MY FAVORITE TV SHOW EPISODES FROM TV SHOWS WHICH AREN'T TV WESTERNS #3

Here is the penultimate entry in "My Favorite TV Western Episodes From TV Shows Which Aren't TV Westerns".

For a TV series which most people pigeon-hole as being sci-fi, there were a number of episodes which had Western motifs in them.  Most of them still had that twist at the end which Rod Serling made famous, many had a supernatural aura about them, but only one had an alien from outer space.

In no particular order, here are TV Western episodes of 'The Twilight Zone'....

(All descriptions are from the IMDb.)

"Showdown With Rance McGrew"

Rance McGrew is the star of a weekly TV western where he plays the town Marshal. He is, to say the least, difficult to deal with. He is frequently late on the set, arrives unprepared and often requests script changes just as they are about to shoot a scene. To top it off, he's quite inept at handling his gun which he inadvertently tosses into the saloon mirror on more than one occasion. He's given a dose of reality however when he inexplicably finds himself back in time, coming face to face with the real Jesse James.

"Mr. Denton on Doomsday"

In the Far West, the drunkard Al Denton is bullied by the gunman Dan Hotaling to get some booze. The mysterious Henry J. Fate observes the humiliation and Al Denton finds a revolver on the street. When Dan sees Al Denton with a revolver on his hand, he challenges the drunk for a gunfighter. Fate observes again and makes a movement with his hand that will change the life of Al Denton.
 
"The Grave"

Lawman Conny Miller rides into a small dusty town not long after the townsfolk have gunned down the man he's been tracking for four months. He feels like he's wasted that four months and someone bets him $20 he hasn't the nerve to visit the dead man's grave. He takes that bet and has little difficulty going to the grave. Leaving it however proves to be another matter however. 

"Mr. Garritty & The Graves"

In the early 1890s Mr. Garrity arrives in Happiness, Arizona, apparently knowing a great deal about some of the people who live there. He knows that Jensen the bartender's brother died and that Gooberman the town drunk lost his wife. Garrity also reveals that he has a very peculiar gift - he can bring back the dead. When a dog is run down by a wagon in the street he resurrects it without any difficulty. When he offers to do the same for the town's loved ones, they realize they would rather he not bring back the dearly departed, something they are quite happy to pay him for. Garrity, a charlatan if ever there was one, is glad to accept their money - though he does seem to leave something behind. 

(O'Bservation - that was my favorite of this sub-genre from the series.  And Mr. Garrity will be appearing again before the month is over.)

"The 7th Is Made Up Of Phantoms"

A National Guard tank crew on war games suddenly find themselves back in time to June 25, 1876 the day General Custer fought and lost to the Sioux at the battle of the Little Big Horn. They report what they've seen and heard but the officer-in-charge is more than a little dubious about what they claim. They return to the area and when the attack begins they join the fight. When the commander goes to locate them, they find something else entirely.

"Execution"

In the late 19th century, Joe Caswell is about to be hanged for murder, when he vanishes into thin air. He's been snatched by Prof. Manion's time machine and brought 80 years into the future. Caswell was selected at random and Manion can see the rope marks on his neck. Caswell is eager to see his new world but Manion wants to send him back. When Caswell runs off into the night, his new world proves to be too much for him. Justice is served in the end and a murderer hangs.

"Dust"

Luis Gallegos is scheduled to be hanged in a dusty western town after he was found guilty of killing a child while drunk. Gallegos' father begs everyone for mercy but the Marshal, who doesn't think the prisoner is a bad sort, has little choice but to proceed with the sentence. Unscrupulous salesman Peter Sykes decides to take advantage of the situation by selling the father his 'magic dust' that will make the townsfolk take pity on his son. Events provide for an unexpected conclusion. 

"A Hundred Yards Over The Rim"

Christian Horn is member of an 1847 wagon train headed west. They are 1500 miles from St. Louis and are now in the New Mexico desert. Many in the wagon train are ready to turn back but Chris wants everyone to persevere. His son has had a fever for 11 days now and Chris goes off looking for water, only 100 yards or so from the others and suddenly finds himself in the present day. He can't quite bring himself to believe what he sees or where he is but those he meets believe he's a man from the past. The trip in time does have one positive outcome.

"The Gift"

The residents of a small Mexican village, just 40 miles or so south of the Rio Grande, panic when they learn a being from another planet may have crashed near by. As the result of an altercation with local police, one policeman is dead and the alien is severely wounded. A young boy, Pedro, quickly forms a friendship with the alien who says he has come in peace. He also says he has a gift for the people of the Earth, but the villagers fear means that mankind will never benefit from the alien's generosity. 

O'Bservation:In case you were wondering, I excluded those episodes which dealt with the American Civil War.  I don't consider them to be Westerns; they're set along the Eastern seaboard, usually connected to famous battles from the war.  ("The Passers-By" is set in a whole 'nother location entirely!)

Okay!  One more week to go with this theme!

Happy Trails!