I just saw this episode just recently and I have to admit I was completely blown away. I tried to imagine what it was like being a 13 year old seeing this show back in 1963 and how I would have felt..
Right from our first sight of Grid (I love the name), I was impressed. Billy Hughes Jr. played his role to a tee. You can tell he's very athletic and considering he was only 14 when he made this show, he put in a remarkable performance. You can tell he knew how to handle a gun and a horse and the scene in the restaurant where he takes a tumble after being slapped was very well done. In fact, I think he was a better actor than Chuck Connors. When Grid slapped Lucas with his gloves, Connors barely flinched;, but when Mallory slapped Billy in the restaurant, he really took it on the chin, or made it look that way..
There was some silly dialogue such as when Grid comes back to the ranch and confronts Mark and says: "Now, don't tell me you're scared, too?" and Marc replies: "I don't expect so." Then, later, he says to Mark: "Just like you're pa, aren't you, boy?" because he refused to shoot it out with Grid. I know if I had been in Marc's shoes at that moment, I would have been very scared. Grid plays a very intimidating kid being as big as he was for his age.I did like Mallory's crack just as Grid was going up to his room, she said: "Room 3; it's the only room without a shaving mug." If you look closely, you can see a partial grin on Grid's face when he hears this. Whether or not that was intended I don't know.
Other reviewers have pointed out various plot holes, such as matches stuck in wood, but one that caught my attention right away was after the shooting display in the main street between Grid and Lucas, you can plainly see Grid loading his gun. Since he didn't have the shootout with Lucas, he left town but his gun was still loaded. Yet when he reached the range, his gun was empty before the staged shootout with Marc. You can plainly see him re-loading it when he got inside the ranch out of Mark's view after Mark wisely refused to fight him. He even said the guns were empty when he was sitting in the marshal's office later. When did he empty his gun when it was loaded when he left town after not having the shootout with Lucas? I have to admit I was left wondering who would win in a shootout between a man with a rifle and a gunslinger? I guess we'll never know.
The scene between Grid and Mallory in the restaurant couldn't have been scripted any better. Remember, Billy Hughes Jr. was only 14 years old. It would have been funny when Grid orders coffee and Mallory replies: "To settle your nerves?" Of course, she wasn't present at the ranch when Mark asked Grid where his dad was and he replied: "He's drinking coffee to settle his nerves". The starkly look on his face said it all.
Some reviewers thought the sudden conversion of Grid was too contrived. One has to realize he spent almost half his life avenging his father's death. It was clearly brought out on two occasions how he practically brought himself up, so naturally he was used to getting his way. But, he was also very smart and knew how to manipulate people. He knew he could coax Lucas into coming after him so he could have the shootout. But, I admit the sudden transformation into the real Gridley was something to behold but I thought it was nicely done..
Finally, a lot of viewers complained about the last scene. I think that was deliberately done to create a "happy ending" and it gave us a chance to see what Billy Hughes Jr. looked like without his tough-guy appearance. You can see how well the costume department did in making him look as intimidating as possible. I think he played his role perfectly and I hated to see the episode come to an end.
