Bonanza poster

Bonanza

★ 7.3 13K votes 1959–1973 14 seasons · 430 episodes Ended NBC
Rural & frontierCountryside, wilderness and frontier living.This show: 9/10Long-runnerA show whose sheer longevity shapes how it's watched.This show: 9/10Family sagaBonds and fractures across generations of one family.This show: 8/10Family-safeNothing to worry about with anyone in the room.This show: 8/10EpisodicSelf-contained episodes you can watch in almost any order.This show: 8/10WholesomeKindness and decency at the core, with barely a trace of cynicism.This show: 7/10Period pieceSet meaningfully in a past era.This show: 7/10Easy watchingLow-demand television where half your attention is enough.This show: 7/10
Rate this series
Starring
Lorne GreeneMichael LandonDan BlockerPernell RobertsBill ClarkVictor Sen Yung
Written by
David DortortFred Hamilton
Starring
Lorne GreeneMichael LandonDan BlockerPernell RobertsBill ClarkVictor Sen Yung
Written by
David DortortFred Hamilton
Ratings per Episode
246810
Votes per Episode
0100200300400

Bonanza Episode Ratings Heatmap

AvgE1E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9E10E11E12E13E14E15E16E17E18E19E20E21E22E23E24E25E26E27E28E29E30E31E32E33E34
S17.27.17.17.37.27.37.07.37.56.86.97.27.57.87.17.26.97.47.16.97.27.17.17.57.47.28.16.67.67.27.76.48.0
S27.37.48.07.37.57.27.07.37.17.36.87.36.67.57.36.87.57.47.27.37.17.76.67.47.67.36.97.57.36.97.47.57.17.47.6
S37.47.28.08.07.37.17.47.37.77.17.37.75.97.37.57.17.17.18.07.47.07.57.57.17.47.47.48.18.07.87.26.87.77.46.4
S47.37.37.67.57.17.37.87.07.47.27.57.57.86.87.46.87.27.47.37.36.87.66.47.57.46.98.06.97.47.66.18.07.07.47.2
S57.47.37.37.48.27.37.47.27.97.57.18.28.37.77.07.27.17.97.07.07.06.66.97.28.07.46.37.36.26.68.17.56.87.07.5
S67.37.67.66.97.77.57.37.16.57.27.68.07.67.27.78.07.17.37.77.56.97.46.97.67.46.47.37.16.97.86.86.87.06.77.4
S77.27.17.47.47.97.56.58.07.48.05.37.27.67.37.96.96.87.37.27.17.47.27.26.57.27.86.96.57.27.37.67.17.37.1
S87.37.27.27.47.37.26.88.27.47.56.77.57.27.47.77.17.27.27.27.87.67.87.36.97.87.57.37.26.87.76.67.86.66.67.4
S97.77.87.77.17.78.07.88.17.97.87.47.37.67.96.97.97.77.98.28.08.17.78.17.38.17.47.87.68.28.07.57.67.45.86.8
S107.67.97.67.67.77.97.27.57.37.56.46.97.28.37.47.38.17.77.67.57.76.97.88.47.87.17.87.77.47.97.9
S117.47.07.47.57.07.57.88.07.77.57.57.97.37.57.77.47.28.16.76.57.17.97.27.47.97.47.37.17.4
S127.47.27.37.07.47.87.67.57.47.87.27.26.57.27.37.56.97.86.37.27.07.17.87.98.27.67.88.26.4
S137.37.47.67.17.47.87.16.97.57.77.47.17.07.57.67.97.08.05.67.17.66.67.57.27.56.36.8
S147.48.17.36.97.97.46.97.37.27.38.27.57.27.26.67.6

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About

"Frontier decency as weekly comfort television"

Bonanza follows widower Ben Cartwright and his three very different sons as they run the Ponderosa, a sprawling ranch on the edge of Lake Tahoe, and get pulled into the disputes, dangers, and moral dilemmas of the surrounding frontier town. Each episode is a mostly self-contained story of range wars, outlaws, or ethical quandaries, resolved with plain-spoken decency. It's warm, unhurried, and old-fashioned in the best sense, carried by the easy chemistry between the four leads rather than serialized plotting or grit. Comfort viewing more than edge-of-seat drama.

Watch it for

the easy, lived-in chemistry between Ben Cartwright and his three sons.

Maybe skip if

you want serialized arcs, moral ambiguity, or fast modern pacing.

Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.

All Seasons

▶
Season 11959
7.28K3230h 32m
▶
Season 21960
7.37K3432h 54m
▶
Season 31961
7.46K3433h
▶
Season 41962
7.35K3433h 48m
▶
Season 51963
7.45K3434h
▶
Season 61964
7.35K3434h
▶
Season 71965
7.24K3333h
▶
Season 81966
7.34K3434h
▶
Season 91967
7.74K3434h
▶
Season 101968
7.63K3030h
▶
Season 111969
7.43K2828h
▶
Season121970
7.43K2828h
▶
Season 131971
7.33K2626h
▶
Season 141972
7.42K1515h 40m

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Lorne Greene Ben Cartwright, Bradley Meredith
Michael Landon Joseph 'Little Joe' Cartwright, Cpl. Angus Borden, Little Jim Slade
Dan Blocker Eric 'Hoss' Cartwright, Big Jack Slade, Hoss Cartwright
Pernell Roberts Adam Cartwright
Bill Clark Townsman, Barfly, Deputy Sheriff
Victor Sen Yung Hop Sing
Ray Teal Sheriff Roy Coffee
Martha Manor Townswoman, Saloon Girl, Blonde Saloon Girl
David Canary Candy Canaday
Bob Miles Townsman, Deputy Sheriff, Barfly

Crew

David Dortort
Fred Hamilton

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