Jud Ainley, the arrogant, good-for-nothing son of the town's respected banker, is accused of killing a man in cold blood and the only known witness is the deputy sheriff, Gary Thomas. At Jud's trial, it's the deputy's turn to be accused, but of stealing $3000 from a prisoner; to make matters worse, his girlfriend, Molly, is apparently in on the frame-up. He's found guilty and quickly sentenced. Cheyenne Bodie, in his role of U. S. Marshal, is tasked with transporting prisoners, including his old friend Gary. On the way, Thomas escapes after the men are ambushed by Jud Ainley and his shiftless henchmen. Now it's a race to discover how Gary was set up and save not only the other witness to the crime but also Molly, whom Gary still believes betrayed him and threatens to kill. Jud and his cohorts also have Thomas in their gunsights. I told you it's complicated. Of course, with Cheyenne Bodie on the case, it isn't long before the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place.
As is typical of "Cheyenne," this episode has all the earmarks of an authentic tv Western--good script, excellent cast, and realistic production values. The characters keep us invested in the story. Mike Road is sufficiently odious as the banker's spoiled, thoroughly reprehensible son. Although Gary is well-played by Chris Alcaide, his willingness to believe the worst about the woman he supposedly loves should give Molly (Jeanne Cooper) reason to question a lifelong commitment, but she sticks with him. Ray Teal is Cheyenne's old friend, Sheriff Matt Corbin, and reliable old-timers Frank Cady and I. Stanford Jolley play small but critical roles.
There isn't much suspense in this one because we pretty much know what the outcome will be, as we usually do with the series. But for diehard fans of the show, simply having Clint Walker on the screen is enough to keep us interested; the best scenes are with him. We also enjoy seeing how Cheyenne always deals with dramatic situations, even those involving personal friends, without ever compromising the core values that make Cheyenne Bodie such an admirable and heroic character. It's especially satisfying when he shows how well he can use brains as well as brawn to satisfy Lady Justice.
As is typical of "Cheyenne," this episode has all the earmarks of an authentic tv Western--good script, excellent cast, and realistic production values. The characters keep us invested in the story. Mike Road is sufficiently odious as the banker's spoiled, thoroughly reprehensible son. Although Gary is well-played by Chris Alcaide, his willingness to believe the worst about the woman he supposedly loves should give Molly (Jeanne Cooper) reason to question a lifelong commitment, but she sticks with him. Ray Teal is Cheyenne's old friend, Sheriff Matt Corbin, and reliable old-timers Frank Cady and I. Stanford Jolley play small but critical roles.
There isn't much suspense in this one because we pretty much know what the outcome will be, as we usually do with the series. But for diehard fans of the show, simply having Clint Walker on the screen is enough to keep us interested; the best scenes are with him. We also enjoy seeing how Cheyenne always deals with dramatic situations, even those involving personal friends, without ever compromising the core values that make Cheyenne Bodie such an admirable and heroic character. It's especially satisfying when he shows how well he can use brains as well as brawn to satisfy Lady Justice.
