Far be it from me to refer to myself in the royal first person plural, but it makes me apprehensive about the reviewer. That said I have just seen this episode for, as far as I can recall, the first time, as I was a pre-teen while the show was still in first run on the early 70s. That said I believe this episode was as well written and well performed as any other in the long run of the series. Not only that, it is one that is based on what can really happen to a couple when one keeps secrets from the other, even when it is for a happy surprise. Neglecting a loved one especially a spouse or intended and even more a widow will leave room for doubt and confusion, and when someone comes in presenting someone more available can cause such a situation. It was a bittersweet episode which I found to be well done. No negatives from me, predictability notwithstanding. It isn't always the destination but the trip that is important.
6 Reviews
undeniable bitter sweet
daviddaphnered19 March 2018
While I don't want to give spoilers, I will say that from the beginning the viewer(s) receive, I dare say, an adequate idea of what is going to happen; just the title of this episode says that. In this particular episode Adam is engaged to Laura Dayton, (played well by the very adorable Cathie Browne)but she becomes frustrated when Adam continually misses times when he promises he will be with her: it seems that his work and/or business deals strongly interfere, intentionally or no. (Is it supposed to be comic relief when Adam misses his won engagement party?) Guy Williams who plays Adam's cousin Will Cartwright does his acting part well, by the way.
So what's going to happen? Whatever the case, the ending may be joyful for some but depressing for others. It is definitely not a shoot-'em-up, but a love story which is also a character study, and I earnestly believe it will be forever unforgotten.
Need more trivia.
nicholsonlarry-7202526 March 2022
Why only one Goof? There's only one passenger on the stage,Adam and he crawls up to the driver's seat. Some guy walks from the stage office to the stage and when it drives off he has vanished.
At least with Adam the writers had his women all switch true loves. Little Joe was usually in love with a girl who wound up dead on the show. Just like poor ol' Bubba on Heat of the Night.......his girlfriends were killed or went to prison.
All things considered it's a very watchable episode. If you don't notice heavy freight wagons delivering the lumber for a house on the only road around and Hoss nor Joe know Adam is building a house.
At least with Adam the writers had his women all switch true loves. Little Joe was usually in love with a girl who wound up dead on the show. Just like poor ol' Bubba on Heat of the Night.......his girlfriends were killed or went to prison.
All things considered it's a very watchable episode. If you don't notice heavy freight wagons delivering the lumber for a house on the only road around and Hoss nor Joe know Adam is building a house.
fickle up til the very end
glitterrose26 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I still feel like the problem is the writing. Can't stress enough that I don't think the problem with this storyline is Kathie Browne.
So we come to the end of this soap opera. Again, Laura is painted out in the bad light. Adam's supposedly been blowing her off a lot. Turns out Adam is "secretly" building a house. The house didn't look like it was in the middle of nowhere and goodness knows I'm surprised Joe didn't follow him out there. He made a threat of tracking Adam to see where he goes off too but never followed up on it.
Adam misses his engagement party. Which I can consider Laura's feelings there. It's bound to be embarrassing to be the only one of the two at this party when the whole point is it's supposed to be an engagement party. Adam wasn't working on the house at the time. He was somewhere else and he felt bad about missing the party. He bought a ring for Laura and also bought a present for Peggy (Laura's daughter).
So Adam's working on the house and ends up falling off the ladder and messing his back up. He spends some time in a wheel chair and that's when he overhears that Laura and Will have feelings for each other. He knows that the two won't act as long as he's in the wheel chair. He stands up and encourages Laura to go be with Will. He also explains his own reasoning that I also have problems with. Yeah, I can see wanting to have your own Ponderosa. I have no idea if the ages of the characters are supposed to match the actors ages or if they're supposed to be aged down. Pernell's probably got to be in his mid to late 30s by this episode but perhaps Adam is supposed to be in his late 20s? Either way, I imagine there gets to be a point where you want to get out of the house and live your own life.
My ruling: I think Laura's fickleness rubbed off on Adam for this storyline. My guess is nobody or nothing could make Adam do something that his heart isn't into 100%. Marriage is a big step and surely that would be known. Would've hated if you two had gotten married and you both came to this conclusion 3 months later.
I know I'm an Adam/Pernell fan but I must say I feel sympathetic to Guy Williams. I have no idea if he walked away peacefully or if they had to pay him off. Looks like Guy was supposed to fill the slot for when Pernell left and Pernell ended up changing his mind and staying for another season. It's not like I warmed up to the Will character. I just know it's sucks if you're getting all these good signs about joining the cast (saw he's also in the opening credits) and you end up getting wrote off the series completely....
So we come to the end of this soap opera. Again, Laura is painted out in the bad light. Adam's supposedly been blowing her off a lot. Turns out Adam is "secretly" building a house. The house didn't look like it was in the middle of nowhere and goodness knows I'm surprised Joe didn't follow him out there. He made a threat of tracking Adam to see where he goes off too but never followed up on it.
Adam misses his engagement party. Which I can consider Laura's feelings there. It's bound to be embarrassing to be the only one of the two at this party when the whole point is it's supposed to be an engagement party. Adam wasn't working on the house at the time. He was somewhere else and he felt bad about missing the party. He bought a ring for Laura and also bought a present for Peggy (Laura's daughter).
So Adam's working on the house and ends up falling off the ladder and messing his back up. He spends some time in a wheel chair and that's when he overhears that Laura and Will have feelings for each other. He knows that the two won't act as long as he's in the wheel chair. He stands up and encourages Laura to go be with Will. He also explains his own reasoning that I also have problems with. Yeah, I can see wanting to have your own Ponderosa. I have no idea if the ages of the characters are supposed to match the actors ages or if they're supposed to be aged down. Pernell's probably got to be in his mid to late 30s by this episode but perhaps Adam is supposed to be in his late 20s? Either way, I imagine there gets to be a point where you want to get out of the house and live your own life.
My ruling: I think Laura's fickleness rubbed off on Adam for this storyline. My guess is nobody or nothing could make Adam do something that his heart isn't into 100%. Marriage is a big step and surely that would be known. Would've hated if you two had gotten married and you both came to this conclusion 3 months later.
I know I'm an Adam/Pernell fan but I must say I feel sympathetic to Guy Williams. I have no idea if he walked away peacefully or if they had to pay him off. Looks like Guy was supposed to fill the slot for when Pernell left and Pernell ended up changing his mind and staying for another season. It's not like I warmed up to the Will character. I just know it's sucks if you're getting all these good signs about joining the cast (saw he's also in the opening credits) and you end up getting wrote off the series completely....
Good episode, but one plot hole
tac105515 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I do like this episode; however, I also have some reservations about how they tied up the "Will Cartwright" storyline. I know that Will was being brought in to replace Adam until Pernell Roberts decided to stay on the show for at least another season; and then they had to decide what to do with Will. So they decided to pair him with Laura and have them ride off together. The only reason Will was leaving was to give Laura and Adam their life together. But when Adam tells Laura that he didn't love her as Will did, and that she should marry him, Will's reason for leaving no longer existed. Adam even tells her this, adding that they should marry and live on her ranch together. At first, neither Will or Laura believe Adam is being honest with them, and Will still plans to leave. Yet, at the end, when Laura and Will finally accept this as the truth and realize they CAN be together, they ride off, never to be seen again. If they chose to live on her ranch (in the same area as the Ponderosa and Virginia City) you'd think they would be involved with the Cartwrights in the years to come, especially since they were "family". Yet they're never, seen, heard or spoken about, again. Having said that, I reiterate that I did like this episode and at least SOME resolution to the Will Cartwright situation was presented to the audience.
Cold Case: PONDEROSA
redryan645 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
WE DO NOT like to give reviews for any film, TV show or TV episode that will have overwhelmingly negatives as its basis. Here, we must make an exception; as we believe that it is necessary to express our disappointment with a series installment, even if it is a now 50 year old BONANZA hour.
WE RECENTLY VIEWED this episode on an afternoon oldies channel, that being MEE-TV. We don't remember it from our old, youthful viewing days; so it was as if we were watching a new production.
FROM THE VERY beginning we could see what was coming. They weren't telegraphing plot twists, they ere delivering it with all of the speed and accuracy of the then future invention of the Internet. We do mean everything. Right from the title and opening scenes, one could see it all coming.
THE CAST FEATURED the usual players. Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and Pernell Roberts were joined by Guy Williams (cousin Will Cartwright)and Kathie Browne as young widow, Laura Dalton. She has mixed feelings about just who is in love with and predictably it is her and Will who wind up together. (She is introduced as Adam's fiancée in the story's start).
IF IT PLEASES the court, may we please offer an explanation as just how and why this whole story came to be? Thank you! FROM VERY EARLY in the BONANZA Series' history, Pernell Roberts publicly knocked the production. He obviously felt that he was deserving of greater artistic endeavor*. Bringing in Guy Williams character could well have been an answer to this. Hois Will Cartwright could have filled a hole in the series and Adam could have been written out (which eventually did happen).
BUT, AT LEAST for then, Adam remained and Guy Williams got the girl and left the Ponderosa forever.
OR SHALL WE say; he left, at least until syndication time.
WE RECENTLY VIEWED this episode on an afternoon oldies channel, that being MEE-TV. We don't remember it from our old, youthful viewing days; so it was as if we were watching a new production.
FROM THE VERY beginning we could see what was coming. They weren't telegraphing plot twists, they ere delivering it with all of the speed and accuracy of the then future invention of the Internet. We do mean everything. Right from the title and opening scenes, one could see it all coming.
THE CAST FEATURED the usual players. Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and Pernell Roberts were joined by Guy Williams (cousin Will Cartwright)and Kathie Browne as young widow, Laura Dalton. She has mixed feelings about just who is in love with and predictably it is her and Will who wind up together. (She is introduced as Adam's fiancée in the story's start).
IF IT PLEASES the court, may we please offer an explanation as just how and why this whole story came to be? Thank you! FROM VERY EARLY in the BONANZA Series' history, Pernell Roberts publicly knocked the production. He obviously felt that he was deserving of greater artistic endeavor*. Bringing in Guy Williams character could well have been an answer to this. Hois Will Cartwright could have filled a hole in the series and Adam could have been written out (which eventually did happen).
BUT, AT LEAST for then, Adam remained and Guy Williams got the girl and left the Ponderosa forever.
OR SHALL WE say; he left, at least until syndication time.
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