Lawmen: Bass Reeves | Series that doesn't do justice to history [ENG/SPA]

As a fan of cowboy stories, one that I knew was associated with the television series The Lone Ranger or as Latin America is known "El llanero Solitario", is that of Bass Reeves the first colored ranger whose exploits were legendary and transcended into history, inspiring series like this one, although in my personal opinion it doesn't do him justice.

Lawmen: Bass Reeves | Serie que no hace justicia a la historia

Como fan de historias vaqueras, de una que supe que estaba asociada a las series televisiva The Lone Ranger o como se conoce el Latinoamérica "El llanero Solitario", es la de Bass Reeves el primer ranger de color cuyas hazañas fueron legendarias y transcendieron a la historia, inspirando series como esta, aunque en mi opinion personal no le hacen justicia.

The more orthodox fans believe that the real story behind the 1949 television series is that of Bass Reeves, that's a whole debate, but what can't be denied is who this man was in real life, and no wonder that director and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, the creator of what I call: a universe of Wild West stories, wants to bring Bass' story to the present day.

Los fanaticos mas ortodoxos creen que la verdadera historia detras de la serie de television de 1949 es la de Bass Reeves, eso es todo un debate, pero no lo que no se puede negar es quién fue este hombre en la vida real, y no me extraña que el director y guionista Taylor Sheridan el creador de lo que yo llamo: un universo de historias del lejano oeste, quiera traer la historia de Bass a la actualidad.

_{Some of Taylor Sherindan's productions}

---

---

This series, which just finished its first season with episode 8 last Sunday, December 17, begins with the story of Bass as a slave in Mississippi, being taken to fight in the civil war by his master George Reeves. Bass carries his master's last name like many other slaves, but he has something special, he is very good in combat. After what appears to be a deception by his master, Bass escapes and takes refuge in Indian Territory.

Esta serie que recién culminó su primera temporada con el episodio 8 el pasado domingo 17 de diciembre, inicia con la historia de Bass siendo un esclavo en Mississipi, siendo llevado a luchar en la guerra civil por su señor George Reeves. Bass lleva el apellido de su amo como muchos otros esclavos, pero el tiene algo especial, es muy bueno en el combate. Luego de lo que parece ser un engaño de su amo, bass escapa y se refugia en territorio indio.

Here is where the series departs a little from the real story, and as I do not want to give any spoiler, the events recounted at this stage are somewhat crude and transcendental for the end of the season, the case is that Bass leaves the Indian territory, looking for who was his wife, form his family and is recruited as a ranger by Judge Isaac Parker, who comes to Fort Smith (Arkansas) to bring order as it is a territory without federal laws used by outlaws to hide, this judge learns of Bass's skills for combat and his mastery of Indian languages.

Aquí es donde la serie se aparta un poco de la historia real, y como no deseo dar spoiler alguno, los acontecimientos relatados en esta etapa son algo crudos y trascendentales para el final de temporada, el caso es que Bass abandona el territorio indio, busca a quien era su esposa, forman su familia y es reclutado como un ranger por el juez Isaac Parker, que llega a Fort Smith (Arkansas) a poner orden ya que es un territorio sin leyes federales usado por forajidos para ocultarse, este juez se entera de las habilidades de Bass para el combate y su dominio de lenguas indígenas.

Bass' real life stories are fascinating, he was a man of principle who is believed to have captured over 3000 outlaws and only killed 14 of them in self-defense in his 35 years as a ranger. He could not read and write, so the instructions for capturing and describing outlaws were read to him and he memorized every detail to go out in pursuit, never once making a mistake in catching the wrong man.

Las historias de la vida real de Bass son fascinantes, fue un hombre de principios que se cree capturó mas de 3000 forajidos y solo mato a 14 de ellos en defensa propia en sus 35 años como ranger. No sabia leer y escribir, así que las instrucciones de captura y descripción de los forajidos le eran leídas y el memorizaba cada detalles para salir en su búsqueda, sin equivocarse ni una sola vez en atrapar al hombre incorrecto.

One of my favorite stories and I think it is the most popular, in fact it was dedicated an entire episode in this new series, is the capture of two brothers, he disguised himself as a persecuted outlaw wanting to hide, he arrives at the cabin of a woman to whom he shows that even his hat was pierced by gunshots, he managed to gain her trust and she let these men who turned out to be her sons out of where they were hiding, and by the time dawn broke they were handcuffed without the need for violence.

Una de mis historias favoritas y creo que es la mas popular, que de hecho se le dedicó un episodio entero en esta nueva serie, es la captura de dos hermanos, el se disfrazó de forajido perseguido deseando ocultarse, llega a la cabaña de una mujer a la que le muestra que incluso su sombrero estaba agujereado por disparos, logró ganar su confianza y ella dejó que estos hombre que resultaron ser sus hijos salieran de donde se escondían, y para cuando amaneció estaban esposados sin necesidad de violencia.

What you can read about the exploits of this man is amazing, however, I think the series doesn't do him justice, although it shows him as a gentle man who loves justice and his family, it lacks the strength of a man who should project the image of a real vigilante, I don't think his interpreter David Oyelowo did a bad job, I think it's due to a weak wink.

Lo que puedes leer sobre las hazañas de este hombre es asombroso, sin embargo, creo que la serie no le hace justicia, aunque le muestra cómo un hombre apacible amante de la justicia y de su familia, carece de la fuerza de un hombre que debe proyectar la imagen de un justiciero real, no creo que su intérprete David Oyelowo haya hecho un mal trabajo, creo que se debe a un guiño débil.

That's because the story at one point becomes a quest for revenge that grows little by little, and seems to eat away at Bass, it can work perfectly if at the beginning of the series the character is not drawn almost as a warrior trapped in the body of a saint, and then become a vigilante and now an avenger in only 8 episodes, amid captures of fugitives and family conflicts, I think they could well focus on their captures ending with that of a last fugitive, the most dangerous of all.

Eso porque la historia en un momento se torna en una búsqueda de venganza que crece de a poco, y que parece carcomer a Bass, puede funcionar perfectamente si al inicio de la serie no se dibuja al personaje casi que como un guerrero atrapado en el cuerpo de un santo, para luego convertirse en un justiciero y a ahora en un vengador en solo 8 episodios, en medio de capturas de fugitivos y conflictos familiares, pienso que bien pudieron centrarse en sus capturas finalizando con la de un ultimo fugitivo, el mas peligroso de todos.

I don't know how was the acceptance of the general public and fans of Taylor Sheridan's series, after successes like Yellowstone and all its prequels, I don't know if it will have a second season, but the story of Bass Reeve has a lot to offer, hopefully they know how to guide better this time the story more focused on his exploits and away from the drama.

No se como fue la aceptación del público en general y los fanáticos de las series de Taylor Sheridan, tras éxitos como Yellowstone y todas sus precuelas, no se si tendrá una segunda temporada, pero la historia de Bass Reeve tiene mucho que ofrecer, ojala sepan orientar mejor esta vez la historia mas centrada en sus hazañas y se aparte del drama.

---

_{Images From my Paramount+ acount}