I think Bart can be a prankster by not smarmy at all, he usually pranks those who deserve it or he pranks in a good nature way where no one would get seriously hurt. He wouldn't take advantage of anyone who couldn't take it or again who didn't deserve it.
I think both Maverick Brothers are actually more heroic than anti-heroes. They both care about money and will both scheme to get it and are both gamblers but they would never steal or take more than they earned honestly. And both Brothers would go out of their way to help those who are having problems. They don't go looking for trouble but they also don't run away if someone needs help.
I can see why you may think he doesn't have of a personality and that is because Bart's character is less pronounced. Most of Bart's episodes were written for Bret, the writers didn't really distinguish between the Maverick Brothers. But what I mean by the fact that Bart comes off more real and well rounded to me is he had the chance to break the Maverick character more often than Bret did. He got most of the more dramatic episodes and ended up showing more vulnerabilities.
Yeah, they both prank the bad guys and they thankfully never do anything that would physically harm anyone. That's not what I'm talking about; I just mean specifically that Bart seems to prank Bret more than Bret does Bart. Have you seen Two Beggars On Horseback? It seemed to me that Bart was pulling most of the pranking there, whereas Bret wanted him to settle down and stop being so silly so they could work things out. And I thought Bart was a little obnoxious at the end of The Rivals, too.
I totally agree there. :) They all seem a lot better than their Pappy's teachings make it sound like he is. (And yet when Pappy was onscreen, he seemed nicer than his teachings made him sound, too.)
Indeed, the fact that the scripts were written for Bret didn't help. I like the way you've been able to piece together Bart's character anyway, though. :) It definitely was all a matter of what Jack could bring to the role, since the dialogue was virtually the same.
I just mean specifically that Bart seems to prank Bret more than Bret does Bart. Have you seen Two Beggars On Horseback? It seemed to me that Bart was pulling most of the pranking there, whereas Bret wanted him to settle down and stop being so silly so they could work things out.
Haven't seen it yet but I know of the episode and I know Bret stops once he knows Bart is in trouble. I am sure Bart would have done the same if the opposite occurred. Usually Bret and Bart work together in the series and help each other but it's not uncommon for brothers to compete with one another from time to time. I always felt Bart was the younger brother too so I think it is natural for him to try harder to beat Bret. Bart knows how good his brother is so I am sure he does try hard to beat him, but I don't think he would have done anything to truly harm his brother (and same for Bret).
Unless my copy is cut and removed something Bret did, Bret didn't prank Bart at all in the episode (he only tried to sneak out of the hotel ahead of him), while Bart was doing the pranking (and claiming Bret pranks, even though Bret didn't do anything in the episode). But you're right, Bart definitely would have stopped had Bret been the one to get in trouble instead of him.
Bart is canonically the younger brother; Bret makes an offhand comment about it once.
I do love that they genuinely care about each other, no matter what pranking goes on. :) It's just that, as I say, pranksters are not my favorite character types. So when I see Bart pranking Bret while Bret seems mature enough not to do the same to Bart, I prefer Bret.
"So when I see Bart pranking Bret while Bret seems mature enough not to do the same to Bart, I prefer Bret."
Well Bret is the older one and maybe that is why he was portrayed as more mature. But I understand why you would prefer Bret more in that episode. I don't know if I would necessarily define Bart as the prankster though (maybe just in that ep). I think both Bret and Bart could pull off a good con.
I definitely would not have been into the show if Bret and Bart didn't have such a well written relationship and it wasn't shown that they genuinely care and look out for each other. I really wish there were more episodes of the two of them together and even some dramatic episodes that features both brothers (as most of their eps together were comedies).
I don't know what Bart eps you have seen but eventually I will list the ones I like best.
Yeah, it would make sense for him to be more mature when he's older. It wasn't just in that episode, though; it was also at the end of The Rivals, so especially since Bret got shown up by Bart in more than one episode, that caused me to figure Bart was the prankster in the family. But agreed, they're both great at conning the bad guys.
Indeed, I'd like to see more dramatic ones with them together, too. I think my favorite ones with both of them are the more dramatic ones: the first one Bart's in (where he was awesome trying to rescue Bret) and the one showing their backstory and how they started traveling when that hadn't even been their original plan. The one where they get mistaken for Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp had that intense part where Bret rushes to Bart after being told that Bart's wounded, but I wish they would have dragged the hurt/comfort out a bit after that instead of having it be not as serious as Bret was told.
Bart seems to get seriously hurt a lot, but it usually is when Bret is not around. I guess the writers back then didn't realize the potential of brotherly love hurt/comfort stories.
Also, Beau gets clocked a lot. I think there are more episodes with him getting knocked out than ones where he doesn't. Sometimes it even happens more than once in the same episode. He also has the misfortune to be accused of murder over and over again. No wonder Roger Moore wanted out.
It looks like Kelly & Moore got stuck with the same type of episodes. Although I kind of like those type because they are usually more dramatic. Some are definitely better than others though. But I do enjoy the more humorous eps as well.
I was thinking that the first and second seasons usually had dramatic plots more varied than just being accused of murder over and over again. I don't care for that because it bugs me to see a character I like accused of something he didn't do, but I do rather enjoy the knock-outs. Heh....
I think the first two seasons definitely had the strongest plots and the most variety, at least from what I've seen so far.
I don't mind the accusation of crime/murder charges as long as the episode is interesting but its probably hard to keep the episode interesting when you are repeating the same plot over and over.
At the same time I think it kind of works for the show because the Mavericks are drifters and gamblers, and while we know they are good when they are drifting into town where no one knows them well people are suspicious of strangers. There is also a theme of isolation which I like...but these episodes work best when its just a solo Maverick.
Indeed. Roger felt that the show started to go downhill when the creator left after the second season.
Yep. Some of them aren't too bad; my favorite of that ilk with Beau is probably A Bullet for a Teacher. It's really good and quite cute.
Yeah, it works for the show, but since it's not something I like to see, I get annoyed when it's used over and over instead of finding other plot angles. I agree about the theme of isolation working too. I had a plunnie some time ago of imagining the Mavericks continuing to wander after death and someone seeing either Beau's ghost alone or Beau playing cards with the other two and them laughing and still enjoying themselves. I was too sad to think of writing a plunnie where they're all dead, but I still like the imagery. Who knows, maybe I'll write it if I'm in a dark mood.
By the way, if you're interested in fanfics, Deana on FF.net is a friend of mine and she writes great Maverick stories with Bart. :) I've also seen some other Bart-centric fics popping up lately. Then I complete the circle by having Beau front and center (albeit the others are always there too).
I know Deana from the Hogan's Heroes fandom. I haven't really read any Maverick fanfiction but I saw there was only a page of fanfic (which kind of makes me sad). But I am glad at least you two are writing fanfic for it. I will check it out when I have the chance. :)
As much as I love Bart in terms of fanfic I most want Bart/Bret since there wasn't enough of it in the show for me.
Cool. I didn't remember she wrote for that. And yes, it's sad that the fandom is so small. Sigh.
She does have a nice brotherly h/c fic, and there a couple others written by other people. Someone else there is writing a fic that has all three Mavericks in it, which I need to get back to.... I slacked off the last time the website went down. I didn't entirely agree with their portrayal of Bret, either, but I love their Beau and I'm anxious to see how it all turns out.
I think both Maverick Brothers are actually more heroic than anti-heroes. They both care about money and will both scheme to get it and are both gamblers but they would never steal or take more than they earned honestly. And both Brothers would go out of their way to help those who are having problems. They don't go looking for trouble but they also don't run away if someone needs help.
I can see why you may think he doesn't have of a personality and that is because Bart's character is less pronounced. Most of Bart's episodes were written for Bret, the writers didn't really distinguish between the Maverick Brothers. But what I mean by the fact that Bart comes off more real and well rounded to me is he had the chance to break the Maverick character more often than Bret did. He got most of the more dramatic episodes and ended up showing more vulnerabilities.
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I totally agree there. :) They all seem a lot better than their Pappy's teachings make it sound like he is. (And yet when Pappy was onscreen, he seemed nicer than his teachings made him sound, too.)
Indeed, the fact that the scripts were written for Bret didn't help. I like the way you've been able to piece together Bart's character anyway, though. :) It definitely was all a matter of what Jack could bring to the role, since the dialogue was virtually the same.
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Haven't seen it yet but I know of the episode and I know Bret stops once he knows Bart is in trouble. I am sure Bart would have done the same if the opposite occurred. Usually Bret and Bart work together in the series and help each other but it's not uncommon for brothers to compete with one another from time to time. I always felt Bart was the younger brother too so I think it is natural for him to try harder to beat Bret. Bart knows how good his brother is so I am sure he does try hard to beat him, but I don't think he would have done anything to truly harm his brother (and same for Bret).
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Bart is canonically the younger brother; Bret makes an offhand comment about it once.
I do love that they genuinely care about each other, no matter what pranking goes on. :) It's just that, as I say, pranksters are not my favorite character types. So when I see Bart pranking Bret while Bret seems mature enough not to do the same to Bart, I prefer Bret.
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Well Bret is the older one and maybe that is why he was portrayed as more mature. But I understand why you would prefer Bret more in that episode. I don't know if I would necessarily define Bart as the prankster though (maybe just in that ep). I think both Bret and Bart could pull off a good con.
I definitely would not have been into the show if Bret and Bart didn't have such a well written relationship and it wasn't shown that they genuinely care and look out for each other. I really wish there were more episodes of the two of them together and even some dramatic episodes that features both brothers (as most of their eps together were comedies).
I don't know what Bart eps you have seen but eventually I will list the ones I like best.
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Indeed, I'd like to see more dramatic ones with them together, too. I think my favorite ones with both of them are the more dramatic ones: the first one Bart's in (where he was awesome trying to rescue Bret) and the one showing their backstory and how they started traveling when that hadn't even been their original plan. The one where they get mistaken for Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp had that intense part where Bret rushes to Bart after being told that Bart's wounded, but I wish they would have dragged the hurt/comfort out a bit after that instead of having it be not as serious as Bret was told.
I'll look forward to your list. :)
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Also, Beau gets clocked a lot. I think there are more episodes with him getting knocked out than ones where he doesn't. Sometimes it even happens more than once in the same episode. He also has the misfortune to be accused of murder over and over again. No wonder Roger Moore wanted out.
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I don't mind the accusation of crime/murder charges as long as the episode is interesting but its probably hard to keep the episode interesting when you are repeating the same plot over and over.
At the same time I think it kind of works for the show because the Mavericks are drifters and gamblers, and while we know they are good when they are drifting into town where no one knows them well people are suspicious of strangers. There is also a theme of isolation which I like...but these episodes work best when its just a solo Maverick.
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Yep. Some of them aren't too bad; my favorite of that ilk with Beau is probably A Bullet for a Teacher. It's really good and quite cute.
Yeah, it works for the show, but since it's not something I like to see, I get annoyed when it's used over and over instead of finding other plot angles. I agree about the theme of isolation working too. I had a plunnie some time ago of imagining the Mavericks continuing to wander after death and someone seeing either Beau's ghost alone or Beau playing cards with the other two and them laughing and still enjoying themselves. I was too sad to think of writing a plunnie where they're all dead, but I still like the imagery. Who knows, maybe I'll write it if I'm in a dark mood.
By the way, if you're interested in fanfics, Deana on FF.net is a friend of mine and she writes great Maverick stories with Bart. :) I've also seen some other Bart-centric fics popping up lately. Then I complete the circle by having Beau front and center (albeit the others are always there too).
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As much as I love Bart in terms of fanfic I most want Bart/Bret since there wasn't enough of it in the show for me.
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She does have a nice brotherly h/c fic, and there a couple others written by other people. Someone else there is writing a fic that has all three Mavericks in it, which I need to get back to.... I slacked off the last time the website went down. I didn't entirely agree with their portrayal of Bret, either, but I love their Beau and I'm anxious to see how it all turns out.
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