The Rifleman (TV Series) Strange Town (1960) User Reviews

Nice change of characters make this show entertaining.

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 25 July 2013]

Micah is carrying an outlaw, Bletch Droshek, in for trial. While stopped on the trail, Bletch jumps Micah and starts beating him up. After a few punches Micah goes down and the outlaw rides off. A badly injured Micah is able to make it to Lucas's farm and deputizes Lucas so that he can ride to a neighboring town to find the outlaw.

When Lucas makes it to the town the entire town seems to be hiding information from Lucas. When he finds the Marshal of the town things only get worse. The town does not give up its own.

Claude Akins and Peter Whitney do a great job of playing Russian immigrants that settled in the New Mexico mountains making for a nice change of characters for the series. The episode held tight to the regular 'Rifleman' plot so there are really no surprises in the show. This is just a usual good episode that has all the good qualities that make the series entertaining.

Connors on a Manhunt

[gordonl56 · 8/10 · 30 September 2013]

THE RIFLEMAN –Strange Town – 1960 Sheriff Paul Fix is bringing a prisoner, Claude Akins, back to North Fork to stand trial on a murder charge. At a stop for water, Akins manages to get in a solid punch stunning Fix. Akins then works Fix over, takes his guns, and leaves him to die. Akins then heads into the hills to his town.

Fix, however, is a tough old buzzard, and he staggers his way to the ranch of Chuck Connors. Connors finds Fix at the front door and brings him in. He does what he can for Fix while sending his son, Johnny Crawford for the doc.

Once Fix recovers a bit, he fills Connors in on what has happened. Connors grabs a box of ammo and his rifle. He will bring in the man who did this. Connors trails Akins to a small mining town where a group of Russian immigrants have settled.

No one will give Connors the time of day when he inquires about Akins. The town Sheriff, William Schallert, tries to relieve Connors of his rifle. No luck there for the Sheriff as Connors levels the weapon in his direction. Schallert backs off, and then takes Connors to see the town leader, Peter Whitney.

Whitney happens to be the older brother of Akins. Connors explains the situation to Whitney and how his brother is wanted for murder in another town. Whitney does not believe his kid brother would do such a thing, and calls him into the room.

Akins admits to the killing but refuses to go with Connors. Sheriff Schallert, a buddy of Akins goes for his piece forcing Connors to defend himself. While Connors' back is turned, Akin draws and goes to back shoot Connors. His brother, Whitney, however is quicker and shoots his swine of a brother, saving Connors' life. The family honour is served. Whitney did not want a murderer as a brother.

Connors mounts up and heads for home. Veteran film helmsman Joseph H Lewis directs and hits all the proper buttons. A rather good episode of a popular series which ran from 1958 to 1963. (b/w)

Good episode...

[SusanJL · 8/10 · 19 August 2022]

...Although it was hard to suspend disbelief for William Schallert playing such a tough bad guy.

I always think of him as the teacher on Dobie Gillis and as Patty Duke's father on her show lol.

Not to mention his role in the comical Star Trek "Trouble with Tribbles" episode.

A solid episode

[wildbillharding · 7/10 · 19 December 2020]

I enjoyed this yarn. Lucas escapes the cardboard North Fork for a vastly better open air town setting. The direction by cult figure Joseph H Lewis is, as usual, above average. Take, for example, his excellent opening frame of the heavy's hand shackled to the barbed wire. The cast is fine, with Peter Whitney in his third Rifleman, spoiled only by his over-the-top ethnic costume. As ever, Claude Akins makes a superb villain with a touch of vulnerability.

We know Lucas will pull through but don't know who will actually gun down the heavy. There's a surprise there.