A lot of things could be solved without the use of guns. The scene that kicks off the plot is Grat learning that the man he killed was unarmed, and Dillon wishes that he could argue instead of having to draw. Had Dillon been unarmed when he confronted Grat, Grat wouldn't have touched him. But Doc rightly points out that it's not about the law, it's about pride. So many times in the series Dillon would kill people, and there would be a later episode where he has nightmares about the people he killed. He doesn't just want to have the moral high ground, he wants to be the best.
I think that Charles Marquis Warren was also trying to make a case for the Second Amendment. I know that 'Gunsmoke' is only entertainment, but it's very of its time, and I think that film and television is political, even when it doesn't intend to be. Particularly in the 1950s.
There's not much racial representation but Dodge City is depicted to be very territorial. Although because it's in Kansas, that makes sense.
I don't know where Dillon's from but his accent isn't very Kansan, but I digress.
Grat is from Amarillo, Texas, and like many guest stars in TV Westerns he's an unwanted stranger. I can't figure out what exactly his motives are. I thought that part was unclear.
'Gunsmoke' is an artfully shot series. The lighting, for its time, is cinema quality. No offense to the costume designers but Miss Kitty is clearly wearing Dior's New Look.
Review of Matt Gets It
