Ep 6. The Scapegoat

Ben Cartwright and his three sons run the Ponderosa Ranch in the Wild West town of Virginia City. In season 6 episode 6 of Bonanza, titled "The Scapegoat," the Cartwrights face a new challenge when a young man named Johnny Chapman (played by actor Robert Walker Jr.) arrives at the ranch seeking refuge from a violent mob.

The episode opens with a group of angry townspeople chasing Johnny through the streets. They accuse him of being a thief and a murderer and demand that he be punished for his alleged crimes. Unable to outrun the mob, Johnny ends up at the Ponderosa Ranch and begs Ben for help.

Ben agrees to take Johnny in and protect him from the mob. However, he soon learns that the accusations against Johnny may not be completely unfounded. The young man has a troubled past and a reputation for causing trouble wherever he goes.

As Ben and his sons try to uncover the truth about Johnny's past, tensions begin to rise on the Ponderosa Ranch. Some of the ranch hands are suspicious of Johnny and believe that he may be guilty of the crimes he's been accused of. Others, including Ben's son Hoss, believe that Johnny deserves a fair trial and that he shouldn't be judged by his past mistakes.

Meanwhile, the mob outside the ranch continues to grow and become more dangerous. They're determined to get their hands on Johnny, even if it means storming the ranch and causing a violent confrontation with the Cartwrights.

With time running out, Ben and his sons must find a way to solve the mystery of Johnny's past and clear his name before it's too late. Along the way, they'll have to face their own prejudices and preconceptions about people who are different from them.

Overall, "The Scapegoat" is a classic episode of Bonanza that explores themes of justice, forgiveness, and redemption. It features some standout performances from its cast, including Robert Walker Jr. as the troubled Johnny and Dan Blocker as the compassionate Hoss Cartwright. Fans of the show will appreciate the episode's suspenseful plot and its many twists and turns, while newcomers can enjoy it as a prime example of the classic Western genre.