Good premise reveals a lot about how a frontier town like Dodge survived. A trail hand is murdered in a Texas cattle-drive camp outside of town. Matt investigates but gets no help from the crew led by former cowboy star Allan "Rocky" Lane. In retaliation, Matt closes down Front Street so the cowboys can't get the big pent-up release they've been looking forward to. The result of course is a tense confrontation.
Good script with one flaw-- the hostile meeting between Matt and the town's business leaders over closing Front Street almost sounds as if they've never met before. Yet they all presumably live in the same small town. Also, it's poorly staged, the businessmen looking like they belong in New York City and not Dodge (and where is Kitty since her saloon would really be adversely affected).
Lane is effective as the trail boss, showing how a good actor can play either a convincing hero or a menacing villain. Also, a touching turn by Ned Glass as the ill-fated Sam Peeples. The last line is especially poignant. (Something should also be said for the fine harmonica score that accompanied many episodes. It was always used sparingly and intelligently, effectively underscoring the dominant mood, as it does here.)
Good script with one flaw-- the hostile meeting between Matt and the town's business leaders over closing Front Street almost sounds as if they've never met before. Yet they all presumably live in the same small town. Also, it's poorly staged, the businessmen looking like they belong in New York City and not Dodge (and where is Kitty since her saloon would really be adversely affected).
Lane is effective as the trail boss, showing how a good actor can play either a convincing hero or a menacing villain. Also, a touching turn by Ned Glass as the ill-fated Sam Peeples. The last line is especially poignant. (Something should also be said for the fine harmonica score that accompanied many episodes. It was always used sparingly and intelligently, effectively underscoring the dominant mood, as it does here.)