Tropes present in this episode:
- Bigotry Before Reason: Judd Larrabee breaks his promise to sell wheat at the same price as the other farmers, thus earning the hatred of everyone in town, all because he didn't want Joe Kagan, a black farmer to have the same profit as him. When he is accused of barn burning, nobody believes he's innocent, thanks to his actions. Larrabee was about to be found guilty, but Joe Kagan of all people was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Even after Larrabee was ultimately acquitted, he can't even put aside his racism long enough to be grateful of the fact that a black man stood up for him.
- Casting Gag: Jeff Corey is known among other things for his role as bandit Tom Chaney in the original True Grit who, if brought to justice, would face trial under one Judge Parker's jurisdiction. Here, Corey plays a judge named Judge Parker.
- Courtroom Episode: Where much of the drama takes place, as Jud Larabee is on trial … quite possibly for his life when he is accused of burning the Garvey's barn.
- Everyone Has Standards:
- While Jonathan believes Larabee burned his crop and wants him to rot in jail for that (and for assaulting Andy), he admits even Larabee didn't deserve to be hanged for it.
- Joe Kagan is often targeted by Larabee's racism and should be the last person to care about his wellbeing, but when he realizes Larabee is about to be sentenced to hanging when there's little evidence to the crime, he can't bring himself to vote for his conviction, having seen many of his fellow black people hanged in lynchings for even less evidence and realizing the parallels between that and Larabee's trial.
- Just in Time: Andy goes back to the courtroom right as the judge was about to replace Joe Kagan, the only juror who believed Larabee could be innocent, which would culminate in Larabee being sentenced to death, and reveals that he left a lantern near the barn that night and that might be what caused the fire, convincing the judge to give Larrabee the beneift of doubt and acquit him of barn burning (he's still convicted of assaulting Andy though).
- Laser-Guided Karma: Judd Larrabee screws over all the farmers by not keeping his word about not changing the prices for the wheat, he attacks Andy when goes to Jonathan's home with a shotgun and he gets accused of setting a barn on fire. He was this close to being hanged for the crime, but Joe Kagan (a black farmer that Larrabee despises) vouches for him. Even after it was revealed that Larrabee was innocent for the barn burning charge, he was still found guilty for assaulting Andy and ordered to pay damages. He may not go to prison, but his reputation is destroyed. The whole town hates him and his wife (who has had enough of his racism) leaves him and takes the kids with her.
- Like Father, Like Son: When Andy sees that one of the Larabee boys is being bullied for what his father was accused of, he tells the bullies to stop, even though he was directly injured by his father. Larrabee's son not only doesn't understand why Andy stood up for him, but then repeats his father's remarks that it's all Andy's father's fault for the conflict between them which culminated in Andy being assaulted and the Garveys' barn being on fire.
- N-Word Privileges: Racist farmer Jud Larrabee uses the epithet several times, especially toward Joe – first, when Joe is invited to become part of the farmer's cooperative, and later when he learns that Joe is on the jury appointed to hear his trial for barn burning.
- Never My Fault: Even when it's all but pointed out that the whole situation was caused by his breaking his promise to sell wheat at the same price as the other farmers, all just to spite Joe Kagan, Larabee still insists it's all Kagan's fault and Jonathan's for inviting Joe to the cooperation, even though Larabee wronged not only Joe, but every farmer in the town out of Greed and racism.
- Not Me This Time: Larabee is guilty of trying to confront Jonathan at his home with a shotgun and injuring Andy, but insists on being innocent of burning the Garveys' barn. He is telling the truth.
- Put on a Bus: This episode marks the final appearances of Jud Larabee, his (previously unseen) wife and their two sons.
- Rogue Juror: Joe is the lone holdout on the 12-man jury, which is otherwise favoring a conviction. The judge is impatient and wants a verdict sooner rather than later.
- Taking the Kids: After being fed up with her husband's hatred and rantings, Adele Larabee visits him at the ice house where he was being held to announce that regardless of the verdict, she'd leave and take their sons with her, to keep them away from his influence.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: When Jonathan Garvey learns that Judd Larrabee had betrayed all the farmers by breaking his promise, just to spite Joe Kagan, he calls him out on it and finishes his rant by calling him a thief and a liar. Later on, after Larrabee was arrested for barn burning, his wife, being fed up with her husband's racism, would call him out on his hatred.
Adele Larrabee: Hate. That's all you know... is hate.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Joe is the only juror who believes Larrabee could possibly be innocent, and he is able to stall deliberations long enough for more evidence to come to light to acquit Larrabee. When Larabee finds out who was the lone hold out, Larrabee not only doesn't thank Joe, but goes on a racist tirade … until everyone just walks away from him (including his wife), tired of his rantings once and for all.
- With Friends Like These...: Larrabee is on the giving and receiving end of this trope: First he betrays his fellow farmers, including his old friend Matt by breaking the promise to sell his wheat at the same price as them so that none of them would be affected. Then he expects his friend Matt on the juror to vote against his conviction, only for Matt, justifiably pissed by his so-called-friend's betrayal, to vote for his conviction.
- Would Hurt a Child: Larabee doesn't hesitate to shove young Andy down, causing him to hit his head and delve into unconsciousness. While it wasn't Larabee's implicit intention to harm the child, he also didn't lift a finger to help him, either.
