Buck's recent post pointing at cowboy pictures prompted my post. I never watched Westerns on TV when I was a kid, and I've never been a huge fan of Western movies, aside from Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. (I know, I know, I'm missing out on some of the best movies ever made, John Ford's work in particular--but if someone asks, "Why don't you like broccoli?" how can I answer?) In any case, I caught a rerun of Bonanza the other day on TV. Tell me if you've seen this one:

Little Joe is in a dispute with a stranger. They get into a fist fight, and other man draws his gun. Little Joe is forced to shoot him.

Oh, wait, I think I'm confusing that episode with different one:

Little Joe is in a dispute with an acquaintance. They get into a fist fight, and other man draws his gun. Little Joe is forced to shoot him.

Or maybe it was this one:

Little Joe is in a dispute with a neighbor. They get into a fist fight, and the neighbor draws his gun. Little Joe is forced to shoot him.

Some of my old-fashioned friends occasionally reminisce about the good old days of television--little sexual innuendo, clear divisions between good guys and bad guys, and happy endings. What's funny is that in the real world, the good guys would not have the reputation of being wholesome upstanding citizens; on the contrary, in the neighboring towns that Little Joe has not yet depopulated the locals would whisper, "There goes Little 'Mass Murderer' Joe," or "Watch out for Little 'Serial Killer' Joe," or "Little Joe is a made man in the Cartwright family--the sheriff can't touch him." In the world of the TV western, a good guy can shoot someone one day, socialize with his friends and family the next day, as light-hearted as can be, and no one ever says, "Little Joe, you killed three guys last month and permanently crippled two others. Ever think about working on your personal relationship skills?" Of course, a comment like that is probably a good way to get yourself shot.