Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Sundays on Paramount+Lawmen: Bass Reeves Season 1 Episode 3
Part III
Recap
Bass is dressing up for the day. The look of appreciation and pride on Jennie’s face says he’s going to swear in as a Marshal. She tells him to make them proud.
Fort Smith Courthouse, May 10, 1875
As Bass waits outside of the courtroom, a Black man leads another Black man in chains to sit beside him. The chained man asks for help. He was just hungry. He tried to push him away, but he… there was so much blood.
Bass’s name is called. Judge Parker asks him to sit. Judge Parker apologizes up front for the event taking less time than the occasion warrants. The two talk quickly, and Bass swears his oath. Before leaving, he tells Judge Parker that the boy outside needs help. Judge Parker says the boy needs a lawyer.
A young Indian man is trying to fix his wagon when a German man rides by with his family. Billy Crow is in Mr. Fogner’s debt. Billy is an outlaw, and in his wagon, a woman holds a gun. They’re robbers.
When Mrs. Fogner wants to keep her wedding ring, Mr. Fogner is beaten.
Bass gets his first case, asking Florence, the girl behind the window, if she has any tips for a first-timer.
When he steps away from the window, Garrett Montgomery is waiting for him. He wants to help Deputy Reeves as his posse man. For three dollars there and three dollars back, he’s willing to ride with Bass.
Garrett wishes for a little conversation during the ride, so Bass obliges. They talk about their families, and Bass says that if all goes well, Garrett has a job with him.
Jennie is teaching Sally about laundry. She needs a lot more help with the kids and the chores as their family grows. It’s time to teach Harriet, too. She’ll be a good little helper. They play around a little bit and laugh.
Garrett thinks the Underwood Gang is behind the robbery. Run by a woman who runs with Huff Underwood. Garrett realizes that Bass knows more than he lets on. Bass says that ought to scare him.
When they visit a saloon, Bass finds out that Garrett has debts everywhere. Bass asks the barkeep about Billy Crow and the Underwood Gang. Bass joins a table for cards. He’s winning and getting eyeballed by the others at the table. They all think they’re playing each other. When Bass wins the hand, the man across from him gets up in arms. When Bass says he’ll return the pot for information, he bluffs that there are half a dozen other marshals outside to keep them from shooting him.
Bass emerges victorious, and Billy Crow is across the street, leaning on a wagon. Billy says nope, that’s not me. Garrett talked with the woman running the business in the carriage. She wants Judge Parker to come around next time so she can show him the bottom side of the wagon.
Billy calls himself a looker and takes off when Bass shows him his face on a wanted poster. The kid considers himself a dandy. Garrett eyes a couple of fellows while they walk away.
Sally finds a flower on the laundry line. Arthur is lurking behind. He asks about the piano. They talk, walk, and chat. When he asks after her parents, she learns he’s an orphan. His mom died when he was five, and he lost his dad in the war.
Billy never shuts up. He’s so sure he’ll be killed when he gets to Fort Smith. Later, Garrett complains about the cold. They can’t light a fire lest they give away their position.
Garrett warns Billy to stay away from the cards if he survives this. Billy knows where the gang hid the money from that stage. Garrett thinks they should take Billy up on his offer. Since he didn’t take an oath, he wasn’t to find the money and run. He ain’t asking. He’s going it no matter what Bass thinks, apparently.
Garrett and Billy are shot by men who snuck up on them. Garrett took one to the head. He’s a goner, but Billy lives to be dragged away by Bass. The gang asks Billy to reveal himself. They won’t hurt him. Billy is crying. He knew he was going to die. Not today, Bass says. It takes three shots to take down the final man.
Bass said that if Billy doesn’t change his path, he’ll be nothing but empty boots strung up on a lawman’s saddle.
Jennie is in labor. She gets Sally to help. They’ll get through it.
Billy wonders how Bass learned to shoot like that. Bass never wants to speak about it again.
At the courthouse, the man in chains has been beaten and is being led through the courthouse.
Billy wonders if he makes it out of this; how can he do what Bass does? Bass asks if he is telling the truth about the money, and he gives Bass a location.
Bass sits in court when the young man is sentenced for murder. He, as well as another man, are both sentenced to hang.
Bass puts in a good word for Billy with Judge Parker before going home to see his new baby.
- Show:
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves
- Season:
- Lawmen: Bass Reeves Season 1
- Episode Number:
- 3