Gunsmoke (TV Series) The Quest for Asa Janin (1963) User Reviews

A plate full of action and excitement

[kfo9494 · 10/10 · 12 December 2012]

This is episode features a full plate of adventure as Matt goes to Texas to try to save a friend from being hanged in Hays City. Hold onto your hats because this is an show that has mischief or mayhem around every tree on the prairie and provides the viewer with one of the best programs in the entire collection.

Dave Engels has been convicted of killing a saloon girl named Lucy Furth. Even with the evidence pointing to Dave's guilt and a jury's conviction, Matt believes that Dave is innocent of the crime. Matt even writes a letter to the Governor asking for relief on the case.

In the meantime the entire town knows that Marshal Dillon is distraught about the apparent hanging of his friend Dave Engels, so this one gunslinger thinks it is about time to take Dillon down. Owen Partee is telling his friend Leroy that this is the best time to kill the Marshal. So Owen is going to tell Dillon that he killed Lucy and then outdraw him. But Marshal Dillon is only wounded and returns fire killing Owen. Leroy then gives Marshal the name of a person that actually killed Lucy as Asa Jain and he is in Valada Texas. Matt is off to Valada in hope of saving Dave from a hanging.

On the way to Valada Matt runs in to Ward Macklin who says he is a sheriff from Colorado. Since the two are going the same way they decide to ride together. Along the way they run into a wagon where two adults have died of small pox. They also find a baby that appears clear of the disease and take the baby with them to Sheriff Hank Colridge in a nearby town.

Matt goes into Valada and gets Asa with some help from Ward. But then Ward reveals a startling revelation that puts Matt and Ward at odds. Even though Matt gets wounded he is still determined to get Asa to Hay City to prevent the hanging of the innocent Dave Engels.

Be ready for an unexpected ending in this plate full of action. This is one of the most powerful and exciting shows in the entire collection. If you only see one episode from the eight season make sure you see the last show of the season. It is a winner.

One of the greatest episodes of the series

[ben-thayer · 10/10 · 17 July 2013]

The Quest for Asa Janin is unquestionably one the truly great episodes of the entire series. It's an extremely gripping story with a great cast, and to say this one fires on all 8 cylinders is an understatement. In an interview, cast member Roger Ewing referred to series writer Paul Savage as "the heart and soul of Gunsmoke". This episode vindicates that statement completely, and is one of Savage's finest accomplishments.

The thing is, it's never listed on any lists of the "best" episodes in the series, and yet is clearly deserved of the accolades. I can't help but think that the folks compiling said "lists" just haven't seen this one.

No need to rehash the details, Matt goes on a long search for a killer to clear the name of a convicted friend. It's a long hard road with many obstacles, but Dillon is nothing if not fiercely dedicated to the greater good. In years past, I had a thread on the Gunsmoke forums here entitled "Dillonisms", where I posted quotes or traits that defined Matt Dillon's character. One of these quotes is appropriate for this review: "I'm a lawman" (could be supplanted by "it's my job"), where Dillon states his determination to do what his job demands. As Dave Engels says to Matt as he's leaving for Hays City, that job can be difficult at times. This is especially true when Dillon knows deep down the man he must deliver to the gallows is innocent. But the episode shows just what Matt Dillon is made of, when the resolve to right a wrong and prevent an injustice is pushed to the extreme.

The twists and turns awaiting the viewer are frequent...and the last scene of the show is probably one of the most poignant scenes in the history of the series' long run. As Matt rides away and you hear the final voice-over, it's guaranteed to choke up even the stoutest personality.

Quest is one of those shows that will stay with a viewer long after the credits run. It's the kind of story that really made Gunsmoke such a brilliant series.

Power packed episode

[kenstallings-65346 · 10/10 · 8 March 2019]

This one-hour episode packed every second with emotion and gravitas. There are three concurrently running themes, each with its own level of satisfaction. Those themes are duty, justice, and life. The episode poignantly addresses both the promise of life and the tragedy of it. It shows conflict between good men and evil men. The glue binding all of these themes is the character of Matt Dillon, who's mission in life is twice mentioned in the episode, once near the beginning and again at the very end.

Ultimately, it shows that life is filled with tribulations of all kinds, and that there are few absolutes. It is a highly satisfying episode, with a script that still ranks among the finest ever delivered to a television audience.

This episode is timeless and no one should avoid watching it.

Just a funny observation

[netflixnkill · 27 July 2022]

I love how Matt draws a gun on 3 guys that are giving him trouble at the bar in Texas, they leave out then he goes to sit down at a table with his back turned completely away from the door lol as if they didn't just threaten him... with good ol plot armor who needs to be cautious. I know it was probably done for filming purposes, angles or whatever but I find stuff like that kinda funny. Just like when there's a shootout scene and they're inside being shot at from people outside, yet the character stands smack dab in the view of the window to say their lines.

Matt Dillon's Finest Hour

[rkroadmail · 10/10 · 26 July 2018]

I'm a long time Gunsmoke fan who has seen nearly ever 635 episodes of this wonderful TV series. There's a reason it lasted twenty years. It was the ensemble and the many great stories told. If I ever wanted to explain who Matt Dillon was to anyone, this is the episode I would show them. If only men were as character driven as he. I won't go into detail because others have already done that, but this is one episode you don't want to miss. If you don't come out of this loving Matt Dillon even more than before, I'd be surprised. I don't how anybody could have played him better than James Arness. This a a homerun a hundred feet over the center field wall.

Not only the cream of the crop Gunsmoke, one of the greatest episodes of any tv series ever.

[vstallion76 · 10/10 · 6 May 2018]

Grand slam! This episode is superb in absolutely every aspect of tv production. Underlying a great plot leads to legendary performances by Arness and the ever delightful Anthony Caruso, who seem share a mutual admiration in this episode. If you ever need to seem someone on the tv series Gunsmoke, this is your vehicle.

OK, So Just Hit the "NOT HELPFUL" Button.....

[lrrap · 8/10 · 22 March 2021]

I am totally impressed with the quality of Gunsmoke's 8th Season, and was looking forward to a block-buster ending with this episode, largely based on the rave reviews here.

I think it's a solid episode with, unfortunately, an unbalanced script.

1.) We needed to see more of Dave in the opening so that we could understand Matt's total commitment to proving his innocence. This would have made the plot even more compelling.

2.) The entire business with Owen and Leroy, while well-directed, was pretty silly. The scene was designed to inform Dillon of the name of real killer, but this was accomplished by some amazingly far-fetched logic. Get this: Owen knows the identity of the killer, but he chooses to tell Dillon that HE (Owen) did it--why? So Dillon will draw on him, Owen will kill Dillon, and thus Owen will "be somebody" in the eyes of the world, for having killed Matt Dillon. That, as I understood it, is the reason for this scene. Owen's plan goes astray, and Dillon ends up learning the killer's name from the weasely LeRoy.

Surely Paul Savage could have designed a less contrived (and shorter) way for Dillon to learn the name of the killer, and thus give Dave's story more screen time. And how about cutting the business with Doc and the coffee?

3.) I appreciated the scenes with Matt, Anthony Caruso, and the infant---but I was expecting the plot to go in a new direction that involved the kid. As it is, the kid was essentially a prop that (once again) might have been reduced to give us more insight into Dave. Yes, I realize that the baby DID subtly show us Caruso's tender side-- which makes the story about his wife and kid more compelling---so I get it.

4.) The final scene in Hays City was TOO RUSHED. After all of the intensity, bloodshed, Matt's exhausting ride with Janin, etc, we see Matt pop into the Sheriff's office: Janin's in prison, the leg feels fine, etc.... There needed to be a more intense, GRADUAL build-up to the big news that Lane Chandler delivers. It's a common problem with scripts--- carefully build momentum and tension to the big final scene...but then RUSH through it because you've spent too much on the previous scenes. Much too "tidy" a way to end this episode; a re-write was needed.

Another fine Original score by Van Cleave, with one glaring exception: the "drunk" music for Louie Pheeters' promenade to Dillon's office---totally Cartoon quality (and another scene that was LESS important than the pacing of the final 3 minutes of the show).

STILL-- it's another high-quality episode overall...dark, gritty, intense and unyielding. And yes, James Arness really shines--solid as a rock, especially in the edge-of-your-seat tension of the Cantina scene with Jack Lambert and friends.

NOTE:

These comments are intended to be "HELPFUL" to anyone who hasn't seen the episode, but will likely (as is usually the case here on IMDB) only infuriate the people who've already seen it and won't acknowledge its flaws. LR

One of my favorite episodes...

[dpc69 · 9/10 · 8 February 2020]

Every old cowboy actor, villain and character actor in this one episode. These were the reliables, rough customers, they could do more with a sneer or a squint than today's actors could with a page of dialog and fancy prosthetics. George Keymas is the first to taste the sting of Matt's massive Colt, Jack Lambert, who does his famous Scottish houligan with heavy accent, is next. Lovable lout and famous portrayer of mob-types Anthony Caruso goes down next (even though he's saved Matt's bacon from the others). All leading to Marshall Dillon's capture of grinning Richard Devon (my personal favorite heavy) in order to save an innocent man from hanging! It's like a min-movie! Along the way we meet Harry Carey Jr. as a sheriff with a bad case of the flu, and cowboy veteran Lane Chandler as an aged warden at a frontier prison! What a cast! Doc, Kitty, Sam and the rest of Dodge City get the day off. This is Matt's episode exclusively! Directed by John Ford protege Andrew McLaglen this is a character-driven excursion into the lawless frontier of Texas with James Arness at the helm. An intricate story with a straight forward plot, every danger a lawman could encounter to bring 'em back alive! I always imagined the end of a day for these guys. "What did you do today, daddy?" Oh, I got shot by Matt Dillon, son! "What, again?" Yep, pays the bills.

Just OK

[LukeCoolHand · 5/10 · 9 November 2021]

Most reviewers seem to love this episode - one claiming it's the best episode of Gunsmoke ever and one claiming it to be the best show of any type. Well I don't agree as I thought it was a bit boring and a little slow. Not terrible but not great either. Goes to show people have different perceptions of things all the time.