In 20 years of 'Gunsmoke' episodes, Morgan Woodward makes his 19th appearance in the series. Mr Woodward does what he does best as he plays a aging man that feels like he is being mistreated. This is a role that he plays to perfection. An aging widower, Abraham Wakefield, who's wife was killed by renegade lawmen now he hates all people that carry a badge. He has five sons with four of them just as dangerous as their father and one much more mild mannered. But all have high respect for their father.
Marshal Dillon has tracked one of the son that has robbed a bank to their cabin in the mountains. Matt has to kill Wakefield's son and then is captured by the family. After Abraham goes through dialog of letting the viewers try to understand his position we find out that they will treat Matt like a game.
Just like hunting animals, they let Matt loose in the cold mountains and the family will track Matt down and kill him. But as you can already guess things do not go the way Abraham wanted. Abraham may lose everything he loves if he cannot let his hatred about his wife's death rest.
James Arness was at his best in this episode as he was performing from being to end of this show. Morgan Woodward is also brilliant as the aging family man that is nearly eaten alive by his wife's death. When the end comes it will be powerful and also heartbreaking. This episode was as entertaining as any in the series.