This episode shows the folly of banning fire arms in a society. In this episode when Sheriff Micah Torrance has an important get together to attend. He turns to Lucas McCain to stand in for him as Marshall. Lucas has to turn him down. The town blacksmith (Nils) over hears the conversation and offers to take Micah's place. Against his better judgment he allows Nils to do the job. Since he's only supposed to be gone for a few days. What harm could there be? Right off the bat a man rides into town shooting his gun in the air. He's celebrating the birth of a son. Nils decided to avoid trouble he disarm the town. In the end. He winds up with all the guns in his office and gang of crooks in control of his office. The episode does have a satisfying ending. But without even trying makes the argument for the legal possession of firearms by the general population (The Second Amendment). When they disarmed everyone; only the bad guys had guns. While obvious the story line wasn't heavy handed.
8 Reviews
Many old west towns banned firearms
lester-1833114 November 2022
Gun Control Is as Old as the Old West
Contrary to the popular imagination, bearing arms on the frontier was a heavily regulated business. The laws of Tombstone at the time required visitors, upon entering town to disarm, either at a hotel or a lawman's office. (Residents of many famed cattle towns, such as Dodge City, Abilene, and Deadwood, had similar restrictions.)
The "Old West" conjures up all sorts of imagery, but broadly, the term is used to evoke life among the crusty prospectors, threadbare gold panners, madams of brothels, and six-shooter-packing cowboys in small frontier towns - such as Tombstone, Deadwood, Dodge City, or Abilene, to name a few. One other thing these cities had in common: strict gun control laws. "Tombstone had much more restrictive laws on carrying guns in public in the 1880s than it has today," says Adam Winkler, a professor and specialist in American constitutional law at UCLA School of Law. "Today, you're allowed to carry a gun without a license or permit on Tombstone streets. Back in the 1880s, you weren't." Same goes for most of the New West, to varying degrees, in the once-rowdy frontier towns of Nevada, Kansas, Montana, and South Dakota.
Copy from season 1
alanr723024 December 2020
A story for the ages, ie, now.
bburkard-0815923 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
If this is not a causionary tale, shut my mouth. In less than thirty minutes this story is a sterling example of how well gun control will work. This story opens with a substitute Marshall, the town Blacksmith, deciding that if he takes all the guns, away from the people in town, there can be no trouble. In very short order in roll three bad guys, who decided to just come into this "well armed town", are confronted with a town of sitting ducks, make a change to their plans. The crooks take the marshall and Mark Mcain hostage in the jail and just wait for the bank to open the next morning. Nils, (the substitute marshall), manages to get out a coded clue to Lukas Mcain, and as usual, Lukas saves the night. Well played, good dialoge, and nice direction. A standout episode, although probably not very noticeable in 1962.
The lunacy of gun control
hines-200031 May 2021
Joe Higgins was a great sheriff in the commercials with the line, "you in a heap of trouble boy" as Nils Swenson the substitute sheriff of North Fork not so much. Nils lets the power go to his head and takes everyone's guns away. Of course you knew there was going to be major problems and there was. The only question was if Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) was going to be on the scene before it's too late. Higgins plays it well in this story of the folly of gun control and the disastrous consequences it would bring.
Predictable right from the get-go.
kfo949424 March 2014
Micah is out-of-town and leaves Nils Swenson in charge. Nils, liking the power of being in charge, places a notice up in town saying that guns are not allowed in town. Nils believes that he will stop all trouble in North Fork by taking all the guns.
Everything works out well until three outlaws ride into town. Mark happens to see a wanted poster with one of the bandits and the three bandits hold Nils and Mark in jail. When Lucas gets worried about Mark being out so late he rides into town only to find problems.
Not much to this episode as it was very predictable right from the start. And as expected, the show ends just as the viewer predicted about three minutes into the program. Lot of fluff in this show that just was not as entertaining as others. But it was nice to see Joe Higgins given a deep plot even if the plot was certain.
Everything works out well until three outlaws ride into town. Mark happens to see a wanted poster with one of the bandits and the three bandits hold Nils and Mark in jail. When Lucas gets worried about Mark being out so late he rides into town only to find problems.
Not much to this episode as it was very predictable right from the start. And as expected, the show ends just as the viewer predicted about three minutes into the program. Lot of fluff in this show that just was not as entertaining as others. But it was nice to see Joe Higgins given a deep plot even if the plot was certain.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
