The end of this episode is what had me subtract 2 points. A not very big "modern" guy wins over Joe Caswell, a large and brutal outlaw from the ruthless late 1800s Wild West. This little punk is able to, with a window blinds string, successfully murder a man who has murdered in cold blood over 20 men not including scientist Russell Johnson who brought him to 1959 in his time machine.
It was a very good episode most of the way through, I loved the dialogue between Joe, the priest, the sheriff, and the father of the his latest murder victim at the start of his necktie party. Then Joe disappearing from his noose and the priest exclaiming "what kind of devil's work is this?", and then Joe and Russell's dialogue was all great from the moment he appeared in 1959 in front of the scientist to the moment he killed him before running out into the streets of 1959 New York, which also was fascinating stuff.
Russell immediately suspects something wrong when seeing the deep rope marks on Joe's neck and he talks into the tape recorder saying "I got one observation, hardly scientific, I don't like his looks, I don't like the expression. I get a feeling that I've taken a 19th century primitive outlaw, and placed him into a 20th century jungle, and heaven helps whoever gets in his way". Then, Russell starts questioning Joe on right and wrong and justice, and Joe responds that "another man's bread, or another man's jacket is all that stands between you and staying alive". He then tells Russell "you go back to where I was with your words on "right and wrong" and "justice", they're gonna sound different!!" Joe was used to having to fight hard for everything, but he, much like many other 19th century outlaws, lost some marbles and got into the ugly habit of brutal force and violence even when survival was not a reason (which is revealed at the episode's start when he's hung because it was said that he shot a man in the back, that is not killing for survival). It could be said though that Joe killed Russell for survival since he was telling Joe that he was going to send him back to the very moment in the 1880s that he was hanging from the rope. But, Russell's concerns are understandable since Joe had killed over 20 men already, he just shouldn't have told Joe that. He should've either tricked him into getting back into the machine, or gone to the police saying that there's a potentional dangerous man threatening him (the former would've made the episode more interesting).
I also enjoyed the scenes with Joe on the NYC streets. I've read how some people wondered why he got so spooked by the noise of the traffic and horns when he was used to hearing the cracks of gunfire (many from Joe himself), but I believe that loud noises are much scarier when they're unfamiliar, and you don't know what is making the noises or why. Good scene in the bar too, when the minute the TV is turned on, it's not just of a Wild West showdown, but also the gun slinging opponent is facing right at the camera, thus making Joe think that the TV is a window and there's really a man on the other side of it ready to shoot him. All good plot.
Then there's the ridiculous ending with the thug smaller than Joe getting the upper hand during the last few minutes of the episode and killing him. It was a great episode until the cop-out ending, I guess that the writers of this episode ran out of steam and got writer's block ten steps short of the finish line
It was a very good episode most of the way through, I loved the dialogue between Joe, the priest, the sheriff, and the father of the his latest murder victim at the start of his necktie party. Then Joe disappearing from his noose and the priest exclaiming "what kind of devil's work is this?", and then Joe and Russell's dialogue was all great from the moment he appeared in 1959 in front of the scientist to the moment he killed him before running out into the streets of 1959 New York, which also was fascinating stuff.
Russell immediately suspects something wrong when seeing the deep rope marks on Joe's neck and he talks into the tape recorder saying "I got one observation, hardly scientific, I don't like his looks, I don't like the expression. I get a feeling that I've taken a 19th century primitive outlaw, and placed him into a 20th century jungle, and heaven helps whoever gets in his way". Then, Russell starts questioning Joe on right and wrong and justice, and Joe responds that "another man's bread, or another man's jacket is all that stands between you and staying alive". He then tells Russell "you go back to where I was with your words on "right and wrong" and "justice", they're gonna sound different!!" Joe was used to having to fight hard for everything, but he, much like many other 19th century outlaws, lost some marbles and got into the ugly habit of brutal force and violence even when survival was not a reason (which is revealed at the episode's start when he's hung because it was said that he shot a man in the back, that is not killing for survival). It could be said though that Joe killed Russell for survival since he was telling Joe that he was going to send him back to the very moment in the 1880s that he was hanging from the rope. But, Russell's concerns are understandable since Joe had killed over 20 men already, he just shouldn't have told Joe that. He should've either tricked him into getting back into the machine, or gone to the police saying that there's a potentional dangerous man threatening him (the former would've made the episode more interesting).
I also enjoyed the scenes with Joe on the NYC streets. I've read how some people wondered why he got so spooked by the noise of the traffic and horns when he was used to hearing the cracks of gunfire (many from Joe himself), but I believe that loud noises are much scarier when they're unfamiliar, and you don't know what is making the noises or why. Good scene in the bar too, when the minute the TV is turned on, it's not just of a Wild West showdown, but also the gun slinging opponent is facing right at the camera, thus making Joe think that the TV is a window and there's really a man on the other side of it ready to shoot him. All good plot.
Then there's the ridiculous ending with the thug smaller than Joe getting the upper hand during the last few minutes of the episode and killing him. It was a great episode until the cop-out ending, I guess that the writers of this episode ran out of steam and got writer's block ten steps short of the finish line