Ballad of the Ponderosa

This is one of those Bonanza episodes, where it's tough to decide at first whether it's good or not. The story takes some dark and puzzling turns. Randy Boone provides a sad, bitter song as tries to come to grips with the hanging of his father for murder. The repetition of a song calls to mind 1950s Westerns such as High Noon and Tension at Table Rock. This movie also brings to mind the Virginian series, in part because Boone was on it. This episode also resembles Virginian because that series liked to get into Whodunits. This oater is aided by Boone's singing even if unaccompanied by Ro erta Shore. Lorne Greene provides fatherly guidance. This one indicates the need to get a third son on the show again. Mitch Vogel joined years later.

As I expected, Michael Landon didn't ar least then, have it as a writer, though his acting is legendary. He was one of the writers on this episode.

Firstly, Randy Boone, almost ruined the Virginian. Dropped or quitting from that excellent show, he suddenly appears on Bonanza.

Always overly moody, his role is always a bane to any Western.

The singing cowboy personna seldom works. Here, too. The singing is subpar, and lends far too far of a dark, almost macabre element, to the show.

Further, no one is going to have credibility to him. He harrasses everyone, yet everyone seems to allow any antics from him.

Admittedly, Coffey was out of town.

Next, the main problem, is the overall moody, psychological, and confusing script and tone of the show.

Westerns began this in the mid to late 60s, and was one of the main things, that killed the Western.

Attempting to in some feeble way, incorporate 1960s psychology and culture into life that existed 100 years earlier, is sheer folly, at best, and shows miserably here.

Then, for the law to instantly blame Ben, is ridiculous, based on his legendary trust and reputation.

The ending was not really conclusive.

Randy Boone late of The Virginian appears in this Bonanza story about an angry young man who appears at a Virginia City hotel dining room and confronts Lorne Greene, Judge Charles Irving, and prosecutor John Archer about the death of his father breaking jail 15 years earlier.

Boone passionately believes that his father had been framed for murder. Ann Doran the widow of the deceased knows a lot more than she reveals.

Boone will do anything and I mean anything to further his cause. It's Doran who knows the real truth.

Although the story is somewhat undefined the cast gives a good ensemble account of themselves.