Paladin is hired by Overland stage manager Stanhope for protection against Ed Stacy (Nelson) who was wrongfully convicted for robbing Stanhope's stage. Now that Ed has been released, Stanhope's worried, and worse, Ed's got a hulking bad-tempered brother (Megowan) who does whatever Ed tells him. No doubt about it, Paladin's got his hands full.
Those typical opening scenes in San Francisco are meant to distinguish Paladin's lead character from the many other Westerns of the time. In short, regardless of his gunfighter skills, Paladin's really a cultured gentleman at heart—here he's shown enjoying, of all unWestern things, high opera (love that cape)! Just as importantly, he's got his own code of professional ethics that often sets him against less principled employers, as it also does here.
The entry's notable for our tough guy getting really roughed up, even within an inch of death. Otherwise it's an average episode that still manages a couple of unexpected developments.
Those typical opening scenes in San Francisco are meant to distinguish Paladin's lead character from the many other Westerns of the time. In short, regardless of his gunfighter skills, Paladin's really a cultured gentleman at heart—here he's shown enjoying, of all unWestern things, high opera (love that cape)! Just as importantly, he's got his own code of professional ethics that often sets him against less principled employers, as it also does here.
The entry's notable for our tough guy getting really roughed up, even within an inch of death. Otherwise it's an average episode that still manages a couple of unexpected developments.
