EPISODE: The Friendship

Reviewed by Gail (bunny bonanza)

Episode 74, Season 3, originally aired November 12, 1961

Guest Star:  Dean Jones, Janet Lake

SUMMARY:

One day, while working on the Ponderosa with a chain gang helping to build a road for the railroad, Danny spies Joe who is out riding a recently gentled stallion.   He looks at Joe with envy.  Joe is above all, a free man, riding a nice horse and wearing nice clothes.  Danny has none of these things.  There is a guard watching the men work and, as he sees Danny talking and not working, fires a rifle shot as a warning. The horse is still green and is therefore spooked by the shot (it was a stupid thing for the guard to do). The horse takes off and Joe topples from the saddle, getting his foot caught in the stirrup. Danny is able to stop the horse and rescues Joe.  Joe is so grateful he asks Danny if there is anything he can do for him.  Danny laughs sarcastically, holds up his manacled hands and says "yeah, you can do something for me. Get these offa me".

I always liked Dean Jones and this was a nice dramatic piece for him after all those fluffy Disney pictures.  Joe resolves to help Danny.  He convinces Ben to go see the warden of the prison where Danny is being kept.  After pleading Danny's case, the warden agrees to let Danny go, but warns Ben and Joe that Danny is no good and will end up back in prison.  Joe and Danny leave the prison alone (which Ben had misgivings about, but relented when Joe assured him that he will be careful and that Danny wouldn't do anything to hurt him).

After arriving at the Ponderosa, they encounter big brother Adam who kids around a little with Joe, welcomes Danny to the ranch and gives Joe the bad news that "Concho" the horse he was riding is down. The horse is going to be destroyed but after seeing Joe's sad, pleading look, (Michael is just beautiful in this episode), Adam (who gives an equally beautiful, sad look to his little brother), gives his approval for Danny to try and save the animal. If they succeed, in an extraordinary gesture, Joe gives the horse to Danny who is overwhelmed by this gift.  He was content enough to be able to ride the horse on occasion. The two young men work well together and Concho is saved.

Joe invites Danny to a party at the Ponderosa that is in honor of "Mr. Carter". The gentleman has a daughter Ann, who is a bit of a flirt (more than a bit, actually) and she is attracted to Danny.  There are some jealous cowboys at the party who tell Ann's father that Danny is a jailbird. The man reacts badly and he and Ann abruptly leave.  Joe is incensed that someone had gossiped about Danny and Danny is pretty pissed too!  He knows it was the jealous cowboys and is ready to give them a fight. 

Adam intervenes and ends up firing the cowboys who don't take it well. After the party, Joe and Danny attempt to wind down but the jealous cowboys won't let them.  They confront the two young men and a fight ensues.  Joe handily whips his opponent with his fists but Danny, used to prison fighting doesn't want to just "whip" his guy, he wants to kill him!  Joe prevents this.

The next day, Ben comes home and Adam has apparently told him of the previous night's events.  Ben is concerned enough to speak to Joe about it.  In a very poignant scene, Ben talks to Joe about Danny.  Instead of lecturing, which I think Joe expects, Ben treats Joe as an adult.  Joe is a little surprised and appreciates Ben's attitude.

The wench Ann corners Danny in the barn and makes fun of his inexperience with girls. In frustration he grabs her and her blouse is torn.  She runs out of the barn in hysterics smack into Joe. Joe, upon seeing her condition, naturally assumes it's Danny's fault.  He confronts Danny in the barn.  Danny doesn't bother to defend himself and runs his horse into Joe, knocking him down.  Danny finishes knocking him out and escapes.

The next scene is an "awwww" scene between Joe and Pa.  Doesn't Michael look absolutely gorgeous unconscious?  Pa brings him around and Joe is stunned to find out it wasn't Danny's fault as to what happened in the barn.  "You're always ready to run off half-cocked ain't you, little brother?" Hoss says (no pun intended).  Joe begs Ben to let him go get Danny but Ben isn't having any of it.  They will all go together.  Naturally, Joe doesn't agree with this.  He sneaks out, catches up to Danny and an all out fistfight occurs.

Joe decides to let Danny make his own decision as to whether to return to the ranch or not.  He tells Danny he doesn't know what will happen.  "It's up to the family now".  Joe starts back to the ranch and runs into Pa, Hoss and Adam.  Pa is pretty pissed. This is a great scene. I don't know of any scene where Ben is so angry with Joe. "Joseph! Sometimes you make very angry!!" Joe actually looks a little nervous.  Joe tells Ben he's gonna let Danny make his own decision and then they are ALL pissed.  Joe tries to explain his reasons, but Ben says "Joseph! I'm tired and I'm hungry.  Now get going!"  I love this exchange.  Finally, to Joe's delight and Ben's chagrin, Danny returns. Danny says he will accept any punishment that's handed down to him and Ben tells him his chores are waiting.  Happy ending.

REVIEWS:

"In my opinion, this episode was one of the markers of our "Little Joe" growing up.  It's the story of a young man, around Little Joe's age or a little older (Danny's 23), by the name of Danny Kidd (not sure of the spelling of his last name)......I always liked Dean Jones and this was a nice dramatic piece for him after all those fluffy Disney pictures." Gail

"I also liked how Ben gave Joe the opportunity to solve the problem on his own and then Joe did the same thing with Danny. I could see this being an "Adam" episode too as Adam was always finding problem people and trying to fix them....but usually winding up failing." Robin 

"Without a doubt, my favorite scene in this episode is when Joe is on the settee, at first unconscious, and then slowly waking up. He looks so young and vulnerable, which is one of my favorite images. His reaction to the true story of Danny's actions -- surprise, followed by guilt and then anxiety to fix things -- is wonderful to watch also.  The family sitting around the settee, looking after Joe with concern and then relief when he finally comes around -- how many times have I written that (or a variation) into a story?" Susan Grote

"The two best scenes, for me, are ones involving Ben and LJ.  Love the talk that they have concerning what to do about Danny, after the fight. Ben isn't lecturing, he listens to what LJ has to say and allows LJ to do as he thinks is best. LJ acknowledges this by patting his father's hand before he leaves. The other favorite scene is the one when LJ comes round after being knocked out. The whole family gather round him, all concerned, and Ben does that wonderful cup of his hand to the back of LJ's neck, that conveys just how much he loves him (he does it in BHAE too, after the nightmare) Of course they have to remind LJ of how he was wrong to jump to conclusions, as he did, but it's only said out of concern. Mind you Ben should have insisted that LJ went to bed, as he sneaked off, as soon as he got the chance, and earned the wrath of Pa, but all was well in the end and Danny returned voluntarily." Lynne

"I like seeing how Joe tries to ease Danny into 'normal' life, both with friends and with every day living, letting him work on anything he proves to have experience in and sticking close by him without hovering over him.  A good example of the growing maturity he displays throughout this episode.  Notice that Danny wears Joe's old clothes, most notably the blue shirt/gray pants combo, the moment he starts working on the Ponderosa.  Early on Danny gripes that Joe has a nice horse and nice clothes, and we see Joe giving him the chance to earn himself a nice horse, not as a handout but as payment.  Having Danny wear Joe's clothing was a nice touch, another probably unexpected gesture of understanding and friendship on Joe's part, particularly since I'm sure he didn't tell Danny where the clothes had come from.  (I prefer this to thinking that the wardrobe dept was just saving a few bucks, like with the ever present blue velvet dress.)."  Helen

"In the scene where Joe is coming to after being clobbered by Danny, I like how Ben shows himself to be both the caring father and the stern parent at the same time. Ben tenderly looks after Joe before and after he comes to, and he gives the very slightest smile when Joe first comes around.  But Ben's "welcome back" is not entirely sympathetic, his tone of voice a bit acerbic (or something - I can't come up with exactly the right adjective to describe it) when he says it. And he doesn't ask Joe how he feels, even though Joe's been unconscious for an hour (yikes!). Obviously Ben does not know all the details until Joe wakes up, but he already knows that Joe has managed to mess things up with Danny. A minute or 2 later, Ben firmly puts a nix to Joe's wish to go after Danny himself, which sets up just how angry he gets with Joe the next day. But he moves to help Joe up to bed and when Joe says he'd like to sit there for awhile, Ben quietly, gently even, asks him if he'll be all right before he leaves him.  Just like any good dad." Sue W.

"Liked Dean Jones a lot -- wished they had had a follow-up episode to see how Danny was managing on "the outside". He played Danny real well -- kept you waiting to see whether Danny was going to react as a bad boy or a good boy.... The family chemistry was really apparent-the way Ben said, "sometimes, Joseph, you make me so mad...." sounded just like a parent." Debbie Jo 

"Basically, despite the perhaps unlikely scenario of Pa allowing LJ to be the “responsible adult” overseeing Danny’s “probation”, I think this ep shows us so many facets of LJ, as follows : LJ on “strange” horse (we know something is going to happen!), LJ in mortal danger, LJ rescued in the nick of time, LJ being community spirited, LJ joshing with Adam, LJ upset over sick horse, LJ helps to save sick horse, LJ gifts horse to Danny, LJ in his white shirt and string tie, LJ twirling and whirling (be still my beating heart!), LJ charming and polite, LJ and Adam sort out troublemakers, LJ and Danny fight with troublemakers, LJ stops Danny doing something he will regret, LJ has heart-to-heart with Pa, LJ goes off half-cocked, LJ gets whacked on the head, LJ is fussed over by Pa (ahhhhh!), LJ sneaks out at night, LJ fights with Danny, LJ gets his head clonked against tree (ouch!), LJ makes Pa “very angry”, LJ is proved right after all (hooray!)." Susan Groves