"Showdown with Rance McGrew", Poll and discussion thread

A TV Western star (Larry Blyden) finds himself facing the real Jesse James (Arch Johnson).
Originally aired February 2, 1962.

List of musical cues

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Hey, you know, this really isn't bad. I just watched this again and, partly because I remembered it as a pretty bad one, it was better than I expected. The first half of it actually made me laugh out loud a couple times. I'm going to watch it a couple more times before rating it, but right now I'd give it at least a 6. The scene where Jesse James wears a beret and Hawaiian shirt still leaves me cold, however.

"2" Annoying. I love westerns and this ain't no western, parody or not.

There's just nothing at all funny about this one to me. gave it a 1.

I gave it a lukewarm 5. Nothing to get excited about, but I can watch it. Pretty goofy.

It's terrible! Nothing good or funny about it at all. Although I have to admit, I like the way it makes fun of these primadonna tv stars.

I read the adaptation of it the other night, and it wasn't that great, either. But one paragraph sounded a lot like Rod's intro to the episode.

i agree with bevis.. i rewatched this and laughed a little myself (during the first half)

the scenes where rance is filming his show and he keeps yelling "stunt man!" -loved it especially when he is on top of the bar about to jump onto 'jesse james' and another actor has to help rance down from the bar.
also liked the reactions from the stage hand up in the rafters reading a paper-

-ag

Now that I think about it, there might have been an inside joke attached here. Just think of some examples in other episodes where it's painfully obvious that a stunt double has been utilized, looking nothing like the real actor on close inspection:

"Mr. Bevis": When Bevis tumbles down the steps.

"Perchance to Dream": When Hall jumps out of the window.

"Mr. Dingle, the Strong": When Dingle hoists and spins around the anonymous bettor (the stunt double for Don Rickles, that is).

Yes, after captioning it is very noticeable. Phyllis in "What's in the Box" comes to mind and David Gurney in "Person or Persons Unknown."

Leen

Even though this is far down on my personal list I do appreciate the sense of humor in the Zone. While capturing shots I noticed this one.

See the owner of the funeral parlor? It just so happens to be the director's name.

http://img166.echo.cx/img166/8199/nyby1nx.jpg

Cool in-joke, Leen.

I wonder if it was on the in-joke list back at 5D?

Yup.

this episode is funny too me i like it

Just watched this one yesterday. Its not alot about this one to like IMO.
I really didn't go for some of the "overacting".It was probably DESIGNED to look that way because some of the ep was essentially filming of "acting of acting".
I suppose I could overlook some of it for that aspect, but it just didn't have any of
the "Zone Qualities" that I really go for.

I rank this one even lower than "The Chaser" which I didn't like, but was far and away better than this one IMO.
I give this one a measly 2 for that goofy beret and shirt Jesse James was wearing towards the end.

Thank you and good night.
TZ DZ Fan

Something between a 1 and a 2, probably a 1
I didn't like the plot, the set design, OR the acting.

i like the supporting characters in this one. the prop guy and director betting on whether or not rance will break the mirror is great.

Yuck.

It's an okay episode! Rance was a real dork of a cowboy! I find it amusing in parts

Terrible - just slightly better than Cavander, by like 0.000001

1

Yeah ain't it?

Pretty bad. I gave it a "4."

On the plus side it is a nice stab at Hollywood poseurs. I always laugh at those performers that are talking about "life on the streets" or the "life of middle America" while they live these fantastically extravagant lifestyles. (Which leads me to a major gripe of mine...actors who complain how hard the job is because they have no more privacy. I say it's like a person who decides to become a jet pilot complaining about having to fly.) But, I digress...

On the bad side, I recall my dad saying about this episode the same thing he said about some "Star Trek" episodes set on parallel worlds and some "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" episodes with pirates and s**t...."The wardobe and set department must have called the script-writers and told them about a set they could use for an episode before they tore it down."

In the eight TZ episodes on The Definitive Edition, Season 3, Disc 3 ("One More Pallbearer" to "To Serve Man" in chronological order), the short blurbs after the credits alternate between public service announcements and an ad for "Gunsmoke" that goes as follows: "This is James Arness. You know, it's only a short hop from the Twilight Zone to Dodge City 'n' 'Gunsmoke.' Saturday nights over most of these stations." Appropriately enough, one of the episodes that has that particular Arness speech is "Showdown With Rance McGrew."

I wonder if Matt Dillon ever fought Jesse James?

I liked it, and I thought it was funny, however.. I really don't want to see Jesse James in a Hawaiian shirt. Gah.

The premise amused me since I saw "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" for the first time just last night.

El Stinko! This one that you seldom see on TV, and rightly so.

Who the hell gave this one a 10? Damin?

I still want to know, dammit!

I'm still curious whether Matt Dillon ever fought Jesse James.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4629/matthewci0.jpg

You tryin' to get me riled, Beev? In all twenty years of GS I don't believe Jesse had the nerve to set foot in Dodge.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4629/matthewci0.jpg

You tryin' to get me riled, Beev? In all twenty years of GS I don't believe Jesse had the nerve to set foot in Dodge.

Now, Miz Leen, I wouldn't try to rile you none! Thank you kindly.

Top Ten Episode.

*ducks*

I'd throw eggs if it was possible. I'd rate it a 5

http://www.errantys.com/images/commodus-thumbsdown.jpg

Well hey there Joaquin! Thanks for voting, lol

I watched this one last night again. I can definately see how some people can hate it, but I absolutely love it. I have always lke Twilight Zone comedies more than most people on this board.

The concept is just...perfect. I compare to The Bard, but I like this one better. The idea of Jesse James facing random television cowboys is great. The only complaint I have is that Jesse James is far from historically accurate, but it doesn't detract from the story too much.

"You say you got nominated for an Emmy?" = favorite line.

By the way, this score is one of my favorites. Mostly because there are times with no dialouge that isolates the score.


http://seedsofgrowth.com/files/images/no_tomato.preview.jpg

Credit Cadwallader and Paul Giammarco with the research on this: Almost all of the "Rance" score was originally composed for a few different episodes of Gunsmoke, and almost all of that by Fred Steiner. You have to admit that it's appropriate.

Credit Cadwallader and Paul Giammarco with the research on this: Almost all of the "Rance" score was originally composed for a few different episodes of Gunsmoke, and almost all of that by Fred Steiner. You have to admit that it's appropriate.

And then James Arness says at the end that "Y' know, it's only a short hop from the Twilight Zone to Dodge City and 'Gunsmoke.'" Perfect!

This is one of my favorite images from the TZCafe of 2007.
Just priceless.


I think I rated this one a "1".
Quote possibly my least favorite TZ of all time.



Thank you and good night.
TZ DZ Fan

This is one of my favorite images from the TZCafe of 2007.
Just priceless.

Well, we'll see what the next 9+ months bring. Feel free to try to beat this one, folks. (The usual restrictions apply, of course.) Yowsa, yowsa, yowsa.

This is one of my favorite images from the TZCafe of 2007.
Just priceless.

Feel free to try to beat this one, folks. (The usual restrictions apply, of course.) Yowsa, yowsa, yowsa.

Agreed. If I tried to beat this one, it would either end up deleted or the topic would be locked. Dont even want to attempt. I'll let Cyril or Major try for the title.

Ok, I don't like the comedy eps of TZ and the westerns leave me cold so you'd think I'd hate this ep...
but...somehow it works for me. Actually laughed a few times. Especially when Blyden finds himself face to chest with Jesse James for the first time and meekly cries "cut".

This one really isn't very good and the ending is more annoying than entertaining, but I like Larry Blyden for both his TZ performances so it gets a 5 from me.