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Bonanza Season 11 Episodes
Season 11 Episode Guide
28 Episodes 1969 - 1970
Episode 1
Another Windmill to Go
Sun, Sep 14, 196960 mins
An eccentric Englishman arrives at the Ponderosa, his mode of transportation a land-rowing boat. His aim, as the Cartwrights learn, is to expose and challenge Nevada's silly, obscure laws.
Episode 2
The Witness
Sun, Sep 21, 196960 mins
A young woman named Jenny Winters claims to have witnessed a stagecoach robbery which involves one man being killed. After she identifies the culprits as the Logan gang, Ben allows Jenny to stay in protective custody at the Ponderosa. However, the Cartwrights soon learn Jenny is not a very trustworthy person.
Episode 3
The Silence at Stillwater
Sun, Sep 28, 196960 mins
Candy is accused of a string of serious crimes, including murder, robbery and arson in Stillwater, and when the Cartwrights come to his defense, the sheriff refuses to cooperate. Even worse: A young boy claims he positively saw the Ponderosa foreman commit those crimes. The Cartwrights work with the boy to jog his memory before an innocent Candy is convicted and sentenced to hang.
Episode 4
A Lawman's Lot Is Not a Happy One
Sun, Oct 5, 196960 mins
When Sheriff Roy Coffee and Ben are subpoenaed to testify in a land-sharking trial in San Francisco, Hoss is appointed the acting sheriff of Virginia City. Hoss soon finds plenty of trouble on his hands, namely dealing with reluctant bridegroom Hiram Peabody, who wants to get arrested so as to avoid an impending marriage to an undesirable woman (who has been his pen pal and has never met in person). He also must deal with a smooth-talking salesman who plans to sell shares in a planned resort in Virginia City.
Episode 5
Anatomy of a Lynching
Sun, Oct 12, 196960 mins
Will Griner is acquitted of a murder after two key witnesses disappeared before the trial. When a bloodthirsty lynch mob comes after him, thinking him to have silenced the witnesses, Griner goes to the Cartwrights for help.
Episode 6
To Stop a War
Sun, Oct 19, 196960 mins
Joe's old friend, Dan Logan, is hired as a range detective to stop a cattle rustling outbreak. While the usual problems arise, Logan's job is jeopardized when a ruthless rancher shoots a suspected rustler in the back and then pins the blame on Logan.
Episode 7
The Medal
Sun, Oct 26, 196960 mins
Ben offers moral support to Medal of Honor recipient Matthew Rush when he comes down on his luck. But that's the least of Matthew's problems, for he must also contend with the embittered Nagel clan, who has been transplanted from Georgia after they lost their house and land to Yankees. When the Nagels' daughter, Laurie, falls in love with Matthew, she risks much more than just estrangement from her family and, in the process, the Cartwrights become involved.
Episode 8
The Stalker
Sun, Nov 2, 196960 mins
After Candy shoots and kills armed robber James Campbell in self-defense, he learns that he left behind his widow, Lisa, and young son - and a farm to operate. A remorseful Candy decides to help the young woman out, not knowing that Lisa plans to hire a hit-man to kill the Ponderosa's foreman in revenge. However, Lisa learns that Candy has all the qualities that her husband never had and changes her mind, but then they must work together to stop the hit-man from completing his mission.
Episode 9
Meena
Sun, Nov 9, 196960 mins
Joe and Candy compete for the attention of pretty Miss Meena Calhoun, who has come to Lynchville alone, leaving her irascible gold-panning father, Luke, at their cabin. While pursuing the young lass, they run into the Potter brothers, a trio of gold-claim jumpers who are convinced that Joe and Candy have more than love on their minds.
Episode 10
A Darker Shadow
Sun, Nov 23, 196960 mins
Joe's friend Wade Turner, a storekeeper who is engaged and has been offered a promotion at work, tries to deal with a devastating brain tumor that leaves him with a paralyzing sensitivity to bright light and will soon render him blind. Turner lets his pride get in the way and decides to put off both his marriage and a surgery that could save his sight, but his attitude could be far more costly when a co-worker tries to rob him in a remote area.
Episode 11
Dead Wrong
Sun, Dec 7, 196960 mins
During a long ride back to the Ponderosa, thirsty Hoss and Candy stop at the Sunville saloon where Salty Hubbard, known for his tall tales and practical jokes, tells his cronies that Hoss is the notorious bank robber, Big Jack. The town folk initially scoff at Salty's claim but a series of unfortunate events gives the prevarication a ring of truth and there is talk of a hanging. When a contrite Salty admits to Hoss that he lied to impress his friends, Candy thinks of a way to save both Salty's pride and Hoss' life but, as with most best-laid plans, this one goes awry when the real Big Jack comes to town.
Episode 12
Old Friends
Sun, Dec 14, 196960 mins
Two men whom Ben once worked with during a gold claim arrive in Virigina City ... on opposite sides of the law. Naturally, Ben is caught in the middle.
Episode 13
Abner Willoughby's Return
Sun, Dec 21, 196960 mins
While returning home from a horse-selling trip, Joe is verbally ambushed by seafarer Abner Willoughby, who has returned to Nevada to find a stash of gold he hid 17 years earlier in Glory Hole.
Episode 14
It's a Small World
Sun, Jan 4, 197060 mins
Circus midget George Marshall vows to keep a promise made to his wife on her deathbed: find a job outside the circus so their daughter can have a stable life. However, George is unable to find work and turns to Ben for some help. Ben recommends to the town's banker, Mr. Flint, that George would make an excellent teller, but Flint is prejudiced against little people and refuses to hire him. As a result of his inability to find work, George goes broke and - needing some money - robs the bank. Flint immediately has him arrested and wants him to hang. Then, the banker's daughter, Annie, falls down a ventilation shaft and nobody is able to rescue her. Flint has no choice but to call on George to save his daughter's life. Only then does Flint see that midgets have their place in the world and he agrees to hire him (and drop all the charges).
Episode 15
Danger Road
Sun, Jan 11, 197060 mins
Ben needs to transport three large timber beams but the local freight company won't do it. When a new independent freight hauler is approached for the job, Ben recognizes "Gunny" O'Riley, a former soldier in the Mexican-American War, but on the opposite side. Ben finally puts his differences aside and helps Gunny win a lucrative government contract.
Episode 16
The Big Jackpot
Sun, Jan 18, 197060 mins
Candy quits his job at the Ponderosa after inheriting a fortune from an old Indian friend. He takes a job as vice president of a land development and promotion firm, unaware that the president is defrauding customers by selling barren desert land in lieu of the fertile farmland he promised them. Candy soon finds out and recruits the Cartwrights to expose the fraud.
Episode 17
The Trouble with Amy
Sun, Jan 25, 197060 mins
Ben comes to the aid of Amy Wilder, an eccentric old woman and animal hoarder, when a scheming neighbor wants her declared incompetent so he can purchase her home and property.
Episode 18
The Lady and the Mark
Sun, Feb 1, 197060 mins
Former Ponderosa ranch hand Chris Keller seeks refuge at his old workplace after con artists stalk him for his $67,000 fortune. While at the Ponderosa, he meets a beautiful young woman who has plans of her own for the money.
Episode 19
Is There Any Man Here?
Sun, Feb 8, 197060 mins
The daughter of Ben's friend Harry Collier, Jennifer, develops a huge crush for the Cartwright patriarch. Ben notes that Jennifer is the same age as oldest son (and long-since departed Adam), but that doesn't matter. It soon does matter when Jennifer's ex-fiancé, a wealthy banker from San Francisco, shows up demanding to take her back - or else it will be the end of the Ponderosa.
Episode 20
The Law and Billy Burgess
Sun, Feb 15, 197060 mins
A temporary schoolhouse is opened on the Ponderosa, and one of the students is an angry teen-aged boy named Billy Burgess. After a difficult day at school, Billy angrily wishes that his teacher would die. Sure enough, the teacher is found murdered and Billy is fingered as the suspect. Ben, who has been working to counsel the teen and get at the root of his anger, knows the lad is innocent and comes to his aid - even if Billy insists that he killed his teacher.
Episode 21
Long Way to Ogden
Sun, Feb 22, 197060 mins
A ruthless meat packer named Emmett Whitney schemes to monopolize the local cattle industry by buying the rail line that is used to transport the cattle to market, then force the cattle farmers to sell at deeply reduced prices. Ben, championing the smaller farmers and knowing that Whitney could drive many of the Cartwrights' friends out of business, devises a plan to drive Whitney out - even if it means he will lose the Ponderosa if his plan fails.
Episode 22
Return Engagement
Sun, Mar 1, 197060 mins
Eleven years after Lotta Crabtree's last stop in Virginia City caused trouble for a young Joe Cartwright, actress Lotta Crabtree's daughter returns for another engagement in the Nevada town. This time, it's Hoss who finds himself in the thick of a murder case when he is accused of killing daughter Lotta's co-star during a performance.
Episode 23
The Gold Mine
Sun, Mar 8, 197060 mins
Three men come to the Ponderosa. One of them is a young Mexican and Joe tries to bond with him. The other two try to rob them but are caught and chased away. Later they get into are argument with the Mexican and tell him to go away which he does but not after leaving behind something he found, gold. The Mexican returns to the Ponderosa and they take him in and he tells them how ended up with such vile men. The men go to the ranch and take the Mexican and tries to get him to tell them where he found the gold. Joe and the others try to find him.
Episode 24
Decision at Los Robles
Sun, Mar 15, 197060 mins
While in Los Robles, Mexico, Ben is critically wounded by the town's cruel boss, John Walker. Ben manages to shoot and kill Walker, but now his son - the splitting image of his father - is hellbent on revenge. While Joe tends to his father's care, he tries in vain to embolden the town's residents, who for years have been intimidated into submission by Walker and his cronies. Eventually, Joe's efforts pay off and the Los Robles residents mount a stand against Walker's gang.
Episode 25
Caution: Easter Bunny Crossing
Sun, Mar 29, 197060 mins
In the series' only Easter-themed episode, a Quaker woman convinces Hoss to pose as the Easter bunny for the orphanage. While wearing a rabbit costume, Hoss must try to foil the efforts of a bumbling gang that is plotting to loot the Wells Fargo coach.
Episode 26
The Horse Traders
Sun, Apr 5, 197060 mins
Meena Calhoun has gotten engaged to bumbling slacker Virgil Potter, who is now trying to make an honest living in the livery business. Virgil soon finds himself in a heated rivalry with Joe and Hoss, who've opened up a stable of their own.
Episode 27
What Are Pardners For?
Sun, Apr 12, 197060 mins
Hoss meets a couple of drifters who are looking to make some fast money and reveal that they intend to rob the bank of the town they are close to. Hoss tries to talk them out of it but when he fails, he tries to warn the Sheriff. But the bank was robbed and he arrests Hoss, thinking that he's either part of the gang or knows where they are, so he can recover the town's money. Hoss is to be prosecuted and everyone in town is ready to lynch him because they want their money back. Hoss breaks out of jail and finds the men he met and asks them to return the money but they claim they never robbed the bank. So Hoss returns to stand trial.
Episode 28
A Matter of Circumstance
Sun, Apr 19, 197060 mins
Alone at the Ponderosa while everyone else is away on a cattle drive, Joe suffers a compound fracture in his left arm when he is kicked by a horse spooked by a severe thunderstorm. Joe fights to stay conscious and treat his wounds. When he becomes delirious, he fears that gangrene has infected his arm, leaving Joe with a difficult decision: amputate, or not amputate?