Palms of Glory

Yes, this has everything a pilot should have. It introduces and carefully defines each of the principal characters, right down to Eugene who is basically seen as bland and extraneous. It has two concurring plots, one that brings in the new arrival whose eyes the show will essentially be seen from and the other that shows who the family is and what external problems they are dealing with. However, no one seems to realize that the honorable and noble Jared Barkley essentially shows the same corporate style greed as the railroad does.

This show has its similarities to the future series, Dallas. Though they take place one hundred years apart, they both involve wealthy families that own big ranches and they both have two brothers, a third absentee brother and ultimately another brother who is the legendary father's illegitimate son. But JR Ewing, the oldest sibling on Dallas is a greedy, corrupt businessman while the oldest Barkley is the model of integrity. Or maybe not.

Jared doesn't know who Heath is but he knows that Heath earned him a quick and easy fifteen hundred dollars. By 1870s western standards, it might take a ranch hand two years to earn that much money. Still, Jared tells Nick to sign Heath on as a ranch hand and essentially allow Heath to work hard for two years, just to earn the money he essentially handed Jared in two minutes. At least Heath could have gotten a five hundred dollar signing bonus.

So yes, all of these characters are well defined, including Jared. He might have been the model of one of the few truly trustworthy lawyers but, because of this move, I never fully trusted him.