User Reviews

Suspenseful plot stays on low heat interminably during a Chicago dude's tepid courtship of Betsy. But some surprising twists devised by scenarist Dean Riesner fuel a steadily rising temperature until the pot boils over in a swift, violent climax. Lee J. Cobb as the unfazeable Judge Garth and Darren McGavin, jaunty even in a villainous role, comfortably share most of the acting load. David Carradine, who seldom turned down a western part during any phase of his long career, plays a grumpy assassin. Putting in a day's work as a peacemaking chief is Iron Eyes Cody, Hollywood's top Native American character actor, who was actually the son of Sicilian immigrants.

I guess there was a good reaction to the puppy love romance of Roberta Shore and David Macklin from a previous episode when Judge Garth and his daughter made a trip to Chicago and made the acquaintance of young cub reporter Macklin. The young man gets a vacation and heads out to Medicine Bow and the Shiloh ranch.

When he's there sad to say he's quite the tenderfoot even breaking Randy Boone's toe during a game of horseshoes. He's ready to go home. But before that happens Shiloh is supposed to be host to an Indian treaty conference which Indian agent Hugh Marlowe has arranged with Lee J. Cobb. But before that happens Shiloh is taken over by outlaw Darren McGavin who has plans to assassinate Chief Iron Eyes Cody when he visits. So there's Cobb, Shore, Boone, Macklin and a wounded Virginian held hostage.

All I will say is that Macklin proves he has the right stuff and Cobb is quite the psychologist.

McGavin is swaggering, mean and nasty and a young David Carradine plays a punk outlaw riding with him.

A nice script with a few surprise twists and a great ensemble of guest players highlight one of the best episodes of The Virginian.

Luckily the prior reviews are wonderful bc i'm only here to share my thrill! i've seen a lot of Virginian episodes, never this one! i did see the episode when the Judge and Betsy first met Eddie. Had no idea there was a follow up episode! Really thoroughly enjoyed that first meeting, it was a lot of fun! In addition to that excitement, i see that David Carradine is in this one! i ADORED him when i was a kid (Kung Fu!) but never seen him so young! WHEEE!! Always thrilled to see Beldon tossed into the mix! Cool to see LQ Jones playing an amusing "good guy"! ... My only complaint so far is wondering how the horseshoe that slipped from Eddie's hand hit Randy somewhere above his ankle but managed to break his toe?!? Anyhoo. Didn't turn out to be the fun and cutesy episode i hoped for but just as good, making up for it in excitement! Just as i caught myself getting a teeny bit bored ... an unexpected twist occurred and i was quickly glued back to the screen! Soo, not at all what i expected actually it was even BETTER!