I just finished Part Two of "The Pursed" last night and was going to put it in the "What Episode Did You Watch" thread...but then realized I had a LOT of thoughts!  This is such an interesting and unexpected episode, centering on the Cartwrights' friendship with a Mormon family, and the intolerance that family faces.  Spoilers below if you haven't seen it!

 

I remember that the first time I saw this episode (relatively recently because it wasn't on syndication), I was quite surprised to see Ben Cartwright speak out favorably about polygamy - although on this rewatch, I think he's speaking much more strongly on tolerance, which is a bit of a distinction and actually very Ben.  It's still a little surprising for the television era, although we're into 1966 by now so maybe there were some shifts happening.

 

What really struck me, though, was the ending and how it contrasts with the rest of the episode.  Throughout the episode, the script goes over and above to emphasize the Clausens as a happy and loving family, and the townspeople attacking them are portrayed very negatively, especially the bigoted parson.  It seems like a clear viewpoint, and yet...they still couldn't get a happy ending.

 

Maybe the intention in having Heber and Elizabeth Ann die was only to emphasize the cost of intolerance, and it does lead to Susannah's powerful final speech - but I'm also seeing the echoes of a time in Hollywood (maybe earlier, maybe still in play at this time?) when certain moral transgressions (usually sex related) meant a character would inevitably be dead by the end of the story.  The parson even says that the sin is with the second wife, and while I don't believe we're meant to take him as a moral authority at all, it is the "innocent" first wife who's the only survivor.

 

Susannah's final speech also makes it explicit that Heber married Elizabeth Ann because Susannah couldn't have children - which kind of gives a more "socially acceptable" reason for the second wife, even though the rest of the story makes it very clear that Heber is romantically in love with both women.  It could just be to emphasize Susannah's tie to Heber and Elizabeth Ann's child, but it also kind of throws in a final appeasement - "look, it's okay, he just had the second wife to have babies!"

 

I'd really be curious about whether there were earlier versions of this script, what voices were involved in deciding about the ending, and whether the deaths ended up in the story because someone got cold feet somewhere along the way.

 

29 minutes ago, Tavia42 said:

I remember that the first time I saw this episode (relatively recently because it wasn't on syndication)

 

It was kept out of syndication because it was so controversial! Some books on the series refer to these as "lost" episodes because they were refused syndication for the content. 

 

My read is that they are denied a happy ending because hate and intolerance destroy everything around it. Though you might try to avoid it, ultimately the poison of hate is inescapable and consumes haters and victims alike. 

This must have been a difficult episode to write with the controversial elements. I imagine that there were those who thought the storyline was not suitable for family viewing.

 

Sadly hate and intolerance is alive and well today.

1 hour ago, CareBear said:

 

It was kept out of syndication because it was so controversial! Some books on the series refer to these as "lost" episodes because they were refused syndication for the content…

 

 

Were there other Bonanza episodes that were refused syndication because of their content?

I'm old enough to remember watching this when it first aired in 1966.  As a child, I didn't understand why the man had two wives, but I felt very sad for the family at the end.  (We also watched Rawhide, so I recognized him as Gil Favor.)  I haven't seen the episode since, but it made an impression on me.

59 minutes ago, BlueLake said:

Were there other Bonanza episodes that were refused syndication because of their content?

 

One other one: "A Visit to Upright." Melany Shapiro cites the nude painting/picture. Apparently the holder of syndication rights at the time felt that episode, and "The Pursued" were inappropriate and refused to air them.

3 hours ago, BlueLake said:

Were there other Bonanza episodes that were refused syndication because of their content?

There were others but you can't find them on an internet search. They are only listed as 'not chosen for syndication, rarely aired', etc. 

 

There might have been a few that fit those generic categories but some, like The Pursued, were 'lost' due to 'controversial' content. 

 

The complete DVD set has all episodes so none are 'lost' there. 

@Tavia42 I enjoyed your take on the ending of The Pursued. I was shocked and sad too at the loss of life. Thankfully, Suzannah will take good care of the baby. 

5 hours ago, CareBear said:

 

One other one: "A Visit to Upright." Melany Shapiro cites the nude painting/picture. Apparently the holder of syndication rights at the time felt that episode, and "The Pursued" were inappropriate and refused to air them.

Anyone upset by “A Visit to Upright” apparently hasn’t noticed the woman in red in the background of so many saloon scenes. I admit it’s blurrier, buuuut… 

I just saw A Visit to Upright.  Priceless, in so many ways.  

12 hours ago, AC1830 said:

I just saw A Visit to Upright.  Priceless, in so many ways.  

My curiosity was piqued so I watched A Visit to Upright last night. The painting certainly had a lot of screen time. 

4 hours ago, BlueLake said:

My curiosity was piqued so I watched A Visit to Upright last night. The painting certainly had a lot of screen time. 

And they did NOTHING to hide it or blur it. Jamie's question was the perfect ending! (I could see Adam asking that same question if he'd had a similar experience at that age). 

 

This episode was a wonderful comedy. So many oddities coming from so many directions woven smoothly into the plot thread. Loretta Swit was magical in her role (if finally quit seeing her as Hot Lips Houlihan). It was fun to see the plot and comedic twists flow around Joe and Hoss, taking them by surprise.