Line #12 Series/Nichols


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nichols.jpg]]
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3	''Nichols'' (also known as ''James Garner as Nichols'') is an American Western television series starring Creator/JamesGarner and Creator/MargotKidder. It was first broadcast in the United States on Creator/{{NBC}} during the 1971-72 season.
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5	In 1914, Nichols, a soldier, sick of killing, returns to his Arizona hometown, named after his family, and is strong-armed into serving as Sheriff by the Ketcham clan, who run the area. Nichols, who doesn't believe in toting a gun, scoots around via a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The Ketchams install as Deputy their relative, Mitch Mitchell. The nasty Deputy has a dog named Slump, and Mitchell is very dumb. A business-savvy local gal named Ruth has an undefined relationship with Nichols, but it's obvious there's lots of action in the back rooms of her saloon.
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7	!!Tropes present in ''Nichols'' include:
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9	* AccidentalAimingSkills: In "Nichols", Ruth shoots Mitch in the arm with her derringer. When Nichols says he is surprised she didn't shoot Ketcham, Ruth replies "Who do think I was aiming at?".
10	* BadgesAndDogTags: Frank Nichols served for 18 years in the US Army Cavalry before becoming sick of killing and returning to his hometown where he is made sheriff against his will. Something of a subversion because he is a TechnicalPacifist who [[DoesNotLikeGuns refuses to carry a gun]].
11	* BarBrawl: In the pilot episode, a barroom brawl erupts when Scully One jumps on Nichols from behind and Nichols throws him off on to a table. Nichols is knocked out and when he wakes up, he finds that Ketcham has stuck him with the bill for all the damage.
12	* CardboardPal: In "The Siege", Ketcham and Mitchell and put a mannequin behind the wheel of Ketcham's car and send it towards the Mexicans so it looks like they are making a run for it.
13	* CluelessDeputy: The Ketchams install their cousin Mitch Mitchell as Nichols' deputy to serve as their spy and agent. However, Mitch is so dumb that he serves as just as much an impediment to their schemes as he does to Nichols' law enforcement.
14	* CutPhoneLines: When Colonel Alcazar and his gang of revolutionaries arrive in Nichols in "The Siege", they cut the phone line leading out of town so no one can inform the outside world of their presence.
15	* DefiantStrip: In "The Indian Giver", Ma Ketcham is foreclosing on Lou Feeny's ranch, and the enraged Feeny protests by stripping off his clothes and throwing them at Ma; shouting that she now owns them too. Feeny refuses to get dressed again and Nichols is forced to arrest him and bring him back to town naked.
16	* DoesntLikeGuns: The eponymous hero was a soldier for 18 years who gradually became sick of killing. The final straw for him was when the army introduced fully automatic heavy machine-guns. After being made sheriff of his hometown, he refuses to carry a gun.
17	* GrievousBottleyHarm: Scully One gets a bottle broken over his head during the BarBrawl in "Nichols".
18	* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: In "The Indian Giver", a group of townsfolk show up to help Sheriff Nicols evict the Ketchams from their ranch. The townsfolk and the Ketchams unload a fusillade of shots at each other from about 20 feet apart: with a very reluctant Nichols caught in between the two groups. Absolutely nobody gets hit; including Nichols.
19	* IOwnThisTown: This is the attitude of Ketcham. He enjoys throwing is weight around as the eldest son of the richest family in the county, he thinks anything (and anyone in the case of Ruth) is his for the taking. However, the real power in the family is the EvilMatriarch Ma Ketcham.
20	* ISurrenderSuckers: In "The Siege", Nichols arranges for the US Army to accept the surrender of Colonel Alcazar and his forces as part of a plan to allow Alacazar to escape and cross the Mexican border.
21	* KangarooCourt: This is how Nichols ends up as sheriff of his namesake town. Facing trumped-up charges of damaging Slater's bar during a BarBrawl, Ma Ketcham sentences him to six months as sheriff of Nichols, with his wages being garnished until he pays the damages.
22	* MoneyToThrowAway: In "The Indian Giver", Flying Fox is making a RunForTheBorder having stolen Nichols motorcycle while Nichols chases him on a horse. Flying Fox tosses a chunk of the money he conned off Ma Ketcham into the air: forcing Nichols to choose between retrieving the money or catching Flying Fox. Nichols stops to pick up the cash.
23	* MyHorseIsAMotorbike: Nichols showed he was embracing the coming age by riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle instead of a horse.
24	* NoFullNameGiven: Everyone calls Nichols by his surname. His first name (Frank) is only known because it is seen briefly on his army induction papers in the first episode.
25	* OneWordTitle
26	* ThePlace: As well as being a ProtagonistTitle, Nichols also refers to the setting of Nichols, Arizona, which is named after Nichols' family.
27	* RepetitiveName: CluelessDeputy Mitch Mitchell.
28	* RunForTheBorder: The proximity of the town of Nichols to the US-Mexico makes this a viable option for bad guys.
29	** In "The Siege", Nichols pulls an ISurrenderSuckers to allow revolutionary Colonel Alcazar to slip through the US lines and escape back to Mexico.
30	** In "The Indian Giver", Flying Fox steals Nichols' motorcycle and makes a run for the border after Nichols learns he is a ConMan: forcing Nichols to borrow a horse to give chase.
31	* TakingOverTheTown: In "The Siege", Colonel Alcazar's men take over the town and prevent anyone from leaving while the Colonel receives medical attention.
32	* TechnicalPacifist: Nichols was a soldier for 18 years and became sick of all the killing her saw. As sheriff of Nichols, he [[DoesNotLikeGuns refuses to carry a gun]], preferring to outsmart his opponents. He is not above throwing the odd punch if he has too, however.
33	* TwilightOfTheOldWest: The show is set in 1914, and Nichols travels on a motorcycle rather than a horse. Ketcham owns the first automobile in the county.
34	* UndersideRide: In "Nichols", Johnson rolls out from under the train where he has been riding the rods when it stops in Nichols.
35	* VictoriasSecretCompartment: Ruth keeps a derringer hidden in her cleavage. In the pilot, she shoots Mitch in the arm [[AccidentalAimingSkills while aiming at Ketcham]].
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Context Series / Nichols