"Why did I not see it Adam..."

The Philip Diedescheimer Story

The Philip Diedesheimer Story is a poignant episode that explores mining safety and the struggles of a German engineer advocating for safer mining practices in Virginia City after a cave-in.

First Aired: 10/31/1959

Director: Joseph 'Kane

Writer: Thomas Thompson

Another historical storyline. Would you have done anything differently had you been the writer or sat in the director's chair?

Do you have a favorite or least favorite scene? What of the Cartwrights, did they slip seamlessly into history?

If it's been a while since you watched the episode, click here -> The Philip Diedescheimer Story

Previous Discussion

We just realized we have our first fanfiction story based on this episode.

Your Time is Gonna Come (by Annie K Cowgirl)

(we'll get the episode inspired page created shortly

This is a top favorite of mine. I love any episode where we get to see Adam in his engineering element and this one was a whopper! I enjoy the history involving Philip and the square set timbers. Hoss is a wonderful in this - he supports Adam verbally and physically, and gives encouraging words to Helene about losing a loved one (referring to his loss of Emily in The Newcomers - the only (?) reference to a previous episode). The action is exciting and the tragedy is portrayed well with the wives waiting for word, knowing it would be awful, then the loss of Gil. All the mine scenes are terrifying to me - I couldn't stand to be below ground like that.

Annie K's story (linked above) captures the creepy feeling quite well when Adam and Gil are returning to the surface.

My one issue (stretching time) - I laughed at Adam's idea to Hoss to get Joe to cut the timbers by making it an impossible task. But really, how were they going to get those samples into the mine overnight? Really???

@AC1830 My thoughts immediately went to this scene, too. As much as I love what the episode does for Adam's character, this is the two scene that blows me away every time I watch it. Hoss's emotional depth in this scene is so profound and it goes such a long way to establish him as a complex, caring, multilayered individual that is more than just his size and strength. "You can sometimes forget the pain, but you can't ever forget the love; never." I'd argue that neither of the other brothers could say this credibly at this point in the series. Hoss is the only one that's had a serious love so far, and revealed the emotional depth needed for that line.

This is such an interesting one for what we see of these characters early on in the series. I feel like it really sets Adam as the intellectual, working with Diedesheimer on a solution to the problem, in a very head-based way. Hoss, on the other hand, provides the heart, both in that wonderful scene with Helene, and in some other moments casting judgement on her father.

@AC1830 This isn’t the only reference to an earlier episode, but there are very few - I think I’ve tracked less than 10, up through Season 8/around 260 episodes. I think this is the only reference to a past romance (other than Ben’s wives, of course.)