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The Best Episodes of Lawman

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

The Best Episodes of Lawman

Lawman is an American western television series originally telecast on ABC from 1958 to 1962 starring John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop and featuring Peter...

Seasons4

  1. Background image for Lily
    8.4/10(80 votes)

    #1 - Lily

    S2:E1

    Lily Merrill opens the Bird Cage Saloon after being thrown out of Billings, Montana by the sheriff. Dan hears she was involved in a theft/murder, she assumes he wants to be paid off. Dan, of course, refuses money. Both seem surprised that their opinions are wrong, but Dan is still suspicious. One of her dealers again causes trouble, and she looks guilty. There are several mistakes made by Dan (unusual for him) regarding her innocence until the very last scene, where they gain lasting respect for one another.

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  2. Background image for Thirty Minutes
    8.4/10(75 votes)

    #2 - Thirty Minutes

    S2:E24

    In this show, which really is about 30 minutes in the town's life, bad guy (really bad guy) Jake Wilson (Jack Elam) comes to town. At 2:30, he goes into the BirdCage and is soon recognized by a young man, whom he kills right before he shoots Johnny. Then, when Dan hears the shots, Jake engages in a hostage situation, telling Dan he's killed his deputy and will kill his girlfriend unless Dan clears the streets, gets him his horse, and lets him ride out. Shot twice, once by Johnny before he got hit, and once by Dan, Wilson is wounded, in pain, scared, and beligerent (Jack Elam at his best). He terrorizes Lily and the others before the final shootout, which takes place almost on the stroke of 3:00.

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    Director:Unknown
  3. Background image for Blind Hate
    8.4/10(57 votes)

    #3 - Blind Hate

    S3:E35

    Troop (John Russell) tries to avoid bloodshed when an embittered rancher threatens the man courting his daughter. Lucy: Mala Powers. Warner: Jason Evers. Pastor: Ted de Corsia. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for Yawkey
    8.3/10(72 votes)

    #4 - Yawkey

    S3:E6

    Yawkey, who has killed 27 men and has the reputation of being the fastest gun alive, shows up at the Bird Cage and sends notice to Dan that he's going to kill him at 3:30 that afternoon. Dan's never met him, and doesn't know why he wants to kill him. Both Johnny and Lily try to talk Yawkey out of it, to no avail. Dan is determined to do his job regardless of the consequences, much to Lily's dismay. The end is a study in the life of a gunslinger.

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    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for Whiphand
    8.3/10(54 votes)

    #5 - Whiphand

    S3:E32

    Troop (John Russell) steps in when a romantic triangle threatens to erupt in bloodshed. Jed: Med Flory. Cassie: Peggy McKay. Bull: Leo Gordon. McKay: Peter Brown.

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    Director:Marc Lawrence
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for The Press
    8.2/10(66 votes)

    #6 - The Press

    S2:E9

    Lal Hoard gets out of prison and heads for Laramie. Dan had put him away, and he swore revenge. Now, Lily and Johnny are worried, but Hoard seems to have changed. He has bought the Laramie newspaper and wants to settle down. It doesn't take long to see that he is starting a smear campaign against Dan, and then tries to blackmail Lily.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  8. Background image for To Capture the West
    8.2/10(78 votes)

    #7 - To Capture the West

    S2:E18

    Artist Frederick Jameson comes to town. Lily impresses him and he offers to paint her portrait. Meanwhile, a murderous gang is on his trail, and he and his Indian companion both seem to know why, although Dan and Johnny do not.

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    Director:Unknown
  9. Background image for The Mad Bunch
    8.2/10(71 votes)

    #8 - The Mad Bunch

    S3:E3

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for Cornered
    8.2/10(58 votes)

    #9 - Cornered

    S3:E13

    Johnny kills a notorious gunman only because the killer's gun misfires. Although the town wants to make him a hero, he knows the truth. Then he learns that the gunman's son is going to be coming to avenge his father's death, and he's reputed to be faster than his father was.

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  11. Background image for The Grubstake
    8.2/10(55 votes)

    #10 - The Grubstake

    S3:E31

    The lawmen try to protect a saloon hostess from swindlers. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Stephanie: Heather Angel. Rainbow Jack: Frank Ferguson. Lily: Peggie Castle. Jake: Dan Sheridan.

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  12. Background image for 9:05 to North Platte
    8.1/10(65 votes)

    #11 - 9:05 to North Platte

    S2:E10

    Pa Jutes and his sons hold Lily Merrill and a young newsboy hostage in the marshall's office until the 9:05 train to North Platte comes through. It's carrying another of his sons who's being taken to justice by another lawman, and Pa wants to make a 'trade'.

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    Director:Unknown
  13. Background image for Left Hand of the Law
    8.1/10(64 votes)

    #12 - Left Hand of the Law

    S2:E25

    A man whose arm has been amputated because of a shootout with Marshall Troop some time back comes back to town, convinced his son will kill Dan for him. But his son is reluctant to do so.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Chantay
    8.1/10(63 votes)

    #13 - Chantay

    S3:E9

    Chantay is a young Indian girl who runs away from the Indian school because her teacher makes her 'do bad things'. She is followed and returned by an Indian policeman, Great Bear, but not before she meets and is smitten with Johnny. Later, he finds her under the bed in the marshall's office as he's sleeping, to Dan and Lily's shared amusement. He must take her back to the school, and then has to prove she's innocent of murder.

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  15. Background image for Homecoming
    8.1/10(56 votes)

    #14 - Homecoming

    S3:E21

    Troop (John Russell) goes after an escaped murderer who has sworn to kill him. Walker: Marc Lawrence. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Eddy: Ray Strickland. Mary: Adrienne Marden.

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  16. Background image for Blue Boss and Willie Shay
    8.1/10(64 votes)

    #15 - Blue Boss and Willie Shay

    S3:E26

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for The Persecuted
    8.1/10(48 votes)

    #16 - The Persecuted

    S3:E30

    Troop (John Russell) must find another way to deal with a maniacal killer after the man is acquitted in court. Keller: Adam Williams. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Annie: Jean Willes. Roy: Evan McCord. Jake: Dan Sheridan. Turner: Jeffrey Morris.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for The Judge
    8.0/10(63 votes)

    #17 - The Judge

    S2:E32

    Dan and Johnny take a posse and go after a murderous thief who is called 'The Actor'. When a posse member is shot, Johnny takes him back to town, while Dan stays on the trail. Later, Dan is shot and left for dead. He's found by two sisters who take him back to their cabin to care for him. One of them is married to a circuit judge who happens to be 'The Actor'.

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  19. Background image for The Exchange
    7.9/10(66 votes)

    #18 - The Exchange

    S2:E4

    When Lily's estranged ex-con husband, Frank, comes to town she avoids telling Dan who the man is. Dan's suspicious of him- and with good cause. He's holding their son, Tommy, as a hostage to force Lily to help him rob the bank. She tries to handle the matter alone while keeping Dan from finding out anything, which only makes him more suspicious.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for The Breakup
    7.9/10(58 votes)

    #19 - The Breakup

    S2:E6

    Once again Johnny resigns, after being forced to kill an old friend. Dan hires another deputy, but he's no Johnny McKay. He is bombastic and cowardly, pushing people to throw his weight around, but not really wanting to have to fight. Finally, after the new deputy gets scared half to death, Johnny takes his job back.

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  21. Background image for Shadow Witness
    7.9/10(64 votes)

    #20 - Shadow Witness

    S2:E7

    When Beth, a girl who works in the Bird Cage, is murdered, the killer is seen by Oren, an old man with very thick glasses. The glasses are broken as the killer rushes out the door, leaving him dazed and nearly blind. Dan sets a trap, insisting that Oren saw the whole thing and can identify the killer as soon as he gets his new glasses.

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    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for The Shelter
    7.9/10(61 votes)

    #21 - The Shelter

    S2:E12

    A nightime rainstorm forces Dan and Johnny, who are escorting a prisoner, to seek shelter in a cabin. It is lived in by Jack Brace, a thief and a murderer, and his slave, an Indian woman. She tries to warn Dan about Jack, who joins with the prisoner to overpower the two lawmen. The Indian woman helps them as they are being forced to dig their own graves.

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    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for The Lady Belle
    7.9/10(61 votes)

    #22 - The Lady Belle

    S2:E30

    Lady Belle Smythe comes to town to case the bank for her gang to rob. The menfolk in town are taken with her, but she insults Lily's dress after her song in the saloon, and after that Lily is convinced she's a phoney. The problem is trying to convince Dan she's right.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  24. Background image for Return of Owny O'Reilly
    7.9/10(61 votes)

    #23 - Return of Owny O'Reilly

    S3:E5

    Owny catches a wanted man by snagging him on his fishing line. He takes the body back to town to claim the reward, and with Johnny going out of town to collect it for him, he suggests to Dan that Owny be made his deputy while he's gone. The results are hilarious, with Owny trying desperately to copy Dan in everything.

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    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for Dilemma
    7.9/10(59 votes)

    #24 - Dilemma

    S3:E7

    Troop (John Russell) tries to determine the identity of a terrified saloon sweeper being pursued by outlaws. Burbage: Tom Drake. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Shea: Harry Antrim. Walt: John Beradino. Harry: James Anderson. Fen: John McCann.

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  26. Background image for The Catcher
    7.9/10(54 votes)

    #25 - The Catcher

    S3:E12

    Troop (John Russell) goes after a murder suspect, unaware that the real killer is riding with the posse. Catcher: Med Flory. McKay: Peter Brown. Fenway: Robert Armstrong. Bailey: James Coburn. Mrs. Fenway: Claudia Barrett.

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    Director:Marc Lawrence
    Writer:Unknown

Best Episodes Summary

"Lily" is the best rated episode of "Lawman". It scored 8.4/10 based on 80 votes. Directed by Leslie H. Martinson and written by Dean Riesner, it aired on 10/4/1959. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Thirty Minutes".