Gunsmoke (TV Series) The Patsy (1958) User Reviews

Matt has a problem with an eye witness to a crime

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 13 July 2013]

The episode begins easy enough as a cowboy named Dave Thorp steps out back with a saloon girl, Holly Fanshaw. All of the sudden a shot rings out hitting Dave in the back killing him. Dave's brother Joe Thorp vows revenge to whomever killed his brother. In the meantime, Holly runs off but the next day tells Marshal Dillon that she saw the man who shot Dave and it is a Texan Cattle-driver named Fly Hoyt.

After some opposition from the Texas cowboys, Hoyt agrees to go back to Dodge to clear his name. But when Hoyt is suppose to meet with Holly she ends up dead. Joe Throp is ready to take the law into his owns hands and lynch Hoyt but that will be difficult with Marshal Dillon around.

A good mystery that comes to an ending that few were suspecting. The story kept the viewer entertained and the mystery was interesting. A good watch for the second episode in season four.

Good mysyery

[maskers-87126 · 7/10 · 13 October 2018]

Although one can usually figure it out based on the guest star, this time Martin Landau. Had a beginning,middle and end which is not always the case. Sometimes there is too,much story for the half hour. Someimes too little. This one was well done.

Whodunit?

[dougdoepke · 30 March 2012]

An above average entry. A shy cowboy is dry-gulched in a Dodge alleyway with only a saloon girl as witness. She identifies a Texas trailherder as the culprit. The dead cowboy's angry brother wants vengeance, while now Matt has to arrest the trailherder amidst a bunch of hostile Texas cowboys.

Pretty good suspense as we wonder what the true story is. Matt's visit to the cowboy campsite has a gripping undercurrent of hostility as the Texans refuse to recognize "Kansas law". In the angry brother's role, Martin Landau injects real emotion that helps drive the drama. Mystery and suspense are neatly combined in this better than average episode.

A Good One

[darbski · 10/10 · 28 August 2017]

Normally I don't care for Peter Breck, he's just too much of a pretty boy; but in this episode, he plays a really good part. Martin Landau is also giving everyone a look at the talent that paid his rent for the rest of his life. A tight, fast, well written western Drama with Miss Kitty getting on the wrong side of the conflict. One thing is that I think it HAS to be obvious that Holly set up Dave for the hit, and then fingered Hoyt for the patsy. When Thorp realized that Holly would be put to the test, he couldn't trust her, and she had to go. One thing that I would've liked to see was Matt using BOTH guns to burn down Thorp. Miss Kitty owes Matt a couple of drinks for calling this one as wrong as she did; I mean, she hired the girl, didn't she??

A Shot In The Dark

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 12 April 2021]

(*Marshal Dillon quote*) - "Now, Holly, are you sure that you saw the man fire the shot?"

In the back alley behind the Long Branch saloon, Dave Thorp is shot in the back.

Holly Fanshaw (who was with Dave at the time) claims that the killer was Fly Hoyt from the XT cattle herding outfit.

Marshal Dillon has his doubts about the validity of Holly's statement.

Soon enough the truth comes to the surface when Dave's brother, Joe steps into the picture and surprises all.

You Learn Slow, Don't Ya Matt

[jamdifo · 3/10 · 28 July 2013]

The whole episode is based on who killed Dave (John Alderman) and leads Dillon to investigate like Chester would. First, he tells Holly Fanshaw (Jan Harrison) he will protect her if he tells her who she saw kill Dave, after she says who, she tells her to go with Miss Kitty and that she would protect her. I know it wasn't meant to be funny, but I found that hilarious.

Next, Dillon brings the suspect Fly Holt (Peter Breck) back to Dodge, and their waiting to taunt the suspect is Thorp (Martin Landau) and Dillon lets him until he draws his gun. Then, amazingly, Dillon tells Fly WHERE the witness is and to WAIT for him there. Understandingly, Kitty didn't believe Fly and kicked him out of there.

Then, Dillon hears a shot and Holly is dead with Fly in the room (how did he get by Kitty?). Dillon finds Fly's gun on the floor and said it was shot. Fly said he was knocked out. Unbelievably, Dillon gives Fly back his gun. I don't care if Dillon believed him, you make your right in your belief before giving back the gun (so quickly). Kitty was so right in telling Dillon "You learn slow, don't ya Matt".

The end shootout with Thorpe was stupid, as Dillon already had his gun drawn, what was Thorpe thinking. This was Dillon's 64th confirmed kill on the show.

Some of the positives of the episode was seeing Miss Kitty working at the saloon at the beginning, I like to see more of how she works there. Also, Ken Lynch played a great mean trial boss as Jim Cavanaugh. Too bad his role was small.

Starts great, but then...

[tsn-48730 · 3/10 · 1 August 2023]

This has all of the makings of a great episode right up until near the end. Then it falls completely apart into just plain stupidity that is rare for the writing of this show.

Matt goes out to where the Texas cattle drive where the suspect, Fly (Peter Breck in his pre-Big Valley days) is at and despite threats from the rest of the trail hands, talks him into returning to Dodge to clear his name. This makes Matt believe that he's been set up and being framed for the murder, which of course makes sense. All good right up to here, but the writers must have been drunk afterwards.

Having Fly go over to Ma Smalley's Boarding House to wait instead of putting him in jail where he'd be safe? Especially after being threatened by Thorp (the murder victims brother (Martin Landau)) right there? Especially after telling him Holly is over there too? Not a chance! Matt is much, much smarter than that...or at least he was portrayed as such before this. And after the girl is killed having Kitty flat out insult him like that and having no faith in him? Of course no one believes ANY of that after four seasons!

Finally the confrontation in the street. Matt walks out with Fly, allowing him to still carry his weapon after being suspected of having just murdered someone again, no matter how he feels about his guilt, is just plain absurd! Matt accuses Thorp of both murders when, with Doc standing right there he could easily clear Fly in a split second first by having him confirm the blow to his head before hand before accusing him. The rest could have still played out the same just a few seconds later with a fair gunfight after that. But instead Matt guns him down by shooting him with gun he already has drawn and aimed before Thorp even has a chance to clear leather, something he never does! It makes no sense. All the Thorp character would have done in the real world was laugh and say "Prove it.", walk away and nothing else.

Everything in the last third went completely against character for most involved and just plain didn't track with any kind of reality, even for fiction. They could have at least tried to make it a little believable, but apparently the writers wrote the first part and decided to go to a bar and party after that.