Bonanza

Clay Stafford signs on to work for the Cartwrights. Shortly thereafter, he shoots and kills a man who accuses him of cheating at poker.

Sick and tired of being the youngest, Joe decides he's found a way to prove himself and bids on a timber contract. When problems arise and all looks lost, he realizes his only alternative is to turn to his family.

Ben meets Matthew Raine, a famous artist who has withdrawn from society since going blind. Ben tries to help Raine and persuades him to start painting again, but not without some difficulty.

Colonel Edward J. Dunwoody comes to Virginia City looking for Bill Winters, a good friend of the Cartwrights. It seems Bill deserted when he was ordered to massacre Shoshones. When the Shoshone learn Bill is the Colonel's son, they abduct Bill and plan to kill him for his father's offense.

At a stop at a way station, Adam meets the owner Jesse and his young granddaughter Marty who yearns to see what exists away from the way station where her grandfather has kept her isolated. The station is also visited by Luke Martin, a killer who is running from a posse. He makes Marty an empty promise to take her with him to see the world.

Joe is courting Morvath Terry, the daughter of Confederate Judge David Terry. The judge is campaigning for governor. He is delighted that his daughter is dating a Cartwright, fullly realizing the impact the Cartwright influence could have on the statehood convention. Adam's dislike and suspicions about the judge cause friction between him and Joe, who can't see past his feelings for Morvath.

When Walter Prescott breaks his leg, he sends his friend Hoss to pick up his eagerly awaited mail order bride. When the bride-to-be meets Hoss she falls in love with him, decides he is the one she wants and runs away. Walter decides to make Hoss pay by putting a price on his head.

In the middle of a dispute over land with neighbor Milton Tanner, Ben takes in a young white man raised by the Shoshone named Billy. Billy feels indebted to Ben and wants to repay him by confronting Tanner. Tanner winds up dead and when the Sheriff orders him to arrest Billy, he runs away.

General Diaz and his mercenaries invade the Ponderosa, take Ben prisoner and force him to accompany them as they plan to ambush a gold train.

Hoss finds himself saddled with two orphan girls named Charlie and Will. He plans to take them to their Aunt Chloe despite the girls' insistence that they want to be on their own. Hoss sets out for Cantill unaware that the girls are carrying something their father stole and he's being followed by the henchmen.

When Hoss is injured on a cattle drive, Ben seeks the town doctor only to find him in jail waiting to be hanged for murder. Ben asks the judge to release him so that he can save Hoss' life, but the judge refuses as the judge's wife died in Doctor Johns' care.

Hoss brings together a young widowed mother and a man whose girlfriend left him. The couple gets married, but Hoss' attempts to help are damaging the marriage.

Hoss serves on a jury deciding the fate of Jamie Wren who is accused of murder and robbery. Hoss is the only one on the jury who is unsure of the man's guilt.

Ben is visited by his old friend Frank Medford, a down and out traveling salesman. Frank is a chronic liar with wild stories about which he has no qualms -- until he meets Emily Colfax.

Adam's friend Danny Morgan likes to take rides at night, sing and play his guitar. When a woman is murdered, someone says they heard Danny singing at the time of the murder and he is arrested. Adam doesn't believe it and sets out to prove his friends innocence.

A bitter young man, Bob Jolley, comes to Virginia City and begins to taunt Judge Harry Whitaker, a dear friend of the Cartwrights. Bob claims the judge unjustly hung his father.

Duke Miller kills Carlos Rodriquez in a barber shop. Joe is knocked out before the murder and with no witnesses, Miller and his men are acquitted and go free. Joe takes Carlos' young son Paco to his grandparents in Juarez.

Joe takes a terrible fall off his horse. While he recovers in his room, Ben stays by his side and recalls how he met Joe's mother and brought her home to the Ponderosa.

Adam and Hoss purchase a thoroughbred to run in the Virginia City race, but Hoss puts him up for security in a poker game and loses. They desperately need the money to buy him back but know their father will never loan them money for a horse that doesn't earn his keep on the ranch.

Joe's latest love is Julia Grant. Julia dreams of being an actress and her dream keeps her from committing to Joe. Adam offers to get her an audition with visiting actor Edwin Booth. His opinion of her work is devastating.

Hoss is robbed and struck on the head. When he regains consciousness he can't remember anything -- including his own identity. He is picked up and taken in by a Dutch couple named Vandervoort. Ironically, they lost a son and the woman Christina decides Hoss is just what they need.

Traveling salesman Aaron Kaufman visits the Ponderosa. He brings along his daughter Rebecca for the first time and Adam is immediately taken with her.

Ben checks in with friend Rita Marlowe while in San Francisco and finds her battling alcoholism.

Hoss is on his way to see Bessie Sue Hightower when he finds himself being fired upon. His only refuge is a rundown cabin owned by an old prospector named Obie and his unusual dog Walter.

Jud Lally has never told anyone he has a twin brother. Therefore, no one has reason to be suspicious when his brother Rube makes him switch places so he can go with Joe to pick up the valuable stallion Rube intends to steal.

While out hunting, Adam accidentally shoots Joe. He becomes furious with himself and the violent way of the West and is consumed by guilt. An Irish man and his daughter Sheila assist Adam in caring for Joe. Sheila encourages them to leave the West.

Joe and five others are passengers on a stage when it crashes and kills the driver. Another passenger is killed with Joe's knife. The others are sure Joe did it, but also know that Joe is the only one that can lead them out of the wilderness.

Hoss befriends a little man with a big attitude problem named Whizzer McGee. Hoss finds him a job in the mercantile.

Ann Wilson and her father Fred are on their way to Joe's birthday party when the wagon breaks down. A man whistling a tune stops to help and ends up killing Ann. Later, her father Fred is found by her body. He's suffered a stroke and the only clue he can give is writing down the name of the song the man was singing -- "New Orleans Woman."

Claude Miller is the joke of Virginia City until he finds silver and makes a fortune. He attempts to get even by buying out mortgages and hires the deputy to work for him. What he isn't aware of is that the deputy has given himself power of attorney.

Tom Slaydon depletes his competition and then overcharges on his freight line. When he sees Joe delivering supplies to the Ponderosa, he retaliates by having him shot.

Nick Biancci has big dreams for his son Mario as a concert pianist. But after witnessing his father's refusal to stand up for himself, he decides he'd rather take after his hero Hoss Cartwright.

While in Dutchman Flats, Hoss is arrested for bank robbery. The Sheriff knows Hoss didn't commit the crime, but wants to impress the townsfolk by catching the crook.