Just watched this episode for the 1st-time today. I'm a fan of the series but generally-prefer the later color-episodes starring John McIntire, though there are many good-ones featuring the series' original wagonmaster, played by Ward Bond. "The Abel Weatherly Story" sounded promising in the program-grid description, having a sea-connection, which I always find a welcome change-of-pace for a land-based western series, though Bonanza, Maverick, and Death Valley Days occasionally have such a setting. I thought guest-actor J.D. Cannon quite-good & effective in his role as first-officer of a whaling-ship. I enjoyed scenes of the fully-rigged whaler under full-sail as it plied the seas, along with believable geographic-references, i.e., straits, islands, etc. The scene where the men are hunting-down a whale in a small-boat with harpoons at-the-ready, then attacked by the leviathan, to be quite well-done, with effective-integration of process-shots, no-doubt obtained from some unknown-movie of the past. The shots used in this fashion, including the whaler under-sail, were smooth, sharp, and non-grainy; in short, convincing, unlike many old TV-shows that made-no-attempt to disguise the trickery(unless Hollywood thought audiences of that era to be too unsophisticated to notice, my personal-theory). The general-premise & plot was intriguing which I won't repeat here. The fact that only 2-regulars from the series were featured, Terry Wilson & Frank McGrath was rather refreshing. As much as I enjoy McGrath, as chuck-wagon cook Charlie Wooster, the naievete' & near-stupidity of his character, can be a little-tedious, endearing as it is, but in this episode he plays his character somewhat-more straightforwardly & realistically. Wilson, who plays reliable trailhand Bill, is good here, too, as the solid, intelligent friend who takes the seaman's mysterious-quest in a tiny Nebraska-Territory town seriously. It's made-clear that both Bill & Charlie are fascinated by the man's tale. To be honest, though, I was at a complete-loss in understanding the episode's resolution. I just didn't "get" it, disappointing after such an involving story, but I think the fact that MeTV's audio-quality became muffled at this point, obscuring the words coming-out of a character vital to the tale's resolution had much to do with it. Possibly this aspect could've been considered far-fetched but since I couldn't hear it clearly, I don't know. Still really-enjoyed this episode, regardless. "The Abel Weatherly Story" is a whale-of-a-tale, a refreshing sea-breeze from those creaking-old wagons & jokes about Charlie's perennially-bad coffee, biscuits, & stew!
4 Reviews
a Change Oo Pace for Wagon Train
blrosenberg4 July 2023
Jack Buckley's review nailed my response quite nicely. I feel the later Wagon Trains have more sophisticated stories and directing and this is a perfect example of it. This episode was a welcome change of pace, without the wagon master, with a less caricatured Wooster and with much of the setting at sea. A few things are not overtly explained, which leaves me to interpret the meanings and makes for a more intriguing show. That is a welcome twist which shows up several times in the 1962-63 season. Well written, well directed and well acted. It dates well for a 1963 western. This is worth a watch!
Far fetched and wild
bkoganbing17 November 2013
Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson of the Wagon Train regulars are the only ones to appear in this episode. The story concerns a drunken ex-sea captain whom they find on the trail and who is haunted my nightmares of a murder he might have committed while marooned on a south sea island some years ago.
J.D. Cannon is the sea captain and is in the title role of the story. He thinks that he might have killed sailor John Ashley with whom he was marooned. It was a question of survival as he had some reason to think Ashley was planning to do him in.
Not one of the better Wagon Train episodes a little too far fetched and wild for my taste.
J.D. Cannon is the sea captain and is in the title role of the story. He thinks that he might have killed sailor John Ashley with whom he was marooned. It was a question of survival as he had some reason to think Ashley was planning to do him in.
Not one of the better Wagon Train episodes a little too far fetched and wild for my taste.
I found this story totally boring.
michaelt-4141529 April 2022
This is by far the most boring and far fetched episode of Wagon Train i've seen.
I wont go onto detail, its all there.
Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson are the only regulars to appear.
This episode should not have been included as a Wagon Train story...
I wont go onto detail, its all there.
Frank McGrath and Terry Wilson are the only regulars to appear.
This episode should not have been included as a Wagon Train story...
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
