Picks and Pans Review: Gunsmoke: the Last Apache

By David Hiltbrand

UPDATED 03/19/1990 at 01:00 AM EST • Originally published 03/19/1990 at 01:00 AM EST

CBS (Sun., March 18, 9 P.M. ET)

C

Here is another reunion missing a key figure—Amanda Blake, who died last year of AIDS. And Marshal Dillon surely could have used Miss Kitty's help. Summoned by a long-lost love (Michael Learned), Matt (James Arness) arrives to find her ranch in flames and to learn that they have a daughter (Amy Stock-Poynton). Not only that, she has just been abducted by the orneriest Apache (Joe Lara) this side of the Pecos.

There follows a poorly written tale reminiscent of The Searchers, as Matt, joined by a tough old Indian scout (Richard Kiley), saddles up and scours the countryside for the daughter he never knew. Kiley acquits himself fairly well, but the rest of the cast is either too pretty or too old to be knocking around the Arizona Territory.