel Richmond and President Grant.
83	* RecurringCharacter: Colonel Richmond, played by Douglas Henderson, and Roy Engel as President Grant.
84	* RecycledPremise: A number of episodes involve threats against President Grant (admittedly TruthInTelevision, given how prone Presidents are to death threats).
85	* RecycledSoundtrack: Episodes used music from ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}'' (like "The Night of the Running Death") and, believe it or not, ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' (see "The Night of the Bleak Island" and "The Night of the Winged Terror, Part 2"). Even more bizarrely, the latter show returned the favour – the episode "Face of the Dragon" borrows music written for "The Night of the Sedgewick Curse"!
86	* RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear: The vast majority of the audience isn't fluent in Morse code, so when a message comes in over a telegraph it will often get a running translation into spoken English for no apparent reason.
87	* ReunionShow: The TV Movies ''The Wild Wild West Revisited'' and ''More Wild Wild West''.
88	* RoguesGallery: Dr. Miguelito Loveless and Count Manzeppi are the only recurring main villains. But there's also Loveless' loyal assistants Antoinette and Voltaire - although Antoinette vanishes during season 2 and Voltaire never appears after season 1 (unlike his portrayer Creator/RichardKiel, who returns in another role in "The Night of the Simian Terror").
89	* RubeGoldbergHatesYourGuts: Many of the death traps on the series, allowing time for the hero(es) to escape.
90	* ShirtlessScene: Jim West gets a lot of these.
91	* ShoePhone: The show features exploding billiard balls, cigars that play a variety of tricks and deadly pool cues, among other things.
92	* ShownTheirWork: In at least one episode, the villains attempt to poison the protagonists with "prussic acid". This is, in fact, the term that was used for hydrogen cyanide during that time period.
93	* SlippingAMickey: Besides a good conk on the head, the most frequent method used to incapacitate one or both agents.
94	* SpecialGuest: Among those who played guest villains were Creator/EdAsner, Creator/RobertDuvall, Creator/BorisKarloff, Creator/HarveyKorman, Creator/MartinLandau, Creator/IdaLupino, Creator/BurgessMeredith, Creator/RicardoMontalban, Creator/AgnesMoorehead, Creator/LeslieNielsen and Creator/CarrollOConnor.
95	* SpiesAreLecherous: Whilst both remain perfect gentlemen, both secret service members [[TuxedoAndMartini Jim West]] and [[MasterOfDisguise Artemus Gordon]] regularly seduce and end up with a lot of different women. Jim in particular often succeeds in causing the villain's female associates to switch sides, at least partially through seduction. Though occasionally it will turn out the GirlOfTheWeek already has a lover, who she'll go off with or a goal she intends to do, causing her to leave at the end.
96	* {{Steampunk}}: Between steam and various kinds of AppliedPhlebotinum, the characters manage to invent devices many, many years ahead of their time.
97	* SteampunkGadgeteers: One of the heroes and about half of the villains.
98	* StockScream: The same scream is used by [[spoiler: Major Allenby-Smythe]] in "The Night The Dragon Screamed," [[spoiler: Martin Dexter (in spite of his not falling at the time)]] in "The Night of the Tottering Tontine," [[spoiler: O'Reilley]] in "[[Recap/TheWildWildWestS3E2TheNightOfTheFirebrand The Night of the Firebrand]]" and [[spoiler: Clarence (meaning Ben Wright got it twice, as he also played the Major)]] in "The Night of the Sabatini Death." Among others.
99	* TechnicolorScience: Used lavishly once the series went to color.
100	* TemporarySubstitute:
101	** When Artie is temporarily assigned to Washington (to cover for Ross Martin's absence while he recovered from a heart attack), Jim gets a new partner, Jeremy Pike, who also happens to be a MasterOfDisguise and a dab hand with gadgets.
102	** Pike was himself briefly replaced by Frank Harper, who was basically Jeremy Pike with a different actor.
103	** Averted with Ned Brown, probably West's only partner who doesn't go in for disguises or gadgetry. Also averted with Sir Nigel Scott [[spoiler: (not least with his being TheMole)]].
104	* WakingUpElsewhere: Very frequent occurrence.
105	* WigDressAccent: Artemus Gordon's disguises are generally of this variety.
106	* TheWildWest: So wild they had to say it twice!
107	* WouldHitAGirl: Seen in the opening credits sequence during three of the four seasons. In the first season the lady pulls a knife on Jim while they kiss, but then just...lets him walk away.
108	* WrittenInAbsence: Ross Martin's health problems forced him to sit out a few episodes, which led to several [[TemporarySubstitute substitutes]].

Context Series / TheWildWildWest