Ep 16. The Far, Far Better Thing

The Far, Far Better Thing is an episode from season six of the iconic Western TV series, Bonanza. This episode is a classic tale of love, sacrifice, and family. The Cartwrights are faced with a difficult situation when Rebecca Kaufman, a woman from Ben's past, returns to Virginia City.

Rebecca is a school teacher who has been ousted from her job in another town for teaching evolution. She is in desperate need of a new job and has come to Virginia City hoping that Ben might be able to help her. Ben is happy to see her and offers her a job teaching at the school in town. She accepts the offer and settles into her new life in Virginia City.

At the same time, two men, Matt and Sam Porter, arrive in town looking for Rebecca. They are her brothers and they have been searching for her for years. They are happy to have found their sister and want to take her back home with them to Ohio. However, Rebecca does not want to leave her new life in Virginia City and the job that Ben has given her.

Matt and Sam are not deterred, and they try to convince her that life will be better back home with them. They want to take her back to Ohio to marry a man named Joshua who is waiting for her. Rebecca is torn between her loyalty to her brothers and her desire to stay in Virginia City.

The Cartwrights become involved in the situation when they learn that Matt and Sam plan to take Rebecca by force if necessary. Ben and his sons are determined to protect Rebecca and keep her safe from her brothers. This leads to a tense and dramatic showdown when the Porter brothers come to the Ponderosa to take Rebecca away.

The Far, Far Better Thing is a powerful episode that explores themes of family, loyalty, and sacrifice. The relationship between Rebecca and her brothers is particularly poignant as they are torn between their love for her and their desire to control her life. The Cartwrights, with their strong family bonds and loyalty to each other, provide a foil to the dysfunctional relationship between Rebecca and her brothers.

The episode also touches on the theme of education and the conflict between science and religion. Rebecca's insistence on teaching evolution puts her at odds with the conservative values of the townspeople, and ultimately leads to her being fired from her job. This was a controversial issue at the time the episode was made, and it adds an interesting layer of complexity to the story.

The acting in The Far, Far Better Thing is top-notch, with special praise going to the guest star, Colleen Dewhurst, who plays Rebecca. Dewhurst brings a depth and nuance to the character that makes the audience feel invested in her story. Her chemistry with Lorne Greene, who plays Ben Cartwright, is electric and adds to the drama of the episode.

In conclusion, The Far, Far Better Thing is a standout episode from season six of Bonanza. It tackles complex themes with sensitivity and drama, and features exceptional acting from the entire cast. Fans of the show will not want to miss this captivating and emotional episode.