Sometimes a change of location will alter a person’s attitude and social standing. A loser in a small town will become the Toast of Broadway. This is true for TV shows. Bonanza was nearly canceled early in its run. While the show was noted for being the first color Western, NBC launched it against the black and white Perry Mason. In the era before DVRs, people didn’t have the ability to remotely flip between channels. Most had dials on their sets so switching was a pain that involved moving the TV tray and getting off the sofa, physically clicking to the right station and altering the rabbit ears to get the picture in just right. Forget the desperadoes and Indians, the Cartwrights were marked for death by the network beancounters. Luckily someone picked up the Ponderosa and moved it to Sunday nights. The third season proved to be the major breakout as it soared to the top of the ratings where it remained until 1970. Bonanza: The Official Third Season, Volume 1 and Volume 2 keeps up the family action when the series finally became a hit in family rooms across America.
Volume 1 kicks off the season with Hoss (Dan Blocker) killing a man. The death is ruled an accident since a drunk cowboy hit on the wrong widow. The dead guy’s brother arrives in Virginia City swearing he’s not out for revenge, but who believes that story in the Wild West? Scatman Crothers (The Shining and Hong Kong Phooey) livens up the show. The Cartwrights get driven crazy when John Carradine stays at the Ponderosa in “Springtime.” He’s a rich guy who has to have things just right. He doesn’t understand that Hoss can accidentally kill him too. Sound the Star Trek alert when DeForest Kelly (Bones) is a military man being pursued by the Apache tribe. Jeff Morrow is Cochise. “Broken Ballad” turns Robert Culp (I Spy) into a reformed gunfighter. He’s not like by the shopkeeper since Culp shot down his son. Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts) wants the stigma removed.
“The Many Faces of Gideon Finch” has the familiar mug of Joe Turkel (The Shining) peeking around as a thug. “The Friendship” releases prisoner Dean Jones (Monkeys Go Home!) into the care of the Cartwrights. He saved the life for Little Joe (Michael Landon). Can a lifelong convict live a free life on the ranch? “Day of the Dragon” features Little Joe winning Lisa Lu (The Last Emperor) in Poker game. “The Tin Badge” puts Vic Morrow (Combat) on a horse. Little Joe accepts the job of sheriff in a small town, but it’s a tougher gig than advertised. “The Lady from Baltimore” wants to marry her daughter off to a Cartwright son. That’s a better get rich quick scheme than panning for gold.
Volume 2 keeps up the marrying ways when Frank Overton drops by the ranch with his daughter. Things get freaky when Little Joe falls for the girl and plans to get hitched. Her dad must reveal a horrible secret to prevent the nuptials. “Gift of Water” pours with two future Star Trek regulars. There’s a major battle over water when a drought is in full effect. James Doohan (Scotty) and Majel Barrett (Nurse Chapel) must fight it out for moisture. “The Wooing of Abigail Jones” lets the Cartwrights get a ranchhand hitched instead of themselves. No dark secrets emerge this time. “Look to the Stars” pits a kid bound for the Naval Academy against the local school teacher (The Patty Duke Show‘s William Schallert) that can derail his appointment.
“The Gamble” has the Cartwrights set up to be part of a family-style hanging on bogus charges. Little Joe is their only hope to avoid being a dangling father and sons act. Lee Marvin (The Big Red One) menaces Adam in “The Crucible.” He’s a prospector with a sadistic streak. “Ingar, My Love relates the tale of Hoss’s mom and how she died so soon. “The Dowry” robs Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball). The Cartwrights want to get her wedding cash back. “The Long Night” forces Adam to tangle with James Coburn (Our Man Flint). Adam gets mistaken for prison escapees by a posse. “The Mountain Girl” has a woman about to be sent back to live with her high society kin. Trouble is she’s spent her life raising sheep. She ready for a world of pickle forks? The gruff Warren Oates (The Wild Bunch) has a guest star role.
The 34 episodes spread over Bonanza: The Official Third Season, Volume 1 and Volume 2 remind us that with big ranches come bigger problems. The Cartwrights are such a target in the Reno area. Even though they do their best to focus on work, trouble finds a way to find its way onto the Ponderosa Ranch. This is the season Bonanza blew up to be as big as Hoss’ hat and the episodes don’t disappoint.
Volume 1
“The Smiler,” “Springtime,” “The Honor of Cochise,” “The Lonely House,” “The Burma Rarity,” “Broken Ballad,” “The Many Faces of Gideon Flinch,” “The Friendship,” “The Countess,” “The Horse Breaker,” “Day of the Dragon,” “The Frenchman,” “The Tin Badge,” “Gabrielle,” “Land Grab,” “The Tall Stranger,” “The Lady from Baltimore” and “The Ride.”
Volume 2
“The Storm,” “The Auld Sod,” “Gift of Water,” “The Jackknife,” “The Guilty,” “The Wooing of Abigail Jones,” “The Lawmaker,” “Look to the Stars,” “The Gamble,” “The Crucible,” “Inger, My Love,” “Blessed Are They,” “The Dowry,” “The Long Night,” “The Mountain Girl” and “The Miracle Maker.”
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers for the third season look better than the first two seasons. The colors don’t look so saturated. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The levels are fine so that you can tell the brothers apart when they argue. The episodes are subtitled.
Episodes with Original NBC Network Logo, Bumpers and Chevrolet Promo.
Audio commentaries include Sue Ane Langdon on “The Many Faces of Gideon Flinch,” Lisa Lu on “Day of the Dragon,” Diane Mountford on “Gabrielle,” Audrey Dalton on “The Lady from Baltimore” and Andrew J. Klyde on “The Crucible,” ”
Tales of Nevada – Past and Present: “Bonanza Days” Radio Show starring Chuck Greene and Andrew Klyde (26:22) is a chat with Lorne’s son on a Reno radio station in 2011. He shares things dad did on the show.
The March of Dimes Presents “The Scene Stealers” (2:56) has the legnedary Buster Keaton and Ed Wynne crash the set of Bonanza to mess with Dan and Lorne.
Henry Fonda and Family (8:43) is a TV special based on the 1960 census data. Dan Blocker guests on a bit about being compatible with your spouse.
Photo Galleries include Lake Tahoe Publicity, Dan & Pernell and Their Antique Car, Scene Stealers, Emerald Empire Round-Up, Cartwrights at Home, Paramount Publicity Photos, Betty Endicott: Standout Stand-In, Virginia City Days and episode promotional pics.
Bonanza: The Official Third Season, Volume 1 and Volume 2 marks the season when the series stepped up to rival Gunsmoke in viewership at the top. The Cartwrights were a magnet for trouble as they almost hung as a family in one episode. Both Volumes can be bought in a single set.
CBS DVD presents Bonanza: The Official Third Season, Volume 1 and Volume 2 Starring: Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon and Victor Sen Yung. Boxset Contents: 34 episodes on 9 DVDs. Released: July 17, 2012. Available at Amazon.com.
