No Indians

There's been a rash of Pawnee raids on settlers, women, children and men, and people are disgruntled by a lack of action, but it's something that one of them says that prompts Matt to head out to look things over.

The dead folk are way from the buildings, a 12 year old boy is killed ( usually Pawnees take them to make them into braves) and the hoof tracks are wiped out. Matt strongly suspects that it is actually white men who are responsible for these "Indian raids". Together with Chester he acts as decoy to ambush the outlaws.

One Captain asks why would a white man scalp children? And Matt sagely replies, " should I remind you of Sand Creek and Chivington where injun folk were scalped."

James Arness is really one angry dude here and he lets it rip with the guns, ambushing the whites pretending to be Pawnees. Very good acting. It's quite action-packed finale.

One of the best episodes of the 2nd season. I love it when the bad guys get their 'just desserts, everyone does. Matt & Chester get into some wholesale slaughter of some very evil men and if you are like me you will find yourself cheering when the bad guys get theirs. Matt laments not being able to gun them all down.

Brutal killing of settler families on the prairie looks like the work of the Pawnee. Matt goes to investigate and encounters cavalry troop led by inexperienced Captain (Rudley). However, Matt's suspicious and sets a trap for the marauders, but will he and Chester be enough.

That sparking scene between aw-shucks Chester and the winsome Arie (Meyler) is a little gem of charming innocence. Chester's endearing simple soul is truly an original creation, unlike any other supporting player of the time, and Dennis Weaver deserves great credit for helping make the series the huge hit it was.

Another winning element is also on display here. And that's the willingness of the producers to risk showing Matt's human side, even when it compromises his US marshal's role. In short, he's not always a paragon of law enforcement virtue, which not only makes his role more believable, but also works to make some entries more interesting and thought provoking than usual. As it does here.

This episode is unique in that Matt Dillon is shown wanting to get the bandits at any cost and be darn with the rules of law enforcement. It will be Marshal Dillon that opens fire on six men entering his zone without identifying himself or even giving a chance for the bandits to surrender. Something that is non-existent in later episodes.

What is going happening around Dodge is that families are being killed and scalped which leads the people to believe that the Pawnee Indians are on the warpath. But when Matt and Chester ride out to investigate with the Fort Dodge Cavalry, what Matt sees make him believe that it is not Indian but white men killing these families.

Matt suggest to the inexperienced Cavalry Captain is that Chester and him will be used as bait in order to see if they can draw the bandits out of hiding. But in using themselves as bait their life will be mortal danger as the bandits have already killed entire families including boys and girls in order to gain their loot.

A nice view into the human side of Matt Dillon. Even with the questionable acting by some member in the cast the show held up well. A different view of life in the wild untamed west. Good watch

"No Indians" is as chilling a tale as anything one could imagine. The tale makes my blood run cold.

Technically, it's so very well done. The story, the dialog, the acting. Dennis Weaver as Chester played his role particularly well due to who Chester is, typically. He was asked to carry out a duty that he found very difficult on several levels. The reasons become apparent as the story unfolds.

I choose to avoid spoilers so I shan't continue too far. I am very familiar with all 20 years of Gunsmoke. "No Indians" is very VERY high on my list.

James Arness hit a grand slam as he portrayed a human being faced with having to make choices that no human should ever have to make. He seemingly goes forth with conviction nonetheless. While Chester is more unsure, more hesitant, it's all more evident; Matt chose to devote his life to law and justice. Matt appears to be certain as to the task before him, unequivocally.

I believe the best of our officers today walk in his footsteps. To me, James Arness portrayed Matt Dillon just THAT WELL. Not as some comic book, two dimensional character. So much of why Gunsmoke remains fresh after 65+ years can be experienced in this episode, "No Indians."