MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE: OBSESSION {SERIES FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The series finale in this action-adventure Western series, based on the 1960 film of the same name, which was a remake of the 1954 film "Seven Samurai." In this episode, Ella Gaines' fancy party is interrupted by the arrival of "Handsome" Jack Averal, who gives her one week to marry him, thus giving him ownership of her land, or die. In Purgatorio, Mexico, Buck and J.D. arrive to "escort" a drunken Chris back to the States, and he wakes up in a cell to find Ella, his former flame, waiting to greet him. She reacts with shock to the news of his wife and son's deaths, explaining that she too has lost her husband and is now under threat from Jack, adding that his six friends have already agreed to help her fight him off for a hefty fee. Mary is taken aback to see Chris riding off with his former lover, and as they travel towards her home, Chris explains to Ella that he is still looking for the person who hired Fowler, the arsonist who killed his family. The Seven happily settle into Ella's lavish home, and Josiah takes up a curious Scottish sport as Buck encounters the buxom Hilda, who immediately takes a liking to him.
Ella and Chris begin to rekindle their romance, but her employee Luis then arrives at the ranch, having been shot by Jack as an "invitation" to Chris. Nathan is pleased when Doc invites him to work alongside him to repair the man's injury, and he peppers the physician with his detailed medical questions. Chris heads into town to confront Jack, and Jack offers to double Ella's fee if Chris will "join the winning side" and betray her, though Chris bluntly turns him down. Back at the ranch, Ella asks Chris to help break her horses, and J.D. helps Buck to hide from the overly amorous Hilda. Chris and Ella's relationship deepens as they share a romantic evening together, and when Jack returns with his men, the Seven manage to quickly chase them off. Vin is skeptical, wondering why they apparently walked right into an obvious trap, but Ella happily assures them that Jack will not return, and Chris reveals to his friends that he intends to give up his vigilante ways and stay with Ella permanently. Buck questions his friend about his decision, remember the tempestuous early days of his relationship with Ella, but Chris explains that she has renewed his belief in the value of "home and family."
Ella buys Chris a fancy suit for her dinner party and the men enjoy a relaxing evening at her home, but Vin reveals to Chris that Ella has lied to him and Jack is actually her employee. Chris refuses to believe it, and Buck begins to have a change of heart when he hears Hilda's beautiful singing voice. Chris finds himself unable to ignore Buck's warning and searches Ella's home late at night, and he finds a collection of odd newspaper clippings and photographs relating to him – as well as his own wife's locket. Ella catches him in the act and declares that she has always loved him, revealing that she was the one to hire Fowler out of a deranged sense of jealousy and hired Jack as a pretend threat to lure Chris back to her. Chris reels from the shocking news, and the Seven quickly take cover as her hired guns open fire on them. Hilda is shot as she attempts to defend her new friends, and "Doc" shamefully reveals to Nathan that he is not a real physician after all as they tend to her. Ella escapes on horseback, and Buck finally realizes his true feelings for Hilda as she dies in his arms. Later, Mary brings Chris a letter from Ella in which she states that she "forgives" Chris for not honoring their relationship and vows that they will someday be together. Vin admits that they have not managed to track her down, but Chris declares that he will get his revenge upon her "next time." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: The Nashville Network (TNN)
- DATE: November 30, 1999 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:07
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 125256
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western; Drama, action/adventure
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1998-1999; TNN - 2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Walter Mirisch … Executive Producer
- Richard Barton Lewis … Executive Producer
- Mark Stern … Executive Producer
- John Watson … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Pen Densham … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Melissa Rosenberg … Supervising Producer
- Lynne Symons … Producer
- Steve Beers … Producer
- Dennis C. Duckwall … Associate Producer
- Mark Haskell Smith … Consulting Producer
- Richard Kletter … Consulting Producer, Writer
- Kevin Dowling … Director
- Don Harper … Music by
- David Metzger … Music by
- Elmer Bernstein … Theme Music by
- Michael Biehn … Cast, Chris Larabee
- Eric Close … Cast, Vin Tanner
- Andrew Kavovit … Cast, John "J.D." Dunne
- Dale Midkiff … Cast, Buck Wilmington
- Ron Perlman … Cast, Josiah Sanchez
- Anthony Starke … Cast, Ezra Standish
- Rick Worthy … Cast, Nathan Jackson
- Laurie Holden … Cast, Mary Travis
- Kay Lenz … Cast, Ella Gaines
- Debra Christofferson … Cast, Hilda
- Sal Lopez … Cast, Luis
- David Selburg … Cast, Doc
- Jeremy Ratchford … Cast, Handsome Jack Averal
- Lola Glaudini … Cast, Maria
- Richard Danielson … Cast