Men with blazing guns stampede a vast flock of peacefully grazing sheep, seriously wounding one of the herders. Unaware of that, Cheyenne finds a wounded sheep on the side of the road and takes it into Ox Bend, where his friend Ben Jethro is sheriff. He's met by a hysterical cry of "Sheep!" following his wagon down the main street, building to general hostility, first from the drawn gun of rancher Ed Foster's right-hand man and then from the gathering mob of townsmen. An attractive woman with a mysterious past speaks up on his behalf and Sheriff Jethro appears on the scene to restore order. That poor little lamb has stirred up all of Ox Bend.
Cheyenne is there to look over a ranch that's for sale. He's grown weary and might finally be ready to put down roots on a modest spread of his own; as he tells Ben, "Too many years and too many guns." Perly Wilkens' place is just what he's looking for. Only problem is, a pending range war between cattlemen and sheepherders is forcing a reluctant Wilkens to sell, and Cheyenne refuses to take advantage of another man's troubles. When the wounded herder dies and Milt Krebs, the deadpan tough guy in charge of the sheep, shoots a young hothead who goaded him into drawing, Foster warns the sheriff that the range war that had been brewing is now a certainty, and he does his best to stir the pot to boiling. Cheyenne convinces the majority of the townsmen not to take on Krebs and his other hired guns, but Foster is still determined to defeat the sheepmen. Cheyenne is just as determined to do all he can to forestall the bloodshed. As usual, the opposition he faces is formidable, motivated by overriding greed and a deep-rooted desire for revenge. But he's no stranger to those forces, and in the end, his common sense and sheer strength of character prevail.
"Showdown at Oxbend" is the very last episode of "Cheyenne." In keeping with the series' overall quality, the script, acting, production values, and fidelity to historical details are all good. Perennials like Andrew Duggan (Foster), Ray Teal (Jethro), Jim Boles (Wilkens), and James Griffith (Krebs) are on hand for this final adios. Avid fans would have preferred a 2-hour tv movie that would perhaps see Cheyenne actually finding that piece of land and a gal to share it, but maybe this is better. He ended the series the way he began, saying goodbye to a collection of grateful people he'd helped and then riding on to the next adventure. Cheyenne Bodie was and still is the epitome of the Western hero. By being a genuinely good guy in real life, Clint Walker earned a place in the hearts of all who are gratified to know that models of strength, integrity, and decency can exist.
Cheyenne is there to look over a ranch that's for sale. He's grown weary and might finally be ready to put down roots on a modest spread of his own; as he tells Ben, "Too many years and too many guns." Perly Wilkens' place is just what he's looking for. Only problem is, a pending range war between cattlemen and sheepherders is forcing a reluctant Wilkens to sell, and Cheyenne refuses to take advantage of another man's troubles. When the wounded herder dies and Milt Krebs, the deadpan tough guy in charge of the sheep, shoots a young hothead who goaded him into drawing, Foster warns the sheriff that the range war that had been brewing is now a certainty, and he does his best to stir the pot to boiling. Cheyenne convinces the majority of the townsmen not to take on Krebs and his other hired guns, but Foster is still determined to defeat the sheepmen. Cheyenne is just as determined to do all he can to forestall the bloodshed. As usual, the opposition he faces is formidable, motivated by overriding greed and a deep-rooted desire for revenge. But he's no stranger to those forces, and in the end, his common sense and sheer strength of character prevail.
"Showdown at Oxbend" is the very last episode of "Cheyenne." In keeping with the series' overall quality, the script, acting, production values, and fidelity to historical details are all good. Perennials like Andrew Duggan (Foster), Ray Teal (Jethro), Jim Boles (Wilkens), and James Griffith (Krebs) are on hand for this final adios. Avid fans would have preferred a 2-hour tv movie that would perhaps see Cheyenne actually finding that piece of land and a gal to share it, but maybe this is better. He ended the series the way he began, saying goodbye to a collection of grateful people he'd helped and then riding on to the next adventure. Cheyenne Bodie was and still is the epitome of the Western hero. By being a genuinely good guy in real life, Clint Walker earned a place in the hearts of all who are gratified to know that models of strength, integrity, and decency can exist.
