Bonanza

Wrangler Dan Tolliver has been a hand on the Ponderosa for a long time. Dan showed Ben the ropes when he started. Dan is getting older and slower and Joe and Hoss think he needs easier work to do. After Hoss gets hurt because of something Dan does, Ben reluctantly agrees to talk to Dan. Ben gently offers Dan easier jobs on the ranch. Dan is insulted, quits and joins up with outlaws planning to rob the Ponderosa.

Joe visits old friends Morgan Tanner and his wife. Morgan has a broken arm that is not healing well. A horse thief tries to steal one of Morgans horses and both Joe and Morgan shoot at him. The thief is killed and it turns out there is a reward for his capture. Joe takes the credit for the kill because he and his wife could use the reward money.

The four Lowell sisters arrive from Boston to claim the ranch their uncle left them. Upon arriving, they find the ranch being auctioned for unpaid taxes. Unbeknownst to the Lowells, two cattle men have rigged the auction because they need the property to hide stolen cattle. The Lowells do not have enough money to pay the taxes and are about to lose the property. Ben steps in and pays the taxes for them.

Old Charlie likes to tell tales Hoss doesnt believe. Charlies wife explains he does really help people in need - even by putting his own life at risk. Later, Billy Barker decides to rob Charlie. Hoss comes to the rescue. Billy falls on his own knife and dies. After Hoss tells Charlie to take the reward money for killing Billy, Charlie begins to brag.

Ben turns in Charlie Twos father after seeing him kill a man. Before he is hung, Charlie Twos father makes him promise to kill Ben Cartwright. When Joe hears about Charlie Twos plan, he rides out and meets Charlie Two on the way to the Ponderosa. Joe decides to ride with Charlie Two, but does not reveal his identity. After they get to know each other and find they have a lot in common, Charlie decides not to fulfill the promise he made to his father.

Joe is shot "in the Ponderosa" by a ricochet bullet. Joe insists that Hoss arrest the culprit. All they have to go on is a hat Joe found with initials in it. Hoss goes on an adventure to look for the culprit and, after talking to other families, finds a new appreciation for his own.

Joe is in Chiso on a cattle buying trip when he meets Steve Friday. Friday used to be a hand on the Ponderosa, but has become a gunfighter. Friday is sick and Joe is the only one in town that will help him. Judge Wylitt, whose son Friday killed in a gunfight, is planning to avenge his sons death.

Paul Rowan has been the Sheriff of Concho for the past 12 years, but lately his behavior has become unpredictable. Ben visits Paul, his wife Catherine and son Timmy. He sees first hand how Paul has been suffering from headaches, sleeplessness and erratic behavior. Ben eventually gets Paul to go to a new hospital in Washington.

Joe visits old friends Tom and Ellie Sue Blackwell who have fallen on hard times due to a drought. Tom says he has been looking for work. What Ellie does not know is that Tom belongs to a gang of outlaws. She discovers the truth when the outlaws come to her home with her husband and demand she take care of one of their wounded members.

Amigo is wounded while leaving a holdup with his gang. The gang has been terrorizing the territory. Ben is riding with the posse searching for the gang. He finds the wounded Amigo and saves him from the angry posse by taking him home.

The stage carrying Sheriff Rimbau, Hoss, Joe and some others stop at Red Creek station and find the Sheriffs brother shot and another man killed. The Sheriff wants to track down the drifters that his brother said did the shooting. Joe and some others join the posse searching for the men. Joe learns the Sheriff is not interested in bringing the suspects in for a fair trial.

Matt Jeffers is in trouble. His ranch is about to be sold for back taxes, his land is drying up for lack of water and his son is losing interest in the ranch. The trouble culminates when Matts son is shot.

Napoleon leads a gang of young troublemakers who are terrorizing Virginia City. They steal horses, disrupt a benefit for the school, steal the money that was raised and arm themselves with stolen guns. In a showdown in town, Joe shows Napoleons gang what a coward he really is. His gang abandons him.

Even though the coroners inquest found Joe shot in self defense, he feels guilty for killing Zach Krenshaw. Zachs father Amos makes a point of telling Joe he thinks Joe should hang for the murder.

Gus Shultz, an old prospector, comes into Virginia City claiming he finally struck gold. Word quickly spreads that the strike was made on the Ponderosa. The Cartwrights fear their ranch will be overrun with greedy gold prospectors.