3 hours ago, patina said:

The episode is so terrible it's "good."

 

 

The most fun I've ever had watching this episode was at the 50th Anniversary Convention.  It was a Rocky Horror style midnight showing with fans tossing one-liners and poking fun at the characters.

 

Oh to have been in that crowd; hopefully they weren't throwing cowpies at the screen. 

 

2 minutes ago, BluewindFarm said:

 

Oh to have been in that crowd; hopefully they weren't throwing cowpies at the screen. 

 

 

You're not too far off, bw.    

I love the Rocky Horror showings of Rose for Lotta.  What a hoot!  

 

Thankfully, the actors worked hard to soften their characters and make them real instead of reel.   Better scripts helped, too.  

your comments, ladies, are pleasant to be read. 

I watched this episode two days ago. I'd like to add some pictures, it's easier for me to explain what I think about one episode. 

I like the role of Lotta, played by Yvonne de Carlo, which was a big star and a very beautiful woman. She was charismatic and sensual. I love the last scene between Pernell and Yvonne, it's a great moment. Everything is perfect, the faces, the atmosphere, Yvonne's dress, the glances exchanged by the two of them, the special tension made of attraction. I really love that scene. 

 

this moment is exactly how I imagined Ben and his youngest son at the very beginning. And it was "confirmed" in the book writen by Lorne"s daughter (my father's voice). She wrote that Michael Landon wanted his characted to be played in a certain way, including having his foot on the table. Lorne Greene declared, he wanted Ben to say "no feet on the table"; but Michael wanted to play Little Joe in that way. Lorne Greene didn't say anything but as the camera started to be in action, he yelled "Joseph. Take your feet off the table" and Michael Landon wasn't expecting that, he had reacted immediately and it became something reccurent.) that makes me laugh 

Mumu - I can see Joe testing the waters, so to speak, with his Pa. How much can he do and get away with it? But that's Joe in everything he does. As a boy and young man, does it with his family, then it becomes part of his nature as a man. That's part of his enthusiasm, joy for life. I loved the 'feet on the table' that ran through the series.  What made it better was that Hoss and Adam would do it and not a word would be said by Pa. 

18 hours ago, patina said:

I always wonder why Troy's secretary was at the meeting.  She ate lunch while her boss and his cronies discussed their plan to take down the Cartwrights.  She wasn't taking notes.   Why not send her out to lunch?

 

I never noticed that before!  Maybe it was a nod to Joan Markowitz?

 

I also like the Cartwrights with rough edges and the brotherly rough housing.  More indicative of the West at that time.   As more people arrived, more civilized ways would arrive also.  The C's would have to toned down a bit.

I'm  glad Ben lost his loud "thunderation", Hoss lost his "Lotta Crabtree pie" creepiness, and Adam and Joe lost their snarkiness, as far as mother's  were concerned.  The accents the boys had were always a head scratcher to me.  We're the writers just trying to establish to viewers the boys were from different mothers, create a path for conflict.....good ridance!

It is amazing Bonanza survived this episode.  Thank heavens there was a great deal of evolution of the Cartwrights through the first season.  At least the "alternative" ending was NEVER aired.  I don't think anyone would have watched it again if that ending had been used.  I've heard the song and it makes me laugh now, but I cannot see my parents ever watching the show again (I was only eight years old when Bonanza first debuted).  My favorite scene is the one with the brothers fighting among themselves with Hoss having the "final" say.  I also, like others, enjoy the moment with Ben and Adam looking over their domain.  And, of course, cool Adam and the nervous villian in the bar scene.  But, it was only a beginning show and it was, indeed, a tentative beginning.  But it did grow - and look at it now!  How many television shows have a devoted group of people and their own website?  Bonanza is still a big part of my life.  

28 minutes ago, SJRCartwright said:

It is amazing Bonanza survived this episode.

Despite the flaws the kernel of a great show was evident. Thank goodness NBC wanted to sell colour TV's.  Once they stopped focusing on guest stars and turned the spotlight on the Cartwrights - who everyone tuned in for anyway - they were on the right lines. 

Just now, Bakerj said:

Despite the flaws the kernel of a great show was evident. Thank goodness NBC wanted to sell colour TV's.  Once they stopped focusing on guest stars and turned the spotlight on the Cartwrights - who everyone tuned in for anyway - they were on the right lines. 

 

Got that right.    

Being a western, they sure threw every "western" cliche in there, didn't they? I'm surprised they didn't try a train robbery!

 

Adam was very impressive as the family enforcer. 😁  Actually, it's a bit ridiculous to think he could outdraw a professional gunman, but the Cartwrights were heroes, weren't they?

 

My favorite part is when the coach goes riding through the fields and all the Cs hop on their horses and ride hell for leather after it. Yee-haw!

18 hours ago, ellen said:

My favorite part is when the coach goes riding through the fields and all the Cs hop on their horses and ride hell for leather after it. Yee-haw!

 

I always liked that part too! 

On 1/6/2020 at 2:57 PM, ellen said:

Being a western, they sure threw every "western" cliche in there, didn't they? I'm surprised they didn't try a train robbery!

 

Adam was very impressive as the family enforcer. 😁  Actually, it's a bit ridiculous to think he could outdraw a professional gunman, but the Cartwrights were heroes, weren't they?

 

My favorite part is when the coach goes riding through the fields and all the Cs hop on their horses and ride hell for leather after it. Yee-haw!

That was exciting. Try watching it without sound from when they leave the corral.  It's breathtaking to watch those horses fly over the ground. 

Wow, I just discovered this new section. Brilliant to have episode discussions again!

 

Patina, loved what you said about Hoss the lip-licker and sex offender. I also remember the 50th anniversary friendship convention "Rocky Horror Picture Show" viewing, and the comments that were hollered out during the Adam-Joe fight. All the Adamites were yelling, "Slap Joe, Adam!" and the Joe-ites, "Kill Adam, Joe!"

 

There was a lot I liked about that episode--believable that Adam could outdraw a pro or not, I loved the way they shot it, with the cuts between their eyes and the intensity and fearlessness. And who knows, since Adam was the intense one, and the only real hobby we know of him having was reading, maybe he spent a lot of his downtime perfecting his draw? Thought Ben was the biggest jerk in the West back in those early episodes--not just ARFL but some of the others too--and was so glad he began to soften as time went on.

 

Someone else mentioned that there were a lot of wonderful series that began without showing a lot of promise--ST:TNG was a great example. I think it only lasted the first two seasons because the old-timers wouldn't let it happen AGAIN to Star Trek, and finally, in the third season it finally evened out and became a real thing of beauty. Bonanza didn't take that long. I wish they'd had a better sense of continuity, but nobody thought of that in 1959, so I can't blame them. 

 

I loved the way Hoss "nudged" Adam toward Lotta at the end. You have to wonder if he'd just continued to stare meaningfully at her until he had to leave if Hoss hadn't done that. And I loved the way they rode out of town. 

10 hours ago, sandspur said:

Wow, I just discovered this new section. Brilliant to have episode discussions again!

 

 

@sandspur  Glad you've found this discussion forum.  A different episode will be featured weekly, posting either late on Thursday or early on Friday.

 

Are you gonna discuss all the eps in order, or will you jump around a bit? 🙂

 

41 minutes ago, Oxgirl said:

Are you gonna discuss all the eps in order, or will you jump around a bit? 🙂

 

 

We're planning on featuring them in order.  🙂 

11 hours ago, sandspur said:

 

There was a lot I liked about that episode--believable that Adam could outdraw a pro or not, I loved the way they shot it, with the cuts between their eyes and the intensity and fearlessness. And who knows, since Adam was the intense one, and the only real hobby we know of him having was reading, maybe he spent a lot of his downtime perfecting his draw?

 

 

I love that scene too, @sandspur  -- I could definitely see Adam working on a fast draw, especially as a young man. 

1 hour ago, Brandsters said:

 

We're planning on featuring them in order.  🙂 

 

Nine years from now .... The Hunter     

On ‎1‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 10:26 AM, jfclover said:

 

Nine years from now .... The Hunter     

 

At least it's not 14 years from now, since we don't have to observe the four to five  months of summer hiatus.  😄 

 

 

1 hour ago, BluewindFarm said:

 

At least it's not 14 years from now, since we don't have to observe the four to five  months of summer hiatus.  😄 

 

 

 

I haven't got access to S1 or most of S2, so I'll come back in around 2023! 😄

 

3 minutes ago, Oxgirl said:

 

I haven't got access to S1 or most of S2, so I'll come back in around 2023! 😄

 

 

WTG, Ox.    

1 hour ago, Oxgirl said:

 

I haven't got access to S1 or most of S2, so I'll come back in around 2023! 😄

 

 

Youtube, Oxgirl--they're there. Enjoy!

1 hour ago, Oxgirl said:

 

I haven't got access to S1 or most of S2, so I'll come back in around 2023! 😄

 

 

Check out our new Subforum for discussing The Guest Stars   We started with The Hunter (the very last episode, and plan to work our way to A Rose for Lotta)  

17 hours ago, sandspur said:

 

Youtube, Oxgirl--they're there. Enjoy!

 

I'm busy going forwards at the mo, from S3 up.  Think it might be a while before I start going backwards. 

17 hours ago, BluewindFarm said:

 

Check out our new Subforum for discussing The Guest Stars   We started with The Hunter (the very last episode, and plan to work our way to A Rose for Lotta)  

 

Cheers, I'll check that out. :D