User Reviews

I was disappointed with season 13; lots of episodes that went nowhere. So far, season 14 has been a breath of fresh air, and "Zavala" is a prime example.

I don't need to say a lot about the episode itself. There are already two really good reviews here that give you a taste of it without any spoilers.

This was the first time, I think, that the "Gunsmoke" theme music was re-edited and turned into some sentimental background music during two special scenes. I really like that.

Matt is seen as a hero and a good man, who can be a gentleman with an abused woman, and a real father figure with a young boy.

This episode is the reason I like to watch "Gunsmoke." If I wanted to get someone else interested in this series, "Zavala" would be what I recommended them to watch.

There is really nothing else to make a movie or a television episode more special than for a child actor to give an outstanding performance, one that makes you forget he's acting. That is exactly what Manuel Padilla did in this episode.

The interplay between the characters Paco Avila (played by Padilla) and Matt Dillon was unique in this episode. It was at times funny, often times poignant, and frequently powerful. Ultimately, it just made this one-hour episode truly outstanding.

Sadly, both Padilla and James Arness are no longer with us, but their performance together in this episode will stand forever, and is another example of how a television series can gain an immortal standing if it's courageous enough to reach for excellence.

This episode is a classic western show where the good guy is up against a notorious villain and his gang of thugs.

Marshal Dillon makes his way to Zavala in pursuit of a bandit named Ben Rawlins (Jim Davis). Upon arriving Matt makes his way to the local cantina in search of Rawlins. Inside there is a number of thugs and one just happening to be the brother of Ben Rawlins. Matt shoots and kills Ben's brother and makes it known that he is here to get Ben.

Later, some of the thugs report to Ben that the Marshal is around looking for him. So Ben sets out to Zavala, to face down Marshal Dillon for killing his brother.

Matt was slight injured in the shoot-out in the cantina and is taken in by a small boy, Paco, and his widowed mother. The father had been gunned down years ago when he tried to stand up to the villains in town. The town of Zavala has been held in the grasp of Rawlins and other villains for so long that the townsfolk are hoping that Matt can indeed rid them of the thugs that make their life miserable. When Ben Rawlins and his gang ride into town Matt may need help from locals to help him bring justice to the small town.

This was just an old type western show done many times throughout the series. But it also dealt with a relationship of Matt Dillon and a small boy that his father was killed standing up to the bandits. The boy looks up to Matt and the fact that he is a gentleman rather than a thug which he is use to seeing. Good Watch.

This is one of those stories where Matt Dillon is away from Dodge City in pursuit of outlaws. In this case, Marshal Dillon is traveling into Mexico in pursuit of a criminal named Ben Rawlins. We never learn what Rawlins and his gang did to warrant being chased into Mexico, but it must have been serious.

I have always thought it strange that a U. S. Marshal from Kansas would have to spend as much time in Mexico as Matt Dillon did. After the show went to the hour-long format, there seemed to be some incident at least once each season that required the Marshal to travel to Mexico. Marshal Dillon has a pursuit warrant authorizing him to pursue Rawlins into Mexico, otherwise his pursuit would have been illegal.

Matt has tracked Rawlins to the town of Zavala. This is an interesting plot element, because there are at least two villages named Zavala in Mexico. One is in the state of Yucatán in the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. The other is in the state of Sinaloa in Northwestern Mexico. The village in Sinaloa would have been closer to Dodge City, but it is still over 1300 miles away. In either case, we are not talking about a town just over the border. Either town is well inside the country. (Of course, the town in this story could just as well have been fictional.)

Dillon enters a cantina in Zavala and finds the place occupied by a few dubious characters, one of which happens to be Alex Rawlins, the brother of Ben, along with a few more members of the Rawlins gang. When Alex draws and shoots Matt, the Marshal returns fire and kills Alex. It does not take long for the news of Alex's death to reach brother Ben, and the pursued becomes the pursuer, as Ben heads to Zavala to find Dillon and avenge his brother's death.

Paco Avila and his mother, Amelita, live near Zavala. Paco's father was killed sometime earlier for resisting the banditos that rule the village. A bandito named Jurato has forced his way into the Avila home where he abuses Amelita and Paco and forces them to do whatever he wants.

Paco discovers the injured Matt Dillon attempting to tend to his wounded side. He invites the Marshal back to his home so his mother can help him, but Paco has ulterior motives in hoping the Marshal will rid he and his mother of Jurato. In Matt, Paco finds the father figure he has been missing. Unlike the Rawlins gang and the other banditos that dominate the local people, Dillon is kind, courteous, and, of course, fast with a gun and tough as nails.

The highlight of the story is watching the developing relationship between Paco and Matt, and to a lesser degree Amelita. This is a different kind of love story -- not romantic -- but one of deep care and respect between people.

That is not to say there is no confrontation in this story. Jurato is not happy to see an intruder in his stolen home. The showdown with Ben Rawlins and his gang is inevitable, as is the outcome.

Manuel Padilla, Jr. Provides an endearing performance in the role of Paco. It is difficult to imagine anyone watching this story and not falling in love with the kid. This is the first of four different episodes where Padilla was guest.

Miriam Colon is Paco's mother, Ameita. Colon guested in a total of eight different Gunsmoke episodes. She frequented several television shows and films over her lengthy career. Better Call Saul fans might recognize an older Miriam Colon playing Tuco Salamanca's Abuelita in two 2015 episodes of that Breaking Bad spinoff. It is also worth noting that Padilla and Colon both appeared in Brian DePalma's 1983 film Scarface.

The Rawlins Gang is comprised of a number of veteran Gunsmoke bad guys. Jim Davis is Ben Rawlins, who was always convincing as a tough character. Jonathan Lippe (later Goldsmith), another frequent Gunsmoke villain, is Ben's brother, Alex. Other familiar sinister types include Rex Holman, Robert Sorrells, and Warren Vanders.

Larry D. Mann plays the lurking, sleazy Bakman, who first spots Marshal Dillon in Zavala and warns Alex Rawlins of his arrival. Mann appeared in and did voice work in an incredible number of shows and films during his career. He provided the voice of the character Yukon Cornelius in the Christmas classic TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Mann shows up again in Season 19's "Women for Sale: Part 1" episode of Gunsmoke.

This is definitely a "Matt Dillon episode," as the only place any other members of the regular cast are seen is in the opening credits.

"Zavala" is one of the must-see episodes from Season 14. While the overall theme is familiar, the execution is first-rate. Highly recommended.

This episode takes place in Mexico. Matt pursues a gang of outlaws into Mexico, not wearing his badge. He enters a small town which has been taken over by the outlaws. Matt is seriously wounded in a gunfight with the gang leader's brother. A number of story lines are developed:

Matt's friendship with a small boy, Paco, and his widowed mother.

The abuse by a local Mexican outlaw of Paco's mother.

The townspeople taking back their town from the American outlaw gang led by Ben Rollins, are inspired by Paco's courage. Paco's father had once stood up to the outlaws only to be murdered by them.

The gang leader, Ben Rollins, played by Jim Davis of Dallas fame, pursuit of Matt in revenge for Matt killing his younger brother.

Manual Padilla gives a strong performance as Paco. Miriam Colon as Paco's mother is a strong willed woman with quiet strength. Jim Davis is excellent as the outlaw Ben Rollins.

This episode presents a different side of Matt well played by James Arness.

This is an all time favorite movie of mine. ZAVALA is well worth anyone's time to watch. It makes for a great sit down movie with the whole family in my opinion. I truly love this show. Watch it and it will become a favorite of yours too, I'm sure!!! Take this opportunity to pull it up for free on the PLUTO APP.

James Arness and Paco have a unique bond in this show. A bond rarely seen these days in any show.

Paco is the little boy who played Ji in the Tarzan movies in the 1970's I think. He is an extremely talented young actor. Very brilliant a guy to learn so many lines at such a young age. These folks could act when an actor was required to know how to act. Not like it is now in the year 2022 when everything is done by the computer. Days of yesterdays! Those were wonderful years. Gone but never forgotten!!!

Respectively, M. Jadoon.