Clay (Chuck Wassil) loves Ellen (Madlyn Rhue) and she loves him. Her disability doesn't affect how he feels about her. But her father, who was evidently responsible for the accident that left her, as he put it, "crippled," is determined that no man will replace him as her caregiver. Never mind what she wants. He'd convinced her long ago that no one else could or would want to care for her, denying her any reason to hope. There's an indolent stepson who is plotting to supplant the old man as lord of Moon Mesa Ranch and Ellen as his heir, using more than one criminal tactic, including murder. Turns out Papa has secrets of his own, a lot to answer for, and reckoning isn't far off.
This is the family drama that greets Cheyenne Bodie when he signs on as ranch foreman for irascible, unreasonably demanding Hub Lassiter (Robert F. Simon at his most ornery best). When it becomes clear that the old man is interested only in having everything, even illegal things, done his way, Cheyenne leaves the ranch after only a few days. His first duty is to save Clay Mason from being hanged at the order of a vengeful Hub Lassiter. Then the two of them discover who's behind the local rustling outbreak, escort them to jail, and race to the ranch in time to save poor Ellen from being incinerated. At last, she has reason to hope.
The supporting cast is good enough. Clint Walker's main job in this episode is to provide the only voice of reason in the town and to look incredibly handsome while doing it. He didn't do the latter on purpose; he just was. Fans would like to see him be given more to do though. In fact, in this episode there's very little real action of the kind we've become accustomed to in the series. But at least, despite threats, there's little carnage, and it's a great relief that Bodie isn't the target of multiple angry fists for a change. Season Four was just after Clint Walker had rightfully challenged the inequities of the studio system and basically shut down production for a while. He wasn't bluffing; as Walker himself said, he was packing up his family, ready to leave Hollywood behind. I guess the studio bosses were not used to being outmaneuvered. Whatever the details, Warners realized they couldn't afford to lose one of their most popular stars, so "Cheyenne" continued in a cutdown version until late 1962. Much as we'd like to have twice the number of seasons, we're grateful for all 107 episodes we do have. Score another one for justice.
This is the family drama that greets Cheyenne Bodie when he signs on as ranch foreman for irascible, unreasonably demanding Hub Lassiter (Robert F. Simon at his most ornery best). When it becomes clear that the old man is interested only in having everything, even illegal things, done his way, Cheyenne leaves the ranch after only a few days. His first duty is to save Clay Mason from being hanged at the order of a vengeful Hub Lassiter. Then the two of them discover who's behind the local rustling outbreak, escort them to jail, and race to the ranch in time to save poor Ellen from being incinerated. At last, she has reason to hope.
The supporting cast is good enough. Clint Walker's main job in this episode is to provide the only voice of reason in the town and to look incredibly handsome while doing it. He didn't do the latter on purpose; he just was. Fans would like to see him be given more to do though. In fact, in this episode there's very little real action of the kind we've become accustomed to in the series. But at least, despite threats, there's little carnage, and it's a great relief that Bodie isn't the target of multiple angry fists for a change. Season Four was just after Clint Walker had rightfully challenged the inequities of the studio system and basically shut down production for a while. He wasn't bluffing; as Walker himself said, he was packing up his family, ready to leave Hollywood behind. I guess the studio bosses were not used to being outmaneuvered. Whatever the details, Warners realized they couldn't afford to lose one of their most popular stars, so "Cheyenne" continued in a cutdown version until late 1962. Much as we'd like to have twice the number of seasons, we're grateful for all 107 episodes we do have. Score another one for justice.
