EPISODE: My Brother's Keeper

Reviewed by Barb

Season 4   Episode 128  Airdate 04/07/1963. 

Guest Star:  Carolyn Kearney, Brendan Dillon.

Written by: Seeleg Lester 

Directed by: Murray Golden

SUMMARY:

Hurt Joe!  Shirtless Hurt Joe!  Delirious Shirtless Hurt Joe!!  Luscious Delirious Shirtless Hurt Joe!! Oh, the possibilities that this presents.  One of my favorite episodes despite severe drawbacks, simply because I get Cute

Luscious Delirious Shirtless Hurt Joe!!

We have been given an outstanding primary plot. Adam, in the course of shooting a wolf (or a dog in a wolf mask, if you believe Deer) accidentally shoots his youngest brother, Joe, and suffers great guilt, angst and anger at his helplessness.  A secondary subplot strengthens the tale and adds more drama; greedy bad guys decide to take advantage of the situation by holding life saving medicine for ransom. 

A tertiary and totally superfluous subplot involving a dying father and his dog-faced daughter, however, totally overbalances the story and steers this vehicle toward the ditch.  Valuable script time is eaten by two characters no one gives a damn about in a plot twist that adds nothing of value to the story except to state that the wilderness is harsh.  Sheila ends up falling in love with Adam and dreams of dragging him back to the "civilized" East after Daddy kicks the bucket (and you get the feeling that the sooner the better so she can shake of the foul dust of the wicked West).  Time would have been better served showing some brotherly interaction as Adam struggles to get Joe home (in the course of 2 days which is covered in, oh, about 30 seconds worth of quick shots) and his and Hoss' efforts to thwart death and the bad guys.

Add to this the real life tensions between Pernell Roberts and the producers of the show, and you have big problems. The argument is whether Pernell Roberts walked through his part with little or no effort, delivering dead lines and blank expressions, or Pernell was playing the role of Adam struggling with understated, stoic angst, suppressing his emotions to maintain command over them as events spiraled out of his control.  Good argument and not one that is worth getting into here as it is one that has been debated to the nth degree.

Okay, for those of you who have spent the last 50 years living in a cave or something, here’s the plot. Adam and Joe are hunting for a wolf that’s been attacking the cattle. Joe goes off on his own looking for the wolf, and Adam goes after him when he hears some shots. Adam sees the wolf and fires, accidentally hitting Joe instead of the wolf (that’s Adam’s story and he’s sticking to it).

Adam carries the injured Joe on his horse (because cowardly Cochise ran away) toward home. Along the way, he meets Sheila Reardon and her father who are sightseeing in Nevada (Why? There’s nothing much to see and the casinos aren’t built yet!). Adam dumps Joe in the Reardon’s rig, and the group heads for the Ponderosa.

At the Ponderosa, Hoss rushes out of the house to see what’s going on and helps injured Joe out of the wagon (here’s one of the series’ bloopers – Hoss calls Joe “Mike” as he is helping him out of the wagon).  The Reardons, being nosy, interfering people, decide to stick around and march right into the house, ostensibly to offer help.

Once in the house, Adam dumps Joe on his bed, sends Hoss for the doctor, asks Sheila to get him some knives, and prepares for his Trapper John role by declaring he’s going to do surgery on Joe. As Joe writhes in pain, Adam deftly cuts out the bullet without spilling a drop of blood.

While waiting for the doctor, Adam expresses his angst over the shooting to Sheila, her father, and Hoss, who has come home with the news that the doctor won’t be there for awhile. Sheila, ignoring Adam’s angst-ridden statements, quizzes him about his background, and is pleased to find Adam is a college-educated cowboy (hmmm…husband material?).

The doctor finally arrives and after spending 10 seconds looking at Joe, announces Joe is a sick boy. He also declares he is out of medicine and can’t stay (did anyone check to make sure this quack actually went to med school?). The doctor sends Hoss to town to get some medicine and reassuringly (?) tells Adam that he’s relying on Joe’s strong constitution and the medicine to cure Joe.

In town, Hoss is dismayed to find the local apothecary is out of medicine and he has to ride to Genoa to get the medicine to save Joe. While he’s in the apothecary, Hoss is confronted by three men who claim that their ranch was ruined by all the wild shooting Joe and Adam were doing when chasing the wolf. Hoss doesn’t care, but sends the men out to the ranch to see Adam (he figures Adam did the shooting so Adam has to deal with the aftermath). He also tells these greedy unreliable men to let Adam know he’s going to ride to Genoa for medicine (like that message is going to be delivered, right?).

The greedy unreliable men actually do show up at the Ponderosa, though, demanding money from Adam as well as telling him about Hoss’ trip. Adam doesn’t trust the guys (wonder why?) and tells them he’ll deal with them later. The three men aren’t happy but they ride off. Sheila tries to comfort Adam by telling him that her father is dying (yeah, that’s the way to comfort a guy worrying about his sick brother) and she hates the West. Adam nods knowingly.

The greedy bad guys bushwhack Hoss, take the medicine, and decide to hold the Joe’s medicine hostage.

Upstairs in the bedroom of the Ponderosa, shirtless, sweaty Joe is writhing around in the bed in pain, calling out for Adam and announcing to the world that he has been shot (in case anyone missed the first 30 minutes of the episode). Adam comforts Joe briefly, and then abandons his sick brother when Mr. Reardon announces someone has ridden in. It’s Hoss, who tells Adam about the kidnapped medicine.

Adam decides to go after the bad guys, but before he can do so, the three show up at the house, fire a few shots and demand money in exchange for Joe’s medicine. There’s a big shoot-out, and Adam thinks he’s gotten all the bad guys, but one sneaks in and holds a gun on Mr. Reardon. Adam pleads for the medicine and Mr. Reardon’s life (in that order…he really doesn’t care if the old boy gets shot). Mr. Reardon, though, is a feisty old guy, and he takes the bad guy’s gun away from him with a neat little king-fu move. Adam finally gets the medicine, tells Hoss to take care of the greedy bad guys, and runs upstairs (presumably to give Joe the medicine).

Ben, who has been away, then arrives, and rushes upstairs to help Adam give Joe his medicine (Joe is notoriously difficult to dose with medicine, so I guess it takes two people to get it down him).

Morning dawns, and Adam, who has been napping on the settee, awakes to find Hoss has taken the greedy bad guys into town, and Ben has everything under control. Sheila then announces Joe is awake and calling for Adam. Adam and Ben rush upstairs once more.

Shirtless Joe is lying in bed, and greets Adam a bit coolly (after all, Adam shot him). But when Ben rushes in, Joe gets all excited and happy (he knows Adam won’t try to kill him again while Ben is around and besides, Ben always spoils him when he’s hurt). Ben tenderly strokes Joe’s head and announces that Joe’s fever has broken and Joe will be all right. Happy smiles all around.

Sometime later (presumably as soon as Ben could get the Reardons to agree to leave), Sheila is ready to depart and invites Adam to kiss her. She declares that Adam is no longer husband material and should stay on the Ponderosa. Adam agrees – not about staying on the Ponderosa but that he would never marry the whinny self-centered Sheila. Sheila and her father drive away, merrily singing, while Adam and Ben watch to make sure they aren’t coming back.

One more nit-pick.  The writers either didn't think that their major demographics of that era; rural farmers (of which I was then) and middle class blue-collar (of which I am now) were sophisticated enough to have read Henry David Thoreau or simply didn't do their research, for they took him entirely out of context when they had Adam, in a state of frustration over being stuck in the heathenish outback of the wild west, utter his immortal words, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation" to scenery chewing Sheila.  The words come from Thoreau's book "On Walden Pond", which was written, ironically enough, during a period of the authors life when he was actively getting *away* from the machinations of man and living in a hut in the woods.  He disliked the city and "civilization".  The actual passage, which deals with daily toil, is this:

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.  What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.  From the desperate city, you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of mink and muskrats.  A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind.  There is no play in them, for this comes after work.  But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things."

A much better Thoreau quote that fits our beloved Bonanza, and would have tempered Adam's disposition for the better: “Our village life would stagnate if it were not for the unexplored forests and meadows which surround it.  We need the tonic of wildness" 

REVIEWS:

"I am always disappointed after watching this episode for what it could have been if the Reardons had not played such a prominent part, if Pernell could have put some emotion into the part, and if the brothers would have interacted more. My favorite scene?  The one where Joe regains consciousness and he gives this little kick under the blankets when he sees Pa come in the room."  Bev

"This episode has one of the most exquisite depictions of fevered suffering ever seen on television in the scene where Joe is begging, "Adam, get him off me!  Oh, please, please!"  His voice is ragged, pleading and fearful, and call it scenery-chewing if you like, but Michael Landon owned that shot."  Helen

"I guess I fall into the category of an avid and ardent Adamite and I agree that the stoic appearance perpetrated by Adam in this episode is merely a facade....just let me say that if a person goes all to pieces during an emergency situation, odds are, nothing will get done.  You must keep a cool, calm head and get  things done." Lillian

"There's just so little of Joe in this episode (sigh), but he makes the best of every opportunity.  The fevered scenes are, of course, superb, as has been pointed out, but I also like the scene by the lake when Joe tries to assure Adam that he is all right and Joe's final scene when he gives that happy little kick of the covers at the sight of Pa."  Puchi Ann

"If I were shot, wolf bit, delirious, and under attack, I think I'd want big brother downstairs, taking care of business, not hovering over me, wringing his hands.  Besides, rumors of Vulcan changelings notwithstanding, the fact that Adam doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve doesn't mean he hasn't got one." Marsupka 

"Frankly, as far as I'm concerned, the entire MBK episode was ENTIRELY the fault of that cowardly horse named Cochise!  If that black and white chicken-heart hadn't spooked at the sight of that cute little wolfy-dog and turned tail and run for his own life, Joe wouldn't have been attacked by the wolfy-dog and Adam wouldn't have shot him!  Then to add insult to injury, instead of finding his own way home as any good cowboy horse always does, Cochise lingered around at the scene of his crime so the bad guys could find him, discover who he belonged to and trace him back to the Ponderosa where they wreaked all their havoc on poor, tired, long-suffering, incredibly gorgeous Adam.  Eileen "Fluffy"

"My favorite part, besides seeing the Reardon's leave, was when after Ben returned home, Adam is sleeping on the settee and Ben has sent Hoss to town with the baddies.  Adam sits up and Ben gives him this look of concern (Lorne had such fatherly expressions!).  Ben tells Adam to go upstairs and rest (or something) and Adam asks where Hoss is and Ben tells him he's sent him off to town and Adam is concerned that Hoss went alone."  Gail  

"All in all I like this one but one of the things that bugs me about this ep. is when Adam has stopped the Reardons on the road. I know, I know, it's an emergency and all but I think the way he speaks to them is very curt and rude. I also think that the Bimbo Shelia makes Barbie and Audra Barkley look real." Judy

"I'm a hard core Joe-ite but part of what made Joe, well *Joe* was his interactions with his brothers and especially Adam.  Putting aside the issues with the actor, PR, I mostly mourned the fact that the opportunity for the *characters* of Joe and Adam (and yes, Hoss) to interact in brotherly angst/fortitude was overshadowed by the unwanted Reardons." Barb

"Great episode; it really shows Adam's frustration, but in the same light show his love for his family and how after comparing the two he knows where he should be." Faith

"Every time I would watch this episode and see Adam's face, I would just think how tired and worn out he looked.  How animated do you expect him to be? .... Pernell may have been sick and tired of Bonanza at this point but I also think that the character Adam was also sick and tired (of life in the wilds of Nevada)."  Phyl

 "I can accept the reason for the Reardons' presence for the way the theme of the episode is developed - Adam questioning the violent untamed west compared to the east and all of that.  After all, that's what the episode's really supposed to be about, eh? Even if that's not why we most of us like it :-) . First, the Reardons are the living catalysts to remind him of the more civilized ways of the east, they are the ones who imply to us the idea of Adam not belonging in the west, causing him to raise doubts himself. Gives him someone to share those thoughts with, enables the character to say things that would be too obvious to state if there weren't strangers in his presence (such as the bitter comment about there being only one doctor for 100 miles), and all that.  I think the Reardons were a good way to do that, and I don't have a problem with it." Sue W.

"The Reardons serve to show that even an "attractive " and aggressive woman, so suitable and willing (in the eyes of the writers, not us) could not deter or sway Adam from his commitment to his brother, to the Cartwrights, to the Ponderosa and he despite a "bad day" Adam stays with his family on the Ponderosa." Robin

"Here is the way I have ALWAYS interpreted this scene (from the very first time I saw it as a kid.)  Adam had been so worried that Joe would die and he would never be able to live with himself, that when pa came home, he needed to hear his trusted father say "Yes, I think he'll be all right."  He already knew since Joe was awake, but he just had to hear it. Hasn't anyone out there if felt like this?  You have to hear something from someone you trust, just to reassure yourself that it is true." Prairie Susan

"I do remember that little kick when LJ sees his Pa.  It's like he's saying, "Hot diggity, I'm finally going to get a little TLC." :-)" Cyndy

"He is so pleased to see his Pa, he wriggles with anticipation. Not surprising, since Adam has spent most of the time ignoring him, when he was crying out in pain and fear. Actually, in a way, it's a shame that Pa does come in then, as if he hadn't, there just might have been an emotional scene between Adam and LJ; it was well overdue. I did like the way Adam tended to LJ on the trail, but once they met the Reardons, he seemed to forget about his little brother." Lynne

"This, of course, is the episode which shows the first bloodless operation in history. Adam cuts a bullet out of Joe (with a dull looking knife, to boot) and there's not a drop of blood seen anywhere! An amazing technique which Adam chose not to share with the rest of the world.  Adam certainly has a conflict to resolve here -- should I figure out a way to kill the little brat, or save him and become a hero? Obviously, he waffles with his decision -- shoot Joe, then bring him home; cut out the bullet, then let the infection take hold; ignore him while he's delirious, then send Sheila to protect him while bullets are flying (OK, that last one may have been a vote on the side of killing the little brat).  This also is the famous "blooper" episode. If you listen carefully, you can hear Hoss say, "C'mon Mike" as he helps Joe out of the carriage." Susan G.

"This is the episode where I first remember noticing ML. I was about 9, and it was after this episode that I couldn't wait for Bonanza every week-I can definitely trace it back to this episode." T Lawlor