The Rifleman (TV Series) The Angry Man (1959) User Reviews

Lucas has to teach a nasty neighbor that everyone is not evil

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 13 July 2013]

In this entertaining episode, Lucas and Mark have a new neighbor. Mr Able MacDonald and his young son Carey- who happens to be right around Mark's age. But there is a problem, it seems Mr MacDonald hates everyone he meets includes Lucas McCain.

However we learn in the episode that Mr MacDonald has had a rough life and it seems that he takes it out on everyone including his young son. With Mark and Carey becoming friends, his father is bound to keep the McCain's away from the land at all cost, including risking his son's life.

Even though the writers let Lucas takes some liberties in this episode it was still a nice way to spend thirty minutes of TV. The show was entertaining to the very end. Good watch.

The less than friendly Neighbour

[gordonl56 · 7/10 · 21 April 2014]

THE RIFLEMAN – The Angry Man - 1959

This is the 31st episode from the 1958 to 1963 western series, THE RIFLEMAN. Over the course of 168 episodes we follow the life of Lucas McCain and his son, Mark. They have moved to the small western town of North Fork where they hope to start a new life. Chuck Connors headlines the series with Johnny Crawford as his son. Connors is a world class hand with a Winchester rifle which of course ends up getting him in no end of trouble.

Chuck Connors and his son, Johnny Crawford, are out hunting for deer when they come up on a no trespassing notice. Strange thing to find out on government land says Connors. They continue their deer hunt but are soon interrupted by George Mathews and his son, Kim Charney. It seems Mathews has just bought the land to homestead. He wants Connors and Crawford to clear off. Connors tries to do the friendly neighbour bit but Mathews is not receptive.

Mathews spends the next week putting up a fence with barbed wire to set his property line. His boy, Charney, is thrown by his horse and is badly hurt. Mathews refuses to call in the North Fork doctor for the badly injured boy. Connors decides he must act and tells Mathews he is taking the boy to receive some medical care. This ends with a full blown round of flying fists before Mathews goes down.

Connors gets the lad to the doc just in time to save his life. Mathews sees that he was being a fool keeping Charney away from help. Mathews and Connors shake and all is forgiven. Mathews promises to be a good neighbour from then on.

Okay, but nothing really special as RIFLEMAN episodes go.

Great Episode ...

[dweilermg-1 · 10/10 · 20 November 2018]

While we all best remember George Mathews as Harvey on Honeymooners Bensonhurst Bomber episode he came off as a somewhat nicer guy on this Rifleman episode. Also Edgar Buchanan was perhaps actor best qualified to play a doctor on TV since he was a dentist in real life. Wow! ☺

We have a new neighbor, The Bensonhurst Bomber!

[thejcowboy22 · 5/10 · 11 December 2019]

I never had any luck with my neighbors. One day coming from friend Johnny's house I figured I could save some steps by cutting through my neighbor Kitty's Backyard. Kitty's house was diagonally across from mine. Separating their yard from ours was a spiked wooden gate. I couldn't budge the gate open so I climbed into the adjacent yard. Next thing I knew I was attacked by Ginger my other neighbor's dog. He bit me on my thigh. I screamed as my Mom and the Louden's ran toward me. Next thing I knew my Mom put me in her 54 Plymouth and drove me to Dr. Rubenstein's for first aid. I remember the burning alcohol the Doctor applied on my bloody side. The ride home was worse as my Mother gave one of those (How stupid could you be?) lectures. I've been watching re-runs of "The Rifleman" lately . The theme song by itself is one of my favorites composed by Hershel Burke Gilbert. As our star Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) rapid fires his rifle and then twirls it into his holster and give that serious stare to the viewer that he means business. I watched this episode many years earlier with my Dad as I recovered from my dog bite. Our story starts off with Lucas and his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) hunting for deer when they come upon a no trespassing sign and then abruptly meeting a reproachable homesteader Abel MacDonald (George Mathews) and his Son Carey (Kim Charney). Lucas offers some friendly neighbor pleasantries informing MacDonald that his son has to attend school. Mark would be happy to walk to school with a new friend his own age. MacDonald wants no part of anyone and his disdain for people is evident. Especially Doctors who took him for his money and in the end losing his Wife due to incurable illness. Despite Carey's father's hatred of people Mark and Carey get along. Lucas gives a good neighbor offering with a sack of feed but MacDonald tells him that he's putting up barbed wire around his property for a dispute over a stray calf. As the prickly fence goes up Carey is thrown into the barb wire and is seriously injured. MacDonald's Son need immediate medical attention or he'll bleed to death. MacDonald wants no part of Doctor's help. Lucas takes action. Familiar character actor Edgar Buchanan portrays the Country Doctor. I was always curious why casting directors hired George Mathews for western roles with his heavy New York accent. George the consummate bully, husky with that whiny saying, "Is that so?" type was showcased mostly in gangster type roles as a secondary rogue. This also explains my review title "The Bensonhurst Bomber'' reference. Mathews appeared on a Honeymooners episode as Ralph Kramden's nemesis Harvey. As for the Rifleman, Chuck Conners was ideally cast for that role. The south pawed Rifle firing widower on the show was in real life and a former professional athlete. Chuck with his well chisel frame and deep voice made him a natural western legend of the TV screen.