The Patsy

"The Patsy" is the 1st episode of The Rifleman Season Two and the 41st episode overall. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis and written by Harry Kronman, it aired September 29, 1959.
==Synopsis==
Three gunfighters use a cowardly barber and his son to talk Lucas into a gunfight so they can kill Lucas and take over the town.
==Watch==
==Plot==
The episode opens with Mark fighting in the middle of town with fellow student Jeff Barrows before Micah breaks the boys up. A gang of three drifters - Sully Hobbs, Doke Marvin, and Lafe Oberly - watch while trying to determine who the head man in town is. They talk to Micah and learn that the boys were fighting because Jeff's dad is a nobody, and he's jealous of Mark for having someone like Lucas as a father.
Jeff goes home to find his father, barber Sam Barrows, day-drinking in the back room of the barbershop. Sam tells Jeff that fighting Mark is useless, and isn't going to make him (Sam) be more like Lucas. Jeff tells Sam he has customers waiting, and Sam comes to the front room to find the three drifters. Sully orders Sam to sit down, and threatens him with a blade, ordering him stand up to Lucas on "a matter of principle" or else he would have to stand up to them instead.
Sam goes to the McCain ranch and begs Lucas for help. Sam asks Lucas to act out a fake confrontation with him in the center of town, and for Lucas to back down from it, to make Sam look like the tougher man. Lucas refuses, and Sam leaves.
In town the next day, Doke and Lafe sit in front of the barbershop while Sully stays inside watching over Sam. Lucas rides into town with the intention of getting Mark a haircut at Sam's barbershop, and when Sully notices, he forces Sam outside to confront him. Sam tells Lucas off and orders him to get out of town. Lucas notices the drifter gang watching closely, and he turns around and leaves town, as Micah watches confusedly.
That night, Sam tries sneaking out of his home but Sully stops him. He asks Sam if he was about to ride out to Lucas's house, and tells Sam that it has to be either Lucas or Sam to get killed. Sam asks him why he's doing this, and Sully tells him he wants to take over the town, and Lucas is going to give it to them (ie. Sam and the drifter gang) allowing Sam to become top dog and impress his son. Sam returns to bed.
The next day, the drifters are continuing to keep an eye on Sam when Lucas arrives back in town. Sully beckons him to go out and confront him again, telling him that they're going to kill Lucas and Micah, and Sam is just going to make it legal. Sully threatens to hurt Sam and his son if Sam doesn't obey.
In Micah's office, Micah and Lucas are putting the pieces together that the drifters are trying to use Sam to get at Lucas when Mark runs in and confesses that he got in another fight with Jeff. Lucas decides to go out and talk to Sam. Jeff runs to the barbershop and finds his father strapping on a gun. Sully beckons Sam out, and Sam reluctantly approaches Lucas silently as the drifters watch from afar. Lucas pulls out his rifle but Sam continues to walk towards him; when he gets close enough he tells Lucas that the drifters are going to kill him (Lucas). The drifters start trying to shoot at Lucas, and Lucas shoots all three of them down, but one of the drifters' bullets hit Sam. Jeff runs to him and tearfully tells him he just wanted Sam to be somebody but he doesn't care anymore; Lucas says, "He is somebody."
==Cast==
===Main===
*Lucas McCain - Chuck Connors
*Mark McCain - Johnny Crawford
*Micah Torrance - Paul Fix
===Recurring===
===Guests===
*Sam Barrows - Whit Bissell
*Jeff Barrows - Don Grady
*Sully Hobbs - John Anderson
*Doke Marvin - Steve Marlo
*Lafe Oberly - Dennis Cross
Category:Episodes
Category:Season Two episodes
Category:Episode pages with completed plot sections
Category:Episodes where Lucas kills someone
Category:Episode pages with overly long plot summaries