David (Gringo) Oyelowo portrays the titular icon, a man who some have claimed inspired the Lone Ranger, but in truth, Reeves simply embodies the exemplary attributes of John Reid. In a way, Reeves does so to such a coincidental extent that it makes one wonder why it's taken this darn long for him to make his way into his own series, even if a mini one.
A large portion of the Paramount show is fictional, in sync with Airship 27's anthologies, but the brunt of Reeves' entrance into law enforcement presses close to the truth, with our protagonist roaming the Indian Territory of Fort Smith, Arkansas, after he's been enlisted as a deputy marshal by Donald Sutherland's Honorable Judge Isaac Parker. Reeves' status, however, ascends gradually, commencing after Dennis Quaid's U.S. Deputy Marshal Lynn puts in a good word for him with the judge, praising his adventitious partner's pistol-shooting skills.
The series' earliest episodes are the standouts, defining Reeves' courage and conscientiousness. Later episodes dip more into his domestic life, which doesn't brim of much accuracy and feels more soap-opera trimmed. With that said, such sentimentality isn't too grand a hindrance when compared to most modern melodramas. (In other words, a little sap won't hurt anybody.)
Along with the top-notch Oyelowo, Sutherland and Quaid, the series' co-performers are also first-rate, with Lauren E. Banks, Grantham Coleman, Demi Singleton, Barry Pepper, Rob Morgan, Joaquina Kulukango, Lonnie Chavis, Heather Kafka (among others), giving the episodes identifiable resonance.
The Lawman buffer hints that Paramount is likely to produce other American Frontier tributes, which would be noteworthy, considering the tendency of certain studios to downplay historic virility these days, but I sure wouldn't mind a continuation of Reeves' legacy, for there's still a lot to detail from his extraordinary life, whether it be factual or fictionalized. Either way, the results would make for nothing less than quality entertainment.
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