Gunsmoke
Get out of Dodge!
Created by John Meston
On CBS
A long-running Western procedural centered on a marshal maintaining order in a frontier town, balancing episodic case resolution with occasional deeper character work across 635 episodes.
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.
Clusters
Where to watch
- StreamParamount+, Philo, Peacock
- FreeParamount+
Questions people ask
Is Gunsmoke violent? Somewhat. More violent than 71% of series.
Is Gunsmoke easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 66% of series.
Is Gunsmoke scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 59% of series.
Is Gunsmoke sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Does Gunsmoke leave you hopeful? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Gunsmoke, and what each one shares →
Like Gunsmoke
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Gunsmoke
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Gunsmoke, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Gunsmoke, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Gunsmoke, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
