Review of The Pariah

Gunsmoke: The Pariah (1965)
Season 10, Episode 30
4/10
The action was strong but the script was weak
11 February 2013
John Dehner plays an Italian immigrant named Paolo Scanzano who happens to get a unwanted visit from a known outlaw. When John Hooker comes in for food, Paolo's children notice that his picture is on a wanted poster that says dead or alive. When the outlaw is at the table eating, Paolo finds a way to get a gun and shoot the wanted man. When he carries the body into town he is held-up as a hero. But when he tells a reporter that he shot the man while he was eating- things change.

For some reason the people in Dodge think you should at least give a wanted killer a fighting chance -- so now they turn on Paolo. Now people are yelling insults and calling him a coward for his actions. When his barn is burned, Paolo knows that he did nothing to shame his family and he must fight back. But it will come at a cost.

I really never got into this story. It just seemed all to odd that the citizens of the peace loving town of Dodge would turn on a man that shot a wanted killer for invading his home. Did not like the concept or the script. The bright spot was John Dehner that played the part of the Italian with great results. Other than the acting, this show was below par for the series.
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