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The Best Episodes of Gunsmoke

Every episode of Gunsmoke ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Gunsmoke!

Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and...
Genres:WesternAction & AdventureDrama
Network:CBS

Best Episodes Summary

"The Gallows" is the best rated episode of "Gunsmoke". It scored 9.2/10 based on 380 votes. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and written by John Meston, it aired on 3/3/1962. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Caleb".

  • The Gallows
    9.2/10380 votes
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    #1 - The Gallows

    Season 7 Episode 22 - Aired 3/3/1962

    While returning suspected killer Pruit Dover to Dodge to stand trial, Matt is shot and badly wounded, and yet Dover stays with him and nurses him back to health.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: John Meston

  • Caleb
    9.0/10289 votes
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    #2 - Caleb

    Season 9 Episode 26 - Aired 3/28/1964

    Caleb Marr comes to Dodge in search of a meaningful life after finally acknowledging his failure at farming.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • With a Smile
    8.9/10319 votes
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    #3 - With a Smile

    Season 8 Episode 29 - Aired 3/30/1963

    A rancher's spoiled son believes even after he is convicted of murder that his father's wealth and influence will save him from the hangman.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: John Meston

  • Seven Hours to Dawn
    8.9/10313 votes
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    #4 - Seven Hours to Dawn

    Season 11 Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1965

    Mace Gore's gang has taken over Dodge. When Matt is believed killed, Festus and Doc have a plan to lure Gore into a trap, even though his usual plan is to leave by dawn.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Sam McTavish, M.D.
    8.9/10257 votes
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    #5 - Sam McTavish, M.D.

    Season 16 Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1970

    Doc Adams feels that Sam McTavish (who is a woman Doctor) may replace him.

    Director: Bernard McEveety

    Writer: Bethel Leslie

  • The Cabin
    8.8/10295 votes
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    #6 - The Cabin

    Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 2/22/1958

    Matt get caught in a blizzard then finds shelter in a cabin but finds more than he bargained for.

    Director: John Rich

    Writer: John Meston

  • Long, Long Trail
    8.8/10345 votes
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    #7 - Long, Long Trail

    Season 7 Episode 6 - Aired 11/4/1961

    A headstrong young woman will undertake the long, dangerous journey to her fiancé's fort on her own if she must, so Matt nominates himself to escort her.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: Kathleen Hite

  • The Quest for Asa Janin
    8.8/10234 votes
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    #8 - The Quest for Asa Janin

    Season 8 Episode 38 - Aired 6/1/1963

    A young man is convicted of killing the saloon girl he wanted for his own. Matt is so sure that the young man is really innocent that he goes on the road after another suspect to prevent an unjust hanging.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • Prairie Wolfer
    8.8/10262 votes
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    #9 - Prairie Wolfer

    Season 9 Episode 16 - Aired 1/18/1964

    Festus returns to Dodge from wolfing and is hired by the Cattleman's Association to hunt down the wolves killing everyone's cattle. What he finds is that what's been doing the preying may wind him up in prison if he doesn't get Matt's help.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: John Dunkel

  • Wishbone
    8.8/10208 votes
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    #10 - Wishbone

    Season 11 Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1966

    Festus has a habit of using the wishbone from a dead chicken for making wishes on. When he comes across Doc Adams, alone and snakebit, he uses that wish to help him, if it can. Meanwhile, Matt searches for three outlaws who held up a stage, killing the driver and guard.

    Director: Marc Daniels

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • Mannon
    8.8/10278 votes
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    #11 - Mannon

    Season 14 Episode 17 - Aired 1/20/1969

    Gunman Will Mannon comes to Dodge, after shooting Festus and taking his mule, to face Matt in a gunfight.

    Director: Robert Butler

    Writer: N/A

  • The Widow-Maker
    8.8/10237 votes
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    #12 - The Widow-Maker

    Season 19 Episode 5 - Aired 10/8/1973

    A gunfighter wants to forget his past... and wants everyone else to forget it too. Unfortunately for him, this is not easy to accomplish...

    Director: Bernard McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Island in the Desert (1)
    8.8/10194 votes
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    #13 - Island in the Desert (1)

    Season 20 Episode 11 - Aired 12/2/1974

    Festus, in the desert hunting escaped killer Gard Dixon is wounded by the outlaw. He is found by Ben Snow, a half-crazy hermit who has been living in the desert with his gold for many years.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Island in the Desert (2)
    8.8/10182 votes
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    #14 - Island in the Desert (2)

    Season 20 Episode 12 - Aired 12/9/1974

    While Matt and Newly hunt for Festus, Ben Snow and Festus attempt to haul his gold out of the desert.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Where'd They Go
    8.7/10239 votes
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    #15 - Where'd They Go

    Season 5 Episode 27 - Aired 3/12/1960

    When Jonas accuses Clint Dodie of robbing his store, Matt and Chester set out in the bitter cold go to Clint's farm to make an arrest.

    Director: Jesse Hibbs

    Writer: John Meston

  • The Renegades
    8.7/10218 votes
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    #16 - The Renegades

    Season 8 Episode 18 - Aired 1/12/1963

    Quint says that white renegades, not Indians, are the cause of recent raids around Dodge. Working shotgun on the stage, he proves his point when he is attacked, then pursued by those renegades. His "Indian" skills save him and a colonel's daughter who has contempt for half-Comanche Quint.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: John Meston

  • Kate Heller
    8.7/10246 votes
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    #17 - Kate Heller

    Season 9 Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/1963

    A teen-aged boy who robbed and killed to impress a saloon gal is pursued by Matt. The boy waylays Matt and leaves him for dead, then goes home to his grandmother's house to find her nursing Matt back to health.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Kathleen Hite

  • Once a Haggen
    8.7/10234 votes
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    #18 - Once a Haggen

    Season 9 Episode 18 - Aired 2/1/1964

    A man is stabbed after winning in a poker game, and Festus is suspected.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: N/A

  • Hung High
    8.7/10285 votes
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    #19 - Hung High

    Season 10 Episode 8 - Aired 11/14/1964

    As Matt takes a convicted man to Hays City for hanging, Matt and the prisoner are waylaid and the prisoner lynched. Matt is framed for the killing, then arrested by a sergeant with a grudge against him.

    Director: Mark Rydell

    Writer: John Meston

  • Chicken
    8.7/10219 votes
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    #20 - Chicken

    Season 10 Episode 11 - Aired 12/5/1964

    Mistakenly hailed as a hero who downed four robbers, a man rethinks his decision to let folks regard him as a gunfighter when protecting the woman he wants calls for a gunman's skill.

    Director: Andrew V. McLaglen

    Writer: John Meston

  • The Raid (1)
    8.7/10233 votes
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    #21 - The Raid (1)

    Season 11 Episode 18 - Aired 1/22/1966

    A band of robbers have hit numerous banks with uncanny precision, planning and ease. They have their sights on Dodge now but they must remove a big obstacle before they can proceed - Marshal Dillon.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • The Jailer
    8.7/10681 votes
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    #22 - The Jailer

    Season 12 Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/1966

    Six years after her husband's hanging, Ma Stone plots her revenge against Matt Dillon by first kidnapping Kitty to use as a lure and then jailing Matt to be hanged on the morning of the second day with Kitty watching as her man died.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Gunfighter, R.I.P.
    8.7/10277 votes
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    #23 - Gunfighter, R.I.P.

    Season 12 Episode 6 - Aired 10/22/1966

    A gunfighter (McGavin) hired to murder Matt Dillion gets wounded while trying to save the life of an elderly Chinese man.

    Director: Mark Rydell

    Writer: N/A

  • Zavala
    8.7/10243 votes
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    #24 - Zavala

    Season 14 Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/1968

    Good western. Mostly action, not too much girl stuff. Gunplay by Dillon very very good in this one. Story is about Dillon taking a warrant into Mexico. He finds the culprit and outdraws him. One of the latter's gang members travels back to the US and tells Jim Davis that Dillon killed his brother. Davis responds with violence, then rides into Mexico and faces Dillon. The human interest part of this movie centers about the likeable Mexican kid, ""Paco"". Dillon and him get along so good that I'm wondering about the sexuality of one of the film bosses. About Rico Alaniz... top-notch performance. He's the guy who, in the movie ""Magnificent Seven"", was always saying 'no, don't anger Calvera, give him what he wants"".

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • Matt's Love Story
    8.7/10274 votes
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    #25 - Matt's Love Story

    Season 19 Episode 3 - Aired 9/24/1973

    A wounded Matt Dillon suffers amnesia then falls in love with a widow. Matt's first TV kiss, not to Miss Kitty, but to guest star Michael Learned.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A