Branded

Branded was a unique and compelling entry in the wave of Westerns that dominated American television in the 1960s. Starring Chuck Connors - already a household name thanks to The Rifleman (1958-63), the series departed from traditional shoot-’em-up tropes by focusing on the emotional and social fallout of disgrace, honour, and redemption. At its heart, Branded was a character study wrapped in Western garb, with Connors portraying Captain Jason McCord, a former West Point officer who is wrongly accused of cowardice and summarily expelled from the U.S. Army.

The series opens with what became one of the most memorable and symbolic TV intros of the era: McCord, uniform stripped and sword broken, is ceremoniously cast out, "branded" as a coward. This weekly ritual reinforced the central theme of shame and injustice that McCord must carry, not just in his heart, but visibly before the public. The character’s shame is made literal in his broken sabre, an artifact of honour now transformed into a constant reminder of humiliation.

Created by Larry Cohen, Branded was more than just a Western - it was an allegorical critique of the political climate of the 1950s, particularly the McCarthy-era blacklisting that ruined countless careers and reputations. McCord’s plight, as the lone survivor of the Battle of Bitter Creek, mirrors the stories of many who were "survivors" of political purges but left marked by suspicion, regardless of their innocence. Though McCord had lost consciousness and unwittingly survived the massacre, the military brass interpreted his survival as cowardice. This miscarriage of justice exiled him not just from the Army, but from polite society.

The episodic structure of Branded followed McCord’s wandering journey across the country, taking odd jobs as a mapmaker and engineer while slowly, and often painfully, uncovering fragments of truth that might one day clear his name. Despite this glimmer of hope, the show never delivers closure - McCord remains a man in limbo, his fate unresolved when the series ended after two seasons. It was a brave narrative choice for the time, reflecting the uncertainty many blacklisted figures felt even after public sentiment shifted. (Creator Cohen went on to devise another never-ending series; The Invaders.)

Connors carried the series almost entirely on his shoulders. Apart from a few recurring characters - notably his father, General Joshua McCord, played by the venerable John Carradine, he was the only consistent presence. His physicality and stoic yet wounded performance gave McCord a gravitas that made the character’s struggles deeply resonant.

Season one consisted of 16 episodes, mostly filmed in black and white, although a notable three-part story was produced in colour, perhaps as an experimental move toward expanding the show’s visual appeal. The tone throughout was sombre but dignified, matching the weight of its themes. The series was also notable for its sparse, sometimes melancholy atmosphere, a stark contrast to more action-packed contemporaries.

Though short-lived, Branded remains a fascinating, underappreciated gem of 1960s television. It stood apart from its peers by focusing on moral complexity rather than frontier justice. That its message remains relevant in the face of modern cancel culture and public shaming gives it a timeless, even prophetic quality. For fans of Westerns with substance - or television that isn’t afraid to grapple with injustice and ambiguity - Branded is a series worth rediscovering.