Episode
The Big Valley: Forty Rifles
Overview
While preparing for a major cattle drive bunching the Barkley's herd with those of other ranchers, Heath has major difficulties being accepted as a Barkley, especially by the ranch hands. Then when Nick's former commander in the war comes to visit, Heath is suspicious of him, and with good reason. He is there to cause trouble and steal the herd!! Nick ends up getting shot while on the drive and has to be taken to town, leaving Heath in charge of the drive. Heath ends up saving the day, and finally the hands begin to accept him as a true Barkley.
Details
- Series
- The Big Valley
- Season
- Season 1
- Episode
- Episode 2
- Air date
- 1965-09-22
- Runtime
- 50 min
Episode context
Forty Rifles is Episode 2 in Season 1 of The Big Valley. It aired on 1965-09-22. The runtime is 50 min.
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Episode 1: Palms of Glory
In this series premiere, the railroad has hired men to force the farmers and ranchers of Stockton off their land. The Barkleys join with the rest of the valley to help fight them off. While at home an angry young man, Heath, shows up claimimg to be the deceased Tom Barkleys' illegitimate son.
Episode 3: Boots with My Father's Name
Victoria begins to wonder if Tom ever truly loved her, if he could go off and have an affair which produces a child. So she's off to Heath's hometown Strawberry to find out more about Tom and Leah's (Heath's mother) relationship.
More episodes from this season
Episode 4: Young Marauders
Audra is save by a man who claims to be a mustang hunter, but who's band of mustangers are also extorting protection money from the farmers and ranchers of Stockon. While Audra is smitten with him her brothers are suspicious, and soon find out the truth. Which Audra does as well. . .after she is kidnapped by them.
Episode 5: The Odyssey of Jubal Tanner
Victoria sells land to an old friend, while the Barkley boys are part of a plan to flood it!!!
Episode 6: Heritage
While Heath investigates violence at one of the Barkley mines, he discovers that the miners hate the Barkley's for unkept promises. This discovered they work to set things right before anything else happens.
Episode 7: Winner Lose All
Heath falls for a beautiful spanish girl, whose father happens to be involved in a land dispute with the Barkleys! Her father disapproves of Heath because of his illegitamate birth, picturing a much finer bred man for his only daughter. He sets about using the land problems to break them apart.
Episode 8: My Son, My Son
An old childhood friend of Audra's returns whom she'd like to be involved with. She doesn't know however that he is emotionally disturbed, dangerously so.
Episode 9: Earthquake!
Victoria is in a mission church with a pregnant indian woman, when an earthquake collapses it into a forgotten mine underneath. As if the situation isn't isn't bad enough. . they are also trapped with a man whom Nick had fired and who now has a serious grudge against the Barkleys.
Episode 10: The Murdered Party
Jarrod defends a man accused of murder, even though the only witness is his own brother, Heath!!
Episode 11: The Way to Kill a Killer
When one of Nick's old friends, Mariano Montoya, comes through town on his way to sell his cattle, trouble hits in the form of deadly anthrax. The man's cattle begin to die off and it seems as though they will have to shoot them all, killing as well Mariano's dreams for the money. Until Eugene tells them of something called immunization, which he believes will work. Mariano isn't so sure however and tells them that to prove it works, the Barkleys must first try it on their own prize bull!The bull collapses and it looks as though it has been killed but then it moves and gets up, it works!! Mariano's herd is saved!
Episode 12: Night of the Wolf
When Nick is bitten by a rabid wolf, he makes Heath swear not to say a word, and leaves town so his family will not have to witness what will happen to him.
Episode 13: The Guilt of Matt Bentell
When the Barkleys invite the foreman of their logging operations to dinner, Heath walks in and tries to kill the man on sight. It turns out that the man is Matt Bentell, the warden of violent, horrible Carterson Prison, where Heath was held during the war. A man whom he had sworn to kill if he ever saw him again. The family comes up with the brilliant idea to send Heath up to the logging camp with the man to help with the building of log flumes, and to protect the man whose identity has been brought into the open. Heath ends up saving his life and learns that people can change.