Bonanza (TV Series) A Dollar's Worth of Trouble (1966) User Reviews

An enjoyable comedy

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 29 February 2016]

Ben has sent Hoss and Joe into town to pick up some wheat and sugar. But because they got distracted by a fortune-teller named Madam Adella, when they get to the store the owner says that another man has bought all their wheat and sugar and they were going to have to come back the next day. But the day is not a total loss as Hoss runs in to a beautiful woman, Kathleen Walker, wanting a courtship. Everything is going well until her father arrives and punches Hoss in the eye.

That evening Madam Adella come to the Ponderosa and tells Hoss that a famous gunslinger named Craig Bonner is coming to town to face off with Hoss. And sure enough the next day Bonner is in town. But Hoss does have something to look forward to as Kathleen asks Hoss to come to her house that evening and her Dad is going to be fine with the situation. When Hoss gets to the house, her father has a shot-gun and also Craig Bonner is in the house. Not the best day for Hoss.

There is much more to this episode that makes for an enjoyable comedy show. There was even a few laugh-out-loud moments as Hoss and Joe make a nice working duo making for a fun show. There is nothing serious about this episode so don't expect a finely suspenseful western, this is just pure fun. Even if this review does not seem to be enjoyable, by the end of the show all things will come together. Good watch

Madame knows all

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 6 September 2019]

One of Bonanza's comic episodes has Hoss and Little Joe, mostly Hoss involved with a group of con artists. There's Elisha Cook,Jr., and his daughter Sally Kellerman who run a medicine show. They can't get the Ponderosa's quota of grain and sugar because Cook keeps buying it to distill his moonshine that he bottles and sells as elixir. There's also Mabel Albertson who usually is playing society grand dames playing a Madame Arcati type of fortune teller. This trio has Dan Blocker coming and going.

Hoss is falling for Kellerman but she has a sweetheart in gunfighter Hampton Fancher, but he's dangerous now more than ever because he's grown nearsighted.

Will the Cartwrights get their grain and sugar? Will Hoss get married. Watch the episode and find out.

Farcical comedic episode

[Rodheffern-489-98810 · 7/10 · 27 January 2021]

The fortune teller is manipulated everything in order to land Hoss as a suitor foe Sally Kellerman. My main problem with this episode is the obvious error where the Gunfighter is supposedly nearsighted..he is farsighted which means he can't see things that are close to him. This season of Bonanza has tried to interject comedic stories to maintain its loyal audience.

Beware the Fortune Teller

[Scififan54 · 10/10 · 20 July 2021]

An extremely funny episode. Hoss has his fortune told by "Madame Adela", who seems to be incredibly accurate in her predictions. She has some bad news for him involving a beautiful girl and a very short-sighted gun-slinger.

The comedic performances are spot on from Joe, Hoss, Ben and even Hop Sing. The boys are finding it hard to get their supplies of sugar and grain - Hop Sing is not happy. There is an extremely funny scene between him and Joe; it's worth watching for that alone. Hampton Fancher turns in a sterling performance as the accident-prone gunman.

Needless to say, not all is as it seems. Bonanza comedy at its best.

Another silly episode

[glitterrose · 5/10 · 29 May 2022]

As I've said on other reviews, I enjoy Little House and have an easier time buying silly plot lines for Laura and her friends because of their ages. It can be believable for children to believe in people telling the future. Hoss and Joe are too old to believe in or getting spooked by somebody telling what the future will supposedly be.

There's two things that saved this episode for me. I absolutely adore Hop Sing and still feel they could've done more with his character. Joe and Hoss were supposed to bring home some groceries but some of the stuff they need are being bought up before they can get their hands on it. My guess is this section of the storyline is making a lot of us cringe because so many of us are having trouble getting what we need. I never thought I'd live long enough to feel like I've got buried treasure because I'm able to find toilet paper and Lysol wipes because of Covid or finding cat food because of supply shortage issues.

Anyway, Hop Sing is in a MOOD. And Ben was also in a mood because Joe and Hoss aren't able to get what they need. I get a kick out of Hop Sung's moods.

Second thing was something that genuinely made me laugh that occured at the end of the episode. You again had a father trying to pimp his daughter out to a Cartwright because the Cartwrights have money. But the lady is in love with another. Hoss is telling Joe that this lady and man plan to get married after the lady's pa gets out of jail. So I guess sometimes even the silly episodes you'd roll your eyes out still might have pieces that you might enjoy despite the rest of the storyline.