The Hudson’s Bay Company has a fascinating history. They were instrumental in the formation and exploration of what would become Canada, and their fur trading ports evolved into a collection of department stores and clothiers throughout the Great White North.
And in1959, someone had this great idea to create a television series that placed the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company into the context of a Western drama.
I kid you not.
This is the first of 39 episodes of the series Hudson’s Bay.
That’s Barry Nelson in the lead role; he would later achieve fame as the first actor to play James Bond in a filmed program, starring as 007 in an iteration of Casino Royale that aired on a CBS anthology series. Here, he plays Jonathan Banner, “Hudson’s Bay Man,” and as is de rigeur for all TV westerns of the time, he had a sidekick, Pierre Falcon as George Tobias.
Watching these episodes, however … ugh. This is the late 1950’s, so any depiction of Native Americans or First Nations people are essentially white actors in redface. Yeesh. And the plotlines and stories are barely above the level of an episode of The Lone Ranger.
And the Pierre Falcon character could definitely use an upgrade. He’s essentially the Pancho to Jonathan Banner’s Cisco. As in this episode, “Five Against Sunrise,” that French patois sounds more like a bad Charles Boyer imitation of “Come weez mee to dee Casbah…”
And as for the show representing The Hudson’s Bay Company … I’ve watched several episodes and I have not yet seen one single point blanket in the entire series. WHERE ARE THE DAMNED POINT BLANKETS THAT ARE THE TRUE SYMBOL OF HBC? WHERE ARE THE POINT BLANKETS THAT ARE THE UNOFFICIAL FABRIC OF CANADA?
I get it. This is 1950’s television. We’re not talking Masterpiece Theater or anything. But it would be the same concept if someone went to a streaming service and said, “I’ve got a great idea, let’s do a 39-episode drama series about the creation of Sears. I smell ratings!!”
By the way, if you’ve suffered through those first two episodes … brace yourself for this groaner. This is called “Blue-Eyed Squaw,” and hoo boy this episode has aged like manure.
So … only 39 episodes of Hudson’s Bay were ever filmed, and that might be 39 episodes more than anyone should see. But the fact that this show even exists at all … and can be watched right now on YouTube …
Yeah, I’m going to need some antacid.
And a point blanket.
Chuck The Writer 
I think this show lasted maybe a year? George Tobias became a bigger star a few years later in a supporting role on Bewitched.
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