Season 11 -- and the black and white era of Gunsmoke -- ends with this excellent episode. John Stoner is a very highly regarded former law enforcement officer. He also happens to be a long-time friend of Matt Dillon. Unfortunately, Stoner's two sons, Kyle and Woody, are not nearly as law-abiding as their father. Both are impetuous and hot-headed with little regard for the rule of law. Kyle Stoner is a also a petulant bully associated with a couple of mysterious, shady characters named Jack Brown and Joe Smith.
For a good portion of the episode, the Marshal finds himself at odds with the elder Stoner, who is reluctant to face the fact that his sons are less-than-stellar citizens. The latter part of the episode involves Stoner's realization of his errors and his attempts to rectify the situation. There is a redemptive surprise revelation near the end of the episode.
The episode is nicely bookended with Doc Adams philosophizing about marriage and parenting.
This is a nice ending to the 11th season of the show. It features more excellent acting from the guests, including the veteran Douglas Kennedy as John Stoner; Jonathan Goldsmith (billed as Jonathan Lippe in this episode) who appeared in many Gunsmoke episodes over the years and would become most famous for portraying "The Most Interesting Man In the World" for Dos Equis many years later, as Kyle Stoner; the great Joe Don Baker as Woody Stoner in one of his earlier roles; Martin West as Jack Brown; and Victor French, another very recognizable character actor that would appear on numerous Gunsmoke episodes, and even directed five episodes of Gunsmoke toward the end of the run of the series, as Joe Smith.
Edited to add: Another reviewer claimed Victor French does not appear in this episode. That is not true. Victor does indeed play the character Joe Smith here. Ted French, Victor's father, does appear in this episode, but he plays the older bartender that appears in one of the later scenes. Contrary to the other reviewer's claims, Victor and his father did not look and sound almost identical.
For a good portion of the episode, the Marshal finds himself at odds with the elder Stoner, who is reluctant to face the fact that his sons are less-than-stellar citizens. The latter part of the episode involves Stoner's realization of his errors and his attempts to rectify the situation. There is a redemptive surprise revelation near the end of the episode.
The episode is nicely bookended with Doc Adams philosophizing about marriage and parenting.
This is a nice ending to the 11th season of the show. It features more excellent acting from the guests, including the veteran Douglas Kennedy as John Stoner; Jonathan Goldsmith (billed as Jonathan Lippe in this episode) who appeared in many Gunsmoke episodes over the years and would become most famous for portraying "The Most Interesting Man In the World" for Dos Equis many years later, as Kyle Stoner; the great Joe Don Baker as Woody Stoner in one of his earlier roles; Martin West as Jack Brown; and Victor French, another very recognizable character actor that would appear on numerous Gunsmoke episodes, and even directed five episodes of Gunsmoke toward the end of the run of the series, as Joe Smith.
Edited to add: Another reviewer claimed Victor French does not appear in this episode. That is not true. Victor does indeed play the character Joe Smith here. Ted French, Victor's father, does appear in this episode, but he plays the older bartender that appears in one of the later scenes. Contrary to the other reviewer's claims, Victor and his father did not look and sound almost identical.
