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The Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 11

Every episode of Gunsmoke Season 11 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 11!

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.

Genres:WesternAction & AdventureDrama
Network:CBS

Season 11 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Gunsmoke" season 11 is "Seven Hours to Dawn", rated 8.9/10 from 313 user votes. It was directed by Vincent McEveety and written by N/A. "Seven Hours to Dawn" aired on 9/18/1965 and is rated 0.8 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Storm".

  • Seven Hours to Dawn
    8.9/10 313 votes

    #1 - 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

  • The Storm
    8.1/10 198 votes

    #2 - The Storm

    Season 11 Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1965

    A man is convicted of robbing and murdering his partner, but the sons of Matt's old friend are responsible. Matt must arrest the remaining son after the other's dying declaration and make it to Hays City in time to stop the hanging.

    Director: Joseph Sargent

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood
    8.0/10 201 votes

    #3 - Clayton Thaddeus Greenwood

    Season 11 Episode 3 - Aired 10/2/1965

    Thad, son of and deputy to an Oklahoma sheriff, arrives in Dodge pursuing vandals on his father's warrant, not realizing the Oklahoma warrant isn't executable in Dodge.

    Director: Joseph Sargent

    Writer: N/A

  • Ten Little Indians
    8.6/10 229 votes

    #4 - Ten Little Indians

    Season 11 Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/1965

    Someone has placed a fabulous price on Matt's head, and there are many competing to earn it.

    Director: Mark Rydell

    Writer: George Eckstein

  • Taps for Old Jeb
    7.7/10 180 votes

    #5 - Taps for Old Jeb

    Season 11 Episode 5 - Aired 10/16/1965

    After a successful search for gold, two prospectors hire a man, who shows up at their campfire, as a bodyguard.

    Director: James Sheldon

    Writer: N/A

  • Kioga
    7.8/10 179 votes

    #6 - Kioga

    Season 11 Episode 6 - Aired 10/23/1965

    A young Pawnee arrives in Dodge to seek his own revenge on a murderer, not trusting in the white man's justice.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Robert Lewin

  • The Bounty Hunter
    8.6/10 203 votes

    #7 - The Bounty Hunter

    Season 11 Episode 7 - Aired 10/30/1965

    Lured out of retirement with the promise of land, a bounty hunter is aimed by his boss at the man who killed his son; however, he neglects to tell his hound that the reward and charges had been dropped.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Paul Savage

  • The Reward
    8.0/10 163 votes

    #8 - The Reward

    Season 11 Episode 8 - Aired 11/6/1965

    A man who persuaded the good folks of Dodge to invest their money in a mine is out of prison and back to prove that there really is gold in the mine.

    Director: Marc Daniels

    Writer: Gilbert Ralston

  • Malachi
    7.2/10 176 votes

    #9 - Malachi

    Season 11 Episode 9 - Aired 11/13/1965

    While Matt's out of town, his friends play along with a drifter's innocent impersonation of the marshal, but a man comes to town determined to get revenge on the marshal, and he's not playing.

    Director: Gary Nelson

    Writer: N/A

  • The Pretender
    7.9/10 197 votes

    #10 - The Pretender

    Season 11 Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/1965

    An elder brother took the blame for the younger as both were sent away for cattle rustling. When they return home, the younger is not done with doing wrong, nor with asking his brother to cover his tracks.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • South Wind
    8.1/10 185 votes

    #11 - South Wind

    Season 11 Episode 11 - Aired 11/27/1965

    A twelve-year-old boy recovers in Doc's office and then goes with a gun after the man who robbed and killed his father.

    Director: Allen Reisner

    Writer: N/A

  • The Hostage
    8.1/10 198 votes

    #12 - The Hostage

    Season 11 Episode 12 - Aired 12/4/1965

    Twenty-two men escape from a territorial prison. The remaining 4 kidnap Matt hoping to get safe passage into Mexico. One of them has another agenda which he reveals to Matt as they get closer to the border.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Outlaw's Woman
    8.1/10 192 votes

    #13 - Outlaw's Woman

    Season 11 Episode 13 - Aired 12/11/1965

    After a risky train robbery and with two posses on their trail, four men hurriedly ride to some fresh horses. Dillon wounds one of the gang carrying the stolen money and it turns out to be a young woman.

    Director: Mark Rydell

    Writer: N/A

  • The Avengers
    8.3/10 206 votes

    #14 - The Avengers

    Season 11 Episode 14 - Aired 12/18/1965

    A retired judge and his sons abduct Kitty, Festus, and Doc after Festus shoots his other son in order to defend Kitty. The judge "tries" Kitty and Festus for murder, pressing Doc into service as their defense attorney.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Gold Mine
    7.0/10 191 votes

    #15 - Gold Mine

    Season 11 Episode 15 - Aired 12/25/1965

    When Matt is too busy to escort Kitty to a gold mine she inherited, she travels there alone and meets with claim jumpers and other difficulties.

    Director: Abner Biberman

    Writer: N/A

  • Death Watch
    8.0/10 158 votes

    #16 - Death Watch

    Season 11 Episode 16 - Aired 1/8/1966

    Two Bounty hunters bring in a wounded Mexican bandit worth $30,000 and find out the Mexican government might not pay for a man who dies a natural death, so they get the idea of shooting him dead.

    Director: Mark Rydell

    Writer: N/A

  • Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs
    6.9/10 199 votes

    #17 - Sweet Billy, Singer of Songs

    Season 11 Episode 17 - Aired 1/15/1966

    Festus's nephew arrives, seeking a bride who can read and write. He soon finds one, but runs into difficulties earning the money he needs for her dowry.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Raid (1)
    8.7/10 233 votes

    #18 - 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 Raid (2)
    8.6/10 203 votes

    #19 - The Raid (2)

    Season 11 Episode 19 - Aired 1/29/1966

    When one of the gang is hurt after robbing Dodge, the Doc is taken to patch him up. The posse was preparing to go after them but a new problem has been set they must take care of before they can recover their friend.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • Killer at Large
    8.4/10 215 votes

    #20 - Killer at Large

    Season 11 Episode 20 - Aired 2/5/1966

    In Matt's absence, Festus is accused of drawing first on a drunken man. Though innocent, Festus leaves town to avoid Matt having to arrest him, and takes refuge across the border with a widow and her son.

    Director: Marc Daniels

    Writer: N/A

  • My Father's Guitar
    7.2/10 183 votes

    #21 - My Father's Guitar

    Season 11 Episode 21 - Aired 2/12/1966

    A talented guitarist impresses all who hear him on an instrument that is more precious to him than a man's life.

    Director: Robert Totten

    Writer: N/A

  • Wishbone
    8.8/10 208 votes

    #22 - 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

  • Sanctuary
    7.7/10 173 votes

    #23 - Sanctuary

    Season 11 Episode 23 - Aired 2/26/1966

    An outlaw gang shoots it out fleeing Dodge City. When one of them is injured real bad, he hides out in the church where the reverend is fearful but not for himself.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • Honor Before Justice
    7.2/10 177 votes

    #24 - Honor Before Justice

    Season 11 Episode 24 - Aired 3/5/1966

    The Osage Council has found Two Bears guilty of murder. His daughter rides into Dodge seeking Matt's help. Matt is out of town chasing horse thieves, so Thad tries to help. He finds out that he and Matt are really riding the same trail.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • The Brothers
    7.8/10 181 votes

    #25 - The Brothers

    Season 11 Episode 25 - Aired 3/12/1966

    Billy has always looked up to his brother Ed. During a robbery gone wrong, he is arrested. Matt begins to open Billy's naive eyes when his brother tries to free him from jail.

    Director: Tay Garnett

    Writer: N/A