The Adventures of Brisco County Jr/YMMV


 * Angst? What Angst?: Played with in the pilot in regards to Brisco not seeming too broken up by his father's death. He reasons that with the old man a lifelong lawman, he had a very long time to prepare for him dying on the job. However, at the much later graveyard scene, Brisco is clearly in mourning and regrets not resolving their problematic relationship. Later episodes show that while he maintains his professionalism, Brisco doesn't take his father's death lightly and still misses him.
 * Ensemble Darkhorse: Pete Hutter was meant to be killed in the pilot, but Boam and Cuse were so impressed with the actor that it became a recurring role, complete with Running Gag of surviving in very unlikely circumstances.
 * Dixie Cousins very much so. She was always intended to be a recurring character (unlike Pete), but as part of a Love Triangle with Brisco having to decide between her and Amanda Wickwire. However, the actress made such an impression in the Pilot Movie that the writers altered their plans to retain only Dixie as a Love Interest.
 * Professor Wickwire. A nice, quirky borderline-Mad Scientist, who - unlike his daughter - was retained from the pilot to be a recurring character. Helps that he's played by John Astin, too.
 * Sheriff Aaron Viva may qualify, as he originally made a one-off guest appearance only to then play a major role in the two-part finale.
 * Funny Aneurysm Moment: At the end of "High Treason, Part 2," there is talk of further adventures for Brisco and Lord Bowler, but Bowler stresses "after a hiatus" first. The episode was shot as a season finale (hence the hiatus joke), but the series was cancelled over the summer break.
 * He Really Can Act: Let's face it, Bruce Campbell is one of those actors who really needs to do nothing more than be himself to get the audience invested. But a few scenes in this show, like Brisco's visit to his father's grave at the end of the pilot, show that he really can be an effective dramatic actor when he wants.
 * Magnificent Bastard: John Bly
 * Marty Stu: Brisco, arguably: Harvard lawyer, lawman, doctor, scientifically skilled, impossibly good shot, master of fisticuffs, card sharp, lady's man, ever cool, always on top of the situation...
 * Possibly a Parody Stu, given the tongue-in-cheek nature of the show.
 * In his autobiography, Campbell recalls that it soon got hard to read the pilot script, as his hands were shaking with excitement that this part was actually still available.
 * Retroactive Recognition: A very young Mercedes McNabb in "The Brooklyn Dodgers."
 * Too Good to Last: On the DVD, Carlton Cuse laments that had they been able to make it to a second season, the show probably could have lasted for a very long time.