At a time when there were many Western series on Network TV, "The Virginian" usually had better scripts than most of the competition. Another strong point of the series was the outdoor settings. The original cast was also a strong one in most instances, but the frequent series cast changes were disconcerting to the point where trying to keep a continuing thread over the years became less and less convincing.. The Morgan Starr character was a mistake, which the producers fortunately recognized after part of one season. I never understood the inclusion of Randy Boone for Seasons. 2-4, where plot lines frequently found some reason for him to sing. This series wasn't a Gene Autry Horse Opera, so it was totally out of place. My guess is he was related to a producer of the series or somebody at the Network. A sign of the times is when episodes are now aired on TV, the original 90-minute episodes are 2 hours long. Why? Commercials, of course!