User Reviews

This is an excellent episode linking into real history, with truly iconic undefeated Chief Joseph (one of the most admired battle tacticians and strategists of the 19th century anywhere) travelling from the tribal homeland in Washington state to meet for peace talks with president U.S. Grant in Washington DC. Great character actors including Victor Jory as Joseph and Robert Loggia as the army lieutenant despatched to protect him are on show here to good advantage in a concise story that sustains suspense to the end.

I really liked this episode. As a kid I learned a lot about the Indian chiefs and had much respect for them and especially Chief Joseph, leader of the Nez Perce tribe (who ascended to that after the death of his father in 1871) who wanted peace more than war. However there is one flaw in this and that being 62 year old Victor Jory was way too old to play the chief. Chief Joseph (1841-1904) would have only been in his 30s at this time (he went to Washington D.C. in 1879) A near riot caused by a few standout troublemakers almost erupts, not to mention there is someone that is personally gunning for the chief as he has a grudge to settle. Fortunately the people later come to their senses and move on. One reason I liked Gunsmoke is Matt Dillon's respect and relationship with the Indians and they know he is their friend as well.

Chief Joseph comes to town on the way to Washington,, is very ill and has to be treated by Doc. Matt, with some help from Festus and a lot more from a cavalry officer played by Robert Loggia, hold off a mob of prejudiced townspeople so Joseph can recover and continue his journey. Why isn't Quint in on this? He would certainly have both respect and empathy for Chief Joseph and want this journey to be a successful to bring peace to his people. Wouldn't he join the effort to protect the old man?

I decided to do something i'd earlier done with Chester: plot out the appearances of Burt Reynolds as Quint using the production numbers noted in the book "Gunsmoke: A Complete History" by Suzanne and Gabor Barabas. Quint first appears in 'Quint Asper Comes Home', broadcast 9/29/62as the third episode of the 8th season but actually filmed as the penultimate episode of the 7th season. Quint next shows up in 'Phoebe Strunk', the 4th episode of the 8th season but not again until 'The Renegades', the 11th episode of that season. he didn't get the 'Festus' treatment of a series of episodes to introduce his character that almost made him the temporary star of the show. From the renegades, Quint appeared in 14 of the last 26 shows of the 8th season, 21 of the 36 shows of the 9th season and 12 of the first 23 shows filmed for the 10th season. The last of those is Eliah's Aim, shown 2/27/65, four weeks after Chief Joseph. he's also in 'Circus Trick', 'Winner Take All' and 'Bank Baby', which was his last appearance, shown 3/20/65. But all those were filmed before Chief Joseph, , the 24th episode filmed that year. Eliab's Aim had been the 23rd episode filmed that season. So Burt, and thus Quint, had just left the show. he didn't appear in any of the remaining 13 episodes filmed for Season 10. He had appeared in a total of 50 episodes in three season for which 36 episodes were filmed each year. (Strangely, the last episode of Season 10, "He Who Steals', was actually filmed for Season 11).

it's got to be tough for young, ambitious actor on his way to eventually being the #1 movie box office star to appear in less than half the episodes of a three year run even in as popular a series as Gunsmoke. His IMDB resume shows no other credits until he went off to do a film called 'Operation CIA', which he probably left Gunsmoke to do.

A well-written episode; each scene is well-balanced and compelling in the way it moves the story forward with little or no time wasted (the obligatory "comic relief" between Doc and Festus is dispensed with in the opening scene); the juxtaposition of scenes...the various characters and their interaction.... is expertly plotted.

Director Mark Rydell's sure hand is present in every scene, with only one flaw (not serious, thankfully)...and that is the scenery-chewing (or maybe just nibbling) of Leonard Stone, an actor I've liked since his fine performance in The Outer Limits' "Architects of Fear", but who needed to tone it down by about 20%. His character (Wiley, the Dodge House owner), is supposed to annoy the other characters in the show, not us, the viewer.

But, this is a minor point compared to the solid script, performances, directing, and the overall somber, serious, and ultimately noble tone of this episode.

I don't recall a single shot fired, so it's not a show for action fans; but there's plenty of intensity. LR.

In this episode it returns us to the bigotry that was evidence in the late 1800's of Indian hatred. This time a sick Indian by the name of Chief Joseph comes to Dodge City on his way to Washington DC. The reason for the stop was to hopefully get medicine for the Chief. The Chief and his two tribesmen try to get a room at the Dodge House. However the owner is outraged about having Indian in his hotel and sends for Marshal Dillon to extract them.

Matt realizes that Chief Joseph is very ill and calls in Doc Adams. Doc finds that the Chief has pneumonia and is very ill. The chief needs rest for days and warmth and the only place they have will be the drafty jail. That is until a man named Lt Cal Tripp says that they can use his room as a guest. So they take Chief Joseph to the room.

All this does is cause conflict with the townsfolk for having a savage Indian actually staying in town. The men of Dodge start talking about getting rid of Chief Joseph at any cost. But it will not be until Corly Watts gets wind of Chief Joseph being in town that it really heats up. Seems that Corly's brother was killed by the same tribe Chief Joseph belongs. Corly is bound to kill the Indian and revenge his brother's death.

With only Matt, Lt Tripp and Festus willing to protect the Indians- it will be three against a mob when they meet at the front of the Dodge house for a showdown.

This episode had a nice moral story but seemed overly written. When one piece of paper can disperse a mob then something seems weird or written for TV sake. But with that said, it was still a nice watch and an entertaining show for viewers.

Wow, just a really great program; and this, one of its very best installments! I had cold chills / goose bumps at least three times and I do not get emotionally involved in teleplays much, as a rule. I don't think there was a shot fired in this ep, nor is there much Festus content to speak of (which gets an extra point / star from me, normally) but wow, the non-fiction aspect of this show is really cool. Glad the benevolent gods at cumcast allow me to watch this series for only $250 a month! Oh I see that I must now write six hundred characters to be a valid review these days. Stupid rule for ay-em-dee-bee, but I will try to bend over for your dominance. Good here? (Please spit on it first)