Incident of the Judas Trap Jun 5, 1959
Incident in No Man's Land Jun 12, 1959
Incident of a Burst of Evil Jun 26, 1959
Incident of the Roman Candles Sep 25, 1959
These are all good episodes, although Incident of the Roman Candles isn't actually part of Season 1: it's the second episode of Season 2. I suspect it's included in the Season 1 DVDs because it was filmed for Season 1 but not shown until Season 2. Neither the DVD or the IMDB has anything to say about it.
The Judas Trap, (why Judas, I don't know). Opens with a scary segment where the herd gets attacked by a relentless pack of wolves. The drovers try to fight them off with rifles but they can't keep them away and one of them is killed. They go in search of a wolfer. This proves to be perennial bad guy Gerald Mohr, who murders women as well as wolves. He gets rid of girlfriend Phyllis Coates, (the other Lois Lane on Superman), then the sister of rancher Nina Foch and Nina herself is next. This provides Sheb Wolley with a good chance to show that he wasn't just a cowboy/singer/screamer (google 'Private Wilhelm'), and he takes good advantage of it: Coates was an old flame of his.
'No Man's Land' is an encampment of women, waiting near a prison where their husbands are being kept, for when their terms end. But some of the men, (led by Brian Keith), have had enough of waiting and break out, carrying with them a load of dynamite, (they were also working a mine of some sort). They threaten to stampede the herd with dynamite if they don't get horses. Plenty of action.
The 'Burst of Evil' is a group of Comancheros, (bandits who rob from everyone - even the Comanches), led by Hym Wynant, another perennial bad guy. They also have a group of women with them, including Linda Crystal but they are there involuntarily. Elisha Cook plays a beaten up man the drovers find, whose son has been kidnapped by the Comancheros. He leads Favor and about 20 drovers to their camp. Meanwhile Rowdy has discovered the women at their camp where Crystal has given him an elaborate mirror in return for food. He has it when he reaches a nearby town, only to find that it belonged to the sheriff's wife, who was killed in a Comanchero raid. Rather than explaining, he leaves the town at gunpoint. Back at the Comanchero camp, he is captured but not executed. They just tie him up. Wynant has planned to ambush the drovers and then steal the herd. Rowdy escapes in time to warn them. The result is on of the biggest battles any western series of the time stages- at least gunmen on each side. (I suspect it was the same twenty guys - they are never seen in the same picture. Why didn't Rowdy try to talk his way out of the situation at the town? Why didn't Wynant just shoot Rowdy? Beats me.
Richard Eyer has run away from home and is setting off fireworks, (which are not the same thing as Roman Candles'. Sheb Wooley's Pete has found him and Favor assigned him to take Evers home. This produces various misadventures, fueled by Eyer's tendency to lie his way out of - or into situations. When he gets him home, they find the place taken over by a criminal gang and it becomes hostage situation. Disappointingly they don't use the Roman Candles to get themselves out of the situation. I didn't find Eyer, the cute little kid from 'Friendly Persuasion' annoying at all.
These are all good episodes, although Incident of the Roman Candles isn't actually part of Season 1: it's the second episode of Season 2. I suspect it's included in the Season 1 DVDs because it was filmed for Season 1 but not shown until Season 2. Neither the DVD or the IMDB has anything to say about it.
The Judas Trap, (why Judas, I don't know). Opens with a scary segment where the herd gets attacked by a relentless pack of wolves. The drovers try to fight them off with rifles but they can't keep them away and one of them is killed. They go in search of a wolfer. This proves to be perennial bad guy Gerald Mohr, who murders women as well as wolves. He gets rid of girlfriend Phyllis Coates, (the other Lois Lane on Superman), then the sister of rancher Nina Foch and Nina herself is next. This provides Sheb Wolley with a good chance to show that he wasn't just a cowboy/singer/screamer (google 'Private Wilhelm'), and he takes good advantage of it: Coates was an old flame of his.
'No Man's Land' is an encampment of women, waiting near a prison where their husbands are being kept, for when their terms end. But some of the men, (led by Brian Keith), have had enough of waiting and break out, carrying with them a load of dynamite, (they were also working a mine of some sort). They threaten to stampede the herd with dynamite if they don't get horses. Plenty of action.
The 'Burst of Evil' is a group of Comancheros, (bandits who rob from everyone - even the Comanches), led by Hym Wynant, another perennial bad guy. They also have a group of women with them, including Linda Crystal but they are there involuntarily. Elisha Cook plays a beaten up man the drovers find, whose son has been kidnapped by the Comancheros. He leads Favor and about 20 drovers to their camp. Meanwhile Rowdy has discovered the women at their camp where Crystal has given him an elaborate mirror in return for food. He has it when he reaches a nearby town, only to find that it belonged to the sheriff's wife, who was killed in a Comanchero raid. Rather than explaining, he leaves the town at gunpoint. Back at the Comanchero camp, he is captured but not executed. They just tie him up. Wynant has planned to ambush the drovers and then steal the herd. Rowdy escapes in time to warn them. The result is on of the biggest battles any western series of the time stages- at least gunmen on each side. (I suspect it was the same twenty guys - they are never seen in the same picture. Why didn't Rowdy try to talk his way out of the situation at the town? Why didn't Wynant just shoot Rowdy? Beats me.
Richard Eyer has run away from home and is setting off fireworks, (which are not the same thing as Roman Candles'. Sheb Wooley's Pete has found him and Favor assigned him to take Evers home. This produces various misadventures, fueled by Eyer's tendency to lie his way out of - or into situations. When he gets him home, they find the place taken over by a criminal gang and it becomes hostage situation. Disappointingly they don't use the Roman Candles to get themselves out of the situation. I didn't find Eyer, the cute little kid from 'Friendly Persuasion' annoying at all.