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Recap / Bonanza S 13 E 11

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Tropes associated with this episode:

  • Dwindling Party: At one of the most tense points of this episode, it appears this trope will be realized as Doyle — already a psychopath and never one for patience — begins losing his patience with the Cartwrights for the ransom money, as he had threatened to kill the teens (Jamie and his friends) one by one until either the demand was met, they were all dead or — as we'll see below — his desire for killing and bloodshed of innocent people was satisfied.
  • Fire-Forged Friends: Jamie and his three fellow hostages — Judy, Lester and Roberto — weren't particularly close before Doyle and his goons took them hostage, but now are forced to work together to try to escape.
  • The final fight scene:
    • Choke Holds: Once Ben overtakes Doyle, he nearly strangles him to death. Doyle is left in a defeated heap as he and the other fathers are reunited with the surviving teenagers (Jamie, Judy and Roberto).
    • Tap on the Head: Little Joe simply claps one of Doyle's goons (on lookout duty) across the ear from behind, stunning him enough to deliver a knockout blow.
  • Four Little Murder Victims: Actually, only one (the jock/popular Lester) is killed before the Cartwrights overtake the bad guys, but Doyle had earlier designs to kill the remaining three — Hispanic Roberto, beautiful blonde Judy and then Jamie — as he grew impatient with his demands not being met.
  • I Gave My Word: Ben makes good on his end of negotiations with Doyle to give him $25,000 ransom (which Ben could readily afford). Doyle, however, admits he never intended to make good on his end to release the hostages unharmed ... and for a second, the viewer is left to worry that they may be killed.
  • You Said You Would Let Them Go: But Doyle pulls his "I Lied" card out once Ben and the other kids' parents come to the rescue and bring the $25,000 ransom. In fact, he reveals that he plans to keep them captive until reaching the Mexican border ... and then they would maybe be let go (i.e., likely brutally killed, with maybe Judith left to suffer A Fate Worse Than Death).

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