Musical soothsayer Praeter Beasley (Burl Ives) returns to Boonesborough to ward off ground squirrels from eating up the settlers' orchards (though the bigger problem might be that they appear to be planted on a mud flat). But his semi-pagan practices arouse the ire of the local church ladies and others.
Though some of Season 5's writers appear to be nobly striving to return DB to its action-adventure roots, the national backlash against Vietnam and violent drama is a formidable foe indeed. Though Ives' singing will always be nostalgic for those who grew up in the era, a second go-round for the Beasley character here is redundant and after a point just garrulous. It doesn't help that he enters wearing a Great Plains buffalo headdress and waving rattles, merely embarrassing in 1969 and culturally insensitive in 2023.
In the B story, Victor French and Med Flory are a pair of Boonesborough loafers trying to get the farm of widow Fran Ryan. Neither narrative is overly engaging and both would have been better suited to "Green Acres" episodes. The only interesting addition to the Boonesborough-verse is making Cincinatus settlement magistrate. Daniel announced himself as justice of the peace in Season 1, so the quality of the fort's justice system has probably taken a southward turn. If Cincinatus had been given a serious component this might have counted toward character growth, but here its just unfunny laughs ladled onto unfunny laughs. Fess Parker graced us with a few minutes of dialog, but he remains consistent in doing the minimum required in Season 5 episodes - or less. He seems to show little interest in completing his title series with much of a flourish.
The stories converge in a lawsuit by the loafers against Beasley, which might have provided a humorous introduction to justice on the Appalachian frontier, but its just a venue for more "Hee Haw" antics. An abortive attempt is made to introduce some historic interest when congressional candidate Patrick Henry rides in during the last ten minutes - negated by the real-world facts that Henry was serving as governor and state delegate in Virginia during this period, and never ran for Congress. But, points for getting the name of his wife, Sarah, correct.
Overall a very unfocused episode that drowns in its own cornpone; hours like this should be trotted out in writing classes as examples of how series decline when the basics are ignored.
Though some of Season 5's writers appear to be nobly striving to return DB to its action-adventure roots, the national backlash against Vietnam and violent drama is a formidable foe indeed. Though Ives' singing will always be nostalgic for those who grew up in the era, a second go-round for the Beasley character here is redundant and after a point just garrulous. It doesn't help that he enters wearing a Great Plains buffalo headdress and waving rattles, merely embarrassing in 1969 and culturally insensitive in 2023.
In the B story, Victor French and Med Flory are a pair of Boonesborough loafers trying to get the farm of widow Fran Ryan. Neither narrative is overly engaging and both would have been better suited to "Green Acres" episodes. The only interesting addition to the Boonesborough-verse is making Cincinatus settlement magistrate. Daniel announced himself as justice of the peace in Season 1, so the quality of the fort's justice system has probably taken a southward turn. If Cincinatus had been given a serious component this might have counted toward character growth, but here its just unfunny laughs ladled onto unfunny laughs. Fess Parker graced us with a few minutes of dialog, but he remains consistent in doing the minimum required in Season 5 episodes - or less. He seems to show little interest in completing his title series with much of a flourish.
The stories converge in a lawsuit by the loafers against Beasley, which might have provided a humorous introduction to justice on the Appalachian frontier, but its just a venue for more "Hee Haw" antics. An abortive attempt is made to introduce some historic interest when congressional candidate Patrick Henry rides in during the last ten minutes - negated by the real-world facts that Henry was serving as governor and state delegate in Virginia during this period, and never ran for Congress. But, points for getting the name of his wife, Sarah, correct.
Overall a very unfocused episode that drowns in its own cornpone; hours like this should be trotted out in writing classes as examples of how series decline when the basics are ignored.
