8.2/10200 votes#1 - The River (1)
Season 18 Episode 1 - Aired 9/11/1972
Matt is tracked, with bad intent, along a river gorge by a gang of villains while in custody of one of the gang and $24,000 of their money. Escaping the gang by jumping into the river, Matt is rescued by two kids, brother & sister on a raft, and floats downriver with adventures galore.
Director: Herb Wallerstein
Writer: N/A
8.3/10178 votes#2 - The River (2)
Season 18 Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/1972
Matt is tracked, with bad intent, along a river gorge by a gang of villains while in custody of one of the gang and $24,000 of their money. Escaping the gang by jumping into the river, Matt is rescued by two kids, brother & sister on a raft, and floats downriver with adventures galore.
Director: Herb Wallerstein
Writer: N/A
8.3/10188 votes#3 - Bohannan
Season 18 Episode 3 - Aired 9/25/1972
A faith-healer comes to Dodge. Doc is skeptical.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: William Kelley
7.5/10163 votes#4 - The Judgement
Season 18 Episode 4 - Aired 10/2/1972
A guy comes to Dodge for revenge on a guy who might just deserve it.
Director: Philip Leacock
Writer: Shimon Wincelberg
8.2/10171 votes#5 - The Drummer
Season 18 Episode 5 - Aired 10/9/1972
Daniel Shay comes to Dodge City as a drummer who peddles rat traps as a way of making money. While Daniel continues to look for buyers of his rat traps, he sees a Cheyenne boy stealing a horse. As he looks on memories of a battle at Rock Creek return. While having dinner with Sarah Morgan Mr. Shay wonders about Jimmy Morgan's father who died in the Rock Creek massacre, Sarah mentions that the cavalry ran him down.
Director: Bernard McEveety
Writer: Richard Fielder
7.9/10146 votes#6 - Sarah
Season 18 Episode 6 - Aired 10/16/1972
While trying to catch an outlaw (by riding to the outlaw's hideout) Matt runs into Sarah where she wonders if Matt ever wed. We find that Matt was a deputy in San Antonio. Sarah later tells the group she married Charlie Jackson (Matt) days ago. Charlie Jackson was somebody Sarah knew. Charlie tries to get the outlaws to stop hurting Sarah, Charlie begins to find out of plan that may cause trouble. Sarah later tells Matt that she loves him, but learns that those feelings are not going to return. We find out Matt is after someone who gave him four days in jail. Sarah is forced to Vesco why Charlie Jackson is back in Mexico, because one of Vesco's men knows Charlie Jackson is dead. Sarah tells Matt to leave, but Matt tries to protect Sarah.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/10145 votes#7 - The Fugitives
Season 18 Episode 7 - Aired 10/23/1972
Doc Adams comes into The Long Branch just in time to stop Festus from telling one of his long stories, Doc tells of how his day began and then rest before a baby has to be delivered. Now Doc and Festus have to treat the outlaws younger brother. Festus goes to get Matt as Doc is now left alone to treat the victim. The outlaws are ready for their brother to ride Doc warns that if moved the brother could die. Matt gets there in time to find that Doc is fine, but Festus is bleeding bad. The outlaws brother is dead. Doc tries to get the bullet out of Festus who is weak. One of the Stalcup outlaws comes back to get his brother Danny. Festus turns out fine only to drive Doc crazy!
Director: Irving J. Moore
Writer: N/A
8.4/10180 votes#8 - Eleven Dollars
Season 18 Episode 8 - Aired 10/30/1972
Festus heads to Abilene to bring a woman $11 left over from the sale of her things after her father's death, and finds time to teach two little boys a lesson along the way.
Director: Irving J. Moore
Writer: Paul Savage
7.8/10155 votes#9 - Milligan
Season 18 Episode 9 - Aired 11/6/1972
When a family man lawfully kills a murderous outlaw by shooting him in the back, some people in town start to physically abuse him.
Director: Bernard McEveety
Writer: N/A
7.3/10157 votes#10 - Tatum
Season 18 Episode 10 - Aired 11/13/1972
An ex-gunfighter is dying. He must reconcile with the daughters he abandoned, and wants to be buried next to his wife, who is buried in a town that hates him
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10188 votes#11 - The Sodbusters
Season 18 Episode 11 - Aired 11/20/1972
Matt seen in Doc's office as he tries to asks a farmer how he was shot, the farmer can't say how he was hurt. Lamoor Underwood wants the water on the dead farmer's ground to run free, Pete Brown sets out to make sure that happens. Clarabelle is asked to leave her land because somebody wants the water rights. Pete Brown is shot for trying to help Clarabelle and other farmers. Matt tries to get Underwood to work with the farmers over water rights. Matt arrests Pete Brown but doesn't want to leave. Matt is hit in the back of the head because he knew Pete's real name. Matt takes Pete under arrest.
Director: Robert Butler
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/10148 votes
#12 - The Brothers
Season 18 Episode 12 - Aired 11/27/1972
One psychotic brother is after Kitty to avenge his brother's death.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.4/10231 votes#13 - Hostage!
Season 18 Episode 13 - Aired 12/11/1972
The greatest bad-guy character actor of our time, William Smith, plays Jude Bonner, a bad guy who kidnaps, brutalizes, and shoots Miss Kitty in retaliation for his brother having been caught by Matt Dillon and hung for his crimes. Probably for the first time in seventeen years of Gunsmoke, Dillon takes off his marshal's badge before going after Bonner, with the intent of killing him.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10140 votes#14 - Jubilee
Season 18 Episode 14 - Aired 12/18/1972
A man neglects his family in favor of raising his prize possession: a race horse
Director: Herb Wallerstein
Writer: N/A
6.9/10167 votes#15 - Arizona Midnight
Season 18 Episode 15 - Aired 1/1/1973
A midget arrives in Dodge City claiming he will turn into an elephant at the stroke of midnight. Arizona begins asking for someone to care for him along with three bales of hay. Everyone finds the story a bit far fetched.
Director: Irving J. Moore
Writer: N/A
7.1/10123 votes#16 - Homecoming
Season 18 Episode 16 - Aired 1/8/1973
Two outlaws head back to Dodge City to visit their mother who doesn't trust her son's. Who claim to want to work the farm and take care of their mother. They intend to take their mother's money along with Doc.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10148 votes#17 - Shadler
Season 18 Episode 17 - Aired 1/15/1973
Boone Shadler kills a guard and comes to a stricken town as a priest to keep from been caught by the law. Newly rides into town to try an help take care of sick people. Newly helps take care of Cyrus Himes who is dying. Newly thinks people may have gotten sick because of drinking bad water. Newly test the water to find out what is in it, Matt gets a wire (letter) saying a sheriff released a prisoner 5 days ago. Matt wonders why Newly didn't return to Dodge with the prisoner. Newly wonders if the priest is who he says after seeing Sadler look for a Bible. Sadler tells Dallas Fair he is a convict and that Dallas should go with him.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.3/10210 votes#18 - Patricia
Season 18 Episode 18 - Aired 1/22/1973
Newly falls in love with a woman he met while tending the injured after a tornado. It doesn't take him long to decide to ask to marry her. Doc notes an odd bruise on her arm and her lack of energy. After an exam he wars with his conscience over whether to tell Patricia that she's got a rare blood disorder. He tells Kitty, Matt, and Newly before he marries her. She dies shortly after in Newly's arms and prompts Newly to go back to studying medicine.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: N/A
8.3/10204 votes#19 - A Quiet Day in Dodge
Season 18 Episode 19 - Aired 1/29/1973
Matt comes back to Dodge City after capturing a prisoner he has been following for two days straight. Kitty is upset with Matt for not attending a lunch. To make up for the mistake Matt asks her out for dinner.
Director: Alf Kjellin
Writer: N/A
8.1/10208 votes#20 - Whelan's Men
Season 18 Episode 20 - Aired 2/5/1973
A former lawman that Dillon put out of business years earlier comes back with a group of men to gun him down. Since Dillon is out of town, they settle in at the Long Branch to play poker and wait. Kitty does the only thing she can do. She bets the entire town's wealth and Matt's life against the outlaw's hand.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10151 votes#21 - Kimbro
Season 18 Episode 21 - Aired 2/12/1973
Matt runs into his former mentor Adam Kimbro and decides to build his self-confidence by deputizing him as a Deputy Marshal.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10152 votes#22 - Jesse
Season 18 Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1973
Festus runs into Jesse Dillard who is wanted for shooting a black man. Festus wants to find out more and take his friend to prison.
Director: Bernard McEveety
Writer: N/A
8.1/10187 votes#23 - Talbot
Season 18 Episode 23 - Aired 2/26/1973
Talbot falls in love Katherine after shooting her husband in self-defense. Katherine wants to learn more about Talbot. Katherine learns of Talbot's plans to rob the bank, she puts her life in danger by telling Talbot she will leave him if he robs the bank.
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
7.2/10164 votes#24 - This Golden Land
Season 18 Episode 24 - Aired 3/5/1973
Matt asks a Russian family to identify three men who dragged their son away. Matt tries to convince Moshe Gorofsky to give his testimony as to how his son died, he isn't sure American laws will protect him. According to Russian law Mr. Gorfsky can't testify in court as to how his son died. He isn't sure if the evidence is strong enough to convict those who killed his son. Gearshon tries to convince his father to let the American judicial system do the job of figuring out who killed his brother.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 18
Every episode of Gunsmoke Season 18 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Gunsmoke Season 18!
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
Season 18 Ratings Summary
"The River (1)" is the best rated episode of "Gunsmoke" season 18. It scored 8.2/10 based on 200 votes. Directed by Herb Wallerstein and written by N/A, it aired on 9/11/1972. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The River (2)".