The pilot established the character of Kwai Chang Caine, and the reason why he wanders the American West of the 1870s. This being the first actual series episode (Oct 1972), the audience is introduced to new characters each week, with different ideas and stories focusing on Caine's reactions, supported by occasional flashbacks to his days as a student/disciple at the Shaolin Temple in Northern China, detailing the training and philosophy of the resident priests. Carrying on from the pilot, Caine is forced to move constantly due to the $10,000 bounty on his head imposed by the Emperor of China, coming upon the burned-out remains of a frontier home attacked by Indians, with the father dead, the mother carried off, and only Peter Gideon (Brandon Cruz from THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER), the 10-year-old son, left behind. Caine accompanies the boy to the home of his uncle, Percy McCoy (Ken Lynch), who shows interest only in Peter's nonexistent wealth. When Caine also proves to be penniless, the greedy McCoy clan decide to call in a professional bounty hunter, Raven (John Saxon), to lay claim to the Emperor's reward for the priest that killed his nephew. By this time, Caine and Peter have found a home with Amy Allender (Lara Parker), who has offered Caine a job tending her ranch. Peter adopts many of Caine's habits, such as not eating meat, and the lonely Amy is impressed by Caine's tireless efforts on her behalf, and puzzled by his lack of interest in the money he earns. The patient Raven bides his time, until his threat to destroy the ranch forces Caine into the inevitable showdown. The obvious attraction between Caine and the young beauty, well conveyed by the underrated Lara Parker (DARK SHADOWS), is never overstated, a shame since so much more could have been made, just not in a one hour program. The second episode would flesh out the premise that would carry the show to the very end.
