WHY The Rifleman touches us

I felt compelled to write about an episode of The Rifleman that I just watched. Margie has a page about this

particular episode.
But still…I felt the need to talk about it. A CASE OF IDENTITY begins with two detectives in search of a young boy. They find the boy quickly and…just as quickly wire there employer to tell him of there discovery. There’s no emotion involved with these so called detectives…their God is money and they want the reward. The problem is that the boy in question is Mark. And so begins the drama of a heartbroken father, believing that he has finally located his long lost son. The other father is Lucas who is stunned when he is informed that another man believes that Mark is HIS son.

Royal Dano plays the grief driven father and delivers a powerful performance. You can REALLY…feel his pain.

Chris Alcaide lurks in the background as one of the detectives. His jaw permanently set, you just know that this guy much prefers a gun to a discussion. Alcaide really knows how to project menace. And…he has a GREAT line when he calls out Lucas…” I hear you’re a bear with that rifle McCain"…Yep…that’s true…Exit Chris!

Later...Lucas tries to prove to the grief stricken father that Mark is indeed…his. But the father…blind in his pain and hope…won’t see the truth. Chuck Connors is superb in this episode. In a span of moments he has to show…shock…anger, pain, empathy and finally happiness. Johnny Crawford also shins and uses his eyes to great advantage. When the heartbroken father finally sees' what he has created his whole posture falls as does his face. The episode ends on a happy note with a boy named ‘dollar ten’ leaving with the father.

This episode epitomizes why THE RIFLEMAN is one of the best television shows ever produced. To be able to cram in ALL of that drama in twenty six minutes is quite an achievement and...As this shows tends to do to me…I a… so called tough guy…smile as the credits roll and wipe away the tear...from my eye…John