Another misstep in the season finds the Cartwrights hosting a rainmaker during a terrible drought.
Tulsa Weems (John Anderson) and his family arrive in Virginia City, and for a couple of hundred dollars, will make it rain again. In tow are his wife ('60's TV mainstay Claudia Bryar), uppity son Jube (Mickey Sholdar), and his sick daughter Mary Beth (Eileen Chesis). Ben (Lorne Greene) is the only person in town who doesn't kick in money for Weems' services, and Tulsa is infuriated with him since rainmaking is doing the Lord's work (in many an embarrassing scene). Ben offers the family his home after Tulsa is locked up for a half-hearted attack on Ben, but they don't take charity. They eventually break into the Cartwright barn, sure, they don't take charity, but they do what they need to to survive.
As the family waits outside, still not taking charity, Hoss (Dan Blocker) brings Mary Beth into the house and locks her up in a bedroom. She has typhoid fever, and Hoss believes that some itchy cold compresses will cure her of the disease. Tulsa begins his rainmaking ceremony as his family still don't take charity, and his actions may or may not work. Oh, and his family don't take charity.
This misfire is very padded, with repetitious lines and situations. I was sick to death of hearing the family's justification for not taking charity, despite Anderson's good performance. Pernell Roberts has just one line and ducks out of the episode after the first two minutes. Another mistake made is dubbing in Mary Beth's moaning, which is unintentionally hilarious. Tulsa's rainmaking efforts, involving a teeny cannon and stock footage of fireworks, also runs too long. Hoss locking himself in a bedroom with a ten year old girl is a little weird, as well. The episode feels forced and stale, and the abrupt conclusion wraps everything up in a couple of minutes, with no consequences, or word from Roberts' Adam.
A definite letdown, I hope the rest of the season improves from this.
Stats:
-Directed by Lewis Allen
-Written by Robert Vincent Wright
Cast: Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Pernell Roberts, Michael Landon, John Anderson, Ray Teal, Claudia Bryar, Mickey Sholdar, Eileen Chesis
Media: DVD
Running Time: 56 minutes
(* */* * * * *); IMDb rating: 4/10
Contains very mild physical violence, very mild gun violence, alcohol use
