With all due respect to the actors and production staff, this episode of "Lawman" is not just 'similar' but is almost identical to "The Angry Sky" episode of "Cheyenne" that aired two years earlier, just condensed to fit the 30-minute time slot. It's based on a story by Montgomery Pittman, who is credited as the writer of "The Angry Sky" as well as this episode, "The Judge." I wonder if they recycled stories because there are many more episodes of "Lawman" than there are of "Cheyenne" (why is a story in itself) and maybe they thought nobody would notice. However, "The Angry Sky" has an element of pathos and empathy that is missing in "The Judge," plus more attention is given to character development in the "Cheyenne" version. I'll admit to not having watched "Lawman" when it first aired, Clint Walker having set the bar that no other tv Western stars could reach. But although I very much like the episodes of "Cheyenne" that feature John Russell playing disparate characters, the main attraction has always been the ever-engaging Clint Walker's Cheyenne Bodie. Watch "The Angry Sky" (S3 E20 of "Cheyenne") and see for yourself.
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