NBC’s The High Chaparral, created by Bonanza’s David Dortort, was a darker Western that ran for four seasons and nearly 100 episodes from 1967. Set in 1870s Arizona, it followed rancher Big John Cannon and his family as they defended their land, making the series notable for combining family drama, cultural conflict and a more adult tone than Bonanza.

The show differed from Bonanza by bringing together the Cannon and Montoya families, including through John’s arranged marriage to Victoria Montoya after the violent death of his first wife, Annalee. This created a story centred on two families and cultures learning to cooperate, while the series’ serious approach and willingness to begin with a shocking death set it apart from Bonanza’s more romantic and sometimes humorous portrayal of Western life.