Anyone watching "Texas Ranch House" on PBS?

[RRio]

(2) Back then, the Wife didn't have a say in the management of the ranch. She took care of the house and garden.. In Mrs. Cooke's appraisal; she and her daughters and Mora didn't even do that very well either. Hence, the Fly infestation due mainly to the unwashed days old dishes and poorly stored food. The manure in front of the home should have been cleaned up by them and not left sittin' there. Whether there be men about or not. They were jest askin' fer it. Also, the women would never have run around in their "mentionables" as they did on several occasions and would never have greeted the Cowboys home dressed that way either.

(3) Ranch Hands - wasn't too impressed with them either. Especially Robby, who was constantly reminding Cooke that he wasn't being treated respectfully in the decision makin' while at the same time - he was being disrespectful of Cooke. Well, that may be so, but, the Boss may or may not ask his Foreman's opinion on management issues, and what Boss says is final with no flip flap. If'n a man don't like the decisions, he kin ride out and find work elsewheres. The Foreman always backs the decisions of the Ranch Owner, and enforces it with the rest of the Ranch Hands. The whole bunch seemed ta' have abit of a Prima-Donna attitude. I'd have fired the lot from the beginning with exception only of Shawn who seemed willing to take over the duties as "Cook". Though he wasn't experienced, I thought he did an admirable job. That and the food looked pretty good, too! I didn't see any cowboy going ta' bed hungry, or with an upset stomach, or walkin' a fast pace ta' the outhouse!

I agree with everything you stated, especially those lazy assed women at the "big house". Absolutely no reason for the fly infestation except laziness. I was also absolutely appalled by them wearing their "unmentionables" in view of the hands, and anybody else, for that matter.

City slickers.

On your third section, I agree with you, but had Robbie not been there, the total thing would have been an complete failure. Robbie was the only reason that Cooke had any measure of success.

As for the Comanche issue, Magnolia and I watched the "Searchers" the next night and both agreed that we would have been kicked off the show as we would have played the Comanche issue like was done in the "Searchers". The first question to the chief would have been "are you my guest or my prisoner?  Choose your answer carefully".

Or maybe we wouldn't have asked any questions at all and just taken Jared and the horses back by force. 

I believe had I been the chief, I could have had a whole lot of fun with those pilgrams. Had they taken him prisoner, I guarantee because of their lifestyles, he could have escaped and then we could have had some real fun then. Imagine their reaction to find a couple of arrows planted in their front door the next morning.

[Big John Denny]

Well, I sat through all eight episodes of the show. I also sat through Colonial House and Frontier House. I do believe I won't bother to watch the next one they may come up with. As most have pointed out none of the players ever really take on the time period involved. It's a fact that men were in charge back then (don't tell your wifes that still applies today, it could get you hurt).

I am firmly convinced there is no way to accurately portray the lifestyle of a bygone era without using professional historical reenactors, who at least know how to do things right. Heck, the guys builing the corral and cattle chute didn't even know how to hold a hammer properly.

I think the show would have been a lot better if the ranch owner had been single. The wife and other ladies seemed to always be pouring gas on a fire.

I kept hoping it would get better, but it never did.