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YoungHorse45
Reviews
The Real McCoys: Kate's Competition (1961)
I agree totally with Farrier.
When I put my DVD in the player and saw that the name of this episode was "Kate's Competition", I rolled my eyes and thought "UGH! Not again!". How many times do we have to be subjected to Kate and her jealousy and anger and henpecking, domineering treatment of Luke? I have had my Real McCoys DVDs for a while, and lately decided to get them out and start watching them again. Watching the episodes this time, for some reason I really noticed the fact that Kate can just flat out be a spoiled brat and a hag! I used to like "Sugar Babe" and again I don't know why I didn't notice it before, but she can really be a bossy, domineering witch of a woman. And her jealous rampages are not entertaining. Neither is the way they make Luke look like a fool.
The writers could have done a much better job. Again, I agree with Ferrier, they really ran this theme/plot into the ground.
If they had had just one episode of Luke turning her over his knee and giving her what she needed like John Wayne did Maureen O'Hara in "McClintock!"👍🏻
Very lazy job on the writers part in rehashing yet again this tired, boring, unfunny story.
The Andy Griffith Show: Goober Takes a Car Apart (1965)
I agree with kellielulu....
Not only is this episode entirely stupid from one end to the other, this is another one of those Andy the Grouch episodes.
It makes absolutely no sense for Goober to have taken the car apart out outside and brought parts in and put them back together in the courthouse. This is so ridiculous, and far beneath the quality of humor the Andy Griffith show (in its first five years) is known for. Of course I'm talking about the first five years. It's probably about as good as the awful shows of the last three years.
Kellilulu is right on target about Andy Griffith and his awful portrayal of Andy Taylor in this episode (and many other episodes, especially in the last three years.)
Andy's pointing a rifle at Goober is wrong on several points, and certainly not funny.
But of course, kellilulu and I will get lots of thumbs down for what we say because people just don't like to hear the truth.
The Andy Griffith Show: The Rehabilitation of Otis (1965)
Good, mixed with bad.
I like this episode, but this episode demonstrates how Andy Griffith began to ruin the Andy Taylor character. This is the fifth season, the season in which Andy really begins to act like a different person than he did in previous seasons. In this episode, first Andy acts like a jerk when Barney wants to talk about the magazine he is reading. Later, Barney calls Andy to help talk to Otis, but Andy doesn't want to fool with it, but then he reluctantly agrees to. Later, when Otis gets mad and leaves town, Andy doesn't want to go to Mount Pilot to help get Otis back, but again, he reluctantly agrees to. At the Mount Pilot jail, Andy acts as though he could care less if Otis comes back or not. He is very impatient and he blows up and yells at Otis (paraphrase) "Come back or don't! I've had it!" Back at the Mayberry courthouse Barney is lamenting Otis' absence, but Andy acts like he can take it or leave it and it doesn't really matter to him. He shows no affection for Otis, and again, acts like he does not really miss him and could care less whether he comes back or not. When Barney starts to tear up missing Otis, Andy takes a deep breath, looks as though he is ready to roll his eyes and acts as if he thinks Barney is just being pathetic. Then, strangely, in total contradiction to how he has been behaving throughout the episode, he acts happy when Otis comes back. Interesting that this episode comes right after another episode (Goober Takes a Car Apart) in which Andy acts like a total jerk particularly at the end when he points a rifle at Goober and tells him to get rid of the car even though the car just a few minutes earlier was making Andy look good. His pointing that rifle at Goober is inexcusable, and certainly not funny.
Many people think the show went downhill because Barney left and the show went to color. But the change in Andy's character was what really ruined the show in the last three seasons, beginning in this (the fifth) season.
When Andy stopped being the lighthearted, funny country boy, it was no longer the great Andy Griffith show we had come to know and love.
The Real McCoys: The New Hired Hand (1958)
Fine episode.
This episode of The Real McCoys is one of my very favorites. Most any episode that features Pepino prominently is going to be a favorite of mine as Pepino was my very favorite character on the show (with George McMichael being my second pick). If you are familiar with the Andy Griffith show episode "Barney's Replacement", this episode of the McCoys has the same theme.
Poor Pepino is worried that he is going to lose his job. The McCoys need a temporary farm hand to help them with the harvesting. A man who is hired, Who goes by "Professor", an ex-teacher, surprises everyone. I won't give the story away, but you can probably guess the gist of it. There is plenty of comedy throughout the episode, but my very favorite part is the private conversation between Grandpa and the Professor in the barn. The Professor's romantic description of his life as a wanderer stirs the heart of Grandpa, as it did for me also. Vaughn Taylor does a wonderful job as the Professor throughout the program, but especially in this scene. You feel a lot of admiration and respect for the Professor. Grandpa is very touching in this scene also. With love and admiration he tells the Professor "God bless you". Though he would love to join the Professor in his travels, he knows that is impossible. Again, a very touching scene, and a very fine episode of The Real McCoys.
The Real McCoys: Grandpa's Date (1957)
Cantankerous ol' Granpappy....
Granpappy Amos is one of my cantankerous heroes. He's not quite up there with Doc Adams from Gunsmoke, but he's pretty good at cantankerosity. In this episode, he's being cantankerous about the idea of taking Flora McMichael to the dance. But once he hears what Flora is preparing for a box supper for the dance, he gets an attitude adjustment. But speaking for myself, I don't see how the menu changed his mind. Smoked turkey legs, onion soup, french fries, muffins, blueberry pie, cranberry sauce, cheese toast and pink lemonade.
Sounds like a nasty combination to me. A bunch of stuff that doesn't go together.
Now if the menu had consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and biscuits then add the blueberry pie and have sweet tea to wash it all down, now that would've been another story all together!
The Real McCoys: The McCoy Sound (1963)
Pretty good for a season six episode.
The season six episodes are generally pretty awful, but I thought this one was pretty good. Doesn't even have grandpa. It's not a knee slapper, but I really enjoyed it. The part I liked the most was when Luke and Pepino were trying to keep the guys awake. The anvil chorus cracked me up 😆😆. Soupy Sales is pretty funny in this, and actually, the whole reason I wanted to see this episode was to see George "Goober" Lindsey. "Goober" was in several TV shows in which you would not expect to find him. He was in several episodes of Gunsmoke, for example.
It's worth watching, and definitely one of the better season six episodes.
Laredo: It's the End of the Road, Stanley (1966)
Not a bad one, but.....
By far my favorite episodes are the ones that take place outdoors, on the trail chasing after crooks and the like. In this one, the whole episode takes place in one room, which is a negative as far as I'm concerned. It does center on my two favorite Rangers, Reese and Joe. It was a plus that neither Chad nor Eric were in this episode. But of course Eric doesn't show up until next year anyway. A few strange things though. One of them being all the big deal made of the "beauty" of the politicians wife. I just don't see it. The other two really strange things come at the end. When Joe finally gets free of the ropes, he doesn't turn Reese loose, which makes no sense at all. Now the Mexican sidekick gets killed, so he is dealt with. But the gang leader just gets somewhat beat up and knocked out and left by the door as Joe takes off and says he'll be back, still leaving Reese in the chair tied up. The episode ends with the three women about to attack Reese for insulting them, with Reese yelling for Joe to come back and help. This looks like it should be time for a commercial break after which the story actually gets wrapped up as it should be. But the show just ends right here with Reese yelling for help. Stupid ending.
Gunsmoke: One Killer on Ice (1965)
Could have ended better....
Many episodes of Gunsmoke end in an unsatisfying way, I suppose that's in order to present things more like "life as it is" rather than "life as we would like it to be". A perfect example of this is the episode where Matt is taking a man to be hanged and we all get to liking the man before he arrives to be hung. In the end the man is hanged anyway and the ending is very sad. I can't remember the name of the episode. I gave that as an example.
This episode should have ended the same way, with the bad guy getting away with the money. But instead they came up with a deus ex machina at the end and ruined the ending.
I would have given the episode an eight, but because of the cheap ending I gave it a six.
Gunsmoke: Lover Boy (1963)
So, Ab Fisher....
Is upstanding enough and honorable enough to never be an informer on anyone, yet he is dishonorable enough and stupid enough to try to murder a US marshal right in the middle of town and continue to try to do so after the Marshall shows up at his house, all on the contrived story of his wife whom he already knows is not an honorable and virtuous woman herself.
This is one of those episodes that leaves me wondering why, when John Wayne gave the introduction for the series, he described it as "realistic".
There are many great episodes of Gunsmoke, but this is not one of them. The insistence of Fisher to not tell who the murderer is and then to go on and try to murder a US marshal himself (whom he knows to be an honorable man) because of the foolish story his wife gave him (which contradicts the good character of Marshal Dillon, character Fisher is well aware of) is ridiculous.
I gave it a 5, and I was being generous.
Gunsmoke: Comanches Is Soft (1964)
Very enjoyable😆👍🏻
Not giving away any of the details about the show, I'll say this is a great episode!
It's nice to have a break from the serious episodes every now and then and this one most definitely stomps the romance/soap operaish episodes by a mile! There are some great episodes of gunsmoke that pull away from the regular expectations of a western, such as the episodes "Caleb" and "Abe Blocker" which are dramatic episodes but are the kind of drama a man can enjoy. The occasional comedy here and there is very welcome as far as I'm concerned.
Too bad some folks pulled down the overall rating to an "8". It absolutely deserves better than an eight. I think some sourpuss folks need to lighten up a bit. It would be good for them.
I gave it a 10. Perhaps it deserves more of a nine, but I want ahead and upped it to a ten.
Gunsmoke: Ben Tolliver's Stud (1960)
Ugh! Mush!
Can't stand episodes of Gunsmoke that are more " drama" than Western. Only thing I liked about it was seeing Roy Barcroft (The "Them's MY dogs!" man at the end of the Andy Griffith episode "Dogs, dogs dogs.")
And of course he conveniently gets killed off at the end, clearing the way for the two young lovers🙄.
I agree with another reviewer, his death at the end was just too convenient.
(Well, I guess I have to do some more palaverin because it says I have to have 600 characters.)
I said I don't like episodes of Gunsmoke that are more drama than western. I do have a few exceptions to that. I really liked the episodes "Caleb", "Abe Blocker", and "Chesterland", all of which were "drama" type episodes but were very good.
I gave this one a "3".
Gunsmoke: Where'd They Go (1960)
Great episode.
You pretty well know it's going to be good with Jack Elam in it.
I won't give away any of it and spoil it for anybody, but I will just say you will definitely enjoy this episode.
I gave it a 9 and could have given it a 10, but I don't give out 10s very often.
Texas Wildcats (1939)
That HAT!
Them EYES!👀
Hard to beat ol' Tim McCoy!
Same ol' plot
Crooked rich man cheats people to get richer. Good guy cowboy puts a stop to it.
Yep, same ol' worn out plot, but you gotta love it! Love these good old wholesome westerns.
Gunsmoke: Sky (1959)
Too many unbelievables...
As my title said, this episode just had too many unbelievables. One unbelievable was that Billy, who was a decent person, would kill that woman's husband especially with a knife which is particularly brutal. I don't care how scared he was. Another unbelievable was that Ma Torvet, who was also a decent person, would resort to theft and murder, especially since she was probably making a decent living running the boarding house. The highly unlikely coincidence that as soon as Ma killed Frogmouth that Billy just happened to be walking by the window was a bit much and did not help the episode either.
I gave this one a four.
Gunsmoke: Big Girl Lost (1957)
Really, really stupid episode.
Murder threats made in front of witnesses by someone who should have brains enough to know better. Stupid confrontation between Matt and the hired killer. Worthless episode from opening to close, except for the funny part with Chester playing his comb.
One star.
The Real McCoys: The Legacy (1960)
I'm a Real McCoys fan, but...
After the plot is set, everything in this episode is way too predictable. Hardly a chuckle's worth of comedy. Surely the writers could have done better. It probably would have been much better if they had written it with Grandpappy being all riled about being left out, rather than him not caring about that. That in itself would have been predictable, but still would have had more potential for laughs.
Gunsmoke: The Wrong Man (1966)
Pretty weak episode.
One of those episodes where I kept waiting for it to get good, but it never did happen. Just a sad sack story with a sad, unsatisfying ending. Plus, when Matt is listening to Hootie's side of the story about the death of the gambler, he says that the rest of the money could have "blown away". Well, why not take a dozen men out and see if you find any money?
Again, a weak "sad sack" story with an unsatisfying ending. I'll never get my hour of life back. Rated it a 3.
Casey Jones: Night Mail (1957)
Enjoyable episode.
Very enjoyable episode. I've always like Alan Hale. Add to that Dub Taylor, steam trains and a dog and you can hardly miss! Even has "Sam the bartender" from Gunsmoke as a guest star.
Good, wholesome entertainment from the 1950's. Gotta love it!
The Real McCoys: Grandpa Pygmalion (1962)
Not much of an episode.
Well, I know they couldn't write the show just as it was, with the departure of Kate and the kids, but they went too far in changing the nature of the show, at least in this episode. And then there's something in this episode that I found a bit disgusting; Luke acting all uppity about country people, saying his cousin Tilda would be an embarrassment to him because she's from the hills. Makes no sense for him to feel that way, and, being a country boy myself, I found it insulting. I gave this episode a 2, and I was being generous.