An out-of-the-ordinary Gunsmoke episode. It's really a suspense thriller of the classic who-dunnit variety, as we get to see Matt Dillon engage in detailed detective work to learn who the murderer is.
One can forgive the literary license of muffling the sound of a rifle shot -- the first silencers were not developed until 1908 -- but the use of that device adds an immediate element of suspense to the episode.
The plot manages to twist around quite well until only near the very end is everything tied up neatly, with an ending that is nearly as surprising as the solution to the identity of the perpetrator.
Being the last season, and this being near the end, it also offers perhaps a better montage of series memories than did the actual series coda. Even the concluding scene provides an intriguing homage to key people who labored relatively behind the scenes throughout the series' history. These easter eggs strolling down memory lane offer a nice added touch to what is a very well produced episode.