Bonanza The Smiler (1959–1973) watch online HD

Out of the years of watching Bonanza from child to adult, this is one episode that always stayed with me.

Herschel Bernadi has a strange turn here as Clarence Bolling, whose brother was shot by Hoss Cartwright. This episode's name "The Smiler," says it all. It is a creepy story of revenge, all with a smile overlaying it.

Good writing, great staging and pacing. And it can send chills up your spine. Great ripping yarn, all the suspense you could want.

The central character, Bolling, is evil pure and cold. Herschel Benardi was one of my favorite actors, especially having known him in his Broadway performances, like "Zorba." Good acting all around. Try and watch it.

To me, this was insulting. Yes, an interesting premise, and some haunting, ominous undertones. I have been watching Bonanza for 50 or more years. I like many of the episodes. This one let me down.

I had to wonder, how did supposedly smart people act so much like dunces. How did the writers goof around with this so much. Sure, it was a TV show. I don't expect perfection. I do expect a fair degree of competence.

I think is an example of a good 30 minute show presented as a 60 minute mistake. A half hour might have been cramped, but the longer period yielded to much idle brain time for the writers. Again, some good acting and situations. Still, aggravating and disappointing.

Herschel Bernardi guest stars in this Bonanza episode as an itinerant peddler who comes to Virginia City and learns that his brother had been accidentally killed by Hoss Cartwright.

With an insidious campaign Bernardi turns public opinion against Hoss. He also pushes Dan Blocker's buttons quite a bit hoping to provoke an incident.

Bernardi also tries to move in on Catherine McLeod, a widow who was the only eyewitness to what happened. Bernardi is truly one smarmy character.

And Dan Blocker is not someone you want to get mad at you.

This episode belongs to Blocker and Bernardi.

In this we see Hoss in a new light and a building tension in this episode.