The first eight minutes that set up this story are extremely awkward and needed a rewrite, but the theme that's explored after that point is great. Guest starring Lee Marvin.
Bonanza wasn't a great series overall, but there were some very effective innovations in it, which were probably the ideas of producer David Dortort. For one thing, it was one of the earliest shows filmed in color. And if you've watched the three episodes above, you've probably noticed that each one had a different lead character. Bonanza had four stars who could carry an episode, which was a huge advantage for the show, because a viewer who didn't care for two of them would probably like the other two.
Lorne Greene takes the lead here. Guest starring Buddy Ebsen.
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