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Season guide

Gunsmoke: Season 1

39 episodes Premiered Sep 9, 1955 Updated Jul 26, 2026

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series. The series premiered on September 10, 1955, and initially consisted of a first season. The series is a Western drama that also incorporates elements of action and adventure. It was created by a direct adaptation of a radio series of the same name. The television series ran for a total of 635 episodes, concluding on March 31, 1975.

Season overview

Gunsmoke is an American Western television series. The series premiered on September 10, 1955, and initially consisted of a first season. The series is a Western drama that also incorporates elements of action and adventure. It was created by a direct adaptation of a radio series of the same name. The television series ran for a total of 635 episodes, concluding on March 31, 1975.

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Season 1 Episodes

Episode Guide

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Season 1: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

13%
87%
Mytharc (5): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (34): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S1·E1 Mytharc

Matt Gets It

Sep 10, 1955 · 26 min

Dan Grat, a gunman hunted by Texas authorities, seeks refuge in Dodge City. Marshal Dillon goes into action against this outlaw who shoots before he talks.

S1·E2 Core

Hot Spell

Sep 17, 1955 · 26 min

Matt intercedes on behalf of ex-con Cope Borden, when Rance Bradley accuses Cope of horse theft and attempts to lynch him. Cope is proven innocent of the charge, but later kills Br

S1·E3 Mytharc

Word of Honor

Oct 1, 1955 · 26 min

Hank Worth, son of wealthy rancher Jake Worth, is kidnapped by three men and held for $20,000 ransom. They shoot him in the back for trying to escape. They call on Doc but Hank die

S1·E4 Mytharc

Home Surgery

Oct 8, 1955 · 26 min

When returning to Dodge, Chester and Matt are confronted by Holly Hawtree, whose father is desperately ill with gangrene. His only hope for survival is amputation of the affected l

S1·E5 Core

Obie Tater

Oct 15, 1955 · 26 min

Two outlaws seek the rumored hidden fortune of old prospector Obie. They drag him to get him to tell. Obie forgets his cares and disappears on honeymoon with newcomer Ella May.

S1·E6 Core

Night Incident

Oct 29, 1955 · 26 min

Little Timmy Wyatt witnesses a series of bizarre murders. He has a habit of telling tall tales, so no one will believe him.

S1·E7 Core

Smoking Out the Nolans

Nov 5, 1955 · 26 min

Clay Young is trying to evict Josh Nolan, who says he paid for the property. Matt and Chester are tied up in reluctantly enforcing eviction law unless they can find another way.

S1·E8 Core

Kite's Reward

Nov 12, 1955 · 26 min

Matt warns skilled gunman Andy Travis, of his choice between quitting the gun or else being constantly hunted and forced to prove himself. Matt finds a way to foil the $1000 bount

S1·E9 Core

The Hunter

Nov 26, 1955 · 26 min

Buffalo hunter Jase Murdock is warned by storekeeper Ross to stay out of Indian territory. Matt talks with Murdock's skinner, Golden Calf, who determines that Murdock's medicine is

S1·E10 Core

The Queue

Dec 3, 1955 · 26 min

Two bullies cut off Chen's pig-tail, gravely dishonoring him in Chinese culture. Chen vows vengeance.

S1·E11 Core

General Parsley Smith

Dec 10, 1955 · 26 min

Old-timer Smith is a former Army officer considered a butcher. He arrives in Dodge City speading rumors about the new Banker, Drew Holt.

S1·E12 Core

Magnus

Dec 24, 1955 · 26 min

Chester is embarrassed at a visit by his estranged mountain man brother Magnus. To prove that Magnus is too uncivilized for town, Chester tours him through the highlights of Dodge:

S1·E13 Core

Reed Survives

Dec 31, 1955 · 26 min

Lucy professes her love for handsome Booth Rider, and concocts a scheme against Ephram. Booth becomes the unwitting pawn in a homicide that culminates in an ironic twist of fate.

S1·E14 Core

Professor Lute Bone

Jan 7, 1956 · 26 min

Doc is enraged by traveling medicine man Professor Lute Bone and his opium elixir, and digs up a gun to shoot him with. A lad also hunts him because his father died drinking his e

S1·E15 Core

No Handcuffs

Jan 21, 1956 · 26 min

A dishonest deputy sheriff steals a prisoner from Matt's jail, so Matt and Chester hunt them.

S1·E16 Core

Reward for Matt

Jan 28, 1956 · 26 min

Matt kills a man and his widow posts a $1,000 bounty in vengeance. Everyone from sodbusters to gunslingers are out for that reward.

S1·E17 Core

Robin Hood

Feb 4, 1956 · 26 min

Witnesses refuse to testify against a notorious outlaw.

S1·E18 Core

Yorky

Feb 18, 1956 · 26 min

Yorky, a white boy who was brought up by Arapahoes, is victimized by horse thieves. Accused of their crime, he is shot by the vengeful Abe Brandt and his son. Matt is also targeted

S1·E19 Core

20-20

Feb 25, 1956 · 26 min

A former lawman tries to keep his failing eyesight a secret from his enemies.

S1·E20 Core

Reunion '78

Mar 3, 1956 · 26 min

A well-liked hardware drummer is actually a man wanted for multiple murders.

S1·E21 Core

Helping Hand

Mar 17, 1956 · 26 min

A would-be tough guy picks on the wrong man in an attempt to make a name for himself when he tries to involve Marshal Matt Dillon by staging a street fight.

S1·E22 Core

Tap Day for Kitty

Mar 24, 1956 · 26 min

An old sodbuster comes to town and decides he wants to marry Kitty. When he won't leave her alone she declares she'll shoot him if he pesters her anymore.

S1·E23 Core

Indian Scout

Mar 31, 1956 · 26 min

When an old Indian scout (Eduard Franz) murders a man (DeForest Kelley), Matt pursues him into Comanche territory.

S1·E24 Core

The Pest Hole

Apr 14, 1956 · 26 min

Doc must find a way to thwart a typhoid epidemic in Dodge (Howard McNear appears).

S1·E25 Core

The Big Broad

Apr 28, 1956 · 26 min

Matt has to figure a way around a six-foot-tall, 200-pound woman with a six-gun.

S1·E26 Core

Hack Prine

May 12, 1956 · 26 min

Hack Prine, a friend of Matt's rides into Dodge. However he is there as a gunman, for Matt Dillon.

S1·E27 Core

Cooter

May 19, 1956 · 26 min

A dishonest gambler (Vinton Hayworth) uses a mentally challenged man (Strother Martin) in a plot against Matt (Robert Vaughn appears).

S1·E28 Core

The Killer

May 26, 1956 · 26 min

Charles Bronson guest stars as a cowardly gunslinger who only goes after old men or young kids who aren't very experienced with guns. But, when Matt Dillon gives him an ultimatum,

S1·E29 Core

Doc's Revenge

Jun 9, 1956 · 26 min

A stranger comes to Dodge, and Doc bewilders and dismays Chester and Matt by arming himself and vowing to kill the man.

S1·E30 Core

The Preacher

Jun 16, 1956 · 26 min

Seth, a newcomer to Dodge is bullied by Keeler, a boxer.

S1·E31 Core

How to Die for Nothing

Jun 23, 1956 · 26 min

The brother of a man Matt was forced to kill vows to kill Matt by any means necessary (Mort Mills appears).

S1·E32 Core

Dutch George

Jun 30, 1956 · 26 min

Matt's Childhood hero, Dutch George is now the leader of a notorious gang of horse thieves he must now stop.

S1·E33 Core

Prairie Happy

Jul 7, 1956 · 26 min

A bitter old man spreads rumors of an impending Indian raid on Dodge.

S1·E34 Core

Chester's Mail Order Bride

Jul 14, 1956 · 26 min

When Chester's mail-order bride arrives, neither she nor Chester are what the other are expecting (first credited appearance of Bert Rumsey as 'Sam').

S1·E35 Core

The Guitar

Jul 21, 1956 · 26 min

An ex-Union soldier is forced to use violence against a pair of diehard Rebels (Jacques Aubuchon appears). First episode without the "Boot Hill" intro.

S1·E36 Core

Cara

Jul 28, 1956 · 26 min

Matt encounters an ex-girl friend---who's now working on the wrong side of the law.

S1·E37 Core

Mr. and Mrs. Amber

Aug 4, 1956 · 26 min

A self-styled religious prophet (Ainslie Pryor) is making life miserable for his daughter and new son-in-law..

S1·E38 Mytharc

Unmarked Grave

Aug 18, 1956 · 26 min

A young outlaw uses an old woman as a pawn in his bid for freedom.

S1·E39 Mytharc

Alarm at Pleasant Valley

Aug 25, 1956 · 26 min

While on the way back to Dodge, Matt and Chester discover a homsteading family fleeing Pleasant Valley, which is besieged by Indians.

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