Billy The Kid Season 1 Episode 1 Recap

The Immigrants El Paso, Texas 1877 – The show begins with William H. Bonney (Tom Blyth) entering a saloon. The bartender asks what he would like to drink. After saying he isn’t ready, William approaches Joe Grant (Teach Grant) to ask if he is on the lookout for someone. Joe acknowledges he is searching for someone. Complimenting his gun, William asks if he can take a look at it. He slides the gun across the table, then pours himself a drink. While assessing the gun, William slyly empties the chamber before handing it back. He asks for the fellow’s name. Joe explains how he has multiple aliases – Kid Antrim, William H. Bonney, and Billy the Kid. He asks Joe if he has a physical description of Billy the Kid. He admits to knowing he dresses “funny.”

After getting a better look at William, Joe jumps up and draws his gun. Refusing to heed William’s pleas, he fires his pistol. He is stunned when he realizes the chamber was empty. William repeats his pleas but again, Joe refuses to listen. He pulls the trigger, and nothing happens. His pistol fires on the third attempt when the show goes to a commercial.

6 Years Earlier, New York City – Bryan asks Young Billy (Jonah Collier) what is going on. He says not much as he runs up the steps to his apartment. Joseph orders him stop running but he doesn’t skip a beat. He greets Mrs. Lam along the way. As he jumps through an open window onto a bed, Mary O’Connor (Kayla Deorksen) wishes him a happy birthday. His father, Patrick “Paddy” McCarty (Joey Batey) kisses his head before giving him a birthday cake. He asks about his mother, Kathleen McCarty (Eileen O’Higgins) as she pops around the corner. His brother, Joe McCarty (Leif Nystrom) tells him happy birthday. After giving him a bear hug, his mother professes her love to him.

Paddy and Frank O’Connor (Chris Patrick-Simpson) discuss finding work. Mary scolds Frank when he says they don’t really want the Irish immigrants there. Suggesting they migrate out west, he reads a job brochure – “The Land of Opportunity, Wanted Healthy Men and Women Who Want to Work Hard and Succeed in Life.” Paddy reminds them of New York being filled with Irish like them. He says they know nothing about the West. Frank assures him that Irish people have already migrated there. Everyone laughs.

Kathleen asks Frank if he is awake. He admits having trouble sleeping. She tells him about Frank and Mary’s decision to migrate to Kansas. Billy lays quietly listening to their conversation. She asks if they should accompany them to Kansas. He reminds her of how he feels about it. She assures him that they could acquire a piece of land if they were willing to work hard. He weeps about their desperate situation. She refuses to let him give up before recommending they go to Kansas.

Young Billy watches as Paddy packs his personal belonging. He grows concerned when his father hesitates to add a family photo to the chest. Paddy says he doesn’t know what to do with it. Billy reminds him of their plan not to return to New York. He admits being concerned about losing it. When he suggests they are preparing to give everything up for their trip to Kansas, Billy disagrees, saying they are taking a journey.

Paddy speaks with a Promoter (Orin McCusker) about going to Coffeyville, Kansas. The man tells him the price is $100. When Paddy admits to not having that much money, the man refuses to take them.  Another Promoter (Reamonn Joshee) quotes the trip for $350.

Billy and Patrick walk around the town, where they meet Moss (Timothy Webber) who has one eye. When Billy questions hiring someone who is visually impaired, Moss asks what Patrick “has to say about it.” He explains how Patrick can’t talk. Waving his hand in front of Moss’s face, Billy asks if he can see him. Moss admits he can see his family cannot afford to pay the promoter conversing with his father. Billy asks how much he would charge for a trip to Coffeeville, Kansas. He says $75.

Paddy is trying to convince a Promoter (Nick Bohle) to take them to Kansas when Billy tells her about Moss. Kathleen pleads with Paddy to give Moss a chance. Moss explains the $75 included armed men. Paddy admits they can only pay $50 each for the trip. Moss reluctantly accepts their offer but refuses to give them protection.

Moss leads the wagon train west. Stopping his wagon, Moss looks around. Billy questions what he is trying to see. He says anything out of the ordinary before explaining the dangers of his job.

Kathleen tells Billy about the lush green grass in Ireland. After saying a prayer, she assures him everything will be fine.

Billy is thrown into the water when a wagon flips over while crossing what looks like a river. Kathleen repeatedly yells his name. Paddy tells her the cases must be saved because they are all they have left. He falls into the water, along with the cases. Billy and Paddy are pulled out of the water. Billy sets on the bank, watching their cases float down the river while Kathleen tends to Paddy.

The wagon train is back in action. Billy grabs his mother’s hand as she stares worriedly at Paddy lying on the floor of the wagon.

While everyone sits around the campfire, something spooks the horses. Moss and his men grab their guns. Billy asks him what is going on. He tells him it is horse thieves before ordering everyone to stay put. Refusing to obey Moss’s orders, Frank grabs a gun and heads out into the dark. Gunshots can be heard in the distance. Paddy orders everyone to get down on the ground. He questions Kathleen about why they are there. Frank returns to the campfire, with blood on his shirt. He says they killed them before collapsing to the ground. Mary weeps while Billy stares at Frank in horror.

Moss explains to Billy the shock of seeing a dead body for the first time. Billy stares at Moss’s gun in its holster. Moss acknowledges he is ready.

A safe distance from the camp, Moss sets up some targets for shooting practice. Billy looks up to see a man on a horse. As Moss approaches, the man disappears. Moss hands the gun to Billy to hold. Picking it up, he points the gun at Moss who warns him to never point a gun at anyone unless you plan on using it. The screen transitions from Billy staring at his target to Joe pointing his gun at William.

The wagon train is back on the trail. Billy asks Moss about his father. Moss refuses to tell him anything, other than the outcome is not always desirable.

They arrive in Coffeyville, Kansas, where people are sitting in front of tents. Upset, Mary calls it a “shithole.” Kathleen assures her everything will be okay. Moss warns them of an incoming storm.

The horses are spooked by the storm. Billy stares out the back of a wagon just in time to witness the lightning strike. Paddy sleeps while Billy and Kathleen, Billy, and Patrick sit quietly.

Kathleen and Billy jump out of the wagon into a mudhole. They look over to see a man struggling to maintain control of two jackasses. Another group of men tries to get a wagon out of the mud. A Spinster (Joyce Robbins) provides Kathleen a $5-quote for a weekly room. Kathleen admits she doesn’t have enough money to cover the cost. She offers her cleaning and cooking services. Another Spinster (Jacqueline Robbins) accuses her of trying to take advantage of them. Denying the allegations, she explains how they are all hard workers.

Patrick, Kathleen, and Billy clean the boarding house. Billy insists he go with her to pick up supplies for the sisters. She leaves Joe McCarty (Leif Nystrom) at the boarding house. Several men whistle at her as she passes. While she shops, Billy looks at rifles.

Dr. Daniel Appel (Peter Strand Rumpel) asks Paddy if he is feeling sick. Paddy says depends on his definition of sick. Appel assures him that people know the meaning because they exhibit physical symptoms. Paddy admits to not caring about his body. Appel asks if there is anything he does care about. He tells him that can’t understand it, but he is always sad. Billy listens in on their conversation. Appel says there isn’t a prescription for his sickness, which is in his head. He suggests not letting it ruin him. Billy attempts to talk to Paddy when he emerges from the building, but he doesn’t respond.

As Mary walks out with her suitcase, Kathleen questions if it is the right decision. She acknowledges her decision to return to New York, with Sam O’Connor (Max Girard) is the right one. Kathleen reminds her that it has only been a few days. She admits it is too much for one person. Kathleen says she will miss her. She assures her that Paddy will come to his senses.

Moss loads Mary’s suitcases in the back of his wagon. He describes Billy as being a “grand young man.” Billy tells him that he is a “grand old man.” Mary encourages Billy to watch out for Kathleen. Realizing Sam is sad, Billy gives him his cap.

Paddy emerges from the boarding house to sit with Billy. They profess their love for each other. Paddy admits to being confused about his illness. Billy assures him a good job will make him better. Paddy tells Billy he can burn bright like a star in the sky. He suggests he take the time to look up at the stars when he grows up.

Kathleen applies for a loan at the local bank. The Bank Manager (Clay St. Thomas). He asks if there is any collateral to put up for the money. She explains how they lost everything during their travels. She tells him about her dream of working hard to save money for a restaurant. He asks about her husband. She stumbles on her words when talking about Paddy’s illness. She asks him about a government program that paid immigrants to migrate west. He assures her everything the government says doesn’t make it so. When he denies her a loan, Billy walks over to his desk, picks up his pen, and puts it in his pocket. The Bank Manager demands he return his pen. Refusing, they leave the bank.

Kathleen speaks with Paddy as he lays on the bed. She informs him of a future visit from Father O’Leary (Adrian Hough). When he doesn’t respond about Billy starting school, she begins to weep. O’Leary assures Billy that God watches over everyone. Billy refuses to shake his hand. He prays for Paddy.

O’Leary officiates Paddy’s funeral. Billy watches an eagle soaring high in the sky.

Billy returns to look at the vendor’s guns. He picks up a pistol and points it at a man, with his back turned to him. William briefly pops up on the screen. He assures Joe that killing him isn’t something he wants to do. Billy pulls the trigger. William pulls his pistol and shoots Joe dead. He places two bullets on the table before speaking to the saloon patrons about being blamed for killing Joe. He assures them that he had to kill Joe before he killed him for the bounty. Before he leaves, he gives the bartender money to cover Joe’s burial. He suggests a preacher, to help Joe gets to the other life as the episode comes to an end.

 

Billy the Kid Review

The show has the characteristics of a low-budget film. For nearly 47 minutes, absolutely nothing of significance happens. The trip across the west was nothing short of a bore-fest. The wagon flipping over in the river was a poor attempt to bring excitement to a drab show.

Only four members of the main cast received sufficient airtime. Only three are worth mentioning. Moss and Young Billy are the highlights of the show. I could watch these two all day and never give a second thought to the other characters. Timothy Webber and Jonah Collier deserve medals for being forced to work with such a terrible screenplay.

By the end of the episode, I felt repulsed by Patrick McCarty’s self-pity. He would have let his own son drown to save his worthless cases. Once they reached Coffeyville, he went to bed. He laid around while Kathleen tried to scrounge up work and a place to live. While I understand mental illness is debilitating, I can’t understand why they opted to go this route. I have watched hundreds of western films and not once have I seen a mentally ill character, physical illness, yes, but not mental illness. I was never so glad to see a character written off a show than now.

Believe it or not, the dialogue was decent.

This show is an insult to the legendary Billy the Kid. The episode deserves a 5. Get more Billy the Kid recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking on the link to learn more.