Bonanza (TV-1960) THE APE (S2E14)

This Timeless TV Western starring Lorne Green, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker and Michael Landon, is one of the most popular shows in television history!
THE APE: Hoss tries to help Arnie, a childlike hulking man with a dangerous temper and great strength. Things seem to be going well until Arnie falls for a saloon girl Shari. Hoss regretfully realizes that he he's facing an uphill battle to help Arnie have the kind of life he's always wanted.

[@lordbeerus4443]

I remember as kid, crying after watching this episode. Just broke down again. I see myself in Arnie in my late 20's. I thank God for giving me an elder who wised me up. My life could have ended like Arnie's. Love this episode 💘

[@michaelgran.5432]

Oh brother!

[@cogen651]

This is actually somewhat copied from the story " of mice and men" Good book.

[@shack8110]

It's like the dude was the inspiration for the Incredible Hulk. I wonder if there was a big dumb stupid smelly wild man back in the old west that was the inspiration for that poor big dumb ape? He's kind of like a football-playing, or basketball-playing jock today, with no way to release his agression and nobody to keep him from doing something stupid.

[@shermankaspar1818]

"you're almost as strong as i am and smell just as bad too" lmao hoss is a legend

[@tremekawilson9238]

Had to love Hoss Cartwright. He was nothing but a gentle giant.❤️

[@hermionemk]

That poor man...loving that women who was only using him. Hoss was a good friend to him. #bigbrotherAdam😍

[@squint04]

Both "Hoss" and Dan Blocker, were good kind Hearted men!!

[@hermionemk]

It’s important to know when someone is laughing at you verses laughing with you. Hoss was a good man with a big heart. #adamwasfine😍

[@joannawilhoite1991]

Poor Arnie I know how he feels

[@Joe-lc3sv]

Exactly

[@sudhirpatel7620]

Wow. Leonard Nemo from Star Trek. Fascinating.

[@danbasta3677]

So was aArnie, who was actor Cal Boulder who was in the second season episode, of the Original Star Trek series, Friday's Child as Keel.

[@rorysr.fundell2564]

My favorite episode!!!

[@maritzaagosto1793]

Those people should be ashamed of themselves for using and poking fun of poor Arnie . That actor had done a beautiful job portraying the character . I love this episode .

[@reginaldjohnson1637]

I have to admit I love it to. At times some people can't take jokes. I knew of a person who was like that. In arnie case some men can't take rejection

[@shack8110]

It's like the dude was the inspiration for the Incredible Hulk. I wonder if there was a big dumb stupid smelly wild man back in the old west that was the inspiration for that poor big dumb ape? He's kind of like a football-playing, or basketball-playing jock today, with no way to release his agression and nobody to keep him from doing something stupid.

[@shanemarlow4844]

Dam hoss got one hell of a right cross punch 👊 sent that big dude flying into that table I always like hoss he was my favorite big brother Rip my dear friend hoss & Michael & Leonard Nimoy Spock you'll always be remembered is the best Godspeed

[@joethekinghawk7514]

I'm a black version of Hoss. Hoss is one of my favorite TV big brothers too.

[@cogen651]

You do realize that isn't real, right?

[@steverobinson4199]

Is it just me or does this episode have big element of "Of Mice and Men"?

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

Right up to the time Hoss was holding the gun behind Arnie as he spoke about the farm and the pigs......

[@li8363]

But with Mr. Spock in the old west.

[@robvangessel3766]

I'd say it is completely inspired by that source. No question about it.

[@johnpick8336]

Guess John Steinbeck wrote this script ? Lol

[@Joe-lc3sv]

That’s what I thought about when he held the gun to him

[@murraybocas9160]

That guy Huss Cartwright is like a big angel.

[@pappy451]

hoss

[@Squirrel36]

#hossisfine

[@sheiladavis6523]

@@pappy451 it's HOSS with a capital ( H ) take care October 31,2021

[@GlorifiedTruth]

"He stole... He fought... He was rude to his coworkers... Still, there goes the best damn hired hand a ranch ever had."

[@yescarycan]

Oh get over it. Did you see the arms on that BIGMANFUCKER ?! Jeezus.

[@copperjacket00]

one of the best episodes . my opinion .

[@philiptucci2458]

Wonderful episode

[@jadenpetty2453]

Rest in peace to the Cartwright's

[@vernwallen4246]

The best episode i have watched.The word was out that"hoss was a kind man even off the screen.🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🗽🗽🗽🗽🗽🗽

[@charlesvan13]

That saloon girl is crazy. Who couldn't see this coming, with the guy with an IQ of 50.

[@CathyKitson]

She was too much of a spiteful cow to see anything outside of herself.

[@dataquester]

My fav episode of bonanza.. it even has Spock in it!!!!

[@robvangessel3766]

Outside of Spock, it's the best piece of acting I'd ever seen from Nimoy. He's amazingly good here. No trace of Nimoy himself in this character at all.

[@joethekinghawk7514]

Mines too.

[@wiseguymaybe]

Fascinating. I find that quite logical.

[@mwilliams1330]

@@wiseguymaybe Must have been the mind meld, I had the same thoughts.

[@wiseguymaybe]

@@mwilliams1330 😆😆😆😆😆😂Thanks for the clever comment. You made my day.

[@markholliday2984]

Powerful episode

[@Squirrel36]

Poor Arnie. Wounded by that ice princess, Sherry Belle. It's like Hoss say, though, Arnie could and should have done better.

[@philipthomson7460]

33:50 Great monologue by Hoss. 38:33 Bloody well done, Arnie!👍👍

[@joethekinghawk7514]

Hoss was definitely onto something, I'm a grizzly bear 🐻, not like poor big Arnie, but I understand.

[@basilsmith104]

Great show.

[@missayawk]

That fight scene with Hoss and Arnie ranks right up there with Peter Griffin and the Rooster ( The Chicken)

[@flyone8350]

I love the truth 4 walls and a roof, I want that land Hoss gave to Arnie.

[@hellokitty777able]

Adam waiving Hoss in when thrown out of the saloon. Lmao.

[@katrinka1SF.BayArea]

I just love Hoss, Dan Blocker. Such a gentle soul on and off the screen

[@thomaspiccirillo6820]

Hoss is the epitome of who a friend should be

[@thefurrybastard1964]

Hoss was always my favourite character in Bonanza. He appealed to me as a young child, and as a grown man, he is the kind of guy you want as a friend.

[@richardbrockmeier4085]

Mr. Nimoy! may you resr in peace...

[@brendagray9296]

@anthony gomes just say thank you

[@inhibited44]

doesn't seem like Nimoy has been gone since 2015. If he didn't smoke, he might still be here.

[@geordiepupcelia1980]

Look at the size of the horse Dan Blocker rode in this series. He was a big man. 😂 I loved watching Bonanza with my ww2 grandpa. 😍

[@sylviebertran8201]

good episode . It was just on TV

[@LadyBeritanavatarius]

He needed help, and no one knew how to help him.... it's so sad :(

[@li8363]

And Mr. Spock there didn't help at all.

[@Squirrel36]

@@li8363 The dark side of Spock!

[@li8363]

@@Squirrel36 You ever read any of the WHAT IF comic books? Some speculated that Spock, by his mothers side, was related to Robin from BATMAN AND ROBIN because Robin was Dick Greyson and Spock's mother maiden name was also Greyson.

[@li8363]

He was born about 800 years too late. Dude belonged on a Viking ship.

[@Squirrel36]

@@li8363 Never seen them.

[@stevebishop9468]

This tore my heart out...

[@yellowblanka6058]

Yeah, unfortunately at that time the best someone like him could have hoped for was to be institutionalized in some poorly managed asylum.

[@stevebishop9468]

@@yellowblanka6058 is it much better today....?

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@stevebishop9468 I'm going to assume you're not being facetious, yes, it is MUCH better to be a mentally handicapped person in 2020 than it was in the 1800s/turn of the 20th century, it's not even comparable. There are group homes/government assistance/the general public attitude towards mental health/handicap is generally more enlightened.

[@stevebishop9468]

@@yellowblanka6058 i suggest you visit a few of the remaining mental institutions...then make a judgement

[@yellowblanka6058]

@@stevebishop9468 Modern mental facilities, at least in the US are by-and-large much better than they have been in the past, and in the time this episode was set, somebody could be institutionalized for a relatively minor mental health issue.

[@neneshubby]

During the series run Ben, Adam, Hoss & Little Joe were shot a combined 49 times with Little Joe leading the way at 18 and they proposed to a combined 22 women, 9 of whom died by the end of the show.

[@chuckthebull]

dems fun facts!!!

[@TJFlashbang670]

Wow obsessed much lately..lol

[@blackhawkswincup2010]

I remember one show when Hoss got shot, and he was convalescing at home in bed. Doc asked him if he felt hungry. He got an enthusiastic "Yes!" and Doc said, "Okay, something light." Hoss: "Yeah, somethin' light, like a big, thick T-bone steak." Doc: "Something light, like chicken soup." Hoss: "Ugh."

[@jasonclark3127]

Now if the show was made the Cartwright boys would be married to the Barkley boys.

[@westonweigand1228]

Sounds like a good afternoon at the Ponderosa

[@responsiblejerk2328]

5:15 Good old TV sound fx library. Every TV punch sounded just like that for at least 2 decades.

[@anthonyrivera557]

Arnie had a good side but had a deadly side too. To some extent he was a social path. He killed a man before he met Hoss.

[@anthonyrivera557]

One of the best episodes ever.

[@Lukelikes]

I liked that Ben said I'll get you there to give Hoss a head start.

[@minivegana1355]

This is such a GREAT episode!! A man who LOVED❤animals and hated humans like me!!😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔He didn't mean to hate people, but the people provoked his anger. HUMANS CAN BE SO CRUEL!!!😡😡😡😡😡😡

[@robvangessel3766]

And one of the best tv fight scenes of all time. Love that opening between Hoss and Arnie.

[@ziggyschumann5284]

Mini Vegana....Of course when one truly loves animals, they won't kill and eat them. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many animal lovers. Love one animal, exploit the next, is the modern philosophy of humanity.

[@joethekinghawk7514]

People are very cruel. Hoss was he's real friend.

[@ametrineambrosia4929]

@@ziggyschumann5284 TRUTH.

[@Truly1Tom]

@30sec I spotted Leonard Nicole right off. Be had such a broad range of acting chops it was 👏 amazing!

[@mariamshiraz5545]

This episode is making me cry 😢

[@kathryngubitz5122]

I actually think this is a great season

[@DarkSpace1105]

Arnie...actor Cal Bolder...former Marine and recipient of the purple heart in the Korean War.

[@olivialopezperez6206]

😍😍😙😚my love Little Joe.

[@BenDover-le7jv]

Leonard nimoy rest in peace but it's nice to see you still doing westerns

[@jeffmiller6954]

The big guy was actually an author and appeared later with Nimoy in Star Trek's Friday's Child. The actress who played the dance hall girl is still alive, quite possibly the only living person who was in the episode.

[@li8363]

Really? I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. I thought those actors were gone.

[@luismolina6843]

O909

[@robvangessel3766]

Outside of his Spock role, I think this Bonanza episode is the best performance I'd ever seen from Nimoy. He is TOTALLY un-Nimoy!

[@robvangessel3766]

The actress who played the saloon girl was Stanley Kramer's wife.

[@jessfrankel5212]

Cal Bolder was his screen name. Real name: Earl Craver. Nimoy playing a scumbag here was actually par for the course before/outside of Star Trek. He usually played bad guys. Bolder starred in Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, a real turkey of a flick. In this TV episode and that movie, he played the Mongo type character well. IRL, he wrote at least one novel, and was a police officer for a time.

[@williamofockham5042]

As others have noted, this is an adaptation of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," with Arnie being Lenny. Instead of furry rabbits, Arnie likes hairless baby pigs. Arnie's character is also remarkably similar to the Mongo character in "Blazing Saddles." So similar, in fact, that I'm pretty sure Mel Brooks based Mongo on Arnie and/or Alex Karras drew on the character for his portrayal of Mongo.

[@mikethomas5231]

Thing vs.Hulk!! 😉😉😉!!! Lol!!!

[@alexewing7264]

And by adaptation, you mean they both have a big, dumb guy. Did you know Night of the Living Dead is an adaptation of Frankenstein, too?

[@michaelcorbidge7914]

The time spans here are 6 years and two years ago . Looks like there's some knowledge here of literature maybe literature by the famous American authors. I'll say that the hulk is a blazen shameful ripoff on Dr Jekyll n Mr Hyde. Never watched Blazen Saddles though . Arnie here bears a slight family resemblance to Burt Lancaster. Clearly arnold Schwarzenegger based the early launch of his career on Arnie in this episode which also served as an excellent smoke screen to his early woeful acting but the script writers and production standard wasn't much of a quality either, and even Schwarzenegger himself became known as arnie in later years to continue as the terminator the killing spree commenced in this episode. Spock as part of a time travel team from the enterprise are making observations for the sake of correctly calibrating the space time continuum in order to avoid paradox anomalies so that terminator Arnie will succeed in the mission to save all humanity.

[@markjackson7083]

Arnie is still on he's farm restin easy.

[@kathryngubitz5122]

She did get what she deserved!!!!Can't believe she ruined those beads!!!!She should have given them back

[@flyone8350]

sheriff Coffee killed her

[@brendagray9296]

@@flyone8350 how?

[@ametrineambrosia4929]

@@flyone8350 um. No.

[@CathyKitson]

No-one deserves to be murdered.

[@corneilcorneil]

Thank you

[@Joseph-gm1gz]

If there's anyone who knows heartbreak it's Hoss

[@mirianfelipe4970]

j

[@nelsongonzaga2917]

@@mirianfelipe4970 ¹q¹¹¹¹¹¹¹11qqqqqq

[@yellowblanka6058]

Nothing ever works out for the Cartwright boys does it? Every potential relationship/opportunity goes sour. Guess they had to justify keeping them on the ranch.

[@robvangessel3766]

Super-powered fight scene between Hoss and Arnie!

[@floydlooney6837]

Kaiju in action

[@winonamassingill7895]

You don’t suppose that he’s going to suddenly turn into the famous green hulk do you??? 😮😮😮😮😅😅😅😅

[@dk60ish]

One of my favorite episodes, the sax led theme is so haunting & sad.

[@aj402]

Arnie was who Hoss might have been without “his pa and brothers to back him up”. Interesting parallelism. Main difference is Hoss had family and Arnie didn’t.

[@CathyKitson]

I know. There's lot of people in the world who just don't have anyone - family or friends. It's soul-destroying because humans are social animals. They don't do well alone.

[@tomswinburn1778]

@@CathyKitson Wise words. So true. We are pack animals and don't do well without the pack.

[@balluumm1]

You going to lead us to this Granite Point? Oops you didn't tell us.

[@robertsuhrer5604]

The guy looks like the Ultimate Warrior.

[@sudhirpatel7620]

"The sow always feeds her piglets. How is pigs better than people." The big ape knows.

[@feliciaholmes597]

Often I wish I was back in those days.I am 53 years old and I always dated older men much older then myself.If I was in those days I would have tried to suduce their father WHAT A CATCH🤩🤗😃

[@johns.1505]

Are you a bimbo just after a man's money like Sherry was?

[@theveteran765]

Did anyone else notice that Ben didn't say Hoss was going to Granite Point but the Sherif asked if Ben was going to lead him there? 🇺🇸

[@pappy451]

@The Veteran . . . yeah i caught that instantly . even said out loud " ding " .

[@pintificate]

Hmmm. Well spotted.

[@smallies7154]

Leonard Nemoy damn 👍🏼👍🏼 may the FORCE be with you 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@PizzaFLIX]

At PizzaFLIX we say “May the Sauce be with you” 🍕

[@christopherphillips8027]

One of my favorite episodes of Bonanza. Wow, Leonard Nimoy in this episode is so young. Fight scene between Hoss and the Ape (Arnie) one of the best fight scenes ever in television history. I have to say that the fight was a draw.

[@ronmailloux8655]

too bad hoss stunt double was clearly smaller.

[@shack8110]

It's like the dude was the inspiration for the Incredible Hulk. I wonder if there was a big dumb stupid smelly wild man back in the old west that was the inspiration for that poor big dumb ape? He's kind of like a football-playing, or basketball-playing jock today, with no way to release his agression and nobody to keep him from doing something stupid.

[@robertwilliamson7667]

Damm Hoss. I am jealous of your children to have a Daddy like you.

[@Squirrel36]

I am jealous of your wife to have a man like you!

[@mikethomas810]

Arnie should've cleaned himself up and got some store bought clothes instead of those beads.

[@joethekinghawk7514]

Amen.

[@pappy451]

a shave and a bath , new clothes and boots . and a new hat .

[@inhibited44]

a bath, a top hat and tails, some dance lessons and he could have been like the monster dancing in Young Frankenstein.

[@marydavis7978]

The scrip didn't call for him to do that!

[@johnmartin2470]

“Tell me bout the rabbits George, I get to tend to the rabbits don’t I George...?

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

The best laid plans Of Mice and Men

[@davidlowenstein9015]

One of the best parts of this episode, is when Hoss tries to explain to Arnie the difference between wolves and bears, ie, people.

[@LindaMerchant-bq2hp]

Life's lessons

[@kathryngubitz5122]

I hope I like this episoide.I like the whole series. Though.

[@olgalara9738]

REST IN PEACE THE CARTWRIGHT ❣🙏

[@tomcloss9764]

Beam me up,Hoss!☺.

[@mw1429]

Spock should have used the nerve pinch-lol

[@jolly7041]

Nah..he would make a hilarious pathetic cry for help instead when he found that bitch dead in her room because of what Arnie did to her..lol.

[@GeorgeBonez]

Script error at 50:49 ,,, Sheriff Coffee asks Ben if he was about ready to lead them out to Granites Point (to find Arnie) but Ben never even told Sheriff Coffee where Arnie was in the first place. Haha Watch this scene close and you will see what I mean!

[@discobear5752]

Yes, this happens at 41:49 in the current upload.

[@wadeholloway633]

Yes your right how did sheriff coffee find out where hoss was going? ben didn't say a word about it, guess he just jumped the gun a little bit

[@ShadowWalker1971]

Yeah, I noticed that right off. Lol.

[@VincePGallant]

GeorgeBonez Ya I caught that😎

[@DAVIDKIDANE]

I picked up on that too.

[@tomball7009]

Bonanza's version of mice and men.

[@frankjames1955]

He didn't know what love was and she didn't know what love was

[@joethekinghawk7514]

Good way of putting it.

[@RETROGEMS]

I think the root of her anger was her social/economic standing too and Arnie being who he was, considered such an 'undesireable' man by the town, and being so infatuated with *her*, triggered her anger and contempt even more. She felt degraded and powerless that she was a 'saloon girl' in the first place and even more degraded she was attracting the attention of a man considered that undesirable. As wrong as those feelings were, I got the impression that's how her character was thinking. She was taking out her frustrations on her failed life and dismal social status on this guy who didn't know what the heck was going on, only that a pretty woman was talking to him. The whole situation was sad. Arnie needed training and discipline from a family member/friend who cared about him long before he lost all control of his emotions as an adult, and the saloon girl needed to stop abusing this random dude because she was desperate for a power trip stemming from her own raging insecurities. Really thought-provoking episode, I enjoyed the performances a lot!

[@CathyKitson]

@@RETROGEMS I think she was just a vicious, mean person. There are plenty of people who have it even worse than her who are compassionate and kind. Obviously he should not have killed her; he was a murderer. But he was just as much a victim as her, maybe more so.

[@nhmooytis7058]

Too bad they couldn’t have shot on location, the Eastern Sierra is beautiful country! ) Sadly Tahoe isn’t as clean and blue as when I first saw it in 1966. Nice green screen of the lake though.) PS How did the Sheriff know he was at Granite Point? Ben didn’t tell him.

[@TJ-it1bm]

I wish they could have had a different ending then Arnie just getting killed like that. True, they couldn't let a murderer off, but it seems something else could have been done.

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

If the commie liberals were in charge they would let Arnie go.

[@tomswinburn1778]

Arnie couldn't have survived being locked up. He KNEW that, and committed suicide rather than die a slow agonizing death. Exposing himself like that while threatening with the log brought him the final peace.

[@alwayswondering4051]

This episode is painful to watch. How could any person treat anyone like that. Was this girl evil ? Stupid ? Just following orders ? Heartless use ? Are there people actually like this girl ? It's difficult to believe. It's even harder to understand.

[@donmiller2908]

You're comparing a television show to the real world? These plots are formulaic and designed to run within a 42 - 45 minute time span, excluding commercials. They have to set up the scene, introduce the protagonist, antagonist and supporting cast plus have a resolution or climax within a certain time, which is why her personality seems difficult to believe.

[@pintificate]

Don't forget - she was being advised by Mr Spock! .

[@orange70383]

Of course there are lots of people like that.

[@RETROGEMS]

The saloon girl felt like she was a loser because of her social status (or lack of it) and was taking advantage of an opportunity to rain down abuse on someone even she could look down on. I think it's as simple as that...I've seen so many people with those kinds of attitudes towards others. THEIR life is crap, they know it, and they jump on the opportunity to tear someone down they view as more vulnerable or even more worse off than them. Basically, they're bullies.

[@CathyKitson]

Bonanza is very contrived. The girl had to be as horrible as possible to get Arnie to kill her. Although there are some very horrible people out there in real life, too.

[@christinehaigh9807]

haven't we lost enough time already?? lol

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

Where is that Vulcan Death Grip when you need it?

[@inhibited44]

Despite the vulcan mind meld helping with the Horta, I don't think it would have helped Artie. I think Spock would have been upset if he mind melded with the bar maid.

[@charlescanterbury9762]

I just saw Karen Sharpe on A word with Worth, being interviewed, still beautiful in her late 70's, looks much younger.

[@marianwalsh6297]

Just saw her in rawhide watching old esposide she was beautiful then still beautiful in her 70

[@johnhenryholiday4964]

Freddy's treatment of the bar maid was.... illogical.... bwahahahahahahaha :)

[@RETard-me4mj]

Twas' beauty killed the beast.

[@anonymousanonymous9366]

T'was

[@RETard-me4mj]

@@anonymousanonymous9366, you try typing that after seven beers.

[@Grendelbc]

Lois - Hehe. Arnie wasn't QUITE as big as Kong.

[@rosalindayoung7269]

Joe n Adam are hilarious! Send Hoss in there n he gets beat up n they turn their heads in shame..1 hr n 15 min 😂

[@2badger2]

Spock should have given him the Vulcan nerve pinch (:>)

[@pintificate]

Good one!

[@hungrydragonvsfrightendhob7799]

Man. Leonard Nimoy was very handsome when he was young.

[@viktoriaironpride4977]

Hungry Dragon, Leonard Nimoy had a small bit part in the 1950's "giant ant" sci-fi classic, "Them!" (So did Fess Parker, who stole the movie. I heard that Walt Disney saw FP's small performance and said, "There's my Davy Crockett!" The rest is history!

[@commentator9693]

Mr. Spock the cowboy.

[@okeithmartin]

...💌💌 Maaain that takes, took me back Mo-fos😼😾👊👍!!!🇱🇷🇨🇱 Dallas Tx.

[@zq9m3xh8]

How many sucker punches can Hoss blunder into?! Good Lord!

[@marielaosorio4194]

Me encanta bonanza pero q bueno q la trsmitieran en español

[@MarkusHeimy]

He never told the sheriff it was granite point. Oops

[@babocrazyape1159]

i made the same connection

[@johns.1505]

He was eavesdropping on Hoss when he told his dad is what I got out of it

[@frederickgregory9505]

An obvious Mice and Men influence here.

[@li8363]

Yes but this one has Mr. Spock in the old west.

[@socksumi]

And maybe a bit of King Kong.

[@MrBudcole]

Of Mice and Men, with a more humane ending.

[@McIntyreBible]

24:11, Arnie explodes in anger because he thinks the workers are laughing about him.

[@ravipeiris4388]

Classic!

[@MichaelBrown-lm3vd]

Dam my jaw hurts

[@pintificate]

Had a bloke that big really punched Little Joe, Joe's body would have slumped to the floor and his head would have been splattered all over the wall at the far end of the bar! .

[@SerenitynPeace]

Leonard Nemoy (Spock) in Bonanza!

[@superdavid002]

Stuntman double for Blocker can be seen in the early fight scenes.

[@RETROGEMS]

Is it my imagination or were the early episodes grittier, darker & rawer? It seems that the later episodes became glossier and more melodramatic (in later seasons, a bit goofy too although fun) but the early seasons seemed like more of a darker portrayal of the realities in the old West. For the early 60s, these eps REALLY didn't sugarcoat anything or baby the audience with simplistic writing. The character development was deep and authentic. Silver lining to quarantine has been rediscovering my love of vintage TV, particularly the old Bonanza series. This whole show had a great deal more talent and complexity than most people would think.

[@tomodonovan5931]

You're adept at noticing such little details. I always felt that the lead characters were already cemented into their roles on Bonanza. Maybe culture change in the sixties changed some of the writing in later shows. It's very possible for culture change impacting television. Notice Vietnam changing shows, or shows like Combat becoming popular, until everyone was tired of war, then those shows disappeared from air. McHale's Navy, or F Troop. There were more shows that were more violent in the sixties, but remember, you still had Family Affair, or Bewitched to keeps things a little more down to earth. Pernell Roberts left the show during your description of the grittier, darker & rawer days. You realize that he was probably not too thrilled with those writers. They should have let Roberts perhaps write a few shows himself, that is if he was qualified. He may have stayed with his own input of his ideas. You have to admit, that it would not have been a bad idea to give in a little to his wishes. He was a popular actor, and a lot of females no doubt quit watching the show because of his absence. Everybody had different likes about the shows. Some liked the romantic episodes, like Adam's romance with the religious woman from Ohio, or the woman who was believed to possess powerful medicine Even Hop Sing had romance, and I wish he would have had more episodes. Victor Sen Yung was Talented. I like stripping the shows down as well, looking into all minute details, and there's always someone in KZbin land saying hey!, it's just a TV show. I'm just curious on what makes the show tick is all. You always see something a writer misses, or something that makes better sense. Gomer Pyle comes to mind, the episode where Opie runs away, and nobody knows where he can stay. But! A few episodes earlier had Gomer going to Lombardi's house to stay for a weekend, and it was only three hours away. Why didn't Lombardi suggest Opie stay at his parents? Those little things come to mind when watching TV. Apologies for writing too long!

[@westonweigand1228]

The western soap opera

[@judegarcia6135]

blooper there. cartwrights didnt tell the sheriff where he was but the sheriff said you ready to take me out to granite peak...😆

[@b.terenceharwick3222]

Mr.Spock as a young man...