Alias Joe Cartwright

Michael Landon takes center stage in this episode of Bonanza as Little Joe has his clothes, horse, and identity stolen by an army deserter played by none other than Michael Landon.

When Sergeant Keenan Wynn and an army patrol find Little Joe on the trail with different clothes and an army horse, he's taken to the fort where the Captain Douglas Dick says it's him. Joe manages to persuade Keenan Wynn to try and contact the Ponderosa to verify his identity.

Landon might not have made it, but for Keenan Wynn's help and for the fact the doppleganger Landon got a bit greedy and decided to hang around and try to cash a bank letter of credit that Lorne Greene gave his son to cash with banker Hugh Sanders.

Not a bad episode at all.

There's a huge part of me that gets a kick out of the rich Cartwrights wearing the same clothes episode after episode. One truly wonders how often the clothes get washed. Wouldn't blame Hop Sing if he pulled a Berta on Two and a Half Men and said he ain't cleaning their clothes. So yeah, Joe's doppleganger changes clothes with Joe and that's why I gave this review the title I gave it.

This episode is MUCH better than the two stupid episodes that came down the line to feature Ben's doppleganger. And you want to know why I think it's better? Because they didn't dumb the characters down the way they did for Ben's doppleganger. I hate when they dumb characters down in order to complete a storyline. If your characters aren't normally idiots, don't have them become idiots for one storyline.

I like this episode very much, mainly because of the intricate plot and the suspense of it. In it Michael Landon plays Little Joe and the mean and crooked Cpl. Angus Borden, a former soldier; Borden is in cahoots with a mean and crooked Captain Merced who is played by Douglas Dick. Keenan Wynn portrays a boisterous and stubborn Sergeant O'Rourke. Joe Turkel provides humor as he plays the part of the drunk Private Peters. In the story, after he is taking a long trip and has to sleep out on the ground one night, Corporal Borden comes along and knocks out little Joe, switches clothes with him, steals Joe's horse, and leaves his own with a saddle which, in turn, has an army brand on it. It is at that point that Sergeant O'Rourke and two other soldiers come along and arrest Joe and take him to a nearby fort where Joe learns he will be executed the next morning. As the day rolls on Sergeant O'Rourke does learn that Little Joe is truly who he says he is, does try to help him even though O'Rourke can do only so much for him. Again, Landon does play two parts very well and Wynn puts himself into his role so well himself. See the unforgettable episode.

Most reviewers think this is a good episode. I think it is a so-so offering. Keenan Wynn spends almost the whole episode refusing to help Little Joe because he'll get in trouble with his superior's, but then towards the end he does a complete turn around and helps Joe way too quick, which I didn't buy. Michael Landon did a good job of playing his look - alike and disguising his voice and mannerisms. A watchable episode but not one I want to see again.

Keenan Wynne, is excellent in this one.

Pernell does not appear.

The army criminal, takes Little Joe's identity.

The, rest is mentioned already.

One of the best in this season.