Bonanza

That was "Gunsmoke."

 

Dude...

 

I think Mom was a Big Valley watcher. We were definitely a Gunsmoke family, and it seems like we watched The Rifleman, too. There's no way you could launch new shows with those last two titles today.

 

One character on Bonanza that didn't get much run was Hoss' evil twin, Festus.

In Season 4 he shows up, having been run out of Dodge City and his sidekick gig by that ornery old Doc.

He gets in a scrap with a former Dodger and is run out of Bonanza Land, drifting to New York City where he changes his name to McCloud and become a lawman.

The former Dodger is kicked out of the Army, his sword broken and he is Branded, scorned as the one who ran, even though he won the fight with Festus. Sometimes, life isn't fair is the lesson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PWxncMYRws

 

Dan Blocker looked like a fun guy to have several beers with.

 

Always enjoyed the episode where Little Joe brought home a horseless carriage and Hoss was pissed because he knew he couldn't fit.

 

I think I kind of remember being in that peripheral walkway the Bonanza restaurants had leading up to the counter when I was 4 or so.

 

Bonanza restaurants were basically carbon copies of Ponderosa Steak Houses if I remember correctly. Is that irony or coincidence?

 

I've been to the Ponderosa set where the show was filmed. It's less than 15 minutes from Tahoe.

 

How is that post about The Wire? Did it die of loneliness?

Buck delenda est

 

I think they were/are owned by the same company and the name varies by locale/region, in a Checkers/Rally's or Hardee's/Carl's Jr. sort of way.