Well howdy buckaroo! It's time for another History Channel Ultimate Collection and this time we're headed out west for some good old fashion cowboy fun; and no we're not talking about Brokeback Mountain kind of fun either. The History Channel released a boxed set of The Real West: Cowboys & Outlaws not too long ago and we finally got around to checking it out.

Hosted by Kenny Rogers The Real West aired in the early 90's and was met with a modicum of popularity. Western themed documentaries are rather commonplace, The History Channel put their own spin on the genre as you might imagine. The structure of each of these episodes is set up like so many other glimpses at historical personalities and events. A smattering of old photos, some bits of personal writings, news clippings, and a collection of scholars sitting around talking about the likes of Buffalo Bill, the Texas Rangers, and the ten most wanted of the time period are what you can expect in force.

Rogers does a superb job as the host and narrator of each episode and fans of his will undoubtedly faun over this show because of his involvement. While I'm not a big "country boy" I do appreciate Rogers' talent and ability to maintain a western motif. This show feels somehow more authentic because he's involved and he brings his charms to each and every episode. Narrative is a huge part of historical documentaries and in that regard The Real West couldn't have picked a better person for the job.

Now, as far as the episodes included in this boxed set you can expect to see a variety of topics for conversation. For the most part they pertain to specific personalities or group but some of the episodes feature broader topics for discussion that get a little vague in the detail department. Such is the case with any documentary and the finer the focus the better, so because of that there are a few in this collection that stand out the most.

The first disc kicks things off with a look at "Buffalo Bill & His Wild West" and "Wild Bill Hickok". Both of those documentaries offer a great amount of insight into the lives of William Frederick Cody and James Butler Hickok. Buffalo Bill's documentary was particularly interesting as it examines his life as a scout, soldier, showman, and prominently features his rise to celebrity status for the time period. Plays and stories were released depicting his accomplishments and adventures, as embellished as they may have been. Hickok's penchant for gambling and gun-fighting became legendary and this documentary chronicles his journey from the height of his fame to the moment in time he became irrelevant.

Disc two features some broader topics with "The Real West: Legendary Cowboys" and "The Law from Behind the Tin Star". The first documentary here talks about cowboys in very general terms and doesn't necessarily touch on specific personas of the time period. Rather the feature talks at length about the cowboy's involvement with cattle driving and how the legend surrounding them grew. The "Tin Star" documentary was much more interesting as it focused on the subject of justice and law in the Old West. Without police to maintain the peace everyone finished their business with a bullet. Hickok is brought into this documentary somewhat so some of the information is kind of redundant.

Getting over to disc three are "The James Gang" and "The Texas Rangers". The James-Younger Gang became notorious for their criminal activities and everyone of the era was paying attention to their actions. With Jesse James at the helm five other outlaws joined his gang to carve a dark legacy across the Wild West. On the opposite side of the coin are the Texas Rangers and this documentary examines the myths and facts about the legendary law enforcers. The last disc here includes "Outlaws: The Ten Most Wanted", which features the likes of Billy the Kid and Doc Holiday, and "The Guns that Tamed the West" which looks at the weaponry of the West.

If you're a history buff and love a good documentary then The Real West: Cowboys & Outlaws will undoubtedly entertain. The information is relatively light and the overall presentation of each documentary is a little hokey at times but at the end of the day each of them succeeds with what they intended to do. These aren't the best produced documentaries ever to come from The History Channel but with Kenny Rogers at the helm there is a certain something that makes them more endearing. Check this release out if you're interested in the Old West and you won't be disappointed.

Originally released in 1992, The Real West is presented on DVD with a full frame 1:33:1 aspect ratio. The video quality is on par with what you'd expect and there was virtually no touchup done for this transfer. That means the image is soft and fuzzy at times with an abundance of grain. With tattered black and white photos mixed in with interviews and reenactments the quality is all over the map but it's still decent as far as documentaries go.

As is the case with most documentaries you can't really expect much from the audio department. What's here is a serviceable Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo presentation but there's really nothing that particularly stands out about this release. The dialogue is clean enough and the music and sound effects balanced appropriately though the presence on the soundstage is quite meek with a flat unassuming sound.

In addition to the documentaries there are some textual bonus features to peruse through when you get to the last disc. Biographies for Buffalo Bill, Hickok, Jesse James, and the Texas Rangers are included, as well as a glossary of slang and rules to live by in order to survive in the Old West.

History Channel's The Real West: Cowboys & Outlaws is an entertaining look at the Wild West. With eight documentaries spread across four discs the content here is rather diverse though it does remain focalized on some specific topics. The quality of the documentaries does vary and the degree of information wavers as well but throughout it all the series is definitely worth watching. Kenny Rogers is a welcome narrator for the show and brings a certain level of charm to the program that authenticates it somehow. If you're interested in the material then you'll definitely want to pick this one up.

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