• As a teen, I watched the series regularly and was definitely glad to see an Indian portrayed as an honorable human being for once. I, too, wish the series were available on DVD. I think the casting of Michael Ansara as Cochise was brilliant. He epitomizes the Cochise portrayed in the original historical novel on which both the film and the series were loosely based, Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold. I just checked and the book is still in print in a rather expensive paperback version. There are many inexpensive used copies available on any number of used book sites. If you enjoyed the series and/or the film, I highly recommend reading the book. The author really did his homework in regard to research and it gives you the broad perspective on the whole relationship between Jeffords and Cochise that could not be as effectively portrayed in a film or half hour episodes in the series.