User Reviews

"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. --------------------------------------- *(for color presentations ~ all seasons of Bonanza were filmed in color.)

Guest stars Ben Johnson and Roger Davis are the show in this Bonanza episode. Johnson plays the Cartwright foreman who will be bossing the cattle drive taking the Ponderosa and other steers to market. But Roger Davis a top hand with one of the neighboring ranchers wants the job of trail boss himself.

Davis does have the skills, but for the long haul can he handle it like Johnson? Johnson is one tough hombre when the chips are down.

Both Johnson and Davis give good guest star turns in this story.

This episode makes excellent use of Ben Johnson and other superb horsemen racing through the dramatic sweep of the Arizona territory. The production values are so high, at times you'll think you're watching a John Ford Western. The Cartwrights play backdrop for the struggles of an old horse breaker and cattle driver played to sympathetic perfection by veteran Western star Ben Johnson. There are some great horse breaking and cattle driving scenes filmed with dramatic cinematography backed up by a grand score. There are none of the hokey sound stage scenes with painted backdrops here: nothing cheap looking about this production. Note the grandeur of the western skies and the rolling chaparral hills. It's remarkable for a TV Western serial episode: almost literally a breath of fresh air.

Ben Johnson's performance as a trail boss in this Bonanza episode from 1971 is one of the best I have seen on the small screen. Johnson lends his heavy weight cinematic credibility to the TV screen. His true life horsemanship is top notch. Though doubles were used on occasion the scenes with Ben were sheer magic. There is emphasis on action sequences involving horses and horsemanship on the open range. The story line is secondary to Johnson's presence in this offering. The true grit and soft voice of this veteran actor was the centerpiece around which everything else seemed secondary. I highly recommend this episode. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I was in cowboy heaven watching Bonanza's Top Hand. Ben Johnson's horsemanship was unparalleled. Two years after this episode Ben Johnson won a rodeo championship. The "old timer" still had the goods! The sweeping scenery had the feel of a John Ford movie. This episode reminded me of why I love westerns-the wide open spaces, the individual against the elements, action over words and beautiful horses! Not to be missed!