If you were to stop and think about "The Old West", it wouldn't take long for visions of showdowns, Indian attacks and cowboys to pop into your head. Though the motion picture industry has done its fair share of romanticizing the time period, Gunsmoke, one of TV's longest running dramas, probably had just as big a hand in popularizing these images of the West.

Gunsmoke: Season 2 -- Volume 1 features the first twenty episodes of the second season, which follows Marshall Matt Dillon's (James Arness) adventures in and around Dodge City, Kansas. He is often accompanied by his good-natured, but dimwitted friend, Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver, who would eventually go on to star in NBC's series, McCloud), local doctor "Doc" Adams (Milburn Stone), and Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), the owner of the Long Branch Saloon.

Each of the episodes follows a simple plot, most of the time revolving around the traditional "white hat vs. black hat" setup. At the same time, each episode also manages to bring in a slightly more complex moral issue that often serves as the show's centerpiece. In one episode, "Custer", Matt suspects a military deserter of murder. Although the military insists on trying the man for desertion, Matt is intent on having him tried for murder. Though the military trial would easily land the man in jail, Matt would rather see the man hung, even though he had little evidence to support his claim. The man manages to escape both trials, leaving Matt to ponder when his punishment will come as the soldier rejoins his troop at Little Big Horn.

In another, "Young Man with a Gun", Matt kills a gunfighter who comes to Dodge with the sole intention of killing Matt. The two meet in a showdown which Matt easily wins. A few weeks later, a young stranger comes to town looking for a job. Matt takes the stranger under his wing, only to discover that the stranger is the gunfighter's younger brother and his out to avenge him. Though reluctant, Matt accepts that he might have to kill the kid to save his own life.

Though most of the action seems pretty tame compared to other westerns, the moral issues are what make the show enjoyable and probably what helped it to last as long as it did. Even though there's no overarching plot that ties the episodes together, there is a bit of continuity with character's moral views which helps to keep the characters interesting. This does, however, lead to some episodes being a bit preachy.

Truthfully, I don't expect many younger viewers to give the series a second look (or even a first one), but don't let the series' age fool you since the quality is unmatched and incredibly enjoyable.