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In the American West, a cursed gun brings misfortune to those who possess it. The pistol’s origins are unknown, but its dark legend suggests that the weapon isn’t man-made. (Spoiler: it is not.) That’s the concept behind “Dead Man’s Gun,” a Western anthology series that aired on Showtime for two seasons in the late ’90s. But this is no ordinary Western series, as the episodes’ eerie plots and moralistic twist endings are more reminiscent of those of the “Twilight Zone” franchise<\/a> than your average horse opera.<\/p>\n The horror and Western genres make for strangely compelling bedfellows on “Dead Man’s Gun” \u2014 and it’s much more grim than, say, “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.,” a weird, horror-lite Western series starring Bruce Campbell<\/a> that aired on Fox just a few years before. For example, in the episode titled “The Ripper,” a Scotland Yard detective travels to the Old West to investigate a series of murders that point toward British history’s most notorious serial killer being the culprit. (I’m sure you can guess which one.) Meanwhile, “The Trapper” is more overtly spooky as it deals with spirits, but most viewers will root for the supernatural entity as the real villain is a human creep. The list goes on.<\/p>\n Other episodes are more down-to-earth, which is a testament to the variety “Dead Man’s Gun” offers. “The Twilight Zone” also provides a diverse range of stories, and fans of the Western episodes of Rod Serling’s classic show will find plenty to enjoy here. What’s more, “Dead Man’s Gun” and “The Twilight Zone” have another thing in common \u2014 great casting.<\/p>\n