The Steve Campden Story

Weird yes, great yes! Over the past few years, I've really grown like this well-crafted show with its out-of-the-box plots and great guest stars. This episode just happened to be a little more out there than most, but science fiction vs. The old west always works for me! I've seen a few of these types of episodes where McCullough, scouting ahead, runs into some real oddballs, this time a European immigrant and his son getting ready to climb one of the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, they get caught in a blizzard and end up seeking shelter in a cave that's inhabited by something very strange indeed...

This has to be one of the weirdest Wagon Train episodes done in the history of the series. The mesmerizing performance of Torin Thatcher as a mountain climbing English lord will keep you watching. But when you're done you will say, what did I just see?

Thatcher is not one of those old aristocrats. This is guy who made his own money and bought a respectable title. He's over in the American west doing some mountain climbing in our Rocky Mountains. But he and his son Ben Cooper have been deserted and robbed by guide and porters all.

Flint McCullough comes upon them and do they want rescue? No they persuade Robert Horton to climb a mountain with them. Half way up they take some refuge in a cave where there are ancient saber tooth tigers. What those carnivores fed on I'm still trying to figure out. Can't be just occasional mountain climbers.

After that it degenerates to a lot of issues that father and son have and you start to realize this is ridiculous. Ben Cooper fakes a ridiculous English accent. Couldn't they get Roddy McDowall or was he too smart to take this acting job.

Thatcher is brilliant, but this episode is off the wall.