Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight has reintroduced audiences to the Western genre with its intense narrative and sharp dialogue, reflecting a modern yet familiar take on classic themes. However, a lesser-known television episode titled Fair Game, from the 1960 series The Rebel, offers a story that predates Tarantino’s film by over five decades and exhibits intriguing parallels to the 2015 movie’s plot. For fans of the director and the genre, exploring this episode uncovers a potential wellspring of inspiration behind The Hateful Eight’s storyline.
The episode, which aired on May 27, 1960, centers on a group of strangers who find themselves confined together in a cabin during harsh weather while waiting for a stagecoach. This scenario closely mirrors the setup in The Hateful Eight, where travelers are similarly trapped in a remote lodge amid a blizzard. The characters in Fair Game include Johnny Yuma (played by Nick Adams), a rebellious former Confederate soldier; Bert Pace (James Drury), a charismatic stranger; Mr. Cramer (Stacy Harris), a bounty hunter; Mr. Farnum (James Chandler); and Cynthia Kenyon (Patricia Medina), a female prisoner. Though there are fewer characters and the episode runs for only 30 minutes, the tension and dynamics bear a clear resemblance to Tarantino’s film.
One notable element is the presence of a female criminal figure in the story, which foreshadows the role of Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight. The bounty hunter’s fate in the episode, involving the consumption of poison that leads to his demise, further echoes the path of John <em>“Hangman” Ruth, portrayed by Kurt Russell, in the movie. Despite differences in character depth and story length, key plot devices and character types establish a strong connection between these two works. Additionally, Johnny Yuma’s background as a former Confederate soldier mirrors Bruce Dern’s character, General Sanford Smithers, illustrating recurring themes of honor and survival in both narratives.
Fair Game stands out as a suspenseful and tightly constructed episode, delivering a surprise conclusion that continues to intrigue viewers decades later. Directed by Irvin Kershner long before his work on The Empire Strikes Back, the episode exemplifies a type of Western storytelling that remains compelling. Its enduring qualities help explain why a similar plot was revisited in The Hateful Eight, yet with fresh energy and expanded scope.
Classic TV Westerns Shaped the Foundations of ‘The Hateful Eight’
While it might seem that Tarantino borrowed outright from the Fair Game episode, The Hateful Eight’s inspirations are more multifaceted. Elements such as the use of poison and the confining cabin scenario are distinct enough to draw attention, but Tarantino has acknowledged drawing broadly from several traditional television Westerns rather than this specific episode. The filmmaker mentioned influences from renowned series like Bonanza, The High Chaparral, and The Virginian, which regularly featured storylines involving outlaws taking hostages.
Twice per season, those shows would have an episode where a bunch of outlaws would take the lead characters hostage.
—Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker
Tarantino elaborated on how guest stars in series like Bonanza inspired the characters seen in The Hateful Eight, explaining his interest in crafting an entire story composed of such vivid personalities.
So I thought, ‘What if I did a story that was made up of nothing but those characters?’
—Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker
This approach aligns with Tarantino’s established style of blending and reimagining influences from classic films and television shows. Additional inspiration for The Hateful Eight came from legendary Western features like Rio Bravo and The Magnificent Seven. Whether Tarantino had directly watched the Fair Game episode or merely absorbed its themes indirectly is uncertain, but the parallels emphasize the ongoing revival of Western storytelling traditions within contemporary cinema.
The Enduring Legacy of ‘The Rebel’ in Western Television History
The Rebel may not have endured beyond two seasons on ABC, but it left a significant mark on the Western genre during its run, particularly through episodes like Fair Game. The series chronicles Johnny Yuma’s journey as a wandering former Confederate soldier who travels between towns, consistently involving himself in both criminal and moral conflicts. As noted by television historians Tim Brooks and Earle F. Marsh:
As the only regular in the series, [Yuma] traveled from town to town, getting involved with people and functioning, in an unofficial way, as an arbiter of justice,
Not only would he get involved in criminal issues, but moral ones as well.
—Tim Brooks and Earle F. Marsh, Television Historians
These qualities are evident throughout The Rebel, and especially in Fair Game, where Yuma’s innate sense of justice compels him to act even when it is dangerous or inconvenient. Despite a promising premise and strong viewer ratings, ABC cancelled the show partly due to a broad move away from violent programming. There had been consideration of revamping it as The Rebel and the Yank, adding James Drury to the cast, but this retooling did not come to fruition.
The show’s influence, however, endures thanks in part to its memorable theme song, The Rebel – Johnny Yuma, performed by Johnny Cash. The song’s lasting popularity has helped keep the series in public awareness long after the episodes stopped airing. For fans of The Hateful Eight or classic Westerns in general, revisiting The Rebel and Fair Game offers both entertainment and insight into the genre’s evolution.
Whether or not Quentin Tarantino explicitly drew upon Fair Game, the episode acts as an early example of storytelling that merges mystery, tension, and complex characters within the Western setting. Its connection to The Hateful Eight highlights how themes from decades past continue to resonate, shaping modern interpretations of the American frontier and its iconic narratives.
