Judge Garth's vigilance in safeguarding his water supply from dubious mining practices has a ripped-from-the-headlines immediacy that makes this among the most pointed of the large handful of season three stories that raised environmental red flags. Peter Brown is scary as a blinkered zealot so fixated on turning a profit on his father's old mine that he's blind to ethical concerns. Leif Erickson plays the father initially delighted by his son's ambition but gradually appalled by his take-no-prisoners attitude. Stereotyped old codger William Fawcett chomps into his role as a feisty trapper who doesn't believe in signs and makes his own rules.
4 Reviews
Nothing Watered Down About This Pollution Western
zardoz-1317 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The theme of industrial pollution permeates this episode of "The Virginian" entitled "Return A Stranger." The stranger in "Ride' Em Cowboy" scenarist True Boardman's teleplay, based on "The Halliday Brand" writer George F. Slavin's story, is future "Laredo" star Peter Brown. Brown plays mining engineer Craig Ryan, and he has just returned home after having graduated from mining college. He plans to turn his father's ramshackle mine--the Gloria--into a silver processing bonanza. Nobody could be happier about this homecoming than Craig's father, Charlie Ryan (Leif Erickson of "The High Chaparral"), who has spent his entire life nursing the mine along, taking small jobs here and there-such as sweeping out stores in Medicine Bow-to it running, keeping himself alive, and his son in college. Somebody else who is elated to see strapping young Craig return is Judge Garth's comely daughter Betsy (Roberta Shore of "The Young Savages"), who wrote Craig as many as twenty letters while he was in school but received only two small paragraphs in return. Of course, Charlie is robustly proud of his boy and touts his mining school grades. Most of Craig's grades begin with the letter A, but he scored only average-a C-in ethics, and this almost proves to be his downfall, not only of his mining enterprise, but also his kinship with his adoring father. Craig shows up at the railway depot with his partners, chiefly Whit Parsons (Whit Bissell of "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Time Tunnel") and he has Joe Barker (Robert Colbert of "The Time Tunnel") in tow. Barker serves as their go-for, and he spends most of his time patrolling the boundaries of the Gloria mining operations from trespassers. Mind you, Craig is willing to cut corners, but his ethical ambivalence is nothing compared with the sheer unscrupulous audacity of Parsons. He is prepared to take whatever means possible to achieve his ends, even killing.
Imagine Betsy's despondency when Craig pays her little attention. At one point, he goes off riding with her, but he is focused entirely on business. Craig and his father has business partners, primarily the evil Parsons to contend with, particularly when it appears like they are polluting a stream the feedings the nearby ranches, including most prominently Judge Garth's spread the Shiloh Ranch. Now, as episodes of "The Virginian" goes, "Not A Stranger" makes little use of the usual stars. Mind you, The Virginian himself (James Drury) shows up for a scene dressed up in a suit and tie. He is checking in with the Judge before he heads off to Kansas City on business. Meantime, Trampas (Doug McClure) is nowhere in site in this episode. This is almost like a "Gunsmoke" episode where Marshall Dillon shows up at the start and then doesn't return until the end. Anyhow, as the show unfolds, we see Craig willing to bend the rules. For example, he buys another man's pipes when his own don't show up on time, and this riles rancher Barry Wingate (Roy Engel who played President Ulysses S. Grant on "The Wild, Wild West"), but Wingate relents when Craig assures him that he will repay for the inconvenience. Later, when Shiloh ranch hand Randy Benton (Randy Boone of "Terminal Island") is out roping a lost calf, he discovers some of Judge Garth's livestock dead near the tainted stream. Naturally, Garth pays the Ryan's a visit at the Gloria about the water. Sneaky dastard that Whit Parsons is, he has a bypass value so he switches the output of water from the mining operation. Meaning, the polluted water is controlled by one valve, while fresh water flows from another. Whit pours himself a dipper of the good, clean water and drinks it while Judge Garth watches. Satisfied that no foul play has occurred, Garth leaves. Later, a cantankerous old timer, Sam Elberry (William Fawcett of "The Return of Dracula"), wanders in searching for suitable places to put his traps, and Barker catches him trespassing on Gloria property. Sam is both surprised and pleased to see Craig, because he taught him everything that he knows about hunting and fishing. Moreover, Sam guided Charlie to the future site of the Gloria. Craig and Charlie has a life-long bond with Sam. Sam refuses to abide by the no trespassing signs. Later, Barker finds Sam again at the polluted stream and fears that the town cuss may have drunk from it. At the same time, Wingate and other ranchers converge on Garth's Shiloh Ranch and they get the judge to have an injunction drawn up to keep the Gloria from running until somebody can get to the bottom of the pollution. Barker in his wisdom has brought old Sam to the Gloria, and Craig is shocked to learn about his condition. When he discusses the possibility that Sam may have drunk poisoned water, Charlie happens to be eavesdropping. This leads to a major father and son fall-out with Charlie ordering Craig to take Sam to a doctor in Medicine Bow. Charlie is also sad about his son's lies. This doesn't prevent the scheming Whit from intervening because news of Sam's death will definitely put a wrinkle in their ambitious plans. This is where things come to a climax, and Craig learns why he made a C in ethics. The outcome of this complicated situation is well-written.
Peter Brown gives a strong, sympathetic performance, and his character goes through an arc from being crafty to realizing how close that he came to being murderous. Whit Bissell is a dastard, and he shoots Craig in the arm when Judge Garth and his armed ranch hands ride to the Gloria to confront them about the matter of Sam's death. All the loose threads are wonderfully tied up in this efficiently directed episode by Maurice Geraghty who helmed another five episodes of "The Virginian." Leif Erickson chews the scenery with gusto as Charlie. Series regular Clu Glugar has a couple of scenes as Sheriff Emmett Ryker.
Imagine Betsy's despondency when Craig pays her little attention. At one point, he goes off riding with her, but he is focused entirely on business. Craig and his father has business partners, primarily the evil Parsons to contend with, particularly when it appears like they are polluting a stream the feedings the nearby ranches, including most prominently Judge Garth's spread the Shiloh Ranch. Now, as episodes of "The Virginian" goes, "Not A Stranger" makes little use of the usual stars. Mind you, The Virginian himself (James Drury) shows up for a scene dressed up in a suit and tie. He is checking in with the Judge before he heads off to Kansas City on business. Meantime, Trampas (Doug McClure) is nowhere in site in this episode. This is almost like a "Gunsmoke" episode where Marshall Dillon shows up at the start and then doesn't return until the end. Anyhow, as the show unfolds, we see Craig willing to bend the rules. For example, he buys another man's pipes when his own don't show up on time, and this riles rancher Barry Wingate (Roy Engel who played President Ulysses S. Grant on "The Wild, Wild West"), but Wingate relents when Craig assures him that he will repay for the inconvenience. Later, when Shiloh ranch hand Randy Benton (Randy Boone of "Terminal Island") is out roping a lost calf, he discovers some of Judge Garth's livestock dead near the tainted stream. Naturally, Garth pays the Ryan's a visit at the Gloria about the water. Sneaky dastard that Whit Parsons is, he has a bypass value so he switches the output of water from the mining operation. Meaning, the polluted water is controlled by one valve, while fresh water flows from another. Whit pours himself a dipper of the good, clean water and drinks it while Judge Garth watches. Satisfied that no foul play has occurred, Garth leaves. Later, a cantankerous old timer, Sam Elberry (William Fawcett of "The Return of Dracula"), wanders in searching for suitable places to put his traps, and Barker catches him trespassing on Gloria property. Sam is both surprised and pleased to see Craig, because he taught him everything that he knows about hunting and fishing. Moreover, Sam guided Charlie to the future site of the Gloria. Craig and Charlie has a life-long bond with Sam. Sam refuses to abide by the no trespassing signs. Later, Barker finds Sam again at the polluted stream and fears that the town cuss may have drunk from it. At the same time, Wingate and other ranchers converge on Garth's Shiloh Ranch and they get the judge to have an injunction drawn up to keep the Gloria from running until somebody can get to the bottom of the pollution. Barker in his wisdom has brought old Sam to the Gloria, and Craig is shocked to learn about his condition. When he discusses the possibility that Sam may have drunk poisoned water, Charlie happens to be eavesdropping. This leads to a major father and son fall-out with Charlie ordering Craig to take Sam to a doctor in Medicine Bow. Charlie is also sad about his son's lies. This doesn't prevent the scheming Whit from intervening because news of Sam's death will definitely put a wrinkle in their ambitious plans. This is where things come to a climax, and Craig learns why he made a C in ethics. The outcome of this complicated situation is well-written.
Peter Brown gives a strong, sympathetic performance, and his character goes through an arc from being crafty to realizing how close that he came to being murderous. Whit Bissell is a dastard, and he shoots Craig in the arm when Judge Garth and his armed ranch hands ride to the Gloria to confront them about the matter of Sam's death. All the loose threads are wonderfully tied up in this efficiently directed episode by Maurice Geraghty who helmed another five episodes of "The Virginian." Leif Erickson chews the scenery with gusto as Charlie. Series regular Clu Glugar has a couple of scenes as Sheriff Emmett Ryker.
Love it!
deswind-150629 April 2022
Once again, a great episode with great acting, entertainment and a good message. I was thinking today about how much better the world would be now if westerns like this were still being made for TV. We have lost something valuable in the U. S.
A protégé son
bkoganbing20 September 2017
Young Peter Brown is fresh from college with a degree in engineering and ready to help his dad Leif Erickson in putting back on a paying basis a mine that Erickson has but is rumored to be played out.
Unfortunately Brown has brought in a partner Whit Bissell and a crew of men who are not too squeamish about methods. First they dam up needed water and later said water is poisoned from the chemicals being used. Sounds a whole lot like today.
Some very nice conflict scenes with Brown and Erickson and also a scene stealing performance from William Fawcett as a cantankerous old trapper and friend of Erickson. Cantankerous was practically Fawcett's middle name in his career.
I'd check this one out. Relevant even today.
Unfortunately Brown has brought in a partner Whit Bissell and a crew of men who are not too squeamish about methods. First they dam up needed water and later said water is poisoned from the chemicals being used. Sounds a whole lot like today.
Some very nice conflict scenes with Brown and Erickson and also a scene stealing performance from William Fawcett as a cantankerous old trapper and friend of Erickson. Cantankerous was practically Fawcett's middle name in his career.
I'd check this one out. Relevant even today.
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