User Reviews

This episode approaches the intensity of a Season 1 episode directed by Richard Donner (SUPERMAN THE MOVIE), "The Night of The Murderous Spring". In that episode, West is drugged and thinks he has murdered Arte. In this one, Arte thinks he has killed West. Both episodes play on the attachment & comrades that West & Arte have become for the viewer. These are not the only times they almost kill each other in the series, but these are 2 of the more memorable ones.

The major difference with Spring is the presence of Dr. Lovelass who has a plot to take over the world, where in this one Emmett Stark has a sworn vengeance to kill West & Gordon when he breaks out of prison. Both episodes have a quality & intensity to them.

For some reason, the black & white season 1 episodes often seem better than many of the color ones, but this one approaches & competes with that episode quite well. I rate this one as highly as that season 1 episode.

This episode is "Wild, Wild West" meets "The Twilight Zone" as Jim West finds himself alone in what seems to be an abandoned town called Paradox. Yet he can hear people in the store or saloon, but of course when he goes there, the place is deserted.

When he locates his horse and decides to get out of town, he's shot at from the window. When he tracks down the gunman, he merely finds a clothing dummy wearing a mask of Emmett Stark, a killer who has sworn revenge on West and Gordon.

In the meantime, Artie tries to track down West he gets surprised by Stark and his men and is set up for a gunfight against Jim West with neither of them knowing they are facing the other.

The camp elements have been dropped for this episode, making it one of the most enjoyable and interesting of the series I've seen.

For me, everything comes together in this episode. Great drama, excellent performances, wonderful cinematography with great closeups and other little "tricks" to enhance the episode.

I look at it more as a "Mission Impossible" in reverse, where bad guy Emmet Stark is manipulating Jim and Artemus to set them up to try to kill each other. Comes very close to working,if Jim had not spotted a simple clue.

One thing I like is that it seems this is the only episode (at least through the first 3 seasons; season 4 comes out 3/18/08), where we hear one admit their feelings for the other. Artemus tells Stark that he has been tricked into killing "the man who was like a brother to me." We all knew that, but it's nice to hear it. The moment when Artemus believes he has killed Jim is a touching one as well, excellently portrayed by Ross Martin.

Season 3 of the Wild Wild West has some wonderful episodes, but this one is the best as far as I'm concerned.

*Spoiler/plot- TNOT Death Mask, 68. West and Gordon mistakenly become part of a bizarre vengeance plot involving mistaken identities.

*Special Stars- Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Milton Selzer, Patty McCormack.

*Theme- Seeking revenge is often a energy consuming goal.

*Trivia/location/goofs- Air date 1-26-68. Takes place in Como Creek Nv. Mr. Conrad's short stature/height for a leading man (5'7") was compensated for with shoe 'lifts' in his boots, casting short stunt people, and short leading ladies. In fact his show was known for needing so many short stature love-interest roles for women among females actresses, it became a staple for actresses in Hollywood.

*Emotion- Vengeance scenarios have become overused and too boring with this production company in Season Three. I was not impressed by the 'Emmet Stark revenge' scenario plot line. The guest star lead villain's performance is forgettable, especially since you only see him very late in the episode.....many time villain roles fail to deliver enough 'gravitas' to balance with the strong leads of Conrad and Martin. The inclusion of psychological drama between West and Gordon spiced-up the drama. This is not vintage W3.