EPISODE: The Tin Badge
Reviewed by Lisa
Season 3, Episode #79, First Broadcast: December 17, 1961
Guest Stars: Vic Morrow as The Sneaky, Slimy Mine Owner Ab Brock, and Karen Steele as The way-too-old-for-Joe-anyway saloon hussy Sylvie Ann
Written by Don Ingalls
Directed by Lewis Allen
SUMMARY:
I love the scene just after the opening credit where Joe is trying to explain himself to his father and to make him understand how he feels about being the baby. They are having a tender Pa/Joe moment, in which Ben tells Joe he'd rather Joe not take this job, when Joe breaks the mood and launches from his chair exclaiming, "You mean someone older, don't you, Pa? Someone who's not the baby of the family, someone who's a grown up man like Hoss, like Adam, don't you Pa!" The look on Ben's face when Joe gets up ranting is one of: 'we've been down this road before...’ Then Ben defends himself, calmly: "I've never treated you as a baby." To which Joe contritely apologizes: "I'm sorry, Pa. It's not you." Then Joe says it -- the reason he wants to, moreover needs to, take this job: "But it is Hoss and it is Adam. They don't pay attention to anything I do; everything I try do is a big joke to them.
As Ben tries to tell Joe he can understand those feelings and turn the conversation back around to the sheriff's job, Adam and Hoss come in and start to tease Joe about coming home when the works all done. Ben steps in and tells the older boys that Joe has a serious decision to make, and as if to prove Joe's point, Adam and Hoss continue to twit him because they think surely any serious decision Joe would have to make would involve some little gal, according to Hoss. To which Adam says yes, which one, aren't there several...
Ben continues in a serious tone that Joe has been offered a job. Still smirking, Hoss asks what kind of job and pointedly calls his brother, ‘Little' Joe.
Joe states the job to be Sheriff of Rubicon and his brothers start to laugh. Hoss utters a funny yet cutting line, "What's everyone over in Rubicon, gals or something?" and both brothers continue to laugh at Joe. Poor Joe is so hurt; the look on his face speaks volumes to his hurt pride and validation to his feelings that his brothers think him a big joke.
Joe leaves, knowing he has no other choice than to take the job. I love how Ben subtlety chastises Adam and Hoss... "Thank you very much, boys. (LONG Poignant Pause) You just forced him into making a decision that I didn't want him to make."
To which Adam laughingly responds, "You mean he really wants to be a sheriff?"
Again Hoss makes another classic understatement. "Ah Pa, Little Joe's just little Joeeeeeeeeeee."
And Adam states, "He's just a kid."
Now Ben defends his baby: "Is he Adam? Or is it that you've been thinking of him for so long as being just a little brother that you've forgotten that he's growing up and he has grown-up feelings and grown-up pride.
Hoss's natural protectiveness resurfaces and he wants to charge into Rubicon and save Joe from his foolish decision. I like the sense we get from Hoss that it's okay for him and Adam to pick on Joe, but the minute someone else threatens his baby brother, Hoss is ready to take 'em on. Ben says no; Joe has to learn to handle his own troubles. But he's worried that Joe picked a very hard way to start. Ben hopes Joe will remember that he has a family that loves him and is willing to help if he needs it.
But we all know, Joe won't admit to needing help...
It's an emotionally hurt Joe who leaves the Ponderosa, but it's a proud, determined Joe who returns to Rubicon to accept the position of sheriff. He thinks the people in Rubicon want him, need him, respect him and there's a girl (who's way too old for Joe anyway) he wants to impress. Joe is feeling pretty full of himself as he's sworn in, but it's starting to dawn on him that he has no idea how to proceed or what to do. So naturally he decides to sweet talk Sylvie Ann (who's way too old for Joe anyway) with some poetry from Romeo and Juliet. His attempt is clumsy and punctuated by boyish innocence, all to further illustrate that Joe is just a boy.
Joe encounters the town bully for the second time (the first time set the stage for Joe to be offered the job as sheriff). This time Joe tries to be the bigger man and extend his hand in friendship but he's called a boy and told to go play with his toys, so again things come to blows. This time however, Joe getting a good pounding. Joe starts to think something's fishy in Rubicon: Why could I beat this guy up yesterday, but today I couldn't if he had one arm tied behind his back?
So Joe arrests the bully and starts to unravel the plot. But the first bitter pill to swallow is that this whole thing was a set-up and he walked into it like a fool kid. Poor Joe is mad and angry and feeling foolish, but he's not about to give up. He confronts Sylvie Ann and while he's away, his prisoner escapes. It's just not Joe's day.
Now even Sylvie Ann (who's way too old for Joe, anyway) is telling Joe to quit trying to play grown-up. She tells him he's just a kid. Poor Joe, his ego is sure taking a beating…his brothers, the bully and now even the hussy saloon girl think he's just a kid. Sylvie Ann continues to tell Joe he's just a kid, "there's some things you just can't do!" That's it for Joe; he tells her she sounds like his family. Sylvie Ann tells him to go home where he belongs, but we all know Joe doesn't give up, even when she cuts him to the quick with a crack about Romeo and Juliet.
As Brock and his pals continue with the murder plan, Sylvie Ann tells Joe all she knows about the plan and then later runs to the Cartwrights for help. Joe figures out to use his greatest weakness as his greatest strength. If they want youth and inexperience, that's what he'll give 'em. And Joe plays the kid to a tee. He pretends he doesn't know what to do, because he's lost his prisoner, he lost his horse, and he can't find Sylvie Ann. So as Ab thinks Joe is bumbling around town chasing his shadow, Joe really has the whole thing figured out and is formulating a plan of his own. Naturally...he is Joe Cartwright, after all.
In the meanwhile, Sylvie Ann rides to the Ponderosa trying to get Joe some help. The poor weary ole gal stumbles up to the porch and collapses. Hoss finds her and brings her in. Ben questions her and naturally thinks. This is the girl Joseph been seeing in Rubicon? Isn't she too old for Joe anyway! The Cartwrights hear Joe is in trouble and rush to try and help, and now poor ol’ Sylvie Ann has to ride back to Rubicon…where does she find the strength!
But Joe doesn't need the help as he single handedly saves the day, and kills the bad guys. In the end he proves himself to his father and brothers, and even gets and apology out of Adam. But most importantly, he proves himself to himself.
Overall in this episode, Joe was referred to as boy, kid, sonny or just plain young a total of 23 times.
REVIEWS:
“I like this episode primarily because it’s about Joe. A couple of things bother me about The Tin Badge, but I’ll touch on that later. Now this episode showcases one of Joe’s perennial struggles in the early seasons. Joe wants to step out of the long shadows cast by his older brothers and see if he can handle a job when it’s given to him off the Ponderosa. Joe is tired of being ‘Little’ Joe, the little brother; he wants to do something by himself…he thinks that something is being temporary sheriff of Rubicon, much to his father’s dismay….Now as for the things I didn’t like: Wasn’t that Sylvie Ann, way too old for Joe anyway? I mean really…she had been waiting around for that Ab Brock for 5 years, 3 months and 2 days. Come on Sylvie Ann, how about that biological clock, sister? And what’s up with Joe referring to Ben as Dad when he’s reviewing his letter to his father…we all know he’s Pa!” Lisa
“The brotherly interaction in this one was one of their finest.” Miss Maggie
“I love the opening of this show. The love between Ben and Joe is almost as overwhelming as Joe's angst. Anyone who has ever had older siblings can sure relate to his situation. And then Adam and Hoss come in, displaying exactly what Joe was trying to explain. Boy if ever Pa wanted to smack them, I'm sure that would have been the time. Although the "Thanks boys, was absolutely perfect! Michael Landon, as always, did a terrific job of bringing a lot of emotion to this show. Even when he was spouting the poetry, I was feeling sorry for him 'cause you knew he was pretty nervous.” Deb
“That scene with Hoss and Adam joking about Joe and his desire to be sheriff of Rubicon was pretty cute. Love it when Hoss chimes in...."what's Rubicon...all gals...".Liked that one.” Debbiejo
“I do like this ep, in some parts, but if I had been Pa I wouldn't have allowed Joe to go in the first place. He could easily have stopped him, not by saying he was too young, which he was, but by saying that there was too much work on at the ranch, to spare him. After all, Ben was his boss as well as his father. I love the scene when Adam and Hoss are teasing Joe, that's what big brothers do, and the way that Adam leans against Hoss. I always think that those two looked so comfortable in each other's company.” Lynne (Little Joe Forever)
“Joe would not have accepted it<being ordered to stay home> as "needing him there because they had a lot of work to do", he would have seen it as "I agree with your brothers, you are just a kid and need to stay home where you belong". Knowing Joe he would have went anyway and with hard feelings against his father as well as his brothers.” Ginny
“This same "girl" wasn't too old for Adam, however, because she was the same girl he (Pernell Roberts) wound up happily ever after with in the film "Ride Lonesome" (which PR did with this actress just prior to Bonanza). Wonder what the conversation between Sylvie Ann and Adam was like during the ride back to help Little Joe! ADAM (to Sylvie Ann): "What are you doing messin' with my kid brother when I haven't even had the chance yet to tell Pa you're married to me?!" Eileen "Fluffy"
“You were right about the girl….she was too old!” Pat
“Do you think Sylvie was too old for Joe? On the other hand, who would you want Joe or Vic Morrow (YUK). I love that Joe outwits the entire thing in "disguise", riding in the stage in someone else's jacket. This is a good companion to "The Quest" where Joe has to prove to he is a grown man to his family; and more so to himself.” Robin
“I love the episodes where Joe breaks out and tries to prove himself to his family. In this ep he says, hey I am not "Little" Joe, just Joe! More classic father/son/brother scenes between all the main characters. What I like is in a pretty early episode they begin to develop the character of "Little Joe". You get to see his charm, cunning, quietly intelligence, quick wit, determination, courage, stubbornness. He really pulls one over on the town of Rubicon. Way to go Joe!” Nancy
“This is one of those "coming of age" episodes for Joe (although, since they did about ten of them, you would have think one of might of "took"). Joe struggles to prove himself to his father, his brothers, and himself....not to mention the way-too-old-for-him Sylvia Ann. When he finds out he got the sheriff's job because he was judged to be an incompetent boy, he's even more full of self-doubt. But then, that stubborn streak of his emerges, and he squares his shoulders and figures out how to do the job. He saves the innocent victim, and kills the bad guy just as his family is arriving to help. Joe gets all proud of himself when he figures out that not only didn't he need his family, but he can also show them he did a good job.” Susan Grote
“There sure do seem to be an abundance of Little-Joe-proves-he's-a-man episodes. But, they're all wonderful. <g> One of the cool things about this episode (IMO) is the town's name 'Rubicon'. I always wonder (and someday I may actually get around to looking) if there really is a town out there called Rubicon, or was it invented as a clever metaphor thing??” Sheryl
“Ben makes a point of telling Adam and Hoss he hopes Joe remembers he has a family to help him, but in the end Joe does not turn to his family to back him up. In his letter to Ben, Joe says he realizes now how tough it is to face responsibility alone - but he DOES go it alone. So I thought they dropped the ball on that one a bit. But at least Joe does reach that realization - well, sort of. More importantly he manages the situation himself and accomplishes his goal of making his brothers see him in a new light.” Sue W.