User Reviews

Pernell Roberts does one outstanding job as an Irish refugee who is a good man with explosives. He ought to be as he did his time with the Fenian rebels and the British want him bad.

Barkley friend Harold Gould who is British and visiting and makes inquiries unfortunately for him,

Roberts is hired for the Barkley mine holdings and he and Peter Breck rub each other wrong immediately. That you would expect.

A really great and passionate performance from Pernell Roberts is the main reason for checking out this Big Valley story.

I never watch this show or any ones like it. I'm not much of a western or country person; I lived in the country, I don't have to see it on TV. Anyway, I was browsing through Pernell Roberts videos online and I say to myself "let's give it a shot." I'm happy I did. :) This is perhaps one of the great performances by Pernell Roberts. His Irish accent is to die for, his passion is beyond excellent. He honestly got into character during this episode and you can't help but feel his pain for the struggles the character goes through.

The acting by the other characters were great as well but for this episode (and make note that I do not watch this show at all whatsoever; I cringe when it comes on) Pernell Roberts really shines. If you don't watch any other episodes,watch this one. You will not regret it.

For the last episode of season two, Pernell Roberts guest stars in this overly written political script that has Roberts playing an Irish dynamiter, Patrick Madigan, that has connections to possible murders in England. Pernell Roberts portrays this Irish hot-head than feels a slave to everything British. (Similar to the IRA - British conflict that was going on at that time.)

When Patrick Madigan is hired by the Barkleys in opening an abandoned mine, he is recognized by an English businessman as a man wanted for murder in England. Before a message can be sent to the proper authorities the Englishman ends up dead. When Nick confronts Patrick in the mine about the death, dynamite goes off burying Nick. Patrick Madigan can either save Nick or ride off to the next town.

Pernell Roberts does the best he can with the script. In fact he was the bright spot of the show. But the script called for the viewer to feel some remorse for the Irishman. They even used the connection of the caged eagle as a metaphor for the caged and mistreated Irishman Patrick Madigan. But it is really hard to feel sorry for someone that is wanted for political murder. And with that fact- this episode was hard to watch and hard to get a grip of exactly where the writers were going in this story. One moment he is killing the next moment saving lives. Was he a good victim or evil suspect? It really was never answered.

The best part of the episode was at the end when Nick released the caged eagle. But again that symbol could have two meaning depending on which ever side of the conflict you have taken. Never could get my head into this script.