Original Airdate: October 16, 1959
Plot: A drunken, washed-up gunslinger rediscovers his self respect after a few seemingly lucky shots bring him notoriety once more. This works against him though, as he is challenged to a shootout and fears reentering the life of violence he once knew. He takes a magic potion that ensures him perfect aim, only to find out that his challenger has taken the same potion.
A fairly entertaining episode, but not what I expected. Mr. Denton is initially an alcoholic, so I thought this would be an anti-drinking story, but Denton sobers up quickly. I was left wondering in which direction this would go. There was the mysterious traveling merchant, Henry Fate... what was he planning? Eventually we see that Fate intends to give Denton his life back, while taking away his quick draw abilities so his existence can be a peaceful one. In the process a young gunslinger is also robbed (or freed, rather) of his shooting hand, and thus his life is saved. This, in some twisted way, exonerates Denton of the guilt of killing a minor in a shootout, the very event that lead him to begin drinking in the first place. The moral we're left with, I think, is that... violence is bad.
Well, what it lacks in psychological significance, it makes up for in memorable visuals and performances. Dan Duryea makes a believable reluctant gunslinger as well as a drunk, though the latter trait washes off of his countenance perhaps a little too swiftly. Also look for a young Martin Landau as a bully and a jerk.
Definitely fun to watch, though the underlying message becomes overshadowed by our curiosity at the nature of the supernatural elements of the story. Coming hot off the heels of episode two, I was disappointed to see, once more, both a mobile salesman as well as a personified idea (Fate) – this time in the same character. This could probably have been remedied by swapping this episode with another, but since this idea-person plays the role of aid instead of antagonist, I'll let it slide. Still, Henry "Fate" is just a little on-the-nose. How about a different name, like Justice or Lesson? Just an idea... fifty years too late.
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