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Worth the price of purchase alone is guest star Frankie Avalon, as "punk kid" Billy Farragut, taking on series costar Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates. "Come on, big boy," Billy challenges. "Let's see what you can do. You're like a bug hunk of wood that needs chopping." Billy's grandmother, Elizabeth Farragut, holds court in Farragut City at the Farragut Motel, just down the street from Farragut Food and Grain ("Kinda tiresome, sheriff?" Rowdy asks, "Never sayin' anything but Farragut?"). She compels trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) to hire her "wild, selfish, irresponsible" grandson to instill in him some discipline. Billy does not ingratiate himself with the crew ("I don't shake hands with a stinking drover, now or anytime"). He does form an unexpected friendship with the simple-hearted Mushie, but don't go thinking this is going to be like that
Andy Griffith episode in which bratty Bill Bixby renounces his spoiled ways. The frontier ain't Mayberry. If you purposely start a cattle stampede, you're going to get what you deserve. Outside of some priceless double takes and whooping Frankie, Eastwood doesn't have much to do in this episode, but
Rawhide collectors will still want to add this vintage episode to the herd.
--Donald Liebenson
