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Bonanza

The Ape

Season 2, Episode 14, Aired Dec 17, 1960

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Hoss tries to help Arnie, a childlike hulking man with a dangerous temper and great strength. Things seem to be going well until Arnie falls for a saloon girl Shari. Hoss regretfully realizes that he he's facing an uphill battle to help Arnie have the kind of life he's always wanted.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Karen Sharpe

Shari-Belle
GUEST STAR
Leonard Nimoy

Freddy
GUEST STAR
Cal Bolder

Arnie Guthrie

Dan Blocker

Eric "Hoss" Cartwright (1959-1972)
Lorne Greene

Ben Cartwright
Pernell Roberts

Adam Cartwright (1959-1965)
Michael Landon

Joseph "Little Joe" Francis Cartwright

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Fan Episode Reviews (1)

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Good entry that plays into the series' strengths.

7.9

"Good"

By Mac-Ale, Oct 07, 2007

Hoss does his best to help a behemouth outcast shake his anger and lead a productive life.

Gene Coon wrote a nice script for this one, admittedly a take-off on "Of Mice and Men" and even the movie version of "Frankenstein" but a good episode nonethleless. The titanic fight between Hoss and Arnie is exciting, though it could be shortened by a minute or two and be better. There is not a lot of time devoted to Leonard Nimoy's character at all, he's slimely but its hard to see his motivations. The saloon girl falls in this category as well, her game of using people and constantly flip-flopping her attitude doesn't make the most sense.

Still, the good things of "Bonanza" dominate this episode, Hoss and his devotion to his friend, Ben and Hoss struggling to find a plan to bring Arnie in after he goes on a murderous rage, a tragic backstory for Arnie. Its a bit obvious but a lot of care is invested in establishing a similarity and bond between the big men Hoss and Arnie (the "Ape").

Installments like this are not too dated and tell good stories that still work for the viewer in a modern context.moreless
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TRIVIA (2)
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- Saloon of choice: Bucket of Blood
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- Goof: At the end of the episode when Hoss and Ben are talking about Arnie, you can see the pack and its shadow in front of Hoss. When they switch to a close-up view of Ben and Hoss, the shadow and the pack disappear. The pack and shadow reappear when they go back to the long shot.
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QUOTES (4)
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- Roy: Now that's just about enough of that. Maybe the Cartwrights did make a mistake by giving that man a job but it was an honest mistake.
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- Hoss: I tried to help him, Pa.
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- Adam: Just remember Hoss, we didn't do anything to make him that mad. If you hadn't come along when you did he might have killed somebody.
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- Hoss: (talking about Arnie) That ain't true, Adam. He don't mean no harm, Pa. Joe: He, he don't mean no harm? I just won't be able to use my jaw for a week. Adam: Oh, that will be a relief. All you do is just chaw with it anyway.
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NOTES (2)
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- German episode title: "Der Riesenaffe", meaning "The Giant Ape".
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- Featured Cartwright: Hoss
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