EPISODE: Walter and The Outlaws

REVIEWED BY: Lynne Coulson

Episode #168, Season 5, First aired: May 17^th 1964

Guest stars: Arthur Hunniciutt, Steve Brodie, James Luisi, and Vic Werber

Written by: Lois Hire

Directed by: Ralph E Black

SUMMARY:

Teaser: The episode opens with a shot of the main street in Virginia City. The stage is due in town and Obie and Hoss are waiting for it. Walter the dog (a scruffy mutt, but very loveable) is swinging gently to and fro in a hammock.

Obie is having trouble deciding if he really wants to take his trip or not. He is off to see his sister, who moved 40 miles away, and he hasn’t seen her since she left. Hoss asks how long ago that was, and he says it was in 1843, sixteen years ago. (This is another example of the inconsistency on the show, as this episode is in season 5, and as the show began when it was 1859 [Comstock Lode]; by now it should be 1864, not still 1859. However, it helps to bear out my son’s theory that the episodes were not shown in chronological order, but were just random moments in the lives of the Cartwright family.)

Obie also says that he’s not too sure about leaving Walter and maybe he should wait until the dog feels like making the trip, too, but Hoss encourages Obie to go, assuring him that Walter will be fine staying at the Ponderosa. Obie reminds Hoss to play some low notes for Walter, as the dog enjoys music, and Hoss reluctantly agrees, saying he’s not that good with music.

As Obie gets on the stage, Hoss notices that he is carrying an earthenware pot and asks what’s in it. Obie says it has some of his beans with the special seasoning, like the ones he fed Hoss on when they first met. Obie tells Hoss that there are plenty more at his cabin, and Hoss can help himself. At this point, Hoss’ face goes bright red and he just shakes his head. Obie declares that he doesn’t know how Hoss got to be so big when he’s so fussy about what he eats.

The outlaws come out of the general store and watch Obie leave. The dumbest one of the three (Willard) frets that if Obie has left, then they won’t be able to try and steal his gold again. The smart one (well, smart in comparison to his friends) says that Obie will be back, as he has left Walter behind. They are determined to make Hoss and Obie pay for the humiliation they received the last time they met up.

Opening music and credits

We are now back at the ranch. Joe and Adam are playing checkers, using the round table which is situated between the staircase and Ben’s desk. Ben is working at his desk and Hoss checks out the progress of the game between his brothers. He offers Adam some advice, starting with ‘If I was you…’ to which Adam replies ‘Well, you’re not me’ and carries on playing.

Ben says that the boys can get on with digging the post holes the next day, but Hoss says they can’t, because it’s going to rain. Ben asks who told him that and Hoss replies that you only have to look at the hairs on Walter’s back to tell that rain is on the way, and possibly some thunder and lightening too. Adam and Joe both say that it’s very unlikely to rain, and Joe says it’s just another excuse not to work.

Hoss says he and Walter brought back the supplies from town, but Joe says they didn’t get everything. Hoss explains that’s because there wasn’t room on the wagon for Walter and all the supplies.

Ben gets annoyed and says that HE is running the ranch, ‘not that dog’s hair’ but Hoss still insists that it is going to rain. Just then, we hear thunder and Ben goes to the door and discovers that it is pouring down with rain.

Hoss has such a great ‘I told you so' look on his face’; it’s priceless. Poor Ben says that if the dog’s hair gets any swirlier, they might have snow. Hoss reassures Pa that if that is the case, he and Joe will bring in the stock.

As Ben goes up to bed, Joe and Adam leave their game and go over to the low coffee table on which Walter is lying. As they squat down by the side of it and pet the dog, Hoss asks Adam if he would mind swapping rooms with him, since Walter prefers to sleep in a southern-facing room. Adam says he’s rugged enough to give up his room for a few nights, and then Hoss tells Joe that he will need a new quilt for his bed. Joe replies he already has a quilt, but Hoss says he’s taken it for Walter to sleep on. Joe asks why it has to be his quilt and Hoss answers because it’s the warmest one in the house. Joe says that he knows that, and that was why he chose it.

Hoss then says it’s time for bed and goes into the downstairs bedroom, returning with a tuba. When Adam asks where he got it from, Hoss tells him that Obie gave it to him, as Walter likes to listen to some low notes to relax him before bed. Joe and Adam are amazed that the dog needs relaxing and Adam remarks that he hasn’t seen the dog standing, or with his eyes open, since it arrived.

Hoss replies Walter stood up to eat, and that it isn’t nice to tease Walter, who is a guest. Joe apologizes sarcastically, and Hoss comments that Walter doesn’t mind a little funning. He tells the dog to go with him up to bed, remarking that the dog is a pure joy. The pair head up the stairs with Hoss playing ‘Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?” (He plays the horn a lot better than the violin in Maestro Hoss)

We then see the three inept outlaws -- Teague, Willard and the leader, Macey -- who are staying in Obie’s cabin. They have decided to try and steal Obie’s gold -- not the stuff that has already been mined as that is in the bank -- but the stuff that is still in the ground. Macey convinces them that Walter is Obie’s lucky piece, and if they dognap Walter, then he will help them to find the gold.

We then go to the Ponderosa. It’s dark and we see the three men crouching down near a water trough, waiting for a chance to capture Walter. Teague asks how they can be sure that Walter will come out, and Macey says he has to; it’s tidier that way. It takes Willard a while to realize what he means and then he gets a silly grin on his face.

They are all getting tired of waiting and Willard reckons he won’t be able to move once the dog does come out, as his legs are going to sleep. He begins to eat the strips of meat that they have taken along with which to entice the dog. Macey stops him and takes the meat off him.

Hoss lets Walter out and tells him to holler when he wants to come back in. He returns to the house and practices playing the horn, as Joe and Ben play cards and Adam tries to read.

The outlaws make so much noise as they prepare to steal the dog that it’s a wonder the Cartwright’s don’t hear them. The two dumb ones end up fighting, as they always do, and Macey gets pushed into the water trough as he tries to break up the fight. Walter just saunters over to them and follows them when they leave.

Hoss starts to worry a bit about the dog and goes out to look for him. When he can’t find him, he tells the family that he’s going to bed. Ben says that he should look for the dog, but Hoss says that Walter ain’t no pup and can take care of himself.

The outlaws are all in the cabin with the dog, and Macey is heating up some of Obie’s beans, which they have found. Macey explains that they will get Walter to sniff out the gold and then they will dig it up. The other two are not keen on having to dig for it and want to go back to robbing banks, as it’s much cleaner, but Macey says that this is a sure way to make money and they haven’t been that successful at robbing banks.

The others are complaining about the food, but Macey says it’s better than having to go back to their shack for supplies. He gives a plate to Walter first, and then the other two dig in. As they begin to eat, their faces turn red and they can’t speak. Macey is unaware of what has happened; he eats some and the beans have the same affect on him.

The outlaws go on a walk with the dog, hoping he will lead them to the gold. Teague and Willard still say they prefer to go and rob banks rather than digging, but Macey says that they are likely to get shot doing that. Walter does stop and dig at the ground, so the outlaws get their spades and start to dig as well. Teague and Willard soon get tired of digging and return to the cabin, leaving Macey to dig. He thinks he’s found the entrance to the gold mine, and starts to dig furiously, ending up coming through the wall of the cabin. The other two find that most amusing, making Macey really mad.

Back at the house, it’s morning and Hoss comes down the stairs and catches Ben playing the tuba. Ben is a bit embarrassed and Hoss asks about Walter. Hoss can see he’s not back, and Ben jokes that Walter is obviously enjoying himself. Hoss realizes that Obie is due back and so goes into town to meet him.

The outlaws are also in town and when they see that Obie is back, Macey decides to hold Walter to ransom, as this is a way of getting money out of Obie without having to work too hard.

Obie isn’t that bothered about Walter being missing and we have some rather amusing dialogue between the Cartwrights and Obie as they discuss Walter’s love life. Joe finds it hard to contain himself as Adam asks -- as only Adam can -- what would happen if Walter meets a lady dog who really turns his head and he doesn’t come back. Obie says this won’t happen, as he and Walter have an understanding and Walter always comes home eventually, as they are both natural-born bachelors.

When the outlaws return to the cabin to write the ransom note, they think that Walter is poorly and are worried that he might die before they get their money. Macey writes the note and delivers it to the Ponderosa, as Obie is staying there until Walter returns.

Obie and Hoss enjoy a meal at the house while the others are in town. Obie says that he quite likes Chinese food. Hoss tells him that they’ve just eaten roast beef and Yorkshire pudding; the only thing Chinese about it was that Hop Sing cooked it (LOL). When Obie and Hoss discover the ransom note, Obie gets very angry. Hoss thinks it’s because he’s upset about Walter being held to ransom, but Obie is concerned, as he doesn’t think that they have asked enough for the dog and he’s worried that Walter will be insulted by the amount. He plans to pay it, but Hoss suggests that they set a trap for the dognappers.

The dopey robbers are asleep at the cabin and when they wake up, they can’t find Walter. Macey is mad as he’s just left the ransom note, but the other two defend themselves by saying that they are bank robbers, not dog minders. Then they hear whimpering and discover that Walter is under the covers under the bed.

Hoss and Obie go out to the place where they are told to leave the money. They leave the money and then set a trap.

Macey tells the other two that he is going to check and see if the money has been left and that they are to stay with the dog. Teague doesn’t trust Macey to return with the money and he goes after him, leaving Willard with the dog. Willard doesn’t trust either of them and so he decides to follow them, leaving Walter on his own. Walter goes out too, and he gets to the money before the outlaws and carries it off (it’s in a box tied with string)

The outlaws chase after Walter and see him drop the money down an old well. Using the other two as a human rope, Macey lowers them down to reach the money. Walter comes along and knocks Macey down the well along with the others. They eventually get out and take the ransom back to the cabin, only to discover it’s not money but newspaper. At this point, Macey decides to go straight and the other two try to cure him of such thoughts by dosing him with castor oil, as Willard says his mother gave it to him, no matter what was wrong with him.

Meanwhile Hoss and Obie see that the money has gone and get caught in their own trap. They end up hanging upside down, with ropes round their ankles, speculating on how the outlaws managed to get to the ransom box without being caught in a trap. Obie says that Walter might have helped them.

At the ranch house, Ben is fretting about where Obie and Hoss are. Joe and Adam are now playing chess and Joe is sitting on the low table, with one foot tucked under him and his booted foot is resting on the table. Ben asks him if he can manage to play chess with his feet on the floor and Joe tries to remove his foot, but can’t get to the floor, as there is no room between the table and the edge of the settee. He grabs it in his hand and waves it about, not sure where to put it. LOL. Neither Adam nor Joe hurry to answer Ben’s questions about Hoss and Obie. Adam says that they rushed out of the house like they were on some secret mission for the Governor, and Joe says that they were worried about jeopardizing Walter. Ben seems puzzled by this remark.

Just then, Hoss and Obie return, making some rather lame remark about being hung up, and that they were worried about Walter. Neither of them are wearing any boots and they have holes in their socks.

Ben is surprised that they are concerned about the dog, as he is lying on Ben’s red armchair (must have made his own way home). Obie is delighted to see Walter and tells him that they will go home and he will read the ransom note to him. Joe asks, “Can’t he read it himself?” and Obie says he can’t, not without his glasses. They leave and Joe treats us to one of his wonderful pained expressions, as Hoss says, “Ain’t he a caution, Pa?”

REVIEWS:

“I really like this episode, as we have several good brother scenes and I like Obie and Walter. The idiot outlaws leave me rather cold and I wonder how they have survived for so long as they never seem to succeed at anything they do. My favorite bits are the scene after the opening credits, when Hoss tells Pa that Walter has predicted the rain, and Adam and Joe ridicule him for believing that the dog has such powers and then they have to back down when the dog is proved right. I just love the look on Hoss’ face, as Ben opens the door and sees the rain. Also like the exchange between the brothers about changing rooms and Joe needing a new quilt on his bed, plus the look on their faces when Hoss starts serenading the dog with the horn. I like the dog, too, despite the fact that he doesn’t actually do very much; I do like the look of him. My other favorite scene is near the end when Joe and Adam are playing chess and Ben tells Joe to put his feet on the floor. Poor Joe hasn’t got the room and ends up waving his foot around LOL Ben is getting really anxious about what’s happened to Hoss and Obie, but Joe and Adam don’t seem at all bothered and this only makes Ben even more anxious. I do find the outlaws rather irritating, but can put up with them to enjoy the other delights of this episode.” Little Joe forever Lynne

“I agree with you that the bumbling outlaws are the least interesting part of this episode. My favorite scene is the whole opener, with Ben looking baffled at Walter's "prediction" of rain, Adam and Joe studying the dog carefully as Hoss tells them about taking the room and the quilt, and then Hoss' tuba playing! This whole scene is wonderful -- the whole family interacting with more than a hint of comedy overtones! I wonder if Walter was introduced as sort of a tongue-in-cheek jab at "Lassie", which was on opposite Bonanza for a time. Both Lassie and Walter were "wonder dogs". It's just that Walter didn't bother to do all that running around and barking like Lassie did!” Susan Grote

“This episode is aptly named, because the outlaws unfortunately dominate much of the story and action. I suppose they are meant to be amusing, but the humor mostly falls flat for me. The outlaws aren't even very likeable, which they should be considering how much screen time they have. It makes watching them rather tedious, and I always find myself wishing the story would just get on with it and go to something more interesting. This sequel has its amusing moments, but to me it is disappointing overall. The wonder of Walter the dog was a great gag in "Any Friend of Walter's", but "Walter and the Outlaws" belabors the point and it's no longer all that funny.” Sue W.