When this series first began, I became an instant fan of this modern-day western, if you will, about a lonely, rugged, independent, and conscientious sheriff carrying out his duties with a small staff in the time-honored way, using traditional policing methods without a mobile phone (but carrying a semi-auto sidearm instead of a revolver). Casting was great without resorting to hotshot "stars" that can sometimes spell doom to a series. Portrayals of the rural, mostly poor, county and adjacent Indian reservation seemed to be realistic enough, particularly the often contentious relationships that unfortunately exist between the two cultures. My consistent rating of 10 going into the last season has been downgraded as shown to reflect my overall disappointment. Even in episode 1 of the final season, I could not help but note that the acting seemed a bit belabored or robotic, sometimes amateurish, and not as free-flowing or genuine as in earlier seasons. I am trying not to say anything that is considered a spoiler but it is probably the best thing that it was the last season.
