Kate starts asking questions about Abby's past, and Abby's reluctant to share. An olf outlaw friend (Anthony Bowden) of Tom's from Texarkana shows up with plans for Tom and a bounty hunter on his heels, but Tom would prefer he hit the trail as soon as feasible.
The Davidsons' backstory is coming into focus, and apparently tied into Eastern monied interests who might not have the best wishes for Independence. Its a favorable mark of Western genre sophistication when the villain level clocks in beyond the basic rustler-stage robber level. Longtime Western aficionados might recall the "Rick O'Shay" and "Latigo" syndicated comic strips by Stan Lynde that ran from the 50's through the 80's; Lynde's storytelling evolved from slapstick characters in the early years of the former to sophisticated tales of malevolent railroad tycoons and industrialists in the later. And, there may have been Boston interaction between the Collins' and the Davidsons, which opens the door for some flashback urban episodes down the line. Some of the best episodes of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (1993-98) were set in Boston and Washington.
Abby's character achieves some depth with delayed grief and denial, but she could use a showcase hour to reach some new heights in dramatic presence. An extended saloon showdown and hostage situation is well executed, and credit to the lighting techs for achieving a nice gaslight look but allowing the viewer to see the action well.
The episode is another study in delayed plot reveal, but Sheriff Davidson comes out of the hour a more complex character.
The Davidsons' backstory is coming into focus, and apparently tied into Eastern monied interests who might not have the best wishes for Independence. Its a favorable mark of Western genre sophistication when the villain level clocks in beyond the basic rustler-stage robber level. Longtime Western aficionados might recall the "Rick O'Shay" and "Latigo" syndicated comic strips by Stan Lynde that ran from the 50's through the 80's; Lynde's storytelling evolved from slapstick characters in the early years of the former to sophisticated tales of malevolent railroad tycoons and industrialists in the later. And, there may have been Boston interaction between the Collins' and the Davidsons, which opens the door for some flashback urban episodes down the line. Some of the best episodes of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (1993-98) were set in Boston and Washington.
Abby's character achieves some depth with delayed grief and denial, but she could use a showcase hour to reach some new heights in dramatic presence. An extended saloon showdown and hostage situation is well executed, and credit to the lighting techs for achieving a nice gaslight look but allowing the viewer to see the action well.
The episode is another study in delayed plot reveal, but Sheriff Davidson comes out of the hour a more complex character.