User Reviews

When Josh Stryker returns to Dodge City after his release from 15 years in prison, he is a bitter man. Stryker was the former U. S. Marshal in Dodge, and Matt was his Deputy. Stryker was convicted for killing a ruthless outlaw that burned a house with a family inside. The family happened to be close friends of Stryker. It seems the outlaw taunted Stryker while admitting to burning the house. In a fit of rage, Stryker shot the outlaw three times. Matt witnessed the shooting and testified against Stryker, which led to his conviction.

Stryker has refused to admit his crime for all these years, and he blames Matt for giving what he considers false testimony. As far as Stryker is concerned, Matt betrayed him out of ambition.

Stryker also returns to Dodge with only one arm, as his left arm was amputated by a prison doctor. This adds to Stryker's sense of injustice over his circumstances.

Stryker's daughter still lives in Dodge, and now works at the Long Branch Saloon. Stryker settles in with his daughter, but he is still haunted by both his perceived sense of injustice, as well as a couple of fellow ex-cons that consider their prison-based comradery with Stryker can be used to their nefarious ends.

Once again, we have an outstanding cast. Morgan Woodward plays Josh Stryker perfectly. The viewer can see Stryker's torment, while also feeling sympathy for his situation. Royal Dano is outstanding as one of the ex-cons named Jessup. Dano could play sympathetic characters, goofy characters, and-as he does here-truly sinister characters. Joan Van Ark portrays both beauty and strength in her role as Stryker's daughter, Sarah Jean. We also even get a couple of scenes with the memorable Andy Devine.

(Watch for an uncredited appearance by Jonathan Goldsmith, who was performing during this time under the name Jonathan Lippe -- his stepfather's name. Goldsmith was his birth name. Goldsmith had just appeared in the previous episode, "The Devil's Outpost." In this episode he appears in a flashback scene as the killer Stryker shot and killed. I wonder if he shot the scene for this episode while he was shooting the previous episode?)

We don't get too many episodes that provide any Matt or Dodge City backstory. That alone adds to the interest in this episode. There is a lot going on in this episode, too. However, the story seems a bit slow and overly talky at times.

Josh Stryker (Morgan Woodward) is being released after serving fifteen years in prison and is heading to Dodge to see his daughter. But there is more to this man that just being considered a free man, he use to be the Marshal of Dodge. But he was convicted of killing an unarmed murder suspect in cold-blood. The person that gave the most damaging evidence was his deputy Matt Dillon.

Stryker's fifteen years in prison which also included the lost of one of his arms has not cooled the hot-head. He blames Matt for all of his woes and he is planning a way to get even.

His daughter, Sarah Jean (Joan Van Ark), had her husband leave her and she had to get a job at the Long Branch. Her life has been going rather well and she is glad to see her father's release from jail. But it will not last long.

When two of Stryker's cell mates, Jessup and Reager, show up at Sarah Jean's house wanting money things go bad. At first Stryker pays them the money wanted and they agree to take care of Matt. But when things go wrong one of them is back wanting money anyway he can get it even if it means harming Sarah Jean.

There are some good scenes in this episode and also some scenes that appeared to just stretch out the time. The concept of the plot was outstanding but it seemed like the writer added too much filler and not enough substance to the story. Don't get me wrong, the episode is indeed a nice watch but there was just so much more that could have been done to produce a more entertaining show. But it did hold the interest long enough to produce a nice show.

I'm not a Woodward fan but this is the worst characterization I've seen from him. Perhaps it was the writer or director who encouraged his "personality" in this story but a more gruff, angry, one-dimensional performance I've not seen before. Even Andy Devine and his other former friends had a change of behavior ranging from anger to fear then to attempts at acceptance towards him. His daughter tried too. I vote with the raven. Give him a tongue-lashing then leave him to his own fate. The insistently sad tune as background didn't help. Doc and Matt had the right idea: try to give him room but let him know how wrong he was.