"Gunsmoke" (1955) - Review & Commentary

[Mister Obvious]

No that was my point...

We may have seen her kiss Matt in one other episode (literally) but she's never kissed him the way she just kissed Festus.

We've seen Kitty kiss a couple people I think...

I like the fact that we can count the number of times the main characters have kissed on like one hand.

The only people who kiss on this show are the guest stars and nobody cares about their moral fortitude...

It's just generally preferred that Matt, Kitty, etc. stay saintly. Even Festus isn't really allowed to kiss.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E11 - "The Newcomers"

2:36 the young dude has a point.

3:07 not likely... it takes a long time to tell you everything about Dodge, lol.

3:45 it's so nice to watch a fictional, fancified version of what the old west was like.

5:00 look at 'em trying to keep this young feller all wholesome. We all know he's not gonna end up spending that on sarsaparilla. They should NOT let this guy walk alone in Dodge.

6:16 oh my God man... this barber place shows it from a whole new light. The cowboys seem so loud and gross and dirty!!!

7:30 TBH, I think they should all just be friends.

8:50 they did a great job with these guest characters, I'm totally engrossed in this story.

13:08 the ol' pitchfork, OF COURSE!

15:50 shit goes DOWN in Dodge.

17:02 is either one of these morons gonna say "self-defense" or nah??

18:50 this guy's dad is SUCH a dramatic asshole.

20:07 he's not as dumb as he looks!!!

21:00 I hate how the dad keeps calling them "boys", they're freakin' men. This shit ain't a game.

21:38 yeah, no shit he was.

23:30 this is why they should have gone to the marshal immediately... this guy would have never had the opportunity to move in on them.

24:36 now his dad's gonna have to kill this guy!

25:16 this is getting a little propagandy!!!

28:40 I can see how they'd assume that, but if the guy would just explain himself, they'd see that it was an accident.

31:02 check out Kitty's righteous red dress... https://imgur.com/a/bew5SB0

31:08 "I BUY money!!!" WTF does that even mean??? And they're all gung ho about hanging this guy?? Like why?!

32:53 chaos breaks loose HARD when the Marshal is out of town.

32:58 the all-around production quality is superb... the directing, filming, editing. The lines. These season 12 episodes are the best of all time.

34:00 "outfits" lol... the Marshal is sooo military sometimes.

35:35 oh whatever, that asshole won't make it to Mexico, let alone stay there.

38:55 that place is perfect for a single shopkeeper... nice AF.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E12 - "Quaker Girl"

This title intrigues me. The Quakers and Shakers are an interesting topic... https://www.nps.gov/articles/history-of-the-shakers.htm

0:50 that looks beautiful, hot, and totally dismal.

1:50 "Take my badge." Oh my damn, that's a big deal.

2:20 poor, cherubic Thad... https://i.imgur.com/rKbrB8A.png He doesn't wanna do this!

4:08 well, I'll be! It's The Shat!!!

5:12 this is the first time Thad is having to prove himself alone against a random criminal. We know he's a badass, but I don't think he really should have gone off and attempted this. He's not even the marshal. He's not even a deputy. He's like the deputy's deputy.

8:06 Thad wins.

8:56 is this an intentional vignette?

9:27 I thought he called Thad "Chester" for a second there, lol.

10:28 lol, now it's $10,000!

11:05 "TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED." lololol. The way he said that... this guy is so annoying!

12:13 they're in the DESERT.

16:10 these must be the Quakers.

17:44 why is the Shat wearing that weird gothy eyeshadow?

19:30 I know, he's scary wicked hot, isn't he lady!?

24:40 looks like somebody wants a piece of Thick Thad... *wink, nod*

25:17 so there's a time marker in this episode... Thad says that he's been in Dodge for "about a year." Therefore it must be at least 1878 by now?!?! *dancing banana*

27:20 it's nice seeing Tom Reese in color.

28:30 yeah me either, Marshal.

29:20 I'd be sitting down right next to him and cuddling up.

30:10 oh hohoooh my God, he's playing up the cuteness... he's just like a cat who knows how cute it is when it's rolling around.

31:26 I don't think we've ever seen Thad get this far with a girl before?!

32:18 oh hell yeah baby!!!!!!!!!!!

32:33 at least she has good judgement.

33:00 the Quakers seem pretty chill.

33:44 that's a pretty bitchin' yard.

36:20 he's the youngest looking gray haired guy ever.

44:00 well I think she just screwed the pooch with Thad... I seriously doubt he's gonna be coming back to visit her ass now.

49:20 wow... and he gave her a pity fuck anyway. Whew. What a man!

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E13 - "Moonstone"

Oooo, I love this title. Love me some rainbow moonstone!

1:20 damn that bread looks good as fuck!

2:30 I think they kept all the main characters in the same outfits so they'd be recognizable from far off.

4:30 uh oh, it's a dog.

4:40 corn 56¢ per bushel, that's pretty expensive.

13:13 I'm guessing Orv ain't all quite there.

13:55 he's gonna give her his moonstone cuz he likes her for being his friend... hell yeah, where can I find a dude like Orv?!

15:50 wow, check out his baller treasure box.

17:30 yeah, I'd hit it, NGL.

19:16 I think she's catching the feels for Orv.

24:20... https://i.imgur.com/AxEX3aQ.png

32:33 WHEEEWWWW THIS IS TENSE AS A THIRSTY TURTLE'S A-HOLE.

35:30 oh whatever man, just go home and try to forget about it... nobody needs lady troubles right now.

36:40 I love those gorgeous earthy tones on Kitty.

37:26 I've never seen another show where the star shaped reflections of the studio lights were all over everything... it's exquisite.

39:07 the cow's like "Ah God, we got an angry one in here. Damn humans!"

39:40 now listen... this Orv guy might be a little slow, but he's hot. And that makes him A MAN.

39:55 Forrest Gump flashbacks.

41:06 I guess outside of Dodge City, it's crows instead of barking dogs.

43:46 he just needs to get laid.

45:10 it's that old Cain and Abel business again, I guess it's a tale as old as time!

48:17 I mean, at some point maybe they should tell Orv. What do you think?? It's like they never give him an opportunity to learn?!

48:56 this is fucked up, y'all.

49:20 I love the way she lifted her hand up in the background... that was such an epic close.

Richard Colla directed that episode and he directed "Battlestar Galactica" (1978) too.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E14 - "Champion of the World"

0:28 it's a World Heavyweight Champion belt... https://i.imgur.com/MVEonn4.png

0:40 Alan Hale is bartending in this righteous uppity saloon... https://i.imgur.com/Pn1iD6j.png

13:10 I'm not a fan of his character in this episode at all.

14:14 this is one of those episodes where none of the guest characters are very likable.

15:50 is this a boarding house or a hotel?? I wasn't really watching, but they make it look so fun! It'd be cool to stay at different hotels and boarding houses in all those different rooms.

16:53 Kitty kicked the can down the road on retiring as long as she could hoping Matt would finally want to settle down too!

17:20 why do they let this guy go around dominating things this way?? Is it cuz of the way he's dressed??

17:30 OHHHHH, this is the wrestler guy!!! I forgot that part.

18:08 I meeeeaannnn... if I was Kitty, I might have to think about that one for a little bit. Is that bad?!

19:16 BOTH of these guys are unlikable.

20:20 wow, this rich retired wrestler dude is REALLY getting swindled by this other guy... that plot thickening tho.

22:50 Miss Kitty? More like Pissed Kitty?!

27:30 now that's just RED.

36:04 I love Festus creeping around Dodge and spying... he's adorable. I don't think he's wearing the jingle bobs in this scene.

39:10 that was one of my favorite scenes, ever.

45:40 now he's in a fight with the Marshal... I think we all know Matt will be the champion.

49:10 oh my God, he's SO RIGHT. He really did win it fair and square.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E15 - "The Hanging"

0:40 oh this one looks good. Random sexy, sweaty gun toting fella just forces his way in on dinner... that's hot.

1:06 damn... please tell me those righteous glistening, deep golden brown, buttery lookin' bread rolls aren't gonna go to waste.

1:20 he's a MEAN feller. Like straight up evil.

1:37 how did I not notice the shackles before??

4:28 that was a strong open. The filming is amazing, they made improvements this season that really added something new/exciting and valuable on top of everything that already worked.

7:07 I absolutely love the telegram guy!

8:08 the music's back at the Long Branch, but it IS a special event.

8:38 so they've finally given that shiny brown vest asshole a name... Nathan. Apparently he works at the freight office... he's always gossiping and basically never on the right side.

9:17 omg this music is creepy.

11:10 I would NOT want this creepyass "festival" coming to Dodge, everyone should get together and revolt. The music is heinous.

12:11 this guy is a shit stirrer, definitely the weak link within their operation.

13:20 I admit, I do love how the Long Branch is decorated in red/white/blue flag ribbons outside though. They should leave it up all year round.

19:10 well I'm glad they got smart enough to take purses and bags from visitors before they let them back there. There's a sordid history, y'know.

23:30 this can't end well, remember what happened to the last guy who took a hangman job?!

27:58 aww, his wife is sooo pretty and nice. It's a shame something tragic is gonna happen! I feel sorry for this guy, he's just trying to support his family!?!

28:38 I mean, TBH, woman just obey your man. For real.

29:20 oh come on, she's being a little dramatic.

29:50 if he stays around Dodge long enough, odds are he'll have to kill a man anyways!!!

30:36 I assume there aren't any Ikea instructions for building the gallows!?

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E16 - "Saturday Night"

I've got some concerns about the playback of Season 12 Vol. 2 Disc 1... it's got some very wobbly looking rings, about mid center. Hopefully there won't be any problems.

2:28 oh that's just fucked up!!!

3:15 outlaw soup... yum. *eyeroll*

3:33 k whatever dude, heard it 1000 times.

4:10 did he even fill up the canteen!? Did they show it??

4:28 "bad water"... uh oh. I could have guessed. But you know what, in a drought, it'd be smart to hang up a sign that said that just to keep other people from drinking it.

5:35 oh man... they're about to heave.

7:00 I dunno man... this show is getting hardcore. What the heck has changed besides color?? There's a definite change in intensity. I've noticed camera shot changes that are SUPER intense, but those started before the switch to color.

The stories are pretty much the same, but it's just the way they're directing/filming/editing... it is MEGA over the top. It just reminds me of that song by The Lovin' Spoonful, "You didn't have to be so nice... I would have liked you anyway."

How did they even achieve this??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_(genre)

If you check out the "Golden Age" section, it starts in the 1940s and reaches its peak in 1955. Gunsmoke came out in 1955. It was probably THE FIRST of its kind (TV) with any true dramatic substance.

8:08 like I know he's super ill right now, but he looks fine as hell.

8:36 holy fkn smokes it's Dub Taylor. https://i.imgur.com/bOKXhbr.png Season 12 has an all star cast.

9:10 lol they're puzzled that Matt is actually a good guy!!! This should make them like him even more.

9:27 wow, this scene is fucking amazing. WHO ARE these guys?? Are they just cattle drivers and that's it!? They have a pretty tight operation/camp.

9:38 oooohhhh, it's a Texas rancher outfit... that's fucking hot.

10:20 is this turning into some freaky backwoods kinda shit??!

10:40 "Eh well, most wouldn't." Indeed, man. Lines/delivery totally on point... the actors are great, the production is great.

11:22 the scenery is great, the wagon looks awesome... but in reality's a super bumpy, dusty ride. Heck, just traveling that way would be hard on your body. Just riding a horse would be better, but still hard.

12:06 he's playing a mouth harp. It's whatever. I dunno, I feel like there's a time and a place for the mouth harp, and this isn't it.

12:29 there's a definite eerie sense about these dudes though, maybe I'm wrong but it seems like a plot twist is coming.

12:50 he's absolutely gorgeous, looks better than EVER right here.

13:30 these guys look FREAKED OUT though don't they? I think they're making them look that way on purpose, WTF is going on here?!

13:43 oh yeah they're a bad bunch for sure, they act like outlaws!!!

14:45 see I KNEW there was something up, those guys know him and I bet they found him on purpose!!!

15:40 this shit is DIABOLICAL.

18:20 it makes sense that a serious cowherding operation would be this organized... Dodge was the cow capital, after all.

18:50 ooOoo, I love it when the Marshal talks dirty!!!

19:24 this prisoner guy is acting sooo emo.

20:11 "There's going to be ice in Hades the next time I hook up on one of these cattle drives!"

22:27 he's sending everybody on missions... what's he planning?

24:08 Craddock, on the prairie, WITH A FORK!

25:40 now he's poked the bear.

28:50 I guess back then they only had arm wrestling and playing with ropes and mouth harps to keep them entertained.

29:10 since when the fuck could Sam play the VIOLIN!?!?!?! Oh nvm, it's a fiddle and apparently Glenn Strange did play... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Strange

29:34 this shit is sooo rowdy, I dunno how great saloon life would really be under those conditions. Even if it didn't happen that often, it would still be a lot to handle. I get that it's "Saturday Night" but they're still unusually busy!

29:50 oh this is GROSS, the debauchery is off the charts... WTF were they thinking?!

30:00 Festus must be making everybody horny with the weird dance, and those jingle bobs... it's like hillbilly hypnotism, or some kinda mating ritual.

30:10 are those giant wood boards? https://i.imgur.com/4jZvItf.png You'd think they'd have some kinda fancy flooring in the Long Branch.

31:10 "Hey pretty boy! Hey deputy!" Who the heck is he calling pretty boy??

31:18 ohhh, duh. Lmao, okay, I forgot about Thad!

31:36 this guy is SUPER dangerous.

32:20 oh man, really should have seen that one coming... totally transparent.

33:28 if I were the Marshal, I would NOT be in the mood to hear all that loud, rowdy shit... he might just lose it. I wonder if he ever gets all mentally deranged again like he did in the early seasons?! That'd be so hot!

33:40 what a waste of ammo! Why do they even think this is fun?!

36:00 "But you want them to hand over their money nice and quiet, huh?" Um, well yeah, dude.

37:00 notice Miss Kitty conveniently isn't there... she purposely skipped out on this nonsense.

39:10 oh whatever, he had every right to shoot that lousy fucker!!!

40:10 he's got company... I figured this would happen. Wonder if they'll all cook up a plan to break out??

42:30 are these people gonna pass out anytime soon?? Who's even tending the bar if Sam and the other guy are playing live music!?? LOL!!!

44:50 this guy DOES NOT wanna go up against Dillon. Who can blame him? It's a sure loss.

46:00 this prisoner guy is a PSYCHO. Why aren't they keeping him under maximum guard? They've got some random guy we've never seen before watching the jail? Really?

49:20 such a massively dramatic ending, I absolutely love it.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E17 - "Mad Dog"

Robert Totten started directing episodes right at the end of season 11, and he directed 25 episodes between '66-'71. He directed most of these season 12 episodes that have been so great.

This episode is directed by Charles Rondeau... let's see if it's good.

2:10 the lighting is amazing in this scene... https://imgur.com/a/Pgctqur

2:50 how ironic though... you know that's some shit that would really happen too.

3:40 what's wrong with being left to the buzzards?? I think it's a great thing to give back to nature, maybe the buzzards are hungry.

6:06 "That sounds kinda serious." Roflfmfaololol.

7:15 "Kitty, I need a drink." I feel like this part was ad-lib... it seemed genuinely spontaneous.

10:10 damn, Festus inherited one badass rig!!!

10:44 oh my God, it was so sexy the way he turned the horse toward them.

11:05 whew, good Lord, he's so fine, I'd be tempted to do anything he said!!!

11:56 this episode is wank worthy. It's in the "Episodes I'd Masturbate To" Hall of Fame.

17:00 "Or I'm comin' back to HAUNT YOU!"

18:20 Festus walks into the most redneck saloon in town and everybody immediately pours out.

18:28 "Now I don't know whether I'd orghta go soak in the creek for a spell, or run for public office!"

20:55 they think Festus killed Travers... that's pretty funny, that would make him a badass in their eyes.

21:36 oh shit, it's a hill people omen.

24:30 whoa, you know what, one time I had a dog who sorta looked like that!

25:56 dude that scene was scary AF!

26:11 OMG, is Festus gonna get rabies!?!?!

27:55 "They would be with me. Everything I do's extreme."

29:55 this is SOOOO dramatic. Absolute melodrama.

30:40 I'm practically drooling over this.

32:20 this scene of Festus scaring the shit out of these guys is iconic... https://imgur.com/a/jBBtJCu

32:40 "You been a'choosin' me for the last hour or so... and I'm here to tell ya I'm choosin' you back."

34:08 this was the episode where they solidified Festus into pure legend.

37:12 he just puts that gross beer back up on the table... *gag*

38:27 imagine Festus being buried on Boot Hill! That's so mysterious and sexy!

44:20 so brilliant. This was another top of the list episode.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E18 - "Muley"

0:55 oh boy, they just jinxed the shit outta this day! *popcorn*

2:33 well, this is starting out... ungood.

3:31 look at that gorgeous purple dress. It's easy to go wrong with light purple, but these shades are perfect together.

3:40 too suspenseful right off the bat though, for real. They didn't even ease us into it.

5:00 is this guy a hired hitman!? He seems to have a system/method down pat.

5:06 he looks like the 5th Beatle or something.

5:25 he's done a thorough job, gotta be a pro... but I dunno if a hired dude would go that far. It seems kinda personal.

6:20 this guy isn't fooling anybody... he looks totally suspicious and he's CLEAN shaven. What common cowboy is CLEAN shaven!? Come on.

6:40 it was good casting... he looks like a total psycho.

6:50 AND he has a harmonica. He's as good as caught.

7:34 let me guess, super evil looking saloon girl plays an integral part in this FILM?!

8:14 EVERYONE instantly hates this guy, except for the dumb dance hall hussy. Wonder if he's gonna try to take over the town or something.

8:45 she must be new here.

9:30 Lucky is waaay too good for this guy... he better back the fuck off! He's a warped, cold blooded killer.

10:40 this whole argument is just sounding like a lover's quarrel to me.

14:40 bitch, what about the bacon?! Don't tell me this ho lives off DOUGHNUTS!?

21:20 this is kind of embarrassing, because clearly she CAN'T tell. People really have to watch out for this kind of deception and misjudgement... it's a good story, a cautionary tale.

22:10 I don't know why she thinks this is charming. It's not charming. It's totally creepy because we know his real story!!!

23:16 it's pretty safe where he is right now... I think he's being a tad unreasonable.

27:25 there are some hotass dudes in this episode.

28:40 I guess in the wild west, they never actually had sex in bed, because the beds are always collapsing on this show.

32:03 lol, it's a graveyard. She's THIS CLOSE to being a manic pixie trope.

33:03 I feel like they're leading us into a maze of love.

34:26 moment of honesty though... *nod*

34:50 "Muley... I'm pregnit!"

35:38 such an honest rap, Muley.

35:57 it's a relatable story... I dunno about you guys, but I get it 100%.

36:32 uh oh. Now he's gonna have to kill her.

36:48 "A little hurtin' doesn't hurt nobody."

37:10 this guy is being ridiculous.

40:30 he is SUCH a scary bastard though. This is a great character and story in general... there's a nice amount of complexity here.

48:50 that was CRAZY. This episode was LIT, yo. LITTTT.

I figured there had to be a "filler" episode or two coming up pretty soon after all the epic stories we've had in season 12 so far, but this wasn't filler.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E19 - "Mail Drop"

1:40 Eddie Hodges stopped acting in the 60s, this was one of his last roles. Another one of those strange cases, if you ask me.

2:20 what the fuck, this dude looks like Donald Trump!!!!!

12:20 that scene with Louie was pretty based. He walks in like a zombie and just stands there, and they escort him to the drunk tank. It was a powerful allegory to the way alcohol steals your soul.

19:50 this Billy guy is at least 20 years old... I dunno why they're babying him so much.

24:33 Festus is mind controlling Kitty.

25:44 he's gonna blow his balls off with that thing!

27:23 that's a bad kid right there.

29:07 he stole a whole ass carriage.

32:50 loving this foggy, super soft glowing scene.

38:06 gripping music... it's very suspenseful and I think they are playing with us now. They know how to get the audience going.

43:26 check out the mule trying to eat the leaves off this tree branch. Apparently they eat all the greatest stuff in nature, it'd be AWESOME if we could just eat grass and leaves!?

45:45 this Billy guy is a total pansy.

That episode wasn't overtly bad, but it was DEFINITELY filler. Even Gunsmoke's "filler" episodes are pretty great, so I'm not complaining.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E20 - "Old Friend"

1:00 looks like shit done went all sideways in this small Arizona town.

2:50 what, does this old guy wanna be the new marshal or something!?

3:13 "Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player!"

5:20 "I'll tell you somethin'... us Haggens don't never eat no fish unless he's got his head on it, or how do you know it ain't a mermaid?"

6:00 "That's a baby mermaid." ... "I didn't say it was, I said it could be!"

6:16 I do agree though... I love eating grilled fish with the head and the eyes on there!

7:40 dude OMG... do you think the writers on Gunsmoke started experimenting with LSD in the late '60s?!!!!!! I think they did.

8:35 newcomers don't know what to think about Festus... his charm disarms the bad guys and makes them do and say things they shouldn't.

9:14 before I started watching Gunsmoke, even with as little as I knew about it, I ALREADY knew Festus was the best. He's the best "Non-Marshal Dillon" character in the show. However, Miss Kitty/Amanda Blake was the only one that I had any real knowledge of prior to watching. For this reason, I think Miss Kitty is the most universally recognized Gunsmoke character, and I bet a study/polling of the population would prove it. Festus is close behind though.

10:12 way to not be obvious, bro. Lmao!

10:27 "Mr. Haggen, how do I know I can trust you?" loooool, seeeee.

11:06 do I sense a connection between Miss Kitty and this super suspicious Masters guy?!?

12:40 so he's an old friend of the Marshal's!!! *rub hands* They're trying to make us think dirty thoughts!!!

13:07 OHHH, this guy's a MARSHAL TOO!!! Bahahaha, I forgot that part!!! Wow man, Kitty does have a type. That doesn't help me be any less aroused.

14:47 yeah, Festus is attractive and lovable, I'm totally into him and I think he's super sexy. But I have a love for Marshal Dillon that just can't be beat. The two of them are different. I guess it's kind of like having multiple pets... you love them all equally, just in different ways!!!

16:10 "May they always be friends," and Matt was the only one who thought it was super weird.

17:20 well that turned serious real fast.

18:56 so now he's defending Kitty's honor eh?! He's really taking his liberties around Dodge.

19:50 I just noticed his badass green and black checkered shirt... it reminds me of The Matrix.

20:36 "Burl, ya seem a little edgy."

21:38 you know the furniture/undertaker guy has the fanciest looking store in Dodge. It must be super nice in there.

23:06 this Cheeno guy looks familiar. He kinda reminds me of Salmaan Peerzada.

24:13 "You gotta fool with everything in a skirt just to prove you're a man!" OOOHHHHOHOHOHOHO my DAMMNNNN.

25:16 Willa has a very nice honey blonde hair color.

26:18 "All I try to do is file off the rough edges once in a while." The way he says that, and the innocent smile afterward... so humble. It was adorable.

28:24 Delphi Lawrence looks MAYBE 5 ft. tall in this scene... Fritz Weaver was 6'3" according to IMDb.

29:30 hardcore villainess vibes with her character.

29:40 yup, there it is.

33:12 this guy is fuckballs hot. Prove me wrong. Look at those eyebrows.

35:55 you know what... these two are almost like the 'Matt and Kitty' of that Arizona town. They're like Matt and Kitty if they had both gone wrong somewhere along the way!!!

36:28 oh this guy is fucked now, and that poor fella was just trying to bring slutbag her dinner!

36:36 he just backhanded a bitch!

36:57 he sorta looks like a cross between Hugh Grant and Seth Meyers.

37:26 you could tell he was proud of himself for how smoothly he put out that fire.

38:56 Thad is so fine... mmm, my God.

40:45 look how sexy the Marshal is... https://i.imgur.com/xRy5czi.png

40:54 Matt does need to get the hell out of the street though, this guy is right.

42:10 oh shit, it's about to go down at the Poppy Hotel!?!?!!

46:50 they REALLY nailed the sweaty look on this show... the makeup artists probably used a spray bottle on fine mist.

48:58 they're pulling some hardcore hillbilly Houdini shit with Festus lately. I don't even know how I feel about this. Maybe that's the reason for those shit-talking articles from back in the day always hating on him. Apparently there was a "question" of whether his character was ever truly accepted by the audience.

It had to be propaganda... nobody doesn't like Festus! But I've seen a lot of articles from back in the day that shit-talked the Gunsmoke leads... especially James Arness.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E21 - "Fandango"

3:03 I love how stern and composed the Marshal is, and his voice is so perfect.

7:02 "Just my own pleasant solitude to die in."

8:07 that was a bad dub, it sounded like someone entirely different had to do that voice over at the last minute.

19:16 I feel like I'm being unfaithful to Doc by getting hot over this other doctor guy. Frontier doctors were a sexy bunch!!!

19:47 [dog barking in distance] YUUUUUUUUP.

24:09 oh my damn, who is she?! Diana Muldaur... https://i.imgur.com/FpCBoKl.jpg She was on Star Trek a lot, I thought she looked familiar! She was also in "The Other" (1972) which is one of my fave horror movies.

24:17 I'm digging her hair.

27:00 omg, SHE LOOKS LIKE BONNIE TYLER!!!!!!! https://imgur.com/a/RHhN8G7

29:33 I THOUGHT her voice sounded familiar!!! This is the episode that was sampled on Pink Floyd's "Is There Anybody Out There?", recorded in 1979. This Gunsmoke episode as well as the Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. episode that was sampled both aired in 1967.

31:02 oh damn, are those beans!?!?! I bet those cowboys stayed regular!!!

31:08 there's a super strange looking dog at the campsite... you almost never see a dog without it being some kinda doomy omen.

33:20 it makes sense why they chose this episode... the conversations leading up to the sample are gold.

34:56 "It's goat's milk." Oh HELL YEAH!!!!!

35:06 SUCK IT DOWN BBY!!!!!!!!

35:11 because you're not ugly.

38:38 this is where the sample starts... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIxYe3G3Iz4

40:00 that was some deep shit, yo.

41:38 see, WHAT did I tell you about that DOG!?!?

42:00 their emotional ploys aren't gonna get to me. I'm really not impressed with this cheap shot appeal to my emotions.

42:20 God dang, they look so sexy on those horses.

43:10 "You're carryin' a lot of hate." ... "Well, that's all they left me."

43:30 this guy's having a moment, and they're being so whatever about it... eyerolling and jerkin' their heads.

43:45 oh man, now he's gonna tell us his life story.

49:00 you know, we always figured something like that about you, son.

49:30 that ending was well done... it wasn't cheesy, and the fade out was perfect.

Gunsmoke wasn't afraid to get weird... that's for sure. And when they went for it, they REALLY went for it. I mean they went ALL in.

[Mister Obvious]

Whenever they realized that shit was getting weird, they doubled down on it and went full retard with that weird shit.

[Mister Obvious]

I wanna understand what changes were made to Festus. I wanna understand Festus's evolution.

S8 E13 - "Us Haggens"

S9 E16 - "Prairie Wolfer"

So these were the very first ever Festus appearances.

The first one was an entire season apart from the second one.

In "Us Haggens", Festus was recognizably himself, but a lot more subdued... they were trying to endear Festus to the audience in that very first appearance because they probably knew they were gonna bring him on full time at that point.

In "Prairie Wolfer", Festus became part of the show for the rest of its run... but he still wasn't full Festus.

I think the height of "The Festus We Know And Love" was season 10-11. Those were the days of OG Festus... a character that would sometimes take the reins in the show while the Marshal was off doing whatever in another town. A character who would share the weight of the plot with the other mains like Doc/Kitty/Thad.

In the later seasons, when James Arness had less on-screen time (was trying to live life instead of just living Gunsmoke), the guest stars were supposedly carrying most of the plot weight in each episode. But it's too dangerous to just let it all ride on the guest stars... the audience wants to see a main character, they want that classic Gunsmoke foundation. I believe they made Festus the main character who would pick up the slack in the absence of the other main characters.

The changes to Festus in season 12 are like the difference between Clark Kent/Superman, or Peter Parker/Spiderman. If you think about it, Festus had only been part of the show for ~3 seasons before season 12 ushered in huge changes. The show went on for 8 more seasons after that point. We've been seeing the Festus character in its infancy, to be fair.

What changed? Well, his lines seemed to become even more intricate... frankly, to me, it's agonizing to think about having to deliver those lines. In order to successfully deliver, you would have to REALLY get into that mode. You'd have to be able to TRULY BECOME that character. You'd have to develop that character by seeing (and hearing) the world through that character. It would take serious devotion. It would take next level understanding of the character, and next level talent.

I think there was a moment when Ken Curtis was like, okay fuck you know what, this is my life now. It's Gunsmoke, this is my life, I'm Festus... I have to just let it into my soul, let it change my DNA, and let it go ahead and just take me over.

At the end of ~11 years of portraying that character, you'd be fused with it. This isn't some toned down, super serious character like Matt Dillon who's pretty much quiet all the time. It's not a Miss Kitty situation where your role is 60% looking glamorous and 40% saying things. It's more like a Chester kinda situation where you feign a limp that starts causing you actual physical problems down the line, but is intrinsically tied to your character so you can't stop unless you simply leave.

Only, with the character of Festus, the necessary feigning is taking place across so many facets. It's the way Ken Curtis has to hold his mouth, how he has to hold his eye(s), how he has to walk/move in general and pose his body, the way he talks, the way he has to get all up in peoples' business and deliver those insane lines...

This show was a challenge for Ken Curtis far more than it was for anyone else. He had to change his natural ways, FAR more than anyone else. He had to have more serious and genuine abilities than any of the other actors.

[Mister Obvious]

Newly (Buck Taylor) is introduced in season 13 and stays for the rest of the show... I am curious to see how Festus changes after that point.

[Mister Obvious]

And I really dunno how to say this, but...

There was a REALLY sexual atmosphere to Ken Curtis in general.

Like, you've seen me say it 100 times, he is mega sexy but it's hard to identify WHY.

It's his very essence.

So you pair the natural smexy aura of Ken Curtis with the Festus character, and you end up with something REALLY...

Powerful.

There's a sense of disguised domination, like a hand of steel under a velvet glove.

That hand of steel is glowing red hot, spikes all over it... but the velvet glove has fire-proof lining and it's thick enough that you can't tell there are spikes underneath.

It's like a delicious looking pie, the most delicious looking pie you've ever seen... but it's poisoned, not DEADLY, just enough to make you shit your brains out.

That's my take on it.

[Mister Obvious]

But in a good way though.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E22 - "The Returning"

2:16 melodrama alert. Popcorn. Everybody grab your popcorn.

9:50 badass eerie atmosphere with the heat lightning and this gang of dudes sneaking around in the dark.

10:40 "Listen, MISTER!!!"

20:06 Gunsmoke goes HARRRDDDD these days. It's INTENSE. It's not like I want them to stop making it great, but it's kind of like having multiple orgasms forced on you.

25:40 "You kids ruined my life, and your Pa's a loser!"

36:38 the heel is my favorite part of the bread too. I think these two are gonna have a fling.

37:47 dude this scene is SUPER violent for Gunsmoke. He punched that chick and now he's strangling her?!!? I guess I called that one all wrong.

38:08 that was CRAZY.

38:20 in various episodes, both Botkin (bank) and Jonas (store) actors are sometimes replaced by two different actors named Roy... https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0594508 I'm just saying, it's a little strange.

Remember the "Botkin/Bodkin" spelling debate?? https://i.imgur.com/XHRpgQ2.png

40:50 now it's spelled "Bodkin"... https://i.imgur.com/nCVnm3s.png

It's like Dodge City slips into an alternate universe every now and then.

48:20 even the captions say "Mr. Botkin."

Such a heartwarming ending on this one though because you could tell the one little kid actor was super stoked to meet Marshal Dillon.

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E23 - "The Lure"

0:50 uh oh, looks like there's trouble on the ol' stagecoach again!

3:47 that's a very clever little Kitty!

7:28 this episode is soothing as fuck so far.

9:01 she DOES have beautiful natural red hair.

12:55 Neely is a scary mofo.

20:12 that looks like a pretty damn comfortable seat. I'm telling you, wagon life is where it's at.

28:20 this whole scene between Kitty and Neely is mega steamy, especially on the part of Neely. Miss Kitty seems too reluctant, she's totally not into it. Still, you can't help but start feeling some type of way while he's talking. He's got skills.

29:28 this guy is obviously gonna be trouble. But who can blame him when Kitty looks so fine just laying there?! They should have suspected there'd be an issue with one of these guys come nightfall.

31:45 Kitty is lucky... thanks to all her previous experience with drunk horny dudes, this situation isn't even totally foreign to her.

32:30 Neely runs a tight ship... I appreciate that. I like a bad guy who really stands for something and operates by principles.

35:38 love is DEFINITELY not enough. It's understandable to think it is though, especially early on in life. That's pretty common!

[Mister Obvious]

S12 E24 - "Noose of Gold"

1:04 "Where's the dog??" See, even the characters know about the dog barking omen.

4:40 are they not even gonna chase 'em??

7:57 the Gunsmoke drinking game for people who don't like to/can't drink that much: Take a shot every time Matt says "fair trial."

8:27 is that... JULIE ANDREWS?!?!?!

9:00 I'm sorry, who the hell is she supposed to be?? Is the Marshal supposed to be smitten with her or something??

10:30 some pretty transparent emotional manipulation tactics there, he's definitely suspicious of this chick.

10:50 look how gorgeous the Marshal is... https://imgur.com/a/Q0NxOXU I've rewatched this scene like 4 times.

13:20 the audio/dialogue on this show is amazing. If you just listen to it but don't look at the picture, it's still super gripping. I think James Arness's voice is one of the reasons they wanted him for this role.

17:17 that's GOTTA be bullshit... it's the frontier west!!!!??!!

19:30 it's true, how many times have we seen the marshal be interrupted right as he was going to bed?

20:30 I guess this ol' John Farron must be a pretty bad dude!!!

24:08 um, no Mr. Creepy, actually you can't come in.

26:13 "Jim, why don't you pack this in?" THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!?!?!

28:43 "Anyone else, and I'd be afraid... but not Matt Dillon." (That's also what she said.)

30:55 "Miss Kitty figures that anybody who'd order brandy in the Long Branch must want the very best." Damn right.

34:10 the music sounds a little too modern, but it's forgivable. The '70s vibes are gonna have to show themselves somehow.

38:38 DAAMNN, she just bitchslapped that guy the fuck DOWNNN!!!!!!!!!

41:36 this guy is a real shit weasel. How the fuck did he even get in the jail with him?

43:20 wouldn't be so bad to have a bounty on you in the old west, you'd just have to be super vigilant. I think this guy wimped out. The fuck kind of an outlaw are you if you don't even have a bounty on your head??

45:40 that's a nice icy, pearly pink lip color right there. Looks like Skyline and Silver City Pink from Revlon.

45:53 most obvious [dog barking in distance] ever.

45:58 "You sure called it."

I definitely think the writers have been experimenting with LSD, but I am totally here for it.