Gunsmoke (TV Series) Tobe (1963) User Reviews

Another good one.

[lrrap · 8/10 · 6 December 2020]

This show's got everything-- check the cast credits: young man, cowman, townsman and just plain "man".

Seriously, "TOBE" is another solid, "middle-period" b&w hour-long Gunsmoke that exemplifies what made the series so compelling.

Guest star Harry Townes, who was capable of over-doing things if not controlled by the director, is excellent here...a truly like-able Everyman who copes admirably with life's ups and downs as they are dealt to him.

"Tobe" was broadcast 3 weeks before another TV episode featuring a fine performance by Townes-- as the paranoid/reclusive scientist in The Outer Limits' "OBIT". Both display the actor at his absolute best.

There is real tragedy in "Tobe" which I didn't see coming, which makes it all the more notable. No predictable, neatly tied-together resolution as stated by another commentator on this site.

Additionally, Philip Abbott-- another busy actor from the period--- is cast in an atypical role here. He usually played doctors, scientists, administrative types, etc....and did so very well. Here he portrays an outwardly classy gambler who's really a brutal killer, providing this episode with yet another fascinating dimension.

There's almost a TINY BIT too much "comic relief" interplay between Chester and Doc in this show, but it all comes together in a wonderful and touching final exchange between the two guys who, underneath it all, love and respect one another. LR.

Good story that came across well on the screen

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 20 December 2012]

The episode begins in Elkader hotel room where a gambling game involves Frank, three other guys and a young woman named Mae Young overseeing to the guys needs. After they call it a night one young man advises that he felt cheated and that his father is the Sheriff. Frank kills the man and advises Mae to go get them a buggy so they can leave town. Mae does go get a buggy but she rides out alone leaving Frank saying that he will get her. Mae goes to Dodge City and gets a job at the Long Branch under the name of Hannah Clayton.

In Dodge Matt is leaving town and puts Chester in charge. Matt asks Chester to ride out and serve Tobe Hofstadter with an eviction notice. Chester tells Tobe that he can get a job in town and things may work out for him. With no other options Tobe gets a job in town at the general store and later goes to the Long Branch where he meets Hannah. And when Ms Hannah gets some rough words from a man named Skinner, Tobe breaks a mug against his hand and tells Skinner to stay away from Hannah.

The next day Tobe and Hannah take a buggy ride to the river when Frank enters the Long Branch and asks Sam about Mae Young. Since Sam did not know that Hannah was actually Mae, he tells Frank that he never heard of her. Later Frank comes into the saloon and sees Mae. He now decides to make life rough for Mae which cause Mae to reject Tobe when he came to call. When Mae tells Frank never to touch her again, Frank slaps her knocking her into a heater killing her. Since no one knew about Frank the main suspect is Tobe.

When Chester goes over to place Tobe in jail, Tobe tries to flee and gets run over by a wagon and suffers severe injuries. When Matt returns they find out that Hannah's real name was Mae Young. Sam remembers hearing that name and tells Matt that Frank was asking for Mae Young. But will that be enough, if Tobe lives, to get him free of the charges of murder.

This was a nice story and an interesting plot. The only thing was that when the ending happened it all seemed to easy and tidy. People spoke just to clean the story and get us to the credits. With that said it was still a good watch. Some good interaction between Chester and Doc also helped.

An otherwise good episode

[nofaithinfolklore · 4/10 · 3 September 2022]

****Spoiler ahead**** I'm not writing a synopsis of the episode like the other reviewers, but will instead focus on the part of the show that aggravated me and made me lower my rating from 8 stars to 5 stars.

This episode was quite enjoyable up until the part where Ma Smiley insists that because she locked the door when Tobe left he must have killed Mae. Nevermind the fact that there was already a man hiding in Mae's room, or the fact that Ma Smiley stood nearby during Tobe's very brief visit in which Mae didn't even let him through her door. If anything, Ma Smiley should have been a rock-solid witness in Tobe's defense, but that wouldn't work because plot so add a little ham-fisted writing and voila!