Gunsmoke (TV Series) Muley (1967) User Reviews

Much better show than expected. Full of action

[kfo9494 · 9/10 · 7 May 2013]

From the beginning of the episode we know that we are in for an show that is going to be full of action. During the first few scenes Marshal Dillon is ascending Doc's stairs and is shot. The shooter, which will will find out later to be Muley, was in disguise with a large hat and facial hair when he fled town.

Later a young nice looking guy, Muley, rides into town. The reason that Muley has shot Matt was because years ago Matt killed his brother while trying to rob the Dodge bank. Now Newly and his gang of four are planning to get rid of Matt and finish robbing the bank.

Because of the great medical doctor in Dodge, it is not long before Matt is back on patrol. When another one of the gang tries to shoot Matt again, Matt gets the jump on him and kills him. Matt knows something is rotten in the state of Dodge.

Matt, with help from Festus and Thad, set up a scheme to get the gang to show their cards. It is not long before one of the members know things are not going as planned and takes a young saloon girl hostage.

This is an episode that is full of action and interest. The story was nice and the acting excellent. The only problem I had was they cast Muley, a young thin man played by baby face Zalman King, as the gang leader. This really did not play well since the way he treated the other much older men would have caused a quick mutiny in the ranks leaving Muley in serious medical condition. But look over that small flaw and the episode was a good watch.

A Desperate Love Story

[janet-conant · 9/10 · 24 September 2023]

Read the other reviews for the plot which was, I believe, a fine script for Gunsmoke, as my review is based on the chemistry between Muley and Lucky. Last time I saw this episode I wished I had recorded it. I found Zalman King as Muley so believable as a troubled young man who can't help caring for a young outspoken saloon girl with a simple charm. One reviewer thought King was miscast but Muley/King needed to be vulnerable and attractive enough to be sought after by Lucky but show a determined, tough and self-assured facade as head of the gang.

Muley doesn't mince words with Lucky and at first tells her to leave him alone then advises her she's too young for a saloon as he finds they have common ground. That moment he realizes he really cares about her almost like a big brother is poignant. Muley dodges her many questions and even though he calls her crazy for her optimism he truly shows the audience how he's enjoying her innocence as they have breakfast. That smile from each other gives us a look into their souls.

The scene in the cemetery as Muley tries to get back on track with his plans is dashed when he confesses he needs her as Lucky needs him. A real attraction between two people who have respect for each other. Lucky has a naive demeanor and has drawn him in as we see a gentle side to Muley, not a killer. He's tried to keep his mind on his next plan but so affected by this girl he makes you care what happens to him. When one forceful member calls him out he reacts violently. His vengeance for his brother's death is almost waning. When he loses his cool after Lucky has unknowingly spoken against his brother he softens his anger explaining she should never have met him and confessing how he will hurt her in the end.

Zalman King and Lane Bradbury were perfect in this tale showing an instinctive captivation for each other. He maybe cares more about her now than himself. When he lays dying and speaks of picking flowers for her you feel his honesty and wish he had another chance at life. An unexpected love story and his death scene, more realistic than any I've seen.

"Lucky charms..."

[grizzledgeezer · 7/10 · 16 July 2015]

By "Gunsmoke" standards, "Muley" is second-rate -- which would rank it close to first-rate in just about any other Western series.

The story -- thematically similar to "King Kong" -- has a young man trying to kill Marshall Dillon in revenge for the death of his brother during an attempt on Dodge's bank six months before. With Matt dead, the robbery won't fail this time.

Unfortunately, he's distracted by a saloon gal -- called Lucky, because she isn't -- to the point where he doesn't see himself being set up for an obvious take down by Matt, et al.

In typical "Gunsmoke" fashion, it all ends unhappily for everybody. Especially for Thad, whose name is no longer in the opening credits (replaced by Newly).

Not in any way a bad episode, but not one you should worry about missing.

A Tragic Romance

[wdavidreynolds · 6/10 · 23 March 2021]

A young outlaw named Muley Proddert attempts to assassinate Matt Dillon as an act of revenge. The Marshal killed Muley's brother a few months earlier when an outlaw gang led by the brother attempted to rob the Dodge City bank. Muley and his gang intend to try to rob the Dodge City bank again, but of primary importance to Muley is avenging his brother's death.

Muley was clever enough to attempt the homicide in disguise. He had facial hair and wore distinctive clothing. After he shoots Dillon, he rides out of town, shaves, and changes his clothing. He then returns to Dodge City to determine the results of his previous actions.

The Marshal is badly injured, but every Gunsmoke fan knows Matt Dillon is indestructible. Doc Adams manages to repair the damage, but his attempts to keep Matt under his care are, of course, futile. The Marshal is determined to go back out on the streets of Dodge looking unaffected by the wear-and-tear. (Dillon's miraculous, rapid recovery from such a serious gunshot wound is the most unlikely aspect of this episode. Everyone in the town is worried about the Marshal's fate, but he is soon walking around and behaving as if nothing had happened.)

Meanwhile, Muley meets a young lady at the Long Branch Saloon everyone calls "Lucky." Lucky and Muley are instantly attracted to one another. Muley's burgeoning romance interferes with his plans to kill Dillon and rob the bank, which displeases the other members of his gang. The would-be robbers resent having to wait around while Muley romances Lucky, and they are unhappy that what was supposed to be an easy job with Matt Dillon out of the picture has now turned into a much more complicated situation.

The two leading guest stars of this episode -- Zalman King as Muley and Lane Bradbury as Lucky -- are excellent with great chemistry. King appeared in five different Gunsmoke episodes. He had previously played one of the Stone sons in the classic episode "The Jailer" earlier in Season 12. King almost always played some kind of brooding heavy in the dozens of television appearances he made in his career. He went on to a successful career in producing and directing, particularly in the so-called "soft-core" genre with films like 9 1/2 Weeks, Wild Orchid, and the cable series Red Shoe Diaries.

Lane Bradbury appeared in six different episodes of Gunsmoke, four where she played the recurring character Merry Florene during Seasons 13 - 15.

Other than James Arness, the other Gunsmoke stars all make appearances, but they have minimal involvement with the story.

The romance between Muley and Lucky is the primary plot element in this story. Muley seems to know there is not much hope of a future between the two. He even tells Lucky at one point it would have been better if she had never met him. The surrounding parts of the story related to the outlaws, the bank robbery, and Muley's desire to kill Marshal Dillon are all impacted by the romance. As a result, anyone looking for clever twists or surprising plot elements will likely be disappointed.