User Reviews

"If the captain doesn't get me, the colonel will. If the colonel doesn't get me, the Indiians will." "Do you have a rock in your boot, or do you have something in mind?" Josh Randall asks an insulting soldier. A few minutes later, Josh changes his mind about the guy after hearing him explain the facts-of-life to his stupid commander. "Man, you're carrying a mountain around, not a rock," he tells the soldier.

All of this has to do with the man Randall has brought into an Army post, a low-life guy who gets his kicks killing Kiowa Indians. We soon fight out this Army commander is literally nuts and instead of giving Josh his money and taking charge of the captive, he offers the villain a chance to be a scout for the Army against the Kiowa! Josh says "no way," but under the threat of a firing squad, he leaves.

Later, he's actually seconds away from that firing squad, making this another bizarre but very interesting episode. You're never quite sure what you'll see in these "Wanted: Deal Or Alive" shows, except that McQueen (Randall) will live to see another week.

This story has tons of twists and turns.

In the hands of a better actor, this episode could have been one of the best of this series. Randall brings in a traitor and deserter (played very well by Paul Betanides) to the local base. It turns out that the commander is a nut-case (Harry Townes) who faked his command orders so he could attack a peaceful tribe of Kiowas in order to get revenge.

If only Harry Townes had any acting ability, he could have sold his role as a very sinister and dangerous man.

Unfortunately, Townes in all his roles comes across as a goofball or loser. There is some great writing that set up danger, suspense, and death for Josh Randall, the Kiowas, and the U. S. Cavalry, but it really depended on Harry Townes. He just couldn't rise to the occasion.

At one point, Townes is trying to look insane and he just makes faces like he is constipated or has a stomach ache. It is impossible to take Townes seriously, and that is sad for what should have been a television classic.

In spite of Townes, this episode is a roller-coaster of twists and turns, danger, and death.