EPISODE: The Wooing of Abigail Jones

Reviewed by Susan Grote

Episode 90, Year 3, Originally aired March 4, 1962

Guest Stars: Eileen Ryan (who is Sean Penn's mother), Vaughn Monroe

Written by Norman Lessing

Directed by Christian Nyby

SUMMARY:

This is one of the funniest episodes every filmed for Bonanza. My favorite is scene is the morning after Abigail tells Adam she loves him and Adam descends the stairs to confront his brothers. Joe and Hoss are so gleeful at Adam's dismay and Adam is so disgruntled. Even Ben tries to hide his amusement at Adam's plight. The dialogue in this scene really sparkles, and each actor does a great job of displaying the appropriate emotion.

This is the episode in which the infamous "Early One Morning" song is featured. I'm sure that no one every thought this obscure song would live forever in the hearts of Bonanza fans!

This show also is a back-handed tribute to Vaughn Monroe who plays Hank Myers. Monroe was a very popular singer in the 1960's but the critics always said he sang through his nose and should learn to sing properly. His fans, though, loved the way he sang.  This episode is a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of this situation, with the men thinking Hank sings terribly and the women thinking he sings wonderfully.

The plot is basically a Cyrano DeBergerac story. Hank Myers, an apparently beloved ranch hand (who we have never seen before and will never see again) is in love with Abigail Jones, the local schoolmarm (and…to put it kindly…a rather plain woman). Abigail, however, has rejected Hank Myers’ offer of marriage because she wants a refined man. Joe and Hoss decide to help Hank woo Abigail to save him from being fired, because unhappy Hank is busting up the movable bunkhouse.

Joe and Hoss’ first scheme is a miserable failure. They try to get Hank to act like Sir Walter Raleigh and spread his coat over a mud puddle to protect Abigail as she climbs out of a wagon. However, Hoss dug the hole too deep, and Abigail falls into the middle of the mud puddle.

The next scheme Joe and Hoss concoct is to have Adam speak on Hank’s behalf to Abigail. But this also goes terrible wrong when Abigail decides she’s in love with Adam and throws herself at him. Adam beats a hasty retreat, leading to the morning after scene described above.

While Hoss and Joe are protecting the ranch from an unhappy Hank, they hear Hank singing “The Streets of Laredo” in the barn. Even though they think Hank is a bad singer (although I thought it was great!), Joe and Hoss decide Hank should woo Abigail by singing to her. They talk Adam into trying to teach Hank how to sing properly but poor Hank can’t grasp what Adam is trying to teach him.

In desperation, Joe convinces Adam to sit in the shadows on the front porch of Abigail’s house while Hank mouths the words and pretends he is serenading the schoolmarm. This idea works for a time, but is foiled when Joe and Hoss, who are watching from the bushes at the side of the house, get so enthralled with how well their idea is working that they forget to stay quiet. Abigail discovers the ruse, and comes out on to the porch, much to Adam’s surprise. When she once again declares her love for Adam, he quickly leaves again.

Hank is now really unhappy and starts breaking up the saloon. Hoss and Joe stop him and sit him at a table in the corner while they try to decide what to do next. Hank starts singing, enthralling all the saloon girls with his voice. Abigail, who had come to the saloon looking for Adam, also is enthralled by Hank’s singing. She pushes away the saloon girls and claims Hank as her own. The final scene shows Hank and Abigail married and Hank vowing to sing for no one except Abigail…and his horse.

REVIEWS:

"I have two favorite scenes.  The first is when Adam first goes to visit Abigail on Hanks' behalf and he's going on about the moon, the stars and the prairie and ol’ Abby gets carried away and starts coming on to him and he gets this look on his face as she gets closer and closer "Uh, something's come up at the ranch" and he bolts....the second scene is when Joe goes to pick up Abigail before she reaches church and he is so gallant and courteous she says she is so glad she was able to teach "you little varmints something" and he smiles so sweetly and says "yes, ma'am".  A great, great episode."  Gail 

"One of my favorite scenes is the front porch serenade by Adam.  Little Joe is priceless as he leans this way and that to act as reporter on Abigail's reactions and finally topples over out of overzealousness in "getting the story."  Ever alert, he is the first to spot Abigail, and the silent retreat he engineers for himself and Hoss is a lasting image.  Adam, that true artist, becomes so caught up in the music that he forgets why he's there and is totally shocked when Abigail arrives to declare that she knew it was him and gushes about his "real feeling," as indicated by his soulful rendition of the classic song." Puchi Ann

"The scene from when Adam comes down the stairs and LJ’s line about Adam being irresistible to women and repeating it for Pa, spraying coffee as he does so, is wonderful. Hoss and LJ singing Here Comes The Bride and Adam knocking LJ off his chair with his boot – the whole scene is my favorite." Lynn

"Some of my favorite spots:  The expressions on Joe & Hoss's faces when Adam is trying to teach Hank to sing "through the mask!"  Joe and Hoss turning away silently and in perfect synchronization when Abigail comes out on the porch to discover it's Adam singing.  Adam suddenly realizing Abigail has completely misunderstood his mission to recommend Hank to her -- "something's come up" -- I bet she thought it had!  And what I think is just about the best moment of all, when Adam throws his boot at Joe, who falls out of his chair laughing -- oh, that Little Joe laughter!  I'm grinning from ear to ear just remembering it!"  Becky

"Though I adore the breakfast table scene, here are a couple of other terrific moments. 1.) During Adam's rendition of "Early One Morning", Hoss is listening to him with this wonderful, dreamy expression, sort of getting carried away by the romantic music.  During one particularly sweet line, he looks down bashfully and you can almost hear him muttering, 'gawrsh', as though HE were the one being wooed! 2.) Hoss is trying to teach Hank to project rather than singing through his nose.  Joe is walking down the stairs looking at a piece of sheet-music just as Hoss bellows out a note at top volume.  Joe does a wonderful pratfall as he stumbles down the stairs, ending up on the middle landing with one foot hanging out between the banisters under the Indian blanket.  As he gets up, he tells Hoss, "We want him to woo the girl, not warn her of a coming attack!"   That line cracks me up every time.   :)"  Helen

"Along with all the funny lines and the way they deliver them are the facial expressions all through the ep.  Especially the one Adam gets on his face when he realizes that Abigail thinks he is in love with her, and later on when he realizes that everyone has sneaked away and he is alone on the verandah with her.  And I just love the look LJ gets on his face when Hank tells them he is in love with Abigail.  LJ looks like he bit into a sour pickle." Ginny 

"Great finish to that breakfast scene is when Hoss and Joe are humming "Here Comes the Bride" and Adam throws his boot at Joe, knocking him out of the seat.  But Joe never loses a beat, because when he sits back up on the floor, he leans over his chair and finishes the last two beat of "Here Comes the Bride"  ta-dum! " Sherri

"This is one of the best 'brothers' eps, I think. It shows great interaction with all the brothers and it shows how Adam can be just as gullible as Hoss. It also backs the theory that Adam seems to have a thing for women who are spoken for. He asked to kiss Abigail AFTER she was married. :o) My favorite part has to be the whole 'morning after' scene. From the time that Adam comes down the stairs (it helps that his shirt is unbuttoned) to the very end where he bets he's unhappier than Hank." Mattie

"One of my favorite scenes is when LJ and Hoss are first trying to get Adam to help and Pa is sitting there, amused. Using his fatherly wisdom, he coyly backs Adam further into the corner that his brothers had already backed him into - but is sure he knows that 'it's Adam's decision'." Mattie

"The first time I saw this episode I was about six and I remember going around singing this song for a whole week, before being politely asked to stop.  I still know all the words:-)  It's definitely one of my favorite episodes because it lets the playful sides of he Cartwrights come through and we also learn more insight as to what when on when the boys were a lot younger." Cyndy

“It's a good ep. :) I was laughing most of the time. And I love all those faces Joe made there. :D”  Karine

“One of my favorite episodes not only for comedic talent but also for the music.  Love Adam singing and my favorite scene too, is the one in the a.m. when Adam "has it out" with his brothers.  Just wonderful acting and chemistry with guest stars and regulars, alike.  Definitely one of my top ten!” Nancy

“One of my fave parts was Joe and Hoss in the bushes when Adam was singing. Lots of great moments and family interaction!” Deb

“The singing scene, at Abigail's house, is priceless. Hoss getting all sentimental makes me crack up every time I see it, and I love the way LJ takes charge, positioning everyone and conducting Adam. LOL! I still can't understand why anyone would prefer Hank's singing to Adam's, but I guess it takes all sorts etc. A great episode with superb acting from all our boys.” Lynne Little Joe forever

“It is one on the funniest episodes of any show.  My favorite part is when Hank is pretending to serenade Abigail and Adam is in the shadows.  When Abigail discovers it is really Adam singing, Adam swallows hard and must be thinking, I'm in really big trouble here."  I suppose I'd be "in love" if I were a girl and I discovered Adam Cartwright singing to me.” Michael

“Poor Ab! Being in love with Adam and he doesn't see her. LOL.” Heidi