1968
7 Jan. 1968
The Trackers
The Virginia City bank is robbed and a clerk killed. Cully Maco, just released from prison, is the only suspect. When the posse catches up to him, he claims he didn't know about the latest incident anymore than he knew who sent him away to prison for 5 years. So who did kill and steal $161,000?
14 Jan. 1968
A Girl Named George
Attorney Cato Troxell's is defending his brother against a murder charge. When he's found guilty, Cato threatens the judge in front of witnesses. When the judge is killed in his own barn, Cato is naturally brought up on charges. But several days before, a photographer was hired to take a group photo of the Ponderosa and some hands from several surrounding ranches. But how did Cato get in the picture? Everyone swears he wasn't there!
21 Jan. 1968
The Thirteenth Man
The Cattlemen's Association hire a range detective to put an end to the cattle rustling affecting all in their area. What they soon learn is that he has a shady past which includes killings with never any witnesses.
28 Jan. 1968
The Burning Sky
The Cartwrights hire a new bronc buster who brings along a new bride -- an Indian woman who a few locals just don't feel comfortable around. One neighbor in particular takes a dislike to her and she uncovers a secret he has been ashamed to reveal.
4 Feb. 1968
The Price of Salt
The salt bed is now exhausted and the only supply left is in a warehouse and controlled by its new owner. Since everyone needs the salt and they need it now or their cattle will die, the biggest buyer tries to set the price. When a price is reached, they are all up in arms. But the monetary price is nothing to what is finally paid.
18 Feb. 1968
Blood Tie
Ben Cartwright finds himself in a fight for his life when he acts too late on his suspicion that there is more than meets the eye to an amiable, young drifter that Little Joe brought home to the Ponderosa.
25 Feb. 1968
The Crime of Johnny Mule
With Hoss being the lone hold-out during the murder trail of Johnny Mule, he will only have a short time to gather evidence before a new trail is set. But when Johnny breaks out of jail, things look bad.
3 Mar. 1968
The Late Ben Cartwright
When an assassin's bullet strikes him down on the Ponderosa, Ben Cartwright decides to stay "dead" until he can find out who's behind the failed attempt...and why.
10 Mar. 1968
Star Crossed
Candy falls in love with a new arrival but she is being pursued by a blackmailer. When the blackmail plot is revealed, Candy seeks help from the Cartwrights but he returns lodging house of his future bride to find her murdered.
17 Mar. 1968
Trouble Town
Candy finally leaves the Ponderosa and the Cartwright family to marry his longtime fiancé, Lila, in River Bend. His life changes radically, however, when he arrives in the town and finds himself arrested and thrown in jail for something he didn't do. Getting word of his plight, the Cartwrights travel to River Bend, only to discover that the town is controlled by a murderous, corrupt sheriff and his equally crooked deputy.
7 Apr. 1968
Commitment at Angelus
While in the nearby town of Angeles to treat Candy's injured hand, Little Joe offers horse wrangling work to an out-of-work miner friend, Steve Regan. But, when a rearing horse accidentally kills Steve, Little Joe and Candy stay to help the grieving widow and instead find themselves embroiled in a dangerous mine strike, resented by the angry Angeles miners, and discovering that there may be real cause to doubt the mine's safety...and their own.
14 Apr. 1968
A Dream to Dream
Hoss gets to play 'Pa' to two children while he visits their home to buy horses from the children's father who spends more time in the Saloon than he does with his wife and children.
28 Apr. 1968
In Defense of Honor
Longtime hand 'adopted' into the Cartwright family as a baby decides to return to the Indian tribe to which he was born. Indian haters stir up trouble that puts the new treaty in jeopardy.
5 May 1968
To Die in Darkness
Candy and Ben are imprisoned in a mine for a month by a man set on revenge. Years before, the man was wrongly incarcerated by the testimony of Ben Cartwright.
12 May 1968
The Bottle Fighter
Hoss needs a lawyer but the only one available is an alcoholic. Its up to the Cartwright's and Candy to keep him sober until the trial.
19 May 1968
The Arrival of Eddie
After Eddie returns to town and learns Hoss accidentally shot his father, it's up to Hoss to gain Eddie's forgiveness and make amends-and at the same time foil a blackmail plot.
26 May 1968
The Stronghold
Joe is in charge of selling a herd in Dry Wells to the Farrell brothers but he is swindled out of the bankers draft. Joe returns with Candy and Dude to take back what is his.
2 Jun. 1968
Pride of a Man
Joe steps in as teacher when his school mistress girlfriend Abby is thrown from a horse. Joe meets his match when he undertakes to teach the two sons of a hog farmer.
7 Jul. 1968
A Severe Case of Matrimony
When Spanish Gypsies arrive on the Cartwright ranch things get a lot more exciting for Ben, Hoss and Joe as they find themselves the subject of Rosalita's advances.
28 Jul. 1968
Stage Door Johnnies
Joe and Hoss waste time and money chasing after an actress and her lap dog.
15 Sep. 1968
Different Pines, Same Wind
Little Joe devises a mission to claim some government land that would impede deforestation by a timber baron. He encounters a cantankerous old lady living on the land and Joe finds she is reluctant to file a claim.
22 Sep. 1968
Child
While visiting a remote town to await the arrival of Ben, Little Joe and Candy, Hoss is wrongly arrested for the murder and robbery of a hermit miner. When a lynch mob starts to gather, cowboy Child Barnett breaks Hoss out of jail. Both are chased by a posse whose interest is not justice, but the retrieval of the money that the miner was thought to have stashed away.
29 Sep. 1968
Salute to Yesterday
Candy relives his past when he and the Cartwrights help a Cavalry unit that is pinned down by bandits. In that Cavalry unit is Candy's ex-wife, who he still has feelings for. Her new husband is the Captain of the unit.
6 Oct. 1968
The Real People of Muddy Creek
Only a few brave souls remain in Muddy Creek to help Ben and Little Joe defend a town jail and its occupant from the Harper outlaw gang.
13 Oct. 1968
The Passing of a King
Ben sells a prize bull to an old friend, whose unscrupulous son has taken charge of the ranch from his father. The son double-crosses Ben over the agreed price of the bull, only offering to pay well below the selling price. Upset over the deal, Ben stays in town to seek proper compensation.
20 Oct. 1968
The Last Vote
Hoss and Little Joe turn two old friends against each other and the town upside down when they become competing campaign managers in Virginia City's mayoral race.
27 Oct. 1968
Catch as Catch Can
While in small town Tin Bucket to sell Ponderosa cowhides, Candy is accused of cheating in a card game and the Cartwrights are dogged by a mysterious rumor that claims they have fallen on hard times and are desperate for money.
3 Nov. 1968
Little Girl Lost
Ben receives a packaged shipped via Wells Fargo. It is a little girl. She is the daughter of a cousin of Ben. The Cartwrights soon find she is a firebrand who doesn't want to stay on the Ponderosa.
10 Nov. 1968
The Survivors
A white woman, abducted by the Paiutes and thought to be dead, is brought back to Virginia City and reunited with her husband. When it is found she has an Indian baby to a Paiute chief, she is outcast by the towns people and her husband alike. Only the Cartwrights remain her friends.
17 Nov. 1968
The Sound of Drums
Brand new U.S. citizen and vintner, Georgio Rossi, riles his neighbors and risks government wrath when he allows an Indian family to break treaty and camp on his land; meanwhile, Candy woos pretty Regina Rossi, stirring up some trouble of his own when she and her mother try to take over the smitten ranch hand's life...and Hop Sing's kitchen!
1 Dec. 1968
Yonder Man
Ben's friend Beaudry visits the Ponderosa, meets Noreen, a beautiful girl at the Virginia saloon, gets into a roust, ends up in jail but Ben gets the instigators to own up and pay for the damages, so he is free. He asks Ben Cartwright for help starting a cattle ranch, without revealing his rustling and political crimes. Deputy Stryker comes to Virginia City from Montana with a warrant looking for Beaudry.
15 Dec. 1968
Mark of Guilt
A town bully humiliates Hop Sing by cutting off his ponytail. Joe goes into town to deal with the bully. Later the bully ends up dead and Joe is charged with the murder. Hop Sing clears Joe of the murder charges by using an ancient Chinese method for identifying a person's finger prints.
22 Dec. 1968
A World Full of Cannibals
At an old friend's request, Ben agrees to shelter a witness in a government case. He's a witness to several felonies and they've tried to kill him several times already. When he asks to see his wife, he puts them all in danger since she is being watched.