Should Adam Cartwright Have Gotten A Send Off Episode?

He's there for 6 seasons then he's gone. Here's how they could have fixed that.

[@teresamadan7978]

No No No you can’t let Adam die! I was getting a little emotional about it just listening to you 😢 and you’re so right that there would be puddles of tears if he moved away and the family had to say goodbye 😢 I still have a hard time watching the show without Adam!

[@Bonanzababe]

Oh I know! I hated thinking about it. I'd rather any of the other options! I have come to really like a lot of post-Adam episodes in recent years, but I still prefer the earlier seasons.

[@oliviaperrin1146]

I did so much enjoy your thoughts on the loss of Adam from Bonanza. I remember , as a kid at that time the sense of loss. I also, like many of my school friends first fell in love with Little Joe, but soon loved Adam as well. Now through KZbin etc. it is so nice to watch my hero’s again . I must admit for me Bonanza was never the same when Adam suddenly disappeared and l did loose my passion for the show. I still feel a bit cross with him, but looking back now, think if he had been allowed to do the other work he wanted to peruse, while making the odd appearance, as and when, perhaps With a wife and children he would have stayed longer.

[@michelledunmore9435]

It's obvious that you put a lot of thought into the three scenarios. I think they are all very good, so good in fact, that I can't decide. If I had to make a choice, I'd say a good send off. Please understand, I loved Adam, and Pernell is my favorite actor. It would break my heart to watch Adam die under any circumstance. It would also be very difficult to find the right woman for him. If they could have convinced Anna Lisa to come back as Ruth,and marry Adam, I'd have loved that,lol. I'm not sure Pernell would have done it though. I think he was just ready to hang up the black hat for good. It's hard to know what was in his heart and mind. He told David Frost that playing the role had gotten so unpleasant because of where his head was at, at the time. He didn't elaborate, such a private, and gorgeous man! 😍 I love all of your podcasts!

[@user-zk9ms7fn6u]

I, too, was 10 yrs old when Bonanza first aired & fell irrevocably in love with Adam although I came to appreciate all of the characters in time. I'm glad they left the open door so that we at least had hope of seeing Adam again. Think of how eagerly we lap up the mere mention of him in later episodes! It is fair to consider the death option but I could not have handled that. In particular I could not have borne Ben's pain in that circumstance. Off to sea? Well, healthy birds fly the nest and Ben could be glad that his beloved firstborn was doing what he loved.

[@genettalacey2627]

Yes he should have. He could have gotten married and had a son. They owed him that.

[@Bonanzababe]

That would have been beautiful.

[@kimmoore8266]

I was ten when Bonanza first aired. My young girl’s little heart fell hard for Joe. Even so, when PR left after season six, Bonanza pretty well ended for me. Now, my older self (we won’t give it a number 😄) having rediscovered Bonanza and my older, more educated and experienced self falling for Adam, listened intently to all the scenarios you described. I totally shuddered at killing him off. Of the other options, marrying him off to, as you put it…someone more worthy…and making guest appearances with kids, is the best. If only….

[@Bonanzababe]

Ya know what's funny? I discovered Bonanza when I was 10. Instantly fell for Adam. I have been told I have an old soul.😂 I have always understood the love they all get. I just wanted Hoss and Joe as brothers. Yes, killing him off would have been rough. I didn't even want to include it,but I felt I had to be unbiased to all scenarios and I know they all would have acted the hell out of it. I would have preferred him staying in an episode here and there or a spinoff. Thank you as always for the comment!

[@kimmoore8266]

@@Bonanzababe Both of us ten…that is funny. And you’re right, they would have “acted the hell out of it”.

[@marthasanchez9109]

Thank you so much for uploading this vídeo ❤

[@Bonanzababe]

Thank you for watching!

[@debukarchowdhury8611]

I never saw Bonanza After Adam left.

[@MaryLouBrown]

You have great ideas... but to be honest, I'm glad there isn't a send-off episode because I wouldn't be able to watch it anyway 😭😅

[@Bonanzababe]

It would have been painful for sure.

[@user-zk9ms7fn6u]

I realize I didn't actually answer your questions. I wouldn't have wanted a big emotional send-off. Y'all seem to like those buckets of tears but I'm too wimpy, although I acknowledge that those actors would have supplied them beautifully. The happy-with-his-own-family option would have been my favorite but I imagine that it would have been hard for the actor to work in shooting those occasional appearances when he was involved in another project. Especially if he was doing theatre, maybe on the east coast (you kinda hafta BE there for every performance.) As for the spin-offs I imagine he might have been wary of trusting the people in charge to make them any better or keep any promises they made given his past experience with them. Having said all that wet-blanket stuff I really do like your ideas and wish there had been someone like you writing for them then.

[@carolynlewis2955]

He should have gotten to marry Ruth. U have some good ideas. Things should have been done differently. Don't care for the killing him off part. Each of the Cartwright boys deserved a family of their own with lots of grandchildren for Ben. As Wonder of a show as it was, there eas alot of sadness. I still enjoy watching the show. It first aired before I was born. Even though David Dortin was a good writer, the show could have been even greater with some good changes. I would have liked to write some of them. But it was before my time.I liked all rge characters, but Adam was my favorite. If they felt they jad to replace him, they could have had an episode of Lil Joe's brother, Clay come back to the show, or Will. I like Candy, but I think Clay or Will would hsve been the better choice. But what it comes down to is, Adam was irreplaceable!!

[@Bonanzababe]

Ruth was the best for sure. If he had met her later in the show, around the time he met Laura, they might have done that. I don't agree with killing him off either, but I had to present all options. Oh Ben would have been such a wonderful Grandpa! I read in a book about Guy Williams(Will) that he felt a hostility from the other three actors because they didn't think they needed a replacement if/when Pernell left. I think in hindsight, any show could be changed in certain ways and it is interesting to look into. I will be doing a video about Candy later on this year and talk more about that aspect. Thanks so much for watching!

[@kathyjohnson3457]

No, he wanted out so bad, so let him go as fast as he can get out!😂

[@huetuber1204]

Adam Cartwright deserved a send off. Pernell Roberts, doesn't.