Legend only lasted 13 weeks back when UPN was brand new. Most believe that UPN didn't give it a fair shot and cancelled it before it could build up it's audience base. With all the people who have since joined those of us that loved that show, I think UPN made a big mistake.
RDA played a dime novelist in the late 1800's named Ernest Pratt. The hero in his novels was Nicodemus Legend. Back in the days of the dime novel, the author was usually equated with the hero ... their pictures were used on the covers and a lot of times they were mistaken for their hero. This is part of the premise the show follows.
One of the things that make the character so memorable is that he is a womanizing, cigar smoking drunk with an inherent streak of honesty and honor ... 180 degrees
away from MacGyver.
Pratt, as Legend, is accused of moving a river in Colorado and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Pratt, who has never been to Colorado, goes there to try to clear his name. Upon arriving he notices several things. Electricity is free flowing there. Whenever he hears a boom of thunder, little arcs of electricity move over anyone wearing metal and the hair of one young man, Skeeter, is standing straight up in the air all the time.
To make a long story short ... it was a 2 hour premiere ... Pratt meets Professor Bartok who is a scientist originally from Hungary and he always manages to create these wonderfully crafted little gadgets. Bartok is the one who, posing as Legend, changed the course of the river. He did it to help the homesteaders who were being run off of their property by the bad guys. He and a very relunctant Pratt team up and Legend is born for real.
It's a show that didn't take itself seriously, was full of humor and fun stuff, and RDA.
Cheers,
