Billy is a mentally challenged young man who has lived an isolated existence. He has managed to survive by helping people who live in a place he calls "The Valley" mend fences. However, most people have left The Valley, and Billy is finding mere existence a challenge.
At some point, Billy met and became friends with Festus Haggen. Given the declining opportunities in The Valley, Billy decides to go to visit Festus in Dodge City.
Festus is currently minding the livery stable while Hank is away. He invites Billy to help in exchange for clothing, a pair of boots, and regular meals.
Problems arise when Billy lashes out at a cruel bully for harming a cat and severely injures the man. As viewers, we do not mind so much, because the mean ole cowboy had it coming. Matt and Festus discuss the case with Judge Brooker, and he agrees to put Billy on probation.
However, when Billy and Festus go horseback riding, Festus shoots and kills a deer for food. Billy becomes enraged and attacks Festus. This incident proves to Festus that Billy is not capable of living in the general populace, but how to help Billy and protect him from himself and others is the primary dilemma Festus must face in the story.
Actor Russell Wiggins makes the first of two Gunsmoke appearances in this episode. He convincingly plays the Billy character.
Charles Dierkop often played less-than-admirable characters, as he does here as Barnett, Billy's cruel victim. This represents Dierkop's third and final appearance in the series.
Herb Vigran makes another one of his eleven appearances as Judge Brooker. We get a few short scenes involving the Matt Dillon, Kitty Russell, Doc Adams, and Newly O'Brien characters, but this is truly an episode designed to feature Ken Curtis as Festus. As such, Curtis turns in another impressive, heartwarming performance. The viewer can easily empathize with the tough decisions Festus faces.
The parallel with John Steinbeck's classic short novel Of Mice and Men is obvious in this story. Variations of this theme are used in several television westerns for some reason. Here veteran Gunsmoke writer Calvin Clements, Sr. Simplifies the plot and takes the story in a decidedly less tragic direction than Steinbeck chose.
I have mentioned in other reviews the chameleon-like nature of the Festus Haggen character, which has always intrigued me. When Curtis first joined the cast to play Festus, the character was carefree and aloof. Over time, he was transformed primarily into a wise, dependable, kind-hearted character, as he is here. When the situation suited the writers, Festus could be portrayed as an obnoxious, humorous character who was oblivious to his foolishness. No other regular character in the history of the show goes through these kinds of personality shifts.
Unfortunately, I cannot muster the same enthusiasm for this episode as some of the other reviewers. It isn't a *bad* story, but it is derivative and predictable. It achieves its goals, but they are not set particularly high. Nevertheless, it is worth viewing.