"Bonanza" The Lawmaker (TV Episode 1962) Poster

(TV Series)

(1962)

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7/10
When they make a mistake........................................
bkoganbing11 August 2020
It ain't often but like Fiorello LaGuardia said,'when I make a mistake t's a beaut". When Ray Teak is injured foiling a bank robbery and has to take a leave of absence from being Virginia City's sheriff, Lorne Greene suggests that neighboring rancher Arthur Franz might do the job.

It was one of the biggest mistakes in the series history. Franz is a man with hidden deep resentments and giving him the authority as sheriff allows him to act them out. The authority goes tragically to his head.

Franz givsan outstanding performance as a very small man in a job way to big for him.
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7/10
Sheriff Coffee bungles yet another
Cuppajoe2go29 December 2021
The character of Sheriff Coffee is unfortunately buffoonish. You mostly couldn't count on him for the simplest of tasks. Seems like a cheap way for plot development. However, this episode is about Coffee's replacement in Virginia City, of course necessitated because of Coffee's ineptitude. Upon recommendation from Ben, the town picks Asa Moran as replacement Sheriff. Moran very quickly becomes full of himself and grows from weak and unsure into a non-law abiding narcissistic bully. The fun is to see how the town and the Cartwrights scramble to deal with their big mistake. Action picks up when Moran arrests and roughs up Adam on trumped up charges. Woe be unto anyone who crosses a Cartwright!
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10/10
THIS is an episode worth watching and kept you interested
glitterrose30 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
And once again it falls into the serious category. A lot of people might think that this is honestly an episode that could take place in present day with how crooked this acting "Sheriff" acted. He lets the power go to his head. It's understandable. Some people are like that. Bit of power and they'll abuse it in a heartbeat. AWESOME performance from the actor playing Asa. He did a great job.

And I'm also relieved that the writers knew to write in a tidbit on why none of the Cartwrights could take the job or I'd be sitting here saying and wondering why Sheriff Coffee didn't ask any of the Cartwrights to do the job. Ben turned the job down himself and he also turned down the job once Coffee asked any of his sons to do it.

The ending was satisfying and it was honestly the only way out. I'm just surprised Coffee didn't have to do it once he got back home because there wasn't any way Asa was gonna go back to being some ordinary man after having that kind of power.
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