Gunsmoke

10 Best Episodes of Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.

Written by Sophie and last updated on jan 10, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Gunsmoke - S13E9

#15 - The Pillagers (Season 13 - Episode 9)

Kitty and fellow traveling passenger Newly O'Brien are captured by Mexican outlaw Manez and his gang.

The episode was rated 8.20 from 10 votes.

Gunsmoke - S20E7

#14 - The Iron Men (Season 20 - Episode 7)

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Matt and former lawman now turned alcoholic, Chauncey Demon go up against land baron Carl Ryker.

The episode was rated 8.21 from 14 votes.

Gunsmoke - S16E23

#13 - Pike (1) (aka: Dirty Sally (1)) (Season 16 - Episode 23)

Sally Fergus, called by many in Dodge "Dirty Sally" finds young wounded outlaw, Cyrus Pike at her home and nurses him back to health. His partners in a robbery are searching for him and their stolen loot.

The episode was rated 8.23 from 13 votes.

Gunsmoke - S10E34

#12 - Honey Pot (Season 10 - Episode 34)

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A man comes to town and tells Sam he's going to shoot Matt. It's soon understood he is an old friend. Involved in shooting and killing a man, their friendship is stretched as he claims self defense even though he was the only one armed.

The episode was rated 8.25 from 12 votes.

Gunsmoke - S8E38

#11 - The Quest for Asa Janin (Season 8 - Episode 38)

A young man is convicted of killing the saloon girl he wanted for his own. Matt is so sure that the young man is really innocent that he goes on the road after another suspect to prevent an unjust hanging.

The episode was rated 8.25 from 12 votes.

Gunsmoke - S11E7

#10 - The Bounty Hunter (Season 11 - Episode 7)

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Turner's called in from the range to talk to his boss, Chris Thornton. Upon his arrival Thornton tells him he knows his name is really Luke Frazer. He tells Thornton he'll be gone by sundown, but Thornton has different ideas. He shows Luke a wanted poster of Otto Fry, the man who killed Thornton's son. He tells Luke he'll give him a thousand acres as a place of his own if he'll track down Fry and kill him; he can even keep the $600 reward! Frazer heads out looking for Fry and lands in Dodge. Wouldn't you know, he's an old friend of Festus'. It turns out that Fry is better known around Dodge as local rancher Lon Jensen. Matt gets to him first and puts him in jail where Frazer can't get to him. He then sends a telegram to the sheriff in Buckland and learns that the charges had been dropped when Thornton's son made a deathbed confession, admitting to assaulting Fry's wife. When Frazer learns that he's been set up to commit murder he heads back to Buckland to deal w

The episode was rated 8.27 from 15 votes.

Gunsmoke - S17E11

#9 - Drago (Season 17 - Episode 11)

Drago wants to find the person who killed a woman who helped him.

The episode was rated 8.27 from 11 votes.

Gunsmoke - S17E1

#8 - The Lost (Season 17 - Episode 1)

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Kitty is in a stage wreck and dazed and confused she sets out in the wild. Meeting up with a wild girl who does not speak, she winds up at a shack where a family takes her and the wild girl hostage. Intent on turning the child into a sideshow, they tie Kitty up but are stopped before they can get too far.

The episode was rated 8.27 from 11 votes.

Gunsmoke - S10E11

#7 - Chicken (Season 10 - Episode 11)

Dan Collins is reputed to have shot four outlaws at Hackaberry Creek. Dan meets Lucy Benton and her crippled brother Carl. Lucy tells Dan not to come to her place. A cowboy coming out the Lady Gay bumps into Dan. He's ready for a showdown till he's told who Dan is. Wes Morgan offers Dan a job, killing if necessary. He offers him a hundred a month. Dan says he'll haave to think on it. Dan goes to Lucy's farm. She says I told you not to come out here. Carl says she just wants to be left alone. Lucy and Carl say Morgan is trying to run them off. Lucy asks Carl please let me tell him. Carl says no! Morgan interviews Hal Davis and hires him at $50 a month. Lucy talks to Dan in town, tells him to leave her alone. Lucy tells Doc Carl won't let me tell the truth. Doc's the only one that knows the whole truth. Dan's thinking of telling Lucy he's no hero. Davis and his partner are ready to shoot up Lucy's. Dan rides up to them. He says he's Dan Collins and the Bentons are hi

The episode was rated 8.30 from 20 votes.

Gunsmoke - S16E14

#6 - Sergeant Holly (Season 16 - Episode 14)

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Sgt Holly has stolen an army payroll and is framed for it.

The episode was rated 8.31 from 13 votes.

Gunsmoke - S18E18

#5 - Patricia (Season 18 - Episode 18)

Newly falls in love with a woman he met while tending the injured after a tornado. It doesn't take him long to decide to ask to marry her. Doc notes an odd bruise on her arm and her lack of energy. After an exam he wars with his conscience over whether to tell Patricia that she's got a rare blood disorder. He tells Kitty, Matt, and Newly before he marries her. She dies shortly after in Newly's arms and prompts Newly to go back to studying medicine.

The episode was rated 8.33 from 12 votes.

Gunsmoke - S18E7

#4 - The Fugitives (Season 18 - Episode 7)

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Doc Adams comes into The Long Branch just in time to stop Festus from telling one of his long stories, Doc tells of how his day began and then rest before a baby has to be delivered. Now Doc and Festus have to treat the outlaws younger brother. Festus goes to get Matt as Doc is now left alone to treat the victim. The outlaws are ready for their brother to ride Doc warns that if moved the brother could die. Matt gets there in time to find that Doc is fine, but Festus is bleeding bad. The outlaws brother is dead. Doc tries to get the bullet out of Festus who is weak. One of the Stalcup outlaws comes back to get his brother Danny. Festus turns out fine only to drive Doc crazy!

The episode was rated 8.38 from 13 votes.

Gunsmoke - S19E18

#3 - The Foundling (Season 19 - Episode 18)

After being forced to shoot a man who is breaking up the Long Branch, Matt goes off to be alone only to find a young girl and a newborn in a cave. Neither she nor her parents want the child, and they send it with Matt. Matt finds the only logical choice, Miss Kitty, to deposit the baby with till something can be done with it. Matt decides to give it to the widow of the man he just killed but doesn't realize that Kitty is willing to sell the Long Branch to keep the baby for herself.

The episode was rated 8.45 from 11 votes.

Gunsmoke - S14E15

#2 - The Twisted Heritage (Season 14 - Episode 15)

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Kitty saves the life of a man during a stage hold-up, taking him back to his ranch she finds his mother a ruthless matron and his daughter alienated from her father.

The episode was rated 8.50 from 14 votes.

Gunsmoke - S16E15

#1 - Jenny (Season 16 - Episode 15)

A judge interferes when Newly allows an outlaw to make arrangements for his 10 year old daughter, and to surrender afterwards.

The episode was rated 8.80 from 10 votes.

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