In this episode we have a plot that has been written about since the beginning of type. From comedy to drama, amnesia (memory loss) has been connected with story telling when language was first developed. And this 'Gunsmoke' episode proves that it is a plot that is overused, uninteresting and rehashed when the writers have no other direction for a show. Newly lost his memory just a season ago and two season later Matt will get the dreaded amnesia so this plot is far from over.
The good thing about this episode is that Victor French puts all he has into the story making it as interesting as can be when he is shot by two cowboys during a robbery. Later he staggers to the house that is occupied by a woman named Phoebe Frazer. The wounded man has a head injury and has lost all memory so Phoebe tells him that his name is Jed Frazer her husband.
When Jim sees one of the cowboys that robbed him on the road, he takes after the guy and a fight breaks out. But then he cannot tell Marshal Dillon why he was after the man. The two cowboys know if his memory returns then he could identify them and they could be looking a jail time.
But as we all know from watching this plot, Jed's memory begins to return. So really the only thing that we as the viewer can anticipate is if the writers are going to make this a happy or sad ending. it is the only suspense in the entire program.
NOTE- this could be considered a SPOILER ALERT so read at your own risk. > I have seen this episode many times but recently just watched it again on TV Land where they cut the episode to bits. Right near the end when Jed is at the train station all of the sudden Matt shows up. Why did he just happen to be at the train depot at night? Well TV Land cut the scene where Phoebe runs into the Marshal's office and confesses about the man being her husband and that he may be in danger at the depot. That info was very critical to the story but TV Land felt obligated to cut it out and add more commercials.
