"Gunsmoke" The Bad One (TV Episode 1963) Poster

(TV Series)

(1963)

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8/10
Feeling of being trapped by obligations for two young people
kfo94942 December 2012
Jenny Parker is set to arrive in Dodge by stagecoach. She has been in a convent school back east and is returning to live with her harsh father that over-protects Jenny from the outside world.

But before the 19 year old makes it into Dodge the stage is held up by a young man later be named as Will Jett. During the hold-up Willie pulls his scarf from over his face and kisses innocent Jenny. But the viewer could tell from the kiss that Jenny was more taken by the kiss that horrified.

When the stage arrives in Dodge the driver and shot-gun man could not agree on the description. And Pa Parker vowed to kill anyone that used force on his daughter.

When Willie Jett arrives in Dodge, Matt is suspicious that Willie is the criminal that held up the stage. Seems Mr Jett's father was a known outlaw and Willie wants to live up to the Jett name. But when Matt take Willie out to the Parker house so that Jenny can identify him- she says that she has never seen him before.

Later, after Pa had left the house, Willie returns to talk with Jenny. Now the true felling of each person comes out. Willie feels trapped by his father's name- and Jenny feels trapped by her father's actions. Both are wanting to be free of the obligations that each feel like the owe.

When Pa returns home, he knows that Willie has been to the house. He goes to Dodge to finds Willie and is set for a gunfight. With Pa counting down to shooting Willie- Willie is pleading with him not to draw. Will someone finally be free?

This is an episode that half the viewers will like and the rest dislike. For me the story was interesting but the characters were lacking. Jenny was written too shy and humble while Willie was written to green and harsh. The same plot with another set of characters would have worked better. But by its on merit it was worthy due to the great ending. An extra star for an ending that does not follow the norm.
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6/10
Not good
gary-6465920 March 2019
A combination of a writer calling herself Gwen Bagni Gielgud and veteran journeyman director Sobey Martin make a less than mediocre job of this episode. The characters are inconsistently written to say the least, totally muddling their motives: a stern, punishing father who blames his daughter for getting her dress torn by a bandit the next second is defending her as a vulnerable victim; a desperado kid provoking everyone in town turns into a meek lamb overnight. The familiar belated coming-of-age story was done much better by Kathleen Hite for "Gunsmoke" and other westerns. It doesn't help believability either that a 36-year-old plays 19-year-old Jenny, and the other guest spots are not well played -- understandably, seeing what they were given to work with.
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10/10
Two Polar Opposites, Dominated by Their Fathers
lrrap26 January 2021
An EXCELLENT Episode.

I heartily DISagree with another review here; first off-- haven't we all seen authentic photos of a young women from the 1870's? They look ANCIENT by today's standards! Actress Dolores Sutton (age 36), not a raving beauty, is SUPERB--a welcome change from all of the mid-60's babes with the huge eye-lashes that strain credulity in so many Gunsmoke episodes. It's clear that Ms. Sutton was chosen for this role because of her dramatic gifts.

But that's small stuff; "THE BAD ONE" is BEAUTIFULLY written-- watch it for yourself and see how carefully constructed are the two romantic characters and their growing attraction for one another...unlikely as it may seem.

The despicable character of Willie Jett (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Dennis Hopper and who takes a SPECTACULAR beating from Burt Reynolds in the Long Branch) briefly reveals his suppressed, sensitive side when Jenny confronts him about his nasty, vindictive nature, which is due to his desperate need to "outdo" his late father's criminal reputation. Her frustration and longing for life's beauties--be it a fancy glass pitcher that belonged to her mother, the garters that Willie brings her, or the ability to see the stars in the sky, give her character an honest sense of depth that JUST manages to "get through" to Willie near the end. I found it VERY CONVINCING (and much credit goes to the sensitive direction of Sobey Martin).

The Big Guy himself-- MATT DILLON - watches over all of this, and his fair, compassionate, paternal side really shines through in the final confrontation with Willie in the barn-- again BEAUTIFULLY written and performed....especially when Willie realizes he'll get a fair shake from Dillon, and begins to talk about his father's death.

DILLON: "You don't have to tell me about it, Jett...." WILLIE: "Yes, I do, Marshall..I've got to tell somebody...." And the powerful emotion of the final scene---played without dialogue--- is, again, subtle, and dignified, and greatly enhanced by the musical underscore's weary sense of nobility.

Enjoyable scenes between Quint and Mr. Jonas (Dabbs Greer), the two stagecoach guys (one of them is Gil Lamb, the vaudeville star of old) getting mixed up in their description of the bandit who held them up, and an unexpected conversation when Jenny's father proposes the Matt marry his daughter, since it would guarantee her safety.

My only complaint is the NEARLY-too-stagey performance of Booth Coleman as Jenny's WAY-overprotective (but loving) father; Coleman was a respected stage actor, whose hammy tendencies in a character role like this one sometimes got the best of him.

I just watched this episodes again and---yeah--- it deserves TEN stars. Check it out yourself... and watch it REAL carefully. LR
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