The Seekers
Tags: melodrama

Plot synopsis:
In 1821, a British sailing ship, the Becket, anchors on the New Zealand coast. Philip Wayne (Hawkins) and Paddy Clarke (Purcell), respectively First Mate and Bos'un, land to explore. They discover a Māori burial cave, but are captured by the local tribe. Accused of sacrilege, they manage to impress the tribesmen enough to be offered a trial by challenge, which Wayne succeeds in. The Māori chief, Hongi Tepe (Inia Te Wiata) is impressed enough to adopt Wayne, and allot him a portion of land. The sailors return to the ship.
Back home, they are set up by the corrupt Captain Bryce on charges of smuggling contraband and arrested. Found guilty, they manage to pay the heavy fine. Wayne, now married to Marion, returns to New Zealand with Clarke to start a colony.
A village grows slowly and a tenuous peace is established with the local Maori, although some remain hostile. Marion starts teaching English, and also Bible classes.
The Becket returns and Wayne confronts Bryce, who is found to be smuggling shrunken heads of dead Maori captives into Britain as potentially profitable 'souvenirs'. News later arrives by the six-monthly ship that Wayne has been appointed a Justice of the Peace, and also that he and Clarke have been exonerated by a court of appeal.
Wishart, a new arrival, accidentally shoots a Maori warrior dead. Wayne's determination to dispense justice is put to the test. Two of the tribes declare a peace treaty with each other, but another tribe prepares for war against the colonists.
War breaks out, and the colonists are forced to defend themselves. Initially victorious because of their modern weaponry, the colonists find themselves under siege. Eventually, the Maori overrun them and all colonists are killed. The sole survivor is Richard, Marion and Philip's young baby, who is found and adopted by Hongi Tepe, who had come to their aid.

Review: historical drama at it's best. "the Seekers" is the third and last mini-series based on John Jakes best-selling Bicentennial books about the fictitious Kent family. Here the focus shifts from Philip Kent, played in the 1st two by Andrew Stevens, but here by Martin Milner to show how much time has passed), to his son Abraham and his stepdaughter Elizabeth. Abraham, played well by Randolph Mantooth of "Emergency" fame, briefly fights the Indians under Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne, abetted by William Clark and Meriweather Lewis, but finds the military no life for him. Returning he is conflicted over his feelings for Elizabeth,played by a very young, very slim Delta Burke! and his Father's desire for him to go into the printing business. Eventually with Elizabeth's encouragement, he decides adventure out west is the way to make his own life, much to his Father's consternation.Abraham and Elizabeth make a noble effort at farming and despite rogues like Pell, who only desires whiskey and Abraham's new wife Elizabeth, they do get help from the Clappers, erstwhile swedes who carry them till their corn crop comes in. Robert Reed, Mr. Brady!, is good as Mr. Clapper. With their young son Jarrod, it seems the Kent's have a shot a a good life. Alas, not so, farming is hard and unforgiving and when tragedy besets them, Abraham returns to Boston with his young son. There is a scene that will rip your heart out here, but I won't spoil it, watch and try not to cry! The fact that many young peop0le went through this in real life makes it all the more poignant.Abraham can't get a grip and loses custody of Jarod to his good-hearted, but frail brother Gilbert and his somewhat shrewish wife Harriet. Perfectly played by the aptly named Harriet Karr. So the torch is passed to a new generation; Jarrod and his young cousin Amanda. Timothy Murphy and Sarah Rush play the parts and both are good, despite that they never became "name" actors. Rush is particularly persuasive and appealing.Jarrod fights nobly in the war of 1812, but makes a bad enemy of the debauched Hamilton Stovall (George Hamilton, proving he's more than just a tan). Uncle Gilbert dies and even the outstandingly decent Mr. Pleasant, played by Ross Martin of "Wild Wild West" fame, can't save Kent and Son's from bad sorts. The worst of these is Mr. Piggott, a smarmy Hugh O'Brian, who deceives Harriet into marriage while eying poor Amamda. Just when you think it couldn't be worse, Stovall returns and Jarrod runs, literally, west with Amanda in tow.The West is still hard. Nearly killed by evil Captain Drew, played by Neville Brand of "Laredo" fame, they are shown gratitude by Rosey Grier and sent on their way, though neither knows where they're going. Amanda and Jarrod, close as can be, run afoul of the devious Rev. Blackthorne, played well by Stuart Whitman, he, along with every other red-blooded man, has noticed Amamda's striking looks. The dialog here is something to hear! Nice writing John! Jarrod is left on his own, guess what happens? and hooks up with fur-trader Elijah Weatherby, an excellent Brian Keith, to seek that which is lost.The mood, historical fun, music and sheer heartbreak just suck you in. They improve considerably over the book and Jakes himself has a cameo. Beware Stovall! I don't want to give away the ending, except to say your heart will break along with Jarrod's, but it's a terrific ending. The books view of native Americans is changed here and it's for the better too, making all the tragedies a little more palatable.It thought this the best of the Kent mini-series and enjoy watching it over and over. The relationship between Jarrod and Amanda is particularly moving and if you enjoy this, read the books! Amanda's story is cont well in the 4th novel, "The Furies" All in all this is as good as historical fiction gets, right up there with North and South and the Blue and the Gray.. I enjoyed The Kent Chronicles trilogy!. Filmed in 1979, this trilogy still feels fresh. Even though the most important events receive very brief attention, the viewer still feels the experience of life in those times. The books by John Jakes were very much enjoyed by many people. As I say, I could hardly stop watching the nine hours of historical fiction! I haven't seen this before. I think the sex and bosoms are unnecessary distractions, and not very historical!!! However, they do add interest!!! I very much enjoyed seeing so many of my favorite actors in cameo roles, too.. AWful Awful Awful. This the tale of a selfish gene,embodied in 4 generations of a family mostly named Kent.Kent men were,as a rule,not to bright and not prone to make good judgment calls.Frequently their heart ruled their heads and frequently they were in trouble. The Kents were frustrated action men I suppose.Anytime they entered into a field of conflict they seemed to harm bystanders,rather than the object of their ire. The story rambles through hours and hours where well-known actors do "bad guy" cameos and are thankfully dispatched quickly.The only "good guy" who is on the side of right and god is,Grizzly Brian Keith.More strength to his elbow,I say. I thought the story was pretty bad,almost funny at times but by and large an ordeal to watch.The third part,"The Seekers" descended into high farce and little Jarrard Kent's escapades were akin to those of Huck Finn. I would never watch this poorly acted,disjointed,poorly scripted flick again.Gets a big "OH DEAR" from me.. Randy Mantooth at his BEST!!!!!!!!!!. Even though he was only in the first part of the 2-part miniseries, Randy Mantooth delivered an excellent performance in the portrayal of Abraham Kent. I think it's quite unfair that he was not even nominated for the Emmy for Best Actor in a miniseries. Delta Burke was equally impressive as playing Elizabeth. (Even though Delta insisted on wearing a wig because she refused to dye her hair blond)Elizabeth and Abraham eventually marry and set out into the west to make a better life for themselves. During their travel, they meet a Swedish couple, the Clappers, played by Robert Reed of "Brady Bunch" fame, and Julie Gregg, who played James Caan's wife in the first "Godfather" movie. The Clappers become fast friends with the newlywed Kents. Elizabeth gives birth to their only child, Jarrod, while Abraham and Mr. Clapper are busy fighting the Indians. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes when Elizabeth is murdered by Indians. But unfortunately, Abraham's troubles are far from over when he returns home in Boston with Jarrod. He gets heavily involved with liquor and prostitutes, and as a result, Gilbert makes his older brother leave the house and little Jarrod behind. The scene where the boy begs his father not to go is extremely heartbreaking.