"Top Hand", is Episode 17 from Bonanza's Season #12. Directed by William Claxton, it provides many of the great ingredients that make the Westerns genre so beloved by kids from 8 to 80 - lady or gent. The story is better than most particularly as a story from the last couple of seasons. Most of which were either quite good or else not possessing very much saving grace at all. "Top Hand" is a tremendously enjoyable story, and a fine Western featuring wonderfully skillful horsemanship from Ben Johnson and others. Wow! The great ones make it look effortless. The direction and cinematography, beautiful splashes of *colorful scenery ..... these are ALL necessary parts for a "8","9" or "10" rated show. The action is pounding while the tension is like an elastic band stretched near it's limit. Beauty, yes! This story has SO MUCH Visual Beauty! There is One ANNOYANCE that was resounding throughout virtually the ENTIRETY of the story. Arguably, most folks will agree that the music was constantly flooding over everything else happening. Loudly drowning out the flow of the story. Music is supposed to enhance the story, not overtake it until the viewer says, "Oh Shut Up already!!", and that is why I generously gave the episode a NINE in its entirety. If I think about the music's volume, (too loud) and the amount (virtually constant) of music that was also used in the, "Little House on the Prarie" series, it screams FAMILY, fill in the blank, but NOT Western! Thus, I end this review on a very down note for one of the finest lost episodes of Bonanza, in my opinion.
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*(for color presentations ~ all seasons of Bonanza were filmed in color.)
