I feared watching this episode, since I thought that the Bassops were going to be like so many other rural families in this series....crazed, psycho, drunken hicks (often led by Denver Pyle, it seems) who delight in tormenting the series regulars; such was happily NOT the case here, as the Bassops were a good family that continually wrestled with the moral and humanitarian challenges they faced.
Eunice Pollis, who played the pregnant wife Mellie, was a tad affected in some of her preachy dialogue, but still was effective in providing the "conscience" of the story.
Still, as another person commented, this episode probably would have been a more effective half-hour.
QUESTION--- why in the heck wasn't Matt MUCH more assertive in trying to convince the Bassops that HE was the real marshall? A few half-hearted attempts, and off they go in the WRONG direction, with no water in sight.
They only could travel as fast as the two wounded men could walk, and we're to believe that they WALKED nearly 30 miles in the wrong direction, in the brutal sun, only to discover their mistake and TURN BACK, retrace their path, and THEN walk another 16 miles to Dodge from their original starting point?
I didn't get it.....and that poor, lone HORSE that pulled the Bassop's wagon; how did HE (it?) survive the ordeal? Lots of impractical things here, which could have been dealt with in the show's LONG running time.
Notice the SAFETY WIRE attached to Dillon on his horse during the violent fight with Wilke, as they plummet down the rocky slope.
AND WHY--in the final credits--was actress Eunice Pollis, playing a major role, listed AFTER James Griffith, who was blown away during the first 3 minutes of the show, after speaking TWO LINES? Sounds like Ms. Pollis didn't have a very good agent.
Note to Griffith fans (like me); don't get your hopes up when you see his name in the credits; "SPOILER" Alert:--- he's gone before you barely have a chance to notice him. ALSO-- Warren Oates was really good in this episode; solid and restrained. LR.