Episode 17 - THE OUTCAST

[Episode Guide]

Date: January 9, 1960

Summary: After her father and brother are hung, Leta Malvet becomes an outcast and she goes to the Ponderosa to recover. When she returns home she seeks solace from of an ex-con Clay Renton.

Written by: Thomas Thompson
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Guest Stars: Clay Renton...Jack Lord Leta Malvet...Susan Oliver Harvey Buford...Edward Platt Mrs. Buford...Irene Tedrow Dr. Paul Martin...Roy Engel Spence...Robert Lieb Boyd...Joel Ashley Garth...Mark Allen.


slideshow images courtesy of Bejules

[January]

Like Father, like son ... or in this case, like father like daughter. Does having a family on the wrong side of the law automatically make you guilty of their crime? Was it like that back in old west? How 'bout back in the old east? It's certainly not that like today, not much anyway. I'm surprised the town wanted to have Leta run out of town. I would have thought that since she was living in that town people would know that she was innocent. Most people can't hide the fact that they're up to no good, but I assumed what we saw of Leta, was who she really was. Sure she loved her father and brother, but she was quiet and naive and very young.

Doc Martin surprised me in the beginning with his attitude of not showing any sympathy for her. It seemed out of character for him. Off topic for a sentence, but those pills the doctor gave Ben for her were unlabeled in a vial. Is that how meds were dispensed back then? My how things have changed.

OK, back to The Outcast. How about the name Clay? Was that a popular name back in the 1800s? I mean Bonanza used it on a main guest star at least twice that I know of.

I liked how convincing Clay was towards the end when Leta wasn't wanting him to run and asked him over and over again if he killed Harvey Buford (The Chief). It wasn't until he said "Did you steal those shoes" that Leta realized she can't keep asking him that same question. As we all know, he did kill him and he was guilty of everything else. But should Leta not believe him? If not, she would be doing to Clay the same thing the townspeople were doing to her.

The end reminded me a bit of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid where they were surrounded and thought for sure they were going to make it out alive. Even so much as planning for the future. Their future lasting about 2 minutes.

Anyway, good parts of The Outcast was, of course, Jack Lord! A young Jack Lord who would later become one of America's most handsome stars of the 1970's.

Do you think Clay loved Leta? What's your thoughts on the events in this episode?

[Cartwright fan.]

No, he didn't love her. He was just like Vince Dagan in "Breed of Violence" (even though that episode came after this one.) He just wanted her for the moment, as a passing fling. He didn't care for her like he'd never leave her or hurt her. He only cared for her right then.

[elizabeth]

Did Clay love Leta? As much as he could anyone. Not much. This episode had me pause the first time I saw it. What a powerful beginning followed by the rest. Jack Lord was superb. But it's like watching too different eps with a flimsy link. I guess Leta decided to be bitter. I suppose that's the message. Or just decided to be bad like butch Cassidy and Sundance. Loved the beginning tho not quite the right word.

[PlatoofthePonderosa]

This episode has so many good little moments. I like the older boys giving Joe a hard time about practicing shooting in the front yard, I like Hoss closing his eyes so adorably when Leta is going to show him the wedding dress, and even as an individual whose first loyalties lie with Adam, I think it's funny when Ben decides to give him a taste of his own medicine and leave him home from the bazaar to work with Little Joe. But my favorite moment by far is when Ben puts his life up as security for Clay's safety during the standoff at the end and all three of the boys immediately, without saying a word, draw their guns and stand ready to defend their pa. That's why I love the Cartwrights.

I like Leta better than most of the female guest stars. She's a very real girl, a combination of vulnerable and resilient, suspicious and naive. She deserves someone much worthier than Clay, and I hope she finds him and is able to settle down happily.

I don't know why so many villains give detailed explanations of their failed plans as they are dying. I was watching The Sisters the other day and that bothered me. Maybe some people want to use their final breaths that way, but I don't think I would!

[littlejoenice]

I'm actually listening to this episode as I type here. So far, I've found it to be surprising. The daughter should not be the ones to pay for the crimes of the father, or in this case, father and brother. And they never even stole the money to begin with! What was wrong with people in those days, anyway? Instead of finding out facts, they judge a person by circumstantial evidence?! Boy, instead of trigger-happy, it sounds more like they were rope happy.

Leta Malvet seems like a very sweet girl who never bothers anybody, but there's also something about her that reminds me a little about Dolly Kincaid from the episode, "Breed of Violence." Perhaps it's her way of running off with an outlaw, or believing that his love for her is true.
Clay seems to be a common name, probably because it was so simple a name to use.
Another thing that seemed to be so common was the fact that whenever a man wanted to marry, and he had no money, or not enough money, then they would ask their girl to wait for them while they went out and got that money by dishonest means. But then, because of this, they had to keep running from the law. Most never got to see their fiancees again because they were either in hiding or dead.
Leta's defiance to believe her boyfriend is a murderer, I find, is not uncommon, but it's very, very irrational.

Jack Lord playing an outlaw is somewhat an unusual sight. Though he played that type of character in some early Westerns, I still see him only as Steve McGarret of the Hawaiian police in Hawaii Five-O.

Do I like this episode then? No, not really. It's all right, but after one watch, I think it's enough.

[Martam]

I saw an episode of Rod Sterling's "Night Gallery" today; PR & Susan Oliver were the guest stars. PR's character's name was "Joe." I do like the Outcast episode ; I hated the way Susan Oliver's character was treated. Hoss was really sweet with her.

[Oxgirl]

I saw this ep yesterday and wasn't very impressed, particularly. I thought it surprising when Joe said that Clay was only a couple of years older than him; he was 17 but Clay looked about 40!

[daisy60]

I saw this ep yesterday and wasn't very impressed, particularly. I thought it surprising when Joe said that Clay was only a couple of years older than him; he was 17 but Clay looked about 40!

The episode was ok but a bit bland. I didn't like that everyone in the town treated her horribly because of her father. She needed someone to take her under their wing, which Ben was trying to do. Mike was in his 20's but as Joe he sure did look younger. Clay was old enough to be her father!

[dougsgirl]

I saw this ep yesterday and wasn't very impressed, particularly. I thought it surprising when Joe said that Clay was only a couple of years older than him; he was 17 but Clay looked about 40!

The episode was ok but a bit bland. I didn't like that everyone in the town treated her horribly because of her father. She needed someone to take her under their wing, which Ben was trying to do. Mike was in his 20's but as Joe he sure did look younger. Clay was old enough to be her father!

When the should started Joe was supposedly only 17, so he would have been 18 in this ep. And yes Jack Lord was 40 then.

It was kind of a strange episode. She was a sweet girl, trying to make it on her own, selling eggs to make money. I hated that Mrs. Buford wouldn't even let her enter her dress in the contest.

I think Clay must have loved her because why else would he want her? It's not like she had money.