Ep 1. Target

In the first episode of Gunsmoke's fifth season, entitled "Target," viewers find themselves in the small, dusty town of Dodge City once again. As the opening credits roll, the familiar faces of Marshal Matt Dillon (played by James Arness), Doc Adams (played by Milburn Stone), and Miss Kitty (played by Amanda Blake) flash across the screen.

The episode begins with a group of cowboys riding into town, led by a man named Jake Shelton (played by Claude Akins). They stop at the Long Branch Saloon, where Jake proceeds to drink heavily and cause a scene. Miss Kitty and the other saloon girls try to calm him down, but he's clearly in no mood for peace.

Meanwhile, Matt Dillon is at the sheriff's office, talking with a man named Joe Harpe (played by Tom Reese). Joe is a former gunslinger who has recently gotten married and is trying to leave his violent past behind. He's in town to sell some cattle, and Matt offers to help him out.

As Matt and Joe are walking down the street, they see Jake and his men causing a ruckus outside the saloon. Matt knows that trouble is brewing, and he tries to intervene. But before he can do anything, shots ring out, and Jake and his men ride off, leaving two men dead in the street.

Matt springs into action, gathering a posse to apprehend Jake and his gang. They set out after them, riding hard across the open prairie. But as they close in on the outlaws, a fierce gunfight breaks out, and the posse is quickly pinned down.

It's clear that Jake and his men have the upper hand, and things look bleak for Matt and his posse. But just when all seems lost, a group of Sioux Indians ride onto the scene, attacking Jake and his gang with arrows and spears. In the chaos, Matt and his posse manage to apprehend Jake and his right-hand man, a dangerous outlaw named Jim (played by James Coburn).

The episode ends with Jake and Jim in jail, awaiting trial for their crimes. Joe Harpe rides out of town, grateful to Matt for helping him out of a tight spot. And as the sun sets on Dodge City, Matt Dillon reflects on the danger of living in the Wild West and the importance of upholding the law in even the most dangerous of circumstances.