Homesteader Shell Tucker (Simon) doesn't like doctors (they're always cuttin'). So when his wife swallows a nail, Shell's son (Carruthers) gets desperate and summons Doc. But Doc's too late and the wife dies. Now Shell's really angry, at the same time, someone takes a shot at Doc. Now Matt's got a problem since Shell is not really a bad sort.
So good at being mean, Simon was a series favorite, appearing in a number of episodes. Note how scruffy looking Shell and his son appear, just what you'd expect from life on the prairie. It's the sort of realistic touch not seen on other series of the time, and helped set Gunsmoke apart. Also, Milburn Stone shows again what a one-of-a-kind character Doc is. Catch some of those scowling, wrinkled close-ups that suggest a rare kind of authenticity. All in all, the entry's a good story, more pleasing than suspenseful, but nothing special for Gunsmoke.