User Reviews

Doc's frustrated with the limitations of medical science. So when an aggressive new doctor (Holmes) comes to town and wins over some of doc's clientele, the grouchy old guy thinks about quitting. For Matt, this is a different kind of challenge.

To me, the episode doesn't work. The new doctor's techniques are just too crude to be plausible. The tacky fishing hole set doesn't help either. Frankly, I'm surprised that it's a Meston script, given the rather leaden quality. Maybe this was just too far outside his usual dramatic set-up. I did like doc's honesty about current limitations in medical science, which others unfortunately interpret as ignorance on his part. It's a good little twist. Other than that, however, the entry just doesn't gel.

The title of this episode had cause to think that this show may be one of the finer plots. However after viewing the episode it had much to be desired. With so much hate in Doc Adams performance, the story just did not appear real. We all knew that it was a predictable story but it would have been better to play the other doctor as semi competent instead of a side-show freak that carries weapons. It never was very believable.

The story is about a new doctor, Jamison Betchel, that comes to Dodge to set up a practice. Some Doc Adams older and more sick patients believe that Betchel has more modern ways of treatment than old Doc Adams so they leave Adams to go see the new doctor. And with Doc Adams having all this hate in his heart decides to leave town and go fishing.

A simple plot that should have played better than what was broadcast on the screen. The item missing was-- feeling bad for Doc Adams. Adams was so ornery and filled with hate that the viewer could not feel for the plight of the character. And when Matt has to give him a pep-talk down by the watering hole it just seemed to unreal. A good concept that did not play well.

Most of Doc's skill involved dealing with physical maladies such as wounds and broken bones rather than those that involved disease such as cancer or infection. Jenner had invented vaccination for small pox in the late 1700's, but the basis of infection wasn't demonstrated by Pasteur until the 1880's. Doc did figure out that a German passed a sickness through his cooked food. Not sure if M.D. s were licensed, but there was no FDA, CDC, leading to quack doctors and medicine shows.

In this episode, doc overreacts to the presence of a quack doctor and perhaps shows poor judgement by going ballistic rather than trying to get the facts across to the local populace. He should have found out the medical credentials of the quack and publicized them.

(*Doc Adams quote*) - "There just wasn't much that anyone could do for him."

Jameson Betchel comes to Dodge as the new doctor. Doc Adams is very resentful of him as he is taking away some of his long-time patients.

Dr. Betchel proves to have some very peculiar methods for treating folks and it all comes to a peak when Jake Wirth brings his son, Andy, to him for some special curing.