Another step on the road of breaking new ground for the TV Western. Forget what there is of a plot, which isn't much, anyway. Events are simply arranged to produce a series of opportunities for Waco Williams (Wayde Preston) to show off his supreme self-assurance, unbeatable skills, and humorless demeanor. In short, Waco approaches the stereotypical character of the average Western hero of the day. This, of course, is in contrast to Bret's character which by this time has become rather likably shifty, though he will rise to the occasion when absolutely necessary.
The episode comes close to parody with Waco's sternly inflexible behavior. This causes Bret to doubt Waco's philosophy of life since it appears likely to get him killed at any moment. In that sense, Bret has come to stand for an intelligent approach to life's conflicts in contrast to Waco's brashly heroic stance that confronts every challenge straight on. There's a gentle jibe at other Westerns in this contrast, which seems to say that not all heroics are intelligent heroics. It's really Bret, in his own way, that stands for the latter and not Waco. But, the script is not content with this rather subtle point. The final scene has Bret speaking directly to the camera-- another bold innovation-- and doubting that he was right, after all. That's because Waco has married the rich girl and won the admiration of the town, while Bret's riding away unnoticed and broke.
Now, I'm not exactly sure what the writers had in mind with this exotic departure, but I'll hazard the following. When Bret speaks to the camera, it's really Garner talking to us, saying something like, "Okay, folks, you and I know that in real life, Bret's prudent ways work better than Waco's, and you'll certainly live longer. But, after all, Bret is only make-believe, and everyone knows from a thousand make-believe Westerns that it's always the bravest, the strongest, and maybe the most foolish, that wins the day. So, maybe Bret should be realistic about the make-believe world he lives in, change his ways, and then maybe he too can ride into the sunset with the girl and the money, just like Waco." At least, the departure furnishes some such food for thought. It's a hilariously unexpected scene, showing the many possibilities opened up by the series' fresh approach to the standard Western hero. All in all, a truly unusual episode for its day.
The episode comes close to parody with Waco's sternly inflexible behavior. This causes Bret to doubt Waco's philosophy of life since it appears likely to get him killed at any moment. In that sense, Bret has come to stand for an intelligent approach to life's conflicts in contrast to Waco's brashly heroic stance that confronts every challenge straight on. There's a gentle jibe at other Westerns in this contrast, which seems to say that not all heroics are intelligent heroics. It's really Bret, in his own way, that stands for the latter and not Waco. But, the script is not content with this rather subtle point. The final scene has Bret speaking directly to the camera-- another bold innovation-- and doubting that he was right, after all. That's because Waco has married the rich girl and won the admiration of the town, while Bret's riding away unnoticed and broke.
Now, I'm not exactly sure what the writers had in mind with this exotic departure, but I'll hazard the following. When Bret speaks to the camera, it's really Garner talking to us, saying something like, "Okay, folks, you and I know that in real life, Bret's prudent ways work better than Waco's, and you'll certainly live longer. But, after all, Bret is only make-believe, and everyone knows from a thousand make-believe Westerns that it's always the bravest, the strongest, and maybe the most foolish, that wins the day. So, maybe Bret should be realistic about the make-believe world he lives in, change his ways, and then maybe he too can ride into the sunset with the girl and the money, just like Waco." At least, the departure furnishes some such food for thought. It's a hilariously unexpected scene, showing the many possibilities opened up by the series' fresh approach to the standard Western hero. All in all, a truly unusual episode for its day.