The Deputy

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired

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In this pilot episode, Dan Troop takes over in Laramie after the previous marshal is killed. His first job is to bring in the marshal's killer, and in the process he gains a fine deputy in Johnny McKay. (This is also the first of several episodes where veteran actors Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef appeared.)moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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  • Dan Troop arrives in Laramie to take the marshall's job after David Lemp is murdered. He meets Johnny McKay, who wants the deputy job, but Dan dismisses him because he is too young. Johnny reveals that one of the Hawks brothers killed Lemp.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By dbrown2009, Feb 03, 2011
    Dan and Johnny get to meet for the very first time. Johnny is finishing up the grave for David Lemp, the previous marshal. Johnny mistakenly thinks Dan is a crook. He later learns differently when Dan comes into Dru Lemp's cafe. Dru was David's wife, and Johnny works for her. Dan also encounters the Hawks Brothers. They came up with quite an all-star trio for the brothers, Edward Byrnes, Lee Van Cleef, and Jack Elam. After seeing Byrnes play such a punk in this episode, it is hard to believe he ever played a good guy. Elam and Van Cleef just look like bad guys. Oh, there was also when Dan first gets in the office and sees the cat. The townsmen try to show it away, but Dan says to let him stay. I loved his line about, "They'll even catch your mice for you, if you don't rub them the wrong way." That sounds just like my cat. Johnny tries to apply for the deputy job, but Dan dismisses him because he thinks he's too young. Dan later arrests Lacey Hawks (Byrnes). That leaves the other two. Johnny tries to convince Dan that he can't take them alone, and to let him help. Dan refuses. In the ensuing gunfight, Dan shoots one brother, and then turns to see the other brother fall. When he turns to see who shot him, he finds Johnny standing there with a rifle. That was a very cool moment. Then came the even cooler moment. Dan takes the "Deputy Wanted" sign down, let's out his first smile of the episode, and motion for Johnny to come inside with him. A great way to kick off the series.moreless

  • Here comes Dan Troop riding into Laramie! Get ready for 4 years of top notch action with great co-stars. In the opener we get a whiff of Dan's demeanor and a hint of his past.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By za90, Nov 23, 2006
    As I watch this show I get very nostalgic. Dan Troops withdrawn personality is in stark contrast to many other western heroes...many of whom the creators wanted us to "like" them [ Marshal Dillon, Brett Maverick, Tom Brewster, Cheyenne etc]....willing to put his life on the line in a town in which he has NO stake seems hard to believe to most, but for Troop it is "what he does".....the guest stars that Warner Brothers would provide through the series run would add to the overall quality of this series......my favorite scene in this opener is when Troop is sitting in his office [which is dusty and needs cleaning], and a stray cat wanders across his desk. Soon to be deputy [played to perfection by Peter Brown] starts to reach out to shooo the cat away when Troop says "leave him alone, he isn't bothering anybody".....which we would learn as the series progresses is Troops view of life....live and let live, unless you do something wrong!......moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (1)

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    • In this episode, John Russell's hair is all dark brown. He would later have the silver streaks added to his hair, because he believed someone with Dan's experience should be in his mid-40's. Russell was only 37 when he took the role.

  • QUOTES (1)

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    • "You like cats?" Dan: "Why not? They're independent. They don't ask any favors. They'll even catch your mice for you - if you don't rub them the wrong way."

  • NOTES (3)

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    • According to Peter Brown on his website, his relationship with John Russell was very similar to the relationship that Johnny McKay had with Dan Troop. On screen, Dan was teaching Johnny how to be a lawman. Off screen, John was teaching Peter how to be an actor.

    • Also, there is a yellow tomcat who serves at the "office cat", who is in quite a few of the episodes in the first season. It is never named, but Dan makes it plain in this first show that he "likes cats". From time to time he shows up in an episode, and then, after the first season, seems to disappear without comment.

    • "Lawman" developed the characters in this show as time unfolded. This first episode tells us quite a bit about Dan Troop's background and lets us see his unrelenting resolve to bring criminals to justice without compromise, nor ego boosting for himself.

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Season 1 Episodes

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Ep 39
The Friend
Ep 38
Red Ransom
Ep 37
The Conclave
Ep 36
The Wayfarer
Ep 35
The Bandit
Ep 34
The Ring
Ep 33
The Senator
Ep 32
The Return
Ep 31
The Huntress
Ep 30
The Journey
Ep 29
Riding Shotgun
Ep 28
The Young Toughs
Ep 27
The Souvenir
Ep 26
The Gang
Ep 25
Battle Scar
Ep 24
The Visitor
Ep 23
The Posse
Ep 22
The Chef
Ep 21
The Big Hat
Ep 20
The Gunman
Ep 19
Warpath
Ep 18
The Runaway
Ep 17
The Brand Release
Ep 16
The Encounter
Ep 15
The Captives
Ep 14
The Outsider
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