Closer Than a Brother

Closer Than a Brother" is the 22nd episode of The Rifleman Season Three and the 98th episode overall. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis and written by Cyril Hume, it aired on February 21, 1961.
==Synopsis==
Micah Torrance, struggling with alcoholism and haunted by a gunslinger from his past, turns in his badge and questions his ability to protect the town without Lucas's constant backup.
==Watch==
==Plot==
The episode opens with a clearly distressed Micah Torrance repeatedly drawing pairs of glasses in his office. When a townsman informs him of trouble at the saloon, Micah is uncharacteristically short with both Mark and Lucas, hinting that something is seriously wrong.
At the saloon, a group of rowdy bandits are causing chaos. Micah attempts to assert his authority, but the bandits just laugh at him and don't take him seriously. Lucas arrives to back Micah up, and suddenly the outlaws straighten out and obediently leave the saloon. Frustrated, Micah angrily resigns as marshal, blaming Lucas for overshadowing him and preventing him from earning the town's respect on his own by always showing up to save him. Micah then storms off, taking several bottles of liquor with him.
Lucas later finds Micah in a hotel, drunk and despondent. Micah reveals he's been plagued by nightmares about Ansel Bain, a gunslinger he encountered years ago, and he recently heard that Bain was nearby. Lucas returns Micah's badge and, despite Micah's plea, refuses to confront Bain on his behalf because clearly he has already caused Micah enough harm.
Lucas tracks down Bain and informs him of Micah's whereabouts, leading Bain to force his way into Micah's hotel room and demand a showdown the next morning. A terrified Micah immediately runs to Lucas's house and desperately begs Lucas to back him up against Bain; Lucas refuses, reminding Micah of his earlier ingratitude. Micah rides off as Lucas watches with horror on his face, fearing for his friend's life.
The next morning, Micah fearfully meets Bain as ordered. Bain tells Micah that Lucas had ridden all the way down to Dillsville to tell him where to find Micah, making Micah realize how much Lucas cares about him. Seeing that Bain is nothing to be afraid of, Micah strips Bain of his glasses and smashes a bottle over his head, realizing that what he was actually afraid of wasn't Bain but was his own weakness.
As Micah leaves the saloon, he finds Lucas waiting outside with his rifle ready. Micah says he should have known that Lucas was there to back him up as usual, but Lucas says he was just there to watch, and figured Bain was even money to kill Micah, in which case he didn't plan for Bain to walk away alive. The two reconcile and share a laugh together as the episode ends.
==Characters==
===Main===
*Lucas McCain - Chuck Connors
*Mark McCain - Johnny Crawford
*Micah Torrance - Paul Fix
===Recurring===
*Sweeney - Bill Quinn
===Guests===
*Thaddeus - Rex Ingram
*Ansel Bain - Berry Kroeger
*Truelove - Kelly Thordsen
*Mr. Carpenter - Jack Wells
Category:Episodes
Category:Season Three episodes
Category:Episode pages with completed plot sections
Category:Episodes with no fatalities