Wanted: GUNSMOKE (CBS/1955-1975) (1 Viewer)

[Museum Pieces]

115 “No Handcuffs” This is a wonderfully packed episode. So many parts, such great casting, and a strong narrative drive. Tension without gratuitous violence. No need to see a body riddled with bullets. Chester’s reaction is even better. No need for a shootout at the end. All the right notes. This one hits them.

More and more as I make my way through season one I am of the opinion that violence and blood and graphic detail and language doesn’t make a story better. As a culture we’ve ratcheted all those things up over the decades and convinced ourselves that it does, but there are three or four of these first fifteen episodes that are simply exceptional half hours of TV in any decade—without all the language, violence and guts.

I’m truly glad I started watching this series.

 

[bmasters9]

More and more as I make my way through season one I am of the opinion that violence and blood and graphic detail and language doesn’t make a story better. As a culture we’ve ratcheted all those things up over the decades and convinced ourselves that it does, but there are three or four of these first fifteen episodes that are simply exceptional half hours of TV in any decade—without all the language, violence and guts.

I’m truly glad I started watching this series.

I certainly agree-- however, a couple of my favorites of that time (The Untouchables and M Squad) did have some violence, but in the case of those, such violence added to the story (and it wasn't gratuitous like now, or graphic; hardly any language either).

But even so, violence for the sake of violence doesn't do anything for a narrative (neither does graphic detail, like the CSI shows made their stock-in-trade).

 

[Museum Pieces]

116 “Reward for Matt” – Another episode on my “best-of-season-one" list. In this one there’s a thousand dollars reward for Matt, dead or alive. I enjoyed it so much I almost watched it again immediately after finishing it the first time, but why do that when I can watch another episode of this great series? Sixteen episodes down, 609 to go...

 

[Museum Pieces]

117 “Robin Hood” This is the first time I recall seeing William Hopper in anything but Perry Mason. With the exception of Have Gun and Father Knows Best, most of my experience with classic TV starts in the early-to-mid 60s. Nice episode. Beautifully filmed shootout at the end.

Methinks the episode should have been called “Nobody Listens to Matt” ;-)

 

[Museum Pieces]

118 “Yorky.” A white boy turned Native American tries to earn his adulthood. This one just didn’t work for me. Too many false notes, particularly at the end. But I do consistently enjoy seeing Matt and Chester develop and interact. It was enjoyable to watch just for that.

 

[Museum Pieces]

119 “20-20” This was an entertaining episode. Matt’s mentor, a former deputy, comes to Dodge. I don’t want to spoil anything for someone who might enjoy this one. Matt’s solution reminded me of something Andy Taylor would’ve come up with—minus the gun play, off course. I liked this one. There was a nice scene at the beginning with Kitty waiting on the stage, hoping for a package from St. Louis. Trivia: It’s stated in this episode that Dodge was founded seven years earlier, meaning this episode likely takes place in 1879.

 

[bmasters9]

With the exception of Have Gun and Father Knows Best, most of my experience with classic TV starts in the early-to-mid 60s.

Most of mine starts in the 50s-- several excellent series from that decade on DVD.

 

[ponset]

Nice photo of Amanda.

 

[Museum Pieces]

Most of mine starts in the 50s-- several excellent series from that decade on DVD.

The few I've seen so far have been excellent. Thanks for commenting. It's more fun watching when there are others who enjoy the show, as well.

120 “Reunion ‘78” I couldn’t find my way into this one. Two characters come into Dodge with a backstory I just never warmed up to. Maybe it was the writing or the guest stars. I did enjoy the beginning of the episode when I thought Chester had a chance at getting lucky, but it was not to be. ;-)

With this episode I'm just over halfway through season one. I love that back then a full season order was 39 episodes. Sometimes today it’s as few as six...

 

[Museum Pieces]

121 “Helping Hand” Dillon isn’t perfect. I appreciated this episode because Dillon sees something of himself in a young cowhand and misjudges him, with deadly consequences. I particularly enjoyed this segment because the young kid had me fooled too. I respect the nuances of character shown in both Dillon and Elser. It’s not something I often see in the classic TV I’ve watched. I hope to see even more of it in the Gunsmoke episodes ahead.

 

[Museum Pieces]

122 “Tap Day For Kitty” A man comes to Dodge looking for a wife and his sights fall squarely on Kitty. Mat considers her a suspect after someone tries to kill the man.

If I was a kid, I’d have had serious credibility issues with this story. But having lived a few years, and having known people like the older characters in this story, it rings true. It might be a bit condensed for the sake of drama, but it speaks to how years—and decades—can be wasted by blindness, and the odd, sometimes dangerous things that have to happen to make us open our eyes to what was in front of us all the time.

 

[Museum Pieces]

123 “Indian Scout”

From this first long shot I thought that was DeForrest Kelley.

It was.

I didn’t expect what happened to him, especially so soon in the episode.

It’s about an Native-American scout who had an impossible decision to make.

Some nice cinematography.

And some great dialogue.

AMOS: You hate me, don’t you, marshal?

MATT: No. I don’t hate you, Amos. I’m just trying to understand you.

I’ve lost too many friends in the last few years over moral differences. I need to be more like Matt. Stop hating. Start trying to understand.

 

[Museum Pieces]

124 “The Pest Hole” – An epidemic in Dodge. Produced sixty-five years ago, yet this episode has everything our society recently faced: epidemic, quarantine, irrationality, anger, violence, death, rebuffing science—all of it. I appreciate how prescient this show remains. Another episode well worth a second viewing sometime.

 

[bmasters9]

124 “The Pest Hole” – An epidemic in Dodge. Produced sixty-five years ago, yet this episode has everything our society recently faced: epidemic, quarantine, refusal, anger, violence, death, rebuffing science—all of it. I appreciate how prescient this show remains. Another episode well worth a second viewing sometime.

View attachment 119541

In other words, basically, it was as true then as it is now (or vice versa), I take it?

 

[Museum Pieces]

In other words, basically, it was as true then as it is now (or vice versa), I take it?

Yes. But when do I ever get the opportunity to use the word "prescient"? I couldn't resist. ;-)

125 “Big Broad” – Fun episode about gender roles and love. My wife was in my office and got into the episode. She laughed out loud (rare for her) when Leena hit Chester. It was great fun watching this with her.

 

[ponset]

PEST HOLE. Howard McNear who played "Doc" on the radio version has a small role as "Mr. Bradley".

 

[Museum Pieces]

Between episodes 125 and 126, there’s a new establishing shot of Dodge with Arness actually walking into it. And the end title music is re-orchestrated.

 

[Museum Pieces]

126 “Hack Prine” This’ll be short. Our turkey is about to come out of the oven.

Because of the fine performances by James Arness and Leo Gordon—I believed the history of their friendship—this episode was heartbreak in Dodge.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Museum Pieces]

127 “Cooter” Enjoyable episode with Strother Martin (I would have bet—and lost—the farm that it was Howard Morris). Sounded like him, too.

The episode also has an all-too quick appearance by Robert Vaughn.

This is not the first (or second time) I have watched one of these early Gunsmoke episodes and believed one actor was actually another. Now, even when I think I'm sure, I keep watching through the credits.

 

[Museum Pieces]

128 “The Killer” – Charles Bronson plays a cold-blooded killer that Matt can’t abide. Not a lot of depth here, but a nice solution by Matt. And it’s the first time in the series that Chester saves his best friend’s life. Nice to see the trust between Matt and Chester.