The Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 1
Every episode of Gunsmoke Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 1!
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 around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad on radio and James Arness on television.
Season 1 Ratings Summary
The best episode of "Gunsmoke" season 1 is "Matt Gets It", rated 8.1/10 from 503 user votes. It was directed by Charles Marquis Warren and written by N/A. "Matt Gets It" aired on 9/10/1955 and is rated 0.1 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Hot Spell".
8.1/10 503 votes#1 - Matt Gets It
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/10/1955
Dan Grat, a gunman hunted by Texas authorities, seeks refuge in Dodge City. Marshal Dillon goes into action against this outlaw who shoots before he talks.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
8.0/10 342 votes#2 - Hot Spell
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/17/1955
Matt intercedes on behalf of ex-con Cope Borden, when Rance Bradley accuses Cope of horse theft and attempts to lynch him. Cope is proven innocent of the charge, but later kills Bradley's nephew in a fair fight during a gambling dispute. Matt is caught in an awkward situation when he must defend the unsavory Cope against the decent people of Dodge.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: E. Jack Neuman
7.7/10 287 votes#3 - Word of Honor
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/1955
Hank Worth, son of wealthy rancher Jake Worth, is kidnapped by three men and held for $20,000 ransom. They shoot him in the back for trying to escape. They call on Doc but Hank dies. The killers decide to let Doc go because he is the only doctor within 400 miles and they fear they might need his services someday. Before sparing his life and freeing him, they force the reluctant Doc to give his word of honor that he will never reveal their identities.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.9/10 301 votes#4 - Home Surgery
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/1955
When returning to Dodge, Chester and Matt are confronted by Holly Hawtree, whose father is desperately ill with gangrene. His only hope for survival is amputation of the affected leg. Matt performs the surgery, but the gangrene has spread too far and the old man dies. Matt later discovers that the presumed accident leading to Mr. Hawtree's condition was actually caused by Ben Walling, who has his sights on Holly.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: John Meston
7.8/10 291 votes#5 - Obie Tater
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/1955
Two outlaws seek the rumored hidden fortune of old prospector Obie. They drag him to get him to tell. Obie forgets his cares and disappears on honeymoon with newcomer Ella May. Matt suspiciously questions the simple Obie about Ella May's motives and finds Obie is deeper than he seems.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.0/10 270 votes#6 - Night Incident
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1955
Little Timmy Wyatt witnesses a series of bizarre murders. He has a habit of telling tall tales, so no one will believe him.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.5/10 262 votes#7 - Smoking Out the Nolans
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/1955
Clay Young is trying to evict Josh Nolan, who says he paid for the property. Matt and Chester are tied up in reluctantly enforcing eviction law unless they can find another way.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: John Meston
7.9/10 247 votes#8 - Kite's Reward
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/12/1955
Matt warns skilled gunman Andy Travis, of his choice between quitting the gun or else being constantly hunted and forced to prove himself. Matt finds a way to foil the $1000 bounty on Andy's head.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.1/10 240 votes#9 - The Hunter
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/26/1955
Buffalo hunter Jase Murdock is warned by storekeeper Ross to stay out of Indian territory. Matt talks with Murdock's skinner, Golden Calf, who determines that Murdock's medicine is no longer good.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 259 votes#10 - The Queue
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/3/1955
Two bullies cut off Chen's pig-tail, gravely dishonoring him in Chinese culture. Chen vows vengeance.
Director: Charles Marquis Warren
Writer: N/A
7.6/10 238 votes#11 - General Parsley Smith
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/10/1955
Old-timer Smith is a former Army officer considered a butcher. He arrives in Dodge City speading rumors about the new Banker, Drew Holt.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Meston
8.2/10 307 votes#12 - Magnus
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/24/1955
Chester is embarrassed at a visit by his estranged mountain man brother Magnus. To prove that Magnus is too uncivilized for town, Chester tours him through the highlights of Dodge: card gambling, drinking, and talking with Kitty. Meanwhile, the Long Branch women plan a Christmas Eve dance which is busted by the spiteful Lucifer Jones.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Meston
7.9/10 281 votes#13 - Reed Survives
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/31/1955
Lucy professes her love for handsome Booth Rider, and concocts a scheme against Ephram. Booth becomes the unwitting pawn in a homicide that culminates in an ironic twist of fate.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10 226 votes#14 - Professor Lute Bone
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/7/1956
Doc is enraged by traveling medicine man Professor Lute Bone and his opium elixir, and digs up a gun to shoot him with. A lad also hunts him because his father died drinking his elixir, so Bone reconsiders the patent medicine business.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/10 224 votes#15 - No Handcuffs
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 1/21/1956
A dishonest deputy sheriff steals a prisoner from Matt's jail, so Matt and Chester hunt them.
Director: N/A
Writer: John Meston
8.1/10 246 votes#16 - Reward for Matt
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/28/1956
Matt kills a man and his widow posts a $1,000 bounty in vengeance. Everyone from sodbusters to gunslingers are out for that reward.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10 219 votes#17 - Robin Hood
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/4/1956
Witnesses refuse to testify against a notorious outlaw.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 227 votes#18 - Yorky
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/18/1956
Yorky, a white boy who was brought up by Arapahoes, is victimized by horse thieves. Accused of their crime, he is shot by the vengeful Abe Brandt and his son. Matt is also targeted by the horse thieves.
Director: N/A
Writer: Sam Peckinpah
7.4/10 216 votes#19 - 20-20
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/25/1956
A former lawman tries to keep his failing eyesight a secret from his enemies.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 207 votes#20 - Reunion '78
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 3/3/1956
A well-liked hardware drummer is actually a man wanted for multiple murders.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10 205 votes#21 - Helping Hand
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 3/17/1956
A would-be tough guy picks on the wrong man in an attempt to make a name for himself when he tries to involve Marshal Matt Dillon by staging a street fight.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10 236 votes#22 - Tap Day for Kitty
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 3/24/1956
An old sodbuster comes to town and decides he wants to marry Kitty. When he won't leave her alone she declares she'll shoot him if he pesters her anymore.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 215 votes#23 - Indian Scout
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 3/31/1956
When an old Indian scout (Eduard Franz) murders a man (DeForest Kelley), Matt pursues him into Comanche territory.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10 244 votes#24 - The Pest Hole
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 4/14/1956
Doc must find a way to thwart a typhoid epidemic in Dodge (Howard McNear appears).
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 237 votes#25 - The Big Broad
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 4/28/1956
Matt has to figure a way around a six-foot-tall, 200-pound woman with a six-gun.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A