Adventures of Brisco County Jr. 3 - The Orb Scholar

Plot: Brisco gets a tip on John Bly's location from an old friend, Donovan Joe. So he travels to Poker Flats, where Joe is the Sheriff. Brisco and an elderly man he rescues from some highwaymen are promptly thrown in jail, as it turns out the highwaymen are deputies. Whoops. While in jail with an also unjustly imprisoned Bowler, Brisco learns that the older man, Professor Coles, knows somethings about the Orb. Brisco is released by Donovan Joe, who feels guilty about betraying Brisco in their youth. He's not interested in making amends, so much as eliminating Brisco, who he resents. After surviving being dumped down a well, Brisco tracks down Bly, but rather than shoot Bly and and simply bring his corpse in, Brisco opts for a fistfight. Which is promptly interrupted by Bly's men holding Coles hostage, and ends with Brisco being shot. Don't worry, he gets better, and while Bly gets away, he doesn't get the Orb, and Donovan Joe ends up in jail.

Does Brisco use his gun: He draws it twice, even cocked it when facing Bly, but ultimately he gets shot with his own gun. Ouch.

Things Comet does: It's more what he can't do. He can't tell a snake from a stick. He misses a signal to disarm one of the highwaymen. He can however, backtalk.

Kiss Count: 0. Wait, 0? (4 overall).

John Bly Spreads His Arms Dramatically Count: 1, but there were a couple close calls. I just don't think him spreading his arms to give a signal, or doing so as he drops his guns, counts. Those have a purpose other than being dramatic. (4 overall).

Is Pete Hutter in this episode: No.

Pete Hutter Quote: N/A

Non-Pete Hutter Quote: Professor Ogden Coles - 'The power of the Orb is wonderful, but in the wrong hands there is incomprehensible danger.'

Brisco's Coming Things: Socrates is practicing putting in the intro. Brisco inadvertently develops the hitchhiker's thumb. Bowler is introduced to the idea of "specials", as in special menu items.

John Bly Gang Count: 0, Bly got away. (2 overall).

Stuff The Orb Can Do: It's given Coles the power of hypnotic suggestion, and the Orb can heal people.

Other: In the final confrontation between Brisco and Donovan Joe, I can't tell whether the power of the Orb is somehow protecting Brisco (and Comet, which doesn't make sense as Comet didn't touch the Orb), or if Donovan Joe is just that bad of a shot. Professor Coles says the Orb is 'faith'. Faith in what? Thoroughgood had enough faith in its power to use it in the pilot, and it killed him.

I may need to start a Bowler's "Damn!" count. He said it twice this episode, and at least once in the pilot. We actually learn a bit about Bowler this episode. He gave himself the title "Lord". He memorizes wanted posters at the post office. His daddy died when he was a baby, his mother of scarlet fever when he was 11. He sings quite well, a holdover from his childhood in the church choir. He hates the sight of blood.

We also learned Brisco was an English major in college, a theater minor, and that as a teenager, he was sent after the Swill brothers (who we'll hear from later). That's some great parenting there, Senior. Donovan Joe's chief deputy, Puel, was played by Robert Picardo, who I always think of as the holographic doctor from Star Trek Voyager.