User Reviews

It starts with Beau riding a stagecoach through New Mexico. Always moving! A fellow passenger tricks him regarding time zones. It is amazing how all these shows center around money. Beau is taken by con artists a second time, one of whom is sexy Anita Sands, the witch of Hound Dog. She and Beau make eyes, and she drinks water from his hands. It turns out that her grandmother was a Maverick, and she and Beau are kissing cousins! All the Mavericks had a way with the ladies. Beau whistles the Maverick theme while straightening his tie. Pappyism: "A Maverick outwitted is still worth two ordinary men."

Shrewd screenplay that captures the spirit of the series and brings that irreverence to a humorous and fitting conclusion. Opening scene is a hoot as Honest John Crippen (Robert Cornthwaite) outsmarts Beau (Roger Moore) in a stagecoach bet, that proves that series heroes such as the Mavericks are not infallible. This sets the dramatic stage for the events that follow since it shows that those who live by their wits (Mavericks) can also suffer by their wits just as the conventional gunmen of a thousand and one less imaginative series are said to do. So it's con-men vs. con-men, as the two sides battle over an ostensibly worthless plot of land, while deceptions and money change hands faster than an electro-shock in a rainstorm. It's a highly entertaining 60 minutes, with a number of unpredictable twists and turns.

What a fine assemblage of veteran actors (Pyle, Swenson,Cornthwaite), each delivering a yeoman performance,while even newcomer Anita Sands shines-- just count her lines during the winsome first thirty minutes. Note too, how cleverly the script treats Mrs. Hale (Dorothea Lord) who turns out to be not so different from the rest of us contrary to the expectations of the time. This is a particularly sophisticated screenplay that treats the characters as fallible human beings instead of the customary paragons of virtue required by the Standards and Practices. Great ending that carries forward the Maverick idea. Though it's all highly amusing tongue-in-cheek, make no mistake, the screenplay is an unconventional one for the pre-Vietnam 1960's.

Riding though New Mexico territory it starts when Roger Moore loses a bet on the stagecoach ride. That puts him in the sights of a family of con artists that consists of Robert Cornthwaite, Karl Swenson and Anita Sands.

For a Maverick to get hornswaggled is a disgrace to the name, but try as he may he just can't seem to come out on top when it comes to this bunch. And it's not just Anita Sands looks, distracting though they be.

In fact this family has a secret which we learn right at the end of this episode. Amusing in its way, but not one of the best.

Every episode of this series is a con game with james garner jack kelly or roger moore .. this one is no different and includes karl swenson and denver pyle of crap in the cast ... and of course there is always a woman who plays the shill which in this case is anita sands.