The Trap

EPISODE: The Trap

Episode #194, Season 6, Originally Aired March 28, 1965

Guest Stars: Joan Freeman, Steve Cochran

Written by Ken Pettus

Directed by William Witney

SUMMARY:

The story opens with Joe riding up to the Shannon ranch with two guys we’ve never seen before and whose exact job isn’t really clear. I personally thought they were going to be quickly killed off – that’s what usually happens to anonymous people on Bonanza. They’re sort of like those red-shirted security guys on Star Trek; they’re doomed from the minute they appear. But in this case, the two unknowns get to stick around for the whole episode.

These two guys – whom we later find out are named Cletus and Floyd – apparently work for the Shannons or something, and Burke Shannon had sent them to find Joe because Burke claims rustlers are stealing his cattle. As Joe is waiting for Burke to saddle up, Burke’s wife Hallie is making goo-goo eyes at Joe and telling him to come over more often. This obviously doesn’t please Burke. (Young, pretty wife inviting handsome young Joe Cartwright to dinner? Yeah, I’d say he has a reason not to be happy).

Joe, Burke, Cletus and Floyd ride off after the rustlers. Cletus and Floyd go to check one side of the draw, while Joe and Burke check the other. Burke sends Joe off by himself to look for the rustlers while he claims he is going to search in another area. But Burke sneaks after Joe and takes a shot at him. Joe thinks it’s the rustlers who are shooting and calls for Burke. Burke takes another shot and misses again (obviously Burke needs lessons). Joe then shoots back and kills Burke (Joe, you see, has had lessons). He is shocked to discover the man he killed is Burke. Floyd and Cletus show up, and Joe explains to them in an upset tone of voice that he thought Burke was a rustler and shot him by accident. Floyd and Cletus give Joe the “yeah, I bet that’s what happened” look.

The next day at the ranch, Ben, Hoss and Adam are dressed in their spiffy clothes as they prepare to go to Burke’s funeral. Hoss offers to get Joe, who is still in his room, but Ben insists on doing it. As Ben leaves, Hoss and Adam exchange comments about how worried they all are about Joe’s reaction to the shooting.

Up in his room, Joe is staring out the window when Ben comes in and tells him it’s time to leave for the funeral. Joe ignores his father, so Ben walks over to try to ease his son’s mind by saying everyone knows the shooting was an accident. Joe angrily declares that no one would say anything even if they didn’t think it was an accident (understanding that people sure don’t want to get Ben and the boys mad by spreading nasty rumors because the Cartwrights carry guns). Ben tells Joe there’s no point in dwelling on why Burke was in the wrong place and didn’t hear Joe calling to him because they’ll never know. Joe stalks out of the room, followed by Ben (who, like any good father, stops to grab Joe’s jacket because it might get cold and Joe will need it).

As Burke’s funeral ends, Hallie asks Joe to drive her home. When Joe and Hallie leave together, Floyd comments to Cletus that it’s nice to see Hallie has forgiven Joe. Roy Coffee then walks over to Ben, Adam, and Hoss, observing that it seems like only yesterday that he saw Joe carrying Hallie’s books home from school. He then asks Ben if there were any hard feelings between Joe and Burke. Ben (who never really answers the question) wants to know why Roy is asking, and Roy explains that Burke’s twin brother Booth is coming to town. Ben becomes worried that Booth, who is a gunfighter, will make trouble.

At the Shannon ranch, Hallie invites Joe into the house and Joe, trying to be sympathetic and comforting, agrees. Once she gets Joe in the house, Hallie changes from the grieving widow to an animated flirt, telling Joe she knows he killed Burke so she would be free to marry him. Joe is shocked by this and tells Hallie that this isn’t true – the shooting was an accident. Hallie (who is in denial big-time) insists Joe wants her and she’ll wait until he’s ready. Joe becomes upset (he doesn’t want this grasping girl in his life, that’s for sure), and tells Hallie again that the shooting was an accident.

Booth Shannon (who is played by Steve Cochran, the same actor who played Burke, but wears better clothes so we can tell the difference) arrives at Roy’s office and wants to know why Joe isn’t in jail. Roy explains the shooting was an accident, that Joe had no reason to kill Burke. Booth hands Roy a letter and tells him the reason for the shooting is in the letter.

Hallie shows up at the Ponderosa looking for Joe, but Ben explains Joe is away taking supplies to his brothers (who are doing something which obviously doesn’t include Joe). Hallie then asks if Joe has told Ben about “them”. Ben is confused by this question, and Hallie quickly replies that she’s sure Joe will explain when he’s ready. As Hallie drives off, Ben looks concerned.

Arriving back at the Shannon ranch, Hallie is stunned to find Booth waiting for her. When Booth declares he’s moving in to help her, Hallie becomes nervous and upset.

Back at the Ponderosa, Roy is showing Ben the letter that Booth gave him. Ben gets angry, saying the letter, which accuses Joe of having an affair with Hallie, is nothing but lies. Roy agrees that the letter is probably not true but feels other people might believe it. When Ben asks Roy if he’s going to arrest Joe, Roy replies that he simply wants to talk to Joe about the letter. Calming down, Ben tells Roy he could catch up with Joe on the trail, but Roy assures him that’s not necessary. He asks Ben to send Joe into town to talk with him when Joe gets home. Roy then adds that “you know how I feel about Little Joe” and it’s a good thing Booth brought the letter to him rather than going after Joe himself. He comments that “as handy as Joe is with a gun, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Booth.”

At the Shannon ranch, Booth is doing his best to make time with Hallie. Booth tells Hallie that he only looks like Burke, but he’s very different from his brother.

He also states that she should have never married Burke, that he – Booth – is the man for her. Hallie becomes upset and screams that she hates both Booth and Burke. Booth gets angry, and insists Hallie tell the truth – that Joe murdered Burke so Joe could have Hallie. Hallie denies this, but Booth gets rough and forces her to say the words. When Booth releases his hold on her, Hallie runs out of the house and into the woods, tearfully calling Joe’s name.

As Joe arrives back at the Ponderosa that night, he finds Ben waiting for him. Ben tells Joe about Hallie’s visit and how she implied something was going on between them. Joe dismisses the idea, saying she’s just upset and has funny ideas but she’ll get over it. (Get over lusting after Joe? I don’t think so.) Ben then tells Joe about Burke’s letter and his accusations of Joe’s affair with Hallie. Joe is shocked and strongly denies the accusations. Ben calmly states he believe Joe. Just then, Roy arrives. Joe explains the sheriff that he’d plan to come into town to talk about the letter, but Roy informs him that he’s at the Ponderosa for a different reason: Booth came to Roy’s office to tell him that Hallie admitted the shooting wasn’t an accident.

Ben is surprised by this accusation, but is even more astonished when Joe agrees that the shooting wasn’t an accident. Joe goes on to explain that he could never understand why Burke took a shot at him and didn’t hear him call out. The letter, Joe claims, gives the reason – Burke thought Joe was having an affair with Hallie and tried to kill him. Roy agrees Joe’s theory is possibly right, but since Hallie supposedly said something different, he has to arrest Joe. Joe insists that all they need to do is sit Hallie down and she’ll tell the truth (boy, is Joe ever wrong about that gal!). Roy then tells Ben and Joe that Hallie has run off, and until she’s found, Joe is under arrest. Despite protests from Ben, Roy takes Joe off to jail (which is an obvious waste of taxpayer’s money because a Cartwright is never guilty of anything).

In the morning, Roy releases Joe from his jail cell, explaining that Ben got a judge to issue a court order to do so (Ben obviously has friends in high places).

As Joe walks out of the cellblock and into the office, Booth arrives with Cletus and Floyd and tells everyone that Hallie is dead. She was found at the bottom of Paiute Falls. Floyd thinks it may have been an accident, that she might have slipped, but Booth accuses Joe of killing her. He attacks Joe, but Roy and Ben break up the fight. Booth then states that he knows Joe killed Burke to get Hallie and then killed Hallie because she was going to talk about what Joe had done. He admits, though, he can’t prove any of it. As Booth leaves, Roy assures Joe that his troubles are over, but Joe, seeing Floyd and Cletus staring at him, doesn’t believe the matter is closed.

Hallie is buried next to Burke, and as Booth, Joe and Ben are leaving the graveyard, Booth swears he’s going to see Joe hang, than he’s going to stalk Joe until Joe admits the truth. This does not go over well with Ben and Joe.

In town, Ben sees a poster Booth put up, offering a reward for information that will lead to Joe being convicted of murdering Burke and Hallie Shannon. Furious, Ben confronts Booth in the saloon, insisting Joe is innocent and that Booth is really jealous that Hallie married Burke. Booth vigorously denies the accusation and once more states he plans to see Joe gets hanged.

After Ben angrily leaves the saloon, Floyd comes over to Booth and offers to claim he and Cletus saw what happened when Burke was killed. He implies he’s willing to say whatever Booth wants (as long as he gets the reward money, of course). Booth heatedly rejects Floyd’s offer and punches the cowboy. Booth declares he wants Joe hung but doesn’t want it to happen based on lies.

As he is leaving the saloon, Floyd spots Joe reading Booth’s poster. He goads Joe into confronting Booth by telling Joe that Booth will make his life miserable. Joe stalks off, heading to the saloon.

In the saloon, Joe challenges Booth to a gunfight, insisting this is the only way he can prove to Booth that what he has been saying is the truth. Booth is taken aback by Joe’s challenge, and tries to send Joe away. Joe insists he’s telling the truth and repeats his theory that Burke tried to kill him because Burke mistakenly thought Joe was having an affair with Hallie. Joe declares the only way he can prove his innocence is by having it out with Booth in the street. (OK, this is not really a good way to prove yourself innocent. Killing someone in a gunfight hardly ever convinces people you are innocent of murder). Booth reluctantly agrees to meet Joe in the street.

Over in Roy’s office, Ben is complaining about Booth’s poster when he hears a gunshot. Somehow Ben knows this shot is not a good sign and runs out of the office, followed by Roy. They both run down the street and find Joe sprawled face down in the dirt, with Booth standing nearby. Ben gives Booth an angry look and then rushes to Joe.

As Ben picks up his wounded son from the street, Booth swears he didn’t want the gunfight. Ben pays no attention to Booth and determinedly carries an unconscious and wounded Joe past the gunfighter to the doctor’s office.

In the doctor’s office, Ben is quietly closing the door to a room (in which we presume Joe is lying in a bed). Roy is standing nearby and advises Ben to get some rest, some food. Ben ignores the sheriff and settles himself in a chair in the waiting room. Roy leaves, but a short time later Booth comes in, carrying Joe’s hat and gun. Ben watches silently as Booth puts the hat and gun on a table. Then Booth asks a bit nervously about Joe, and Ben tells Booth that Joe will be all right. As Booth is getting ready to leave, Ben asks the man why he didn’t kill Joe. Ben states he knows Booth could have killed his son but didn’t, and wants to know why.

Booth admits that he knows that Joe didn’t kill Burke and Hallie. He tells Ben that the truth finally dawned on him when Joe challenged him to a gunfight, that a killer wouldn’t be willing to risk his life to prove his point. (OK, let me repeat, this proving a point with a gunfight stuff seems not quite the way to do things). Booth goes on to explain that he was always jealous of Burke, that he wanted to marry Hallie but Burke took her away from him. Booth thought that if he could get rid of Joe, he could make Hallie love him. He ruefully acknowledges that he wanted Hallie so much that he convinced himself that Joe killed Burke and then Hallie. Booth concludes that a man can talk himself into anything if he wants something badly enough. Giving a nod, Ben agrees. Booth leaves, and Ben settles into the chair to get some sleep.

REVIEWS:

“I like this episode for several reasons. We get to see a lot of angst from Joe, as well as a lot of people worrying over him - including Roy Coffee, which we don't see very often. I also think the theme of people talking them into believing something that isn't true is interesting. I would have liked to see a "doctor patching up wounded Joe" scene (which would have required Joe to be shirtless) but I suppose time constraints prevented this.” Susan Grote

“I would have rather seen Ben by Joe's side at the end, and the doctor scenes as well. It is one of those eps where the ending really lacked the finality we wanted.” Deb

“They should have also had some Joe/Pa scenes too, where Ben is trying to comfort his son, or even just showing Ben sitting there holding Little Joe's hand.” Lynne G.

“Since there had not been one hurt, bandaged, shirtless Joe scene the whole year, the powers that be denied us a great opportunity for one. I was 12 years old when this episode premiered. I waited anxiously for the ending and was completely floored when it finally appeared. NO hurt Joe. Well I guess the scene where Joe stands with his backside to the saloon door and Ben carries his injured son in his arms down the street makes up for the ending.” Rita

“I remember Ben running down the street when he heard the shot. I was really shocked that Joe got shot not his adversary and impressed that his father could just scoop him up and haul him to the doctor.” Robin

“When I first saw the episode, as Ben was running down the street after hearing the shot, I thought "why's he running? He knows Little Joe shot that guy". Imagine my horror! I actually cried out loud when they show LJ sprawled in the street. I was shocked! And, they COULD have shown Booth talking to LJ at the end while Joe lay all bandaged and woozy. I agree, Susan they missed a great shirtless, half-naked Joe op! Anyway, it was a very good episode.” Gail (whoa bunny, bonanza)

“The END of the episode is where is should have STARTED!!!” Carla L.

“My favorite scene is when Joe, who is fed up with the accusations and harassment from Booth, challenges him to settle things in the street. My heart always jumps watching this scene. I think: Joe, you don't stand a chance (I think Ben said this to Joe too, earlier). Then Booth actually tries to talk Joe out of it and when they draw their guns and you hear that shot and the camera pulls back to show the street with LJ lying face down, with Ben running to him....well...the emotions...I just can't describe it. One piece of good writing and acting by all of those involved.” Nancy

“Booth just didn't seem to me to be believable as Hallie's husband. You'd think if she married someone to spite Joe, it wouldn't be someone so cruddy looking.” Gail

“That scene really made an impression on me I guess, because that was the only one I remembered from it, until I saw it again later when I was older. Then I was very disappointed that the scenes of Joe in the doctor's office weren't shown. Wow, what a missed opportunity for a Pa/Joe scene with some awesome H/C. Not to mention, Joe could have been shirtless, just like you suggested, Susan. I was a bit surprised at how easily Ben seemed to forgive the man who just shot his son, I guess 'cause Booth was sorry about it and now knew he was wrong?” Leesa

“My favorite set of lines is when she is telling Booth how much like Burk he is - the part that ends with her sneer "...you even smell like him!" What a delicious delivery! Joe going up against a man he knows can kill him in a gunfight to prove his point just doesn't make sense to me, which makes this episode just a little hard to take, but I do still find it interesting. The ending scene always bugged me a little, too. The scene transition between Roy's departure and Booth's arrival seems to indicate Ben has been in that chair for awhile. But he tells Booth that Joe is awake, and suggests that Booth go in and tell Joe himself that he's sorry. Well, if Ben has been sitting in that chair more than a minute or 2 (and the conversation with Booth alone took that long), how would he know Joe was still awake? And it always struck me as odd that he would send Booth in there alone, or at least send him without first letting Joe know he had a visitor. Too much analysis, I know! Yeah, it was just an easier way to end it, but not entirely satisfying for some of us viewers.” Sue W.