The Inside Story of 1993’s ‘Bonanza: The Return’

Lauren Novak November 28, 2025

BONANZA: THE RETURN, from left, Richard Roundtree, Emily Warfield, Ben Johnson, Alistair MacDougall, Dirk Blocker, Michael Landon, Jr., aired November 28, 1993 — Gary Null/TV Guide/NBC/Everett Collection

What To Know

Bonanza: The Return, which aired in 1993, was a TV movie intended to revive the classic Western series for a new era by focusing on the next generation of Cartwrights defending the Ponderosa ranch.
The film featured notable casting choices, including Michael Landon Jr. and Dirk Blocker—sons of original cast members—playing new roles, while most of the original cast had passed away.
Despite its nostalgic appeal and mixed critical reviews, Bonanza: The Return did not lead to a series revival but is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

When Bonanza: The Return premiered on NBC on November 28, 1993, it was meant to bring one of television’s most beloved Westerns back to life for a new generation. The original Bonanza, which ran from 1959 to 1973, followed the Cartwright family at the Ponderosa Ranch near Lake Tahoe. Created by David Dortort, the series became one of NBC’s longest-running hits, and Dortort returned as executive producer for the revival film nearly two decades later. Bonanza: The Return aimed to continue that legacy, revisiting with the Cartwrights; though many of the show’s original actors had passed, the sons of several, including Michael Landon Jr. and Dirk Blocker, appeared in the film.

What happened in Bonanza: The Return?

Bonanza: The Return was set in 1905, years after the events of the original series. The story centers on the next generation of Cartwrights defending the Ponderosa against a land baron, Augustus Brandenburg, played by Dean Stockwell. Much like the original show, it blended moral lessons against the backdrop of the American West. Sadly, most of the original cast, excluding Pernell Roberts and David Canary, had since passed away. This time, it starred Ben Johnson, Jack Elam, Dean Stockwell, Linda Gray and Richard Roundtree.

BONANZA: THE RETURN, from left, Dirk Blocker, Michael Landon, Jr., aired November 28, 1993

Jeff Werner/NBC/Everett Collection

One of the most interesting aspects of Bonanza: The Return was its casting. Michael Landon Jr., the son of original cast member Michael Landon (Little Joe), played Benj Cartwright. Landon Sr. had passed away just a few years earlier in 1991. Dirk Blocker, whose father, Dan Blocker, played Hoss Cartwright in the original, also appeared in the movie as journalist Walter Fenster. It was a bittersweet casting decision since his father had passed away in 1972 during the final season of Bonanza. The film received mixed reviews from critics but felt nostalgic to longtime fans. It didn’t spark a revival or a reboot, but it reminded fans why they loved the original show in the first place.

Los Angeles Times said at the time, “The running time is filled out with a few superfluous flashbacks to the original series–in sepia tone–serving only as untimely reminders that it is possible for an ensemble cast to have chemistry.”