Bonanza (TV Series) Kingdom of Fear (1971) User Reviews

Slaves

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 17 October 2018]

This Bonanza episode has the Cartwrights riding into a situation where they and Candy are taken prisoner and forced to work digging for a mother lode pocket of gold that Alfred Ryder is sure is there.

Ryder is an unbelievably evil man, it's a performance that will chill you long after you've seen this story. He doesn't hire people to work. He's the self appointed judge and sheriff and he makes slaves out of his "convict" labor.

Personally I might have let someone as prominent as Ben Cartwright off with a warning and let the party proceed on its way. But Ryder's men bring in the group after they kill young Charles Briles who was with them. That's when they find out who they are dealing with.

Also note a good performance from Richard Mulligan as one of the slave convicts, he has a real score to settle with Ryder.

This episode is top notch.

Fabulous tense and exciting episode

[jlizb-93555 · 9/10 · 31 January 2022]

This is a terrific ep that has the Cartwrights forced to work on a mine after they are hijacked for a man who has set himself up as sheriff, jury, and judge. It's a gritty and exciting ep. 1 star deducted as some scenes were edited for the violence.

Wow!

[lcooke-22255 · 10/10 · 6 December 2022]

As the show progressed, many of the episodes got weaker. This is definitely not one of them. Alfred Ryder plays a sadistic antagonist which makes for a thrilling hour. I have always said that The Gamble was my favorite episode, but this rivals that one, and could be considered the best episode of the series. There is a question that you are left with at the end of the show. You will have to decide for yourself. Other than that, I don't think they could have made this one any better. Richard Mulligan played a comedy role in the series Soap, but is great as a victim in a very serious role this time.

It's once again about little joe!

[Thomas001 · 5/10 · 5 January 2018]

Bonanza episodes provided lots of insight into life "back then", be it timber mining, well drilling, Shanghaiing, cattle ranching, nitroglycerin, rabies, extortion, love triangles, you name it. Unfortunately, this was not one of those episodes. This episode is credited as written by little joe, all about little joe, the hero, who once again saved the day. It is annoying to watch repeatedly so much ego on display, over and over.