Ep 5. The Fighter

Bat Masterson season 1 episode 5 is titled The Fighter. The episode revolves around Bat Masterson's encounter with a group of thugs who are trying to force young boxers into taking part in rigged fights. Bat becomes aware that Terence Meighan, a talented boxer, is being threatened by the gang and decides to intervene into the matter.

Bat promises Terence that he will help him out of the dangerous situation he is in and brings him to his own gym. Bat trains Terence and makes him fit for his upcoming fight against his opponent. However, Bat learns that the thugs have plans to make Terence lose the fight at any cost. This leads Bat to come up with a plan to foil the gang.

To ensure a fair fight, Bat approaches the rival gang and takes up the role of a shady promoter. He convinces them to let Terence fight fairly with his opponent for a prize money of $200. Bat then rigs the betting by putting up the prize money and manipulating the odds.

As the fight begins, Terence appears to be losing the fight, but just when the opponent thinks he has won, Terence makes a sudden move and knocks him out, winning the fight. Bat gives Terence the prize money and informs him that he has purchased a train ticket for him to go back home and start a new life away from trouble.

The episode also covers a romantic subplot, where Bat Masterson meets a woman named Lily, whom he had fallen in love with. Lily is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and is engaged to be married to another man. Bat and Lily spend a romantic night together, but Lily's father does not approve of their relationship, leading to a confrontation between Bat and Lily's father.

Overall, The Fighter is an exciting episode with multiple storylines going on at once. It showcases Bat Masterson's wit, intelligence, and fighting skills while also giving us a glimpse of his romantic side. The episode has a satisfying ending, with Bat Masterson being able to save Terence and tying up loose ends in his own love life.