Ballad of Mary and Ernie Features a Strange Premise, But Charming Execution

Those in search of some extra whimsy in their day could do much worse than checking out The Ballad of Mary and Ernie, a strange yet occasionally charming mash-up of Unforgiven and the first chapter of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.

The five-part original series shrinks down the classic Western and turns it into a child’s playset, where Ernie (James Lane), the local marshal, is more than a little out of place due to the fact that he’s a giant in a tiny world. But while he’s made a life for himself, even planning to wed Nan (voice of Darcy Halsey), things become complicated when Mary (Vanessa Celso, invoking the spirit of a better dressed and cleaner Calamity Jane) comes to town and proves to be his match in height and spirit — which does not thrill Nan one bit.

The biggest challenge Ballad presents is its premise, which demands both a big leap of faith and some patience. It’s easy to imagine some people being turned off early on, especially since those seeking answers as to why Ernie and Mary tower over their fellow townspeople have to wait until the final installment — and even then, the reasons behind their odd place in their small town remain relatively unclear. (Spoiler alert: Aliens might be involved. I’m not joking.)

As the primary human element in these episodes, Lane as Ernie has a fair amount of goofy charm, though he lacks the spark of intelligence that Western fans tend to expect in their gun-slinging heroes. Lane’s commitment to the concept, however, is a big part of selling it, and he does an admirable job of not just acting alongside action figures and dolls, but acting with them.

The overall mix of toys and humans is pulled off with a minimal use of visual effects, but what is there is well-executed. That stands to reason, as director Robert Stadd comes from the world of special effects (credits including Public Enemies, Galaxy Quest and The Mask) — but as a director he also does a great job of setting the series’ tone. I would have preferred some sharper dialogue, and greater clarity early on. But it’s always nice to be able to say this: You’ve never seen a series quite like this one.

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