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Reviews
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Scenery great, plot line lacking, 1984 film better
So, after the 1st part, I assumed they would make up for it in the 2nd part. However, the changes to the plotline are only there to facilitate a third episode, because there is no closure in the 2nd episode.
And, I just can't forgive the total absence of the "Weirding Way". One of my favorite parts to the 1984 movie is when Paul doesn't even need a weirding module. (Which isn't in the book). The glossing over of the Spacing Guild Navigators, and even their appearance is weak.
The big scenes are well shot and beautiful. Not all of the plot changes are bad. I thought the more time spent on opposing factions within the Fremen was good and more realistic.
Bottom line, in spite of the improvements, I like the 1984 film better.
Ki Hwanghoo (2013)
Tried to watch it in 2023, maybe I would have liked it 10 years ago?
I did watch it to the beginning of episode 18 and now I'm done.
Most Asian dramas that have some romance are a mess of never communicating, always being apart to protect the other person, but, still NEVER talking to them about it. And, I'm done with that.
Now that I've seen dramas such as [Link=tt6055498] and [Link=tt14872986], I see no reason to put up with those awful story lines.
Stories are built on conflicts, but, in my opinion, a couple should be together, trust each other and face conflicts together. That is the basis for good, modern stories. It is pathetic to have couples get together, break up to protect each other, but never communicate about it. I'm fed up with depressing relationships in shows.
After 18 episodes what I see is a spoiled rotten, cowardly, emperor who doesn't know real love. Real love means you want the person you love to be happy, even if it is not with you. I understand part of his awful personality is because he has been controlled his whole life, but it looks like he will take/force the girl, not win her. And she is obviously in love with someone else, who is also in love with her, but they have NEVER said anything like that to each other.
After 18 episodes of waiting for the strong female character to emerge, I've lost patience. The only reason I watched this long is all the good reviews and trying to be patient because it was made ten years ago. But, [Link=tt6055498] is seven years old.
If I ever find the motivation to watch more I'll update this review.
Ni shi wo de rong yao (2021)
Much better than average Chinese drama
What I like most about this show is once the main characters are together, they are together. Any misunderstandings are quickly resolved with loving, kind communication and patience.
In most Asian dramas (not just Chinese) the main characters break up several times because of misunderstandings or sacrifice for the other's supposed happiness. They often finally reconcile in the last episode. And, for me, it is too predictable and boring.
Off the top of my head, the other Chinese drama where the characters stay together is Weiwei yixiao hen qingcheng (2016), which I also enjoyed.
Don't get me wrong, there are still conflicts, just not between the main couple. And, I hope we see more mature shows like this. Most of the conflicts center around her celebrity job, his secretive job and their families and friends.
As an American I have no problem with the fact that his job portrays America as the competition. There are certainly many American dramas where other countries are shown as competition and even as antagonists. It is barely mentioned in this drama.
I did enjoy their use of strict Chinese security in a humorous situation. That was well done.
Dune (1984)
So far (2023) still the best Dune movie!
I thought I would write this now that a new Dune movie has finally been made.
FYI, I first read the book when I was about 10 years old and I really liked it. I read the book again when I was 60+ and while I still like it, it isn't as good as I remember.
In my opinion the 1984 movie is better, so far. The 2nd part of the new Dune movie hasn't come out yet, so it is still possible the new one will be better. The new movie has nice cinematography but is lacking in character development. I am also disappointed by the exclusion of Shadout Mapes, she is an impressive part of the 1984 movie. The new movie is basically background with most of the interesting things coming in the 2nd movie.
I really enjoyed the 1984 movie, but I did have friends who couldn't understand it. I assume that is because they were not into SciFi or didn't read the book first. Books are almost always better than movies, so my mind may have automatically filled in what was missing in the movie. But, the movie did have some things that weren't in the book, such as Paul's ability to use his voice as a weapon without the Weirding Module at the end of his fight with Sting which I thought was a nice touch.
Overall I really think the 1984 movie was quite good and did a good job of representing the movie. Although, I do wonder if I would think it was so good if I hadn't read the book before watching the movie. At the time it came out several of my friends thought it was difficult to follow which may explain why it wasn't a commercial success.
Wo qin'ai de 'Xiao jiepi' (2021)
Mostly light, romantic fluff, but worth watching
This is mostly about three romances. Of the three I found the romance between the influencer-bodyguard/assistant to be the most interesting. But, the main romance isn't bad. The CEO of a cleaning company falls in love with a low-level employee of the company. I actually liked the fact that she is not a classic beauty, but is full of personality.
The CEO is a germophobe (as many translated shows do, they use a much less common, but slightly more accurate synonym - mysophobe). He actually is so attracted to her that he can overcome most of his symptoms around her.
The main thing I didn't like about the show is when they show flashbacks of the grandfather's treatment of the CEO when he was young. This has directly led to his germophobia. Everyone refers to the grandfather's treatment of the young CEO as "strict". I take great issue with that. The grandfather's treatment of his grandson was verbal abuse! There is no other way to characterize it.
At pushing 70, I am not some young woke snowflake. It would have been abuse 60 years ago and it is still abuse today.
Near the end of the show the grandfather suddenly becomes a nice person to all around him. A not very believable, sudden transition. The therapist starts off misusing his position, but also, more subtly, transitions into a better person.
Other than the issues with the grandfather, I found the show fine, with more modern production values than most Asian shows. And, a tiny disappointment that the bad guy never gets his comeuppance.
Qing Shi Huang Fei (2011)
Too many stupid decisions
For a story to be interesting there must be conflict, but when that conflict is the result of people making clearly stupid decisions, it isn't too satisfying.
More of the evil people needed to be revealed to others, more of the evil people needed to get what was coming to them.
If you like shows with happy endings or where most conflicts are resolved or justice served, this is not the show for you. Many Asian shows feel like they were running out of money and hurriedly finished the show, I would include this series in that category.
I've tried to be honest without giving away the plot.
IMDB says there are 31 episodes, but Netflix has 42 episodes. It is common for Asian series episodes to be combined and split, so not unusual to have different episode counts in different places.
Dune (2021)
Beautiful vistas, but . . .
I enjoyed this movie, the scenery, vistas are quite well done, but then the director is known for that.
Disappointed that the movie ends so soon into the book, not even close to half way.
In spite of all the criticism of the 1984 movie, I really liked that version. Of course, it helped that I had read the book when I was nine years old. If you had read the book first, there was no problem following the 1984 movie.
Many scenes in the 1984 movie were better. The guild navigators were much better portrayed in the 1984 movie. As was the human test Paul underwent with the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother.
This version is a little more stoic, less emotional than the 1984 version. I didn't like that as much, but it does make some sense from the militaristic cultures of the Atreides and Fremen. As always occurs, movies just aren't able to do as much character development as books, but I would have liked to see more.
Baron Harkonnen is not as gross as the Baron of the 1984 version but, is almost as loathsome.
I won't go into the errors in this movie, every movie has at least a few errors. And, others have pointed out the errors I caught. Some errors seemed like production choices.
Overall I liked it and am looking forward to the sequel which leads into the more exciting portion of the novel. But, then I loved the novel as a nine year old. I reread it about five years ago, and I still like it, but it was not as great as I remembered and no longer even close to the top of my book list. The 1984 movie even had a scene near the end that was good and not in the book, where Paul doesn't need the weirding module.
Schitt$ Creek (2015)
low-brow, obvious humor
Just too low-brow for me, not my thing. I prefer my shows to be more uplifting, optimistic, so there is that.
I need humor that is more unpredictable, not something that makes me think trailer trash (sorry, I know that term isn't PC, but I did live in a trailer park with my Aunt for a couple years, so I have some experience there).
For 7 years I worked at a brokerage firm on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, so I've known more than my share of wealthy/celebrity people who weren't intelligent or self-aware, so that could also be my turn off, too close to my experience. Regardless, if you like it, I won't judge.
Qin Shi Li Ren Ming Yue Xin (2017)
Tried to like this
I really wanted to like this, but there are so many plot points that don't make sense. So many actions that just fly in the face of reason, even for those times, it just didn't work for me.
Most of the actors do a good job, production values are better than average, but the script is just too difficult to believe. The actor playing the King is somewhat wooden in this show as he also was in Love 020. I initially thought that was because of the way his character was written, but now that I've seen him in two shows, I think it is just his acting.
The main point of this is that the King has grown up with little to no people he can trust in his life, so he is cruel and paranoid. He desires, I wouldn't say loves, the female lead, Gong Sun Li, because she helped save him when they were younger.
SPOILERS BELOW:
As King of the most powerful kingdom he is able to use force and blackmail to get what he wants. And, so Sun Li comes to the palace as a concubine, but she is pregnant with Jing Ke's child.
The King favors her and treats her well enough that eventually she falls for him as she realizes the cause of his cruelty. This isn't Stockholm Syndrome because that isn't really a thing, it isn't listed in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders". It is simply the natural empathy most people can feel when they spend time together and begin to appreciate the good with the bad.
There are many mistakes in the script, an example would be in episode 31 when Sun Li is in a palanquin with Min Dai, who has stolen her dagger. Min Dai pulls the dagger and cuts herself putting the dagger in Sun Li's hand. The main problem I have with this is Sun Li is a martial arts expert, especially with a sword (or even a dagger) and Min Dai has no martial arts skills. This being true, how come Sun Li didn't take the dagger away from Min Dai while they were talking? Or, why is the dagger in her hands after Min Dai cuts herself? Min Dai tells the King that Sun Li tried to kill her? If Sun Li had tried to kill Min Dai she would be dead.
Another, very simple complaint is when people are chained, in prison, the handcuffs are three times larger than their wrists and could easily fall off? I know there is a limited budget for every show, but really?
I'm not a fan of the deuxs ex machina, magical poison of the last episode that allows the King to win in martial arts. It feels like a cop-out for poor writing skills.
I have many more criticisms, but those are enough of a sample, so you can decide if I am too critical or not.
And, finally, you do need to know that this is a tragedy. It is important because sometimes I want to watch a show that leaves me feeling uplifted and sometimes I don't care.
Bei hui gui xian (2014)
Modernized Shaw Brothers production
It is important to note that this film is done in the old Hong Kong, Shaw Brothers style, so the comedy and some of the drama is over the top and the plot skips around. It is just updated to 2014.
Ming and his friend con people out of money. Ming's expertise is using his good looks to scam women out of money.
A wealthy, dying man hires gangsters to capture a very rare butterfly which lives in a valley known only to a generational line of women in a remote tribal village in China. A-Long, the current keeper of the secret valley is working in Beijing as a waitress and Ming is forced to get the secret location from her when they put an explosive necklace on his girlfriend Mimi and a tracker bracelet on Ming.
Ming meets up with A-Long and they eventually travel to the remote tribal village and the valley of butterflies. Ming begins to realize that he has actually fallen in love for the first time and has to figure out how to save A-Long, Mimi and the butterflies, if possible.
I'm not a huge fan of this style of movies, if I were I would probably rate it higher. It does generally have higher production values than the old Shaw Bro movies of the 70's and 80's. And, some of the drama, plot and acting is NOT over-the-top, a good thing to me. However, my rating is based on comparing it with other 2014 Asian movies and, in that reference, it isn't that great. But, I did watch it to the end and some of the actors are good. If a show is awful, I won't even finish it.
Ailiseu (2009)
Spy thriller, good tension, better than average production values
This is a review of season one. The story line is fast paced and keeps your interest with tension. The production values are better than average for a Korean TV series, with the exception of the then, trendy, camera jerkiness which is horrible at times. Don't expect the production values to be as good as a movie.
There are the typical plot holes, but the show moves fast enough you can mostly ignore them. It is amazing to me that still, in 2020, most Korean shows never admit the ability to track a cell phone for location or recent calls after a bad guy or phone number has been identified. Regardless, I didn't mark this 2009 show down for that omission because my review is in comparison with other Asian dramas.
The show is well written enough that I couldn't always tell what was going to happen next, which I really enjoyed. Most shows follow pretty standard plot lines and this one follows a common overall plot arch, but the details were often difficult to predict, especially early in the show. Later in the show it becomes more formulaic.
The main characters aren't the best actors in the world, but they had chemistry with each other and with others, so that worked well.
SPOILER ALERT!
I have to admit that I was disappointed in the tragic ending which I assumed was a vehicle to pull the female lead back into the spy agency. But, turns out that is not the case. So, just another Asian drama with a tragic ending.
I am usually very analytical (an engineer by education), but I generally want my shows to lift me up at the end, so that is entirely emotional and I did not enjoy the ending.
I just want to mention that Season Two is mostly new characters, weaker writing and weaker production values. It starts roughly 3 years after season one.
Gunsmoke: The Wiving (1974)
Abduction of the Sabine women revisited
When this came out I had just graduated high school and it was already a little politically incorrect. Now, in 2020, it would never be made unless it was some type of porn video.
When I was a preteen I watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) on TV and really liked it. So, I liked this version of the story. Later on I found it was based on the story set soon after Rome's founding of the Kidnapping/Abduction of the Sabine Women.
I think it is well done and I enjoyed it, after they arrive at the ranch, the father is surprised to find his sons kidnapped the women and has to "think on it". They aren't sent back immediately, but are courted by the men, the women eventually decide being married and living on the farm just might be better than being a dance hall girl. I did enjoy the characterizations showing very different women and very different men and wondering where the attractions would occur. There is much more to it than this, but I don't want to give away too much.
If the viewer focuses on the usually misleading idea that abducted women will come to like their abductors, then you will hate this show. It does happen in real life, but it is rare and not politically correct. Certainly never as benign as represented in this show.
The Twilight Zone: The Old Man in the Cave (1963)
Different interpretations
Depending on which part of this show you pick, you can get different interpretations.
The final dialogue in the show talks about "faithlessness". But, what I got from the show revolves around the people's destruction of "the old man in the cave". People have difficulty trusting someone or something that is different from themselves. Difficulty trusting something they can't understand or relate to.
Baegabondeu (2019)
Nonstop, who will win changes every 15 minutes
This is pretty tense and I have to admit I did shed a few tears, so good acting (but, as a parent I am susceptible to some of the emotional manipulations used). The plot is about greed and corruption, both corporate and political. It seems the major corporations involved will pretty much do anything and every politician can be blackmailed or corrupted. I haven't been this disgusted with politicians and secret agencies since I watched Scandal (2012).
I'm only half way through the first season and it is keeping me entertained, so that is much more than most shows. If you can put up with a lot of "deus ex machina" then this show is for you!
Deputy (2020)
Maverick against the establishment with left politics
Like most people I enjoy the maverick against the establishment plot line. But, you will have to decide if you can ignore or support the liberal political statements. It is rare/unusual to have a left-leaning cowboy maverick and I did find the 2nd episode had less politics than the 1st (I saw the 2nd episode before the 1st).
Like most Americans I am usually between the political left and right, so I am choosing to ignore the political statements and enjoy the show, we'll see if I can keep watching.
As someone who grew up in a rural area and spent most of my teenage summers working on my uncle's ranch, I can relate to the cowboy/maverick lead character and enjoyed his challenging of the status quo and condescending bureaucracy. It is good enough for me to watch a few more episodes and hope it gets even better.
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019)
3 star is generous
Hmm, I really don't have positive things to say about this show. But, if you like to listen to a nasal voice that is auto-tuned, then you might find this interesting.
Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the characters and it even put my wife, who loves these Christmas movies, to sleep.
Watched maybe 20+ minutes, don't waste your time unless you just have to see every Christmas movie.
Daybreak (2019)
it is good to try new/old things, but in this case, fail
Failure is good, you can learn from failure and do better next time.
Show tries to be witty, but fails. Talking to the camera, jerking back and forth in the timeline, trying to make new stereotypes, all characters extreme caricatures, over-the-top acting, etc. has already been done and abandoned. I guess one more try because it is a newish generation?
Also, so much swearing that it comes across as poor writing.
I gave it the old try and must admit I didn't finish episode one. This would appeal to teenagers who love slapstick and awkward jokes, slim plot, there were some of those in my high school.
Quanzhi Gaoshou (2019)
okay, but needs a better script
I really wanted to like this show and I did give it six stars, but so many flaws and missed opportunities makes it disappointing. Watching any series to the end means an automatic five stars from me.
All about different people trying to come together as a team, but many of the motivations and actions don't make a lot of sense. More troubling are the strange happenings. There are booths that each team goes into when playing and yet, someone dressed in black like a ninja can spy on a player, from outside the closed booth, and wirelessly report that player's position to the opposing player? The network/server room is unlocked so someone can go into in and unplug the network? There are no video cameras in the arena, booth or server room? The captain of a team can be detained by the "esports police" just as the team is getting ready to play a match? And, the reason isn't given until the final ruling (punishment) is given?
There isn't much suspense in the gaming. I greatly enjoyed the gaming portion of Love 020, which was more about jealousy, revenge, relationships, growth, etc. than it was about the game. In this show gaming takes a bigger stage, but we can't relate as well as to a game we aren't playing as we do to human emotions. There are people who cheat, hate, seek revenge, and try to blacklist other players and teams, but not much growth or self-reflection except for the players on the main team. Overall I found the gaming boring with a few interesting moments. And, just to be clear I've been gaming on computers since the 1980s.
A side plot is the aging of gamers, which makes them old in their late 20s. Just made me laugh, seems the pain of repetitive strain is seen as an age thing, not something that can be treated or prevented.
Good stories are all about conflict and often resolution, yet artificial conflict where someone cheats and lies against you then you instantly invite them to join your team?
The main team does learn that it is easy to like each other when things are going well, but much more difficult when faced with adversity.
While I don't dislike the lack of romance, in this case it might have helped make the show less boring. The show is slightly better than your average Asian series, but not in the league of the best ones. If you like gaming, can suspend disbelief, live without romance, put up with plot holes and illogical decisions then this show is for you.
Stuber (2019)
toxic masculinity addressed?
I read one of the things this movie addressed was toxic masculinity. Well, there is certainly masculinity and a toxic script.
That is about all I've got. Just move on, not even worth the time to see if it is on TV. You will want those minutes back.
60 Il, Jijeongsaengjonja (2019)
Excellent adaptation
Clearly the story borrows heavily from the U.S. original, which borrowed from other stories. However, the Korean version is different enough that I have really enjoyed it and just finished watching episode 9.
Very nicely done, often some strong tension until a crisis is resolved. And the resolution is not always predictable. The special effects aren't up to the level of the U.S. version, but otherwise I have no complaints.
I'm hopeful they will be able to keep it up.
Diamond Lover (2015)
Different Versions
First there are two versions of this. The original is 65 episodes. I first watched it on Netflix with only 24 episodes. My wife watched the full 65 episodes and watched the last two episodes on Netflix with me, she couldn't stop complaining about all the missing information, including people never appearing in the 24 episodes. She was very upset with the ending.
It did make me understand some of the crazy things in the Netflix version. Scene cuts and sound changes that looked like poor production values were because of editing out two-thirds of the episodes. Half of the last episode is flashbacks with one new scene at the end.
Still, this is better than your average Asian drama. It is the standard fat person, Mi Duo (Yan Tang), who suddenly gets thin. There is just enough background to see her life in a fat suit. She is seriously hurt in an accident and undergoes major surgery becoming thin and beautiful. This gives her more confidence and changes her life, she begins working for a company where the CEO, Xiao Liang (Rain), was once kind to her as a fat person, so naturally she will fall in love with the CEO. But, she does have a childhood friend, Lei Yi-MIng (Jin Luo) who is now a doctor, also lives in Shanghai, and, while a former womanizer, is just beginning to understand he loves Mi Duo.
The rest of the drama is just the normal break up for this reason, get back together, break up for that reason, get back together, etc.
My wife insists that I watch the full version, so I will come back and update this review afterwards.
My wife tells me that in real life Yan Tang and Jin Luo are a couple. If you like them you can also see them in Jin xiu Wei Yang (2016), which I have seen and liked it better than Diamond Lover (2015).
Well-Intended Love (2019)
Fundamental relationship problems
Suspending disbelief is difficult when the CEO is also allowed by the police to act as a detective and go along with them and, of course finding, analyzing critical data.
However, the biggest problem with this show is a lack of understanding of relationships. You can't build a relationship on an abusive, possessive basis. Nor can someone, in this case the CEO, fundamentally change his personality so quickly.
SPOILER:
The CEO's family owns a hospital so he is able to fake medical records indicating the objective of his desire (definitely not love) has leukemia and he is the only compatible donor.
Then, he gives her many rules to obey and, at one point, actually holds her captive. He treats her as a possession.
How in the world can a loving relationship be built on these fundamental misunderstandings of the difference between love and lust? Then we are to believe he quickly controls these destructive tendencies and real love comes out of this?
I couldn't suspend enough disbelief in the basis of this show and I think I am being generous with a 6 rating. While not everything is awful, I also found the bad guy, someone worse than the protagonist, to be a caricature of evil with no redeeming qualities. A bit too extreme in today's entertainment where I expect most characters to be a mix of good and bad.
Bonanza: Five into the Wind (1963)
A murder mystery plot
This is a murder mystery where Little Joe is the obvious killer because he finds the dead man stuck with his knife, removes the knife, and it holding the knife in his hand over the dead man when discovered.
The story starts with very different people taking a packed stagecoach. Little Joe, a saloon singer, Laurie Hayden (Kathleen Crowley), a rough fur trader, Howard Benson (Kelly Thordsen), an arrogant son of a Baron, Roberto DeSoto (Mario Alcalde), a prissy, judgmental woman, Nora Whitley (Betsy Jones-Moreland) and an older man, Leon Henshaw (Dabbs Greer).
Howard tells them he makes a lot of money as a fur trader and has $5,000 in his pocket right now. The stagecoach driver has a heart attack and the stage is overturned with the horses running off. They all survive and begin walking with a little food and water and a wild wind. Only Howard and Little Joe are familiar with the country and which way to go. They find a cabin/way station and spend a night there. Howard makes advances to Laurie, which she rejects, so he gets rough and Little Joe intervenes. Near morning LIttle Joe finds Howard dead and is holding his knife when Nora starts screaming and everyone awakes. Little Joe is knocked unconscious and has his hands tied because they all think he is a killer. Unfortunately, Little Joe is the only one who knows which way to go and leads everyone further into the wilderness, into a cave where he tells them they aren't going anywhere until the killer confesses.
Everyone is thirsty, hungry and tired when Laurie tells the old man, Leon, to tell Little Joe.
SPOILER:
Turns out there is some important information that the travelers hadn't shared with each other. Leon is Laurie's father and has just been released from prison, but he swears he didn't kill Howard and provides reasoning why he wouldn't, yet. Then Nora comes in with Roberto and a gun, they take the last water and prepare to leave when there is some gunplay between LIttle Joe and Roberto with Nora being gut shot. Roberto tells her he loves her, but where is the money? Turns out Howard had promised to marry Nora, but wouldn't do it and didn't have any money. Nora killed Howard because he wouldn't marry her. Nora is upset about Roberto's concern for the money and shoots him, then she succumbs to her wound.
In the end Little Joe is happy to be back at the Ponderosa and scolded by his father when he puts his boots on the table.
Bonanza: Mirror of a Man (1963)
better than expected
This show started out a little slow for me, it didn't seem too interesting. But, for me, it definitely got better as it went along.
A notorious family of outlaws, father, Luke Barnes (Ford Rainey) and four sons. Two of the sons are already dead leaving two sons, twins, one, Jud (formerly Homer) who has changed his name, is married to Amelia (Nancy Rennick), who has no idea of his past, and now is a "top hand" for the Cartwrights and one, Rube, who has no guilt when stealing or killing. Both of the sons are played by Ron Hayes. The father seems to love both of them, but with a preference for Rube, most likely because Rube has stayed with him. They have been searching for Homer/Jud and have finally found him.
Rube kills Sol Breckenridge (Joseph Breen) while stealing a horse from his corral, so there is a posse looking for him. Jud tracks them down and confronts them, Rube takes Jud's place in order to steal some more so father and son have some money to live on while Jud is held at gunpoint by his father. Rube wouldn't cooperate with the Deputy Clem Foster (Bing Russell) so is being held in jail while Ben, still thinking he is Jud, talks the deputy into releasing him so he can help Little Joe go pick up an expensive horse. At one point Ben is also being held at gunpoint and tells the father that all a man has for his reputation is the children he leaves behind.
SPOILER:
In the end, Luke, the father, has to choose between his sons. he shoots Rube just before Rube is going to shoot Jud. Then he rhetorically asks, "Why would I kill Rube". Ben answers him and says because you want to be remembered well.
Bonanza: The Good Samaritan (1962)
Hoss tries to help his friend Wade Tyree
Hoss's friend Wade Tyree (Don Collier) has turned into an alcoholic since he got jilted. Before that Wade worked tirelessly on his farm.
Coincidentally, a single mom, Abigail Hinton (Jeanne Cooper), and her daughter, Bonnie (Noreen DeVita), arrive in town to marry a man who married a rich widow and took off for San Francisco. Hoss tries to get Wade and Abigail together.
SPOILER:
After some misunderstandings and challenges, they actually do get married, but there are still emotions to work through and challenges such as a drought, exhaustion and pregnancy. Wade is mostly on the edge of frustration, depression and going back to the bottle.
Eventually Hoss is stunned when Abigail stands up for Wade against Hoss, but it seems to light a fire under Wade, who is ready and willing to fight for his family. Hoss is frustrated that people are so difficult, but Ben reminds him that is what makes people so interesting and rewarding, just as thunder foreshadows rain.
Overall a good, but not great episode with few surprises but good acting.