Bonanza

Season 7

TV-PG

The Cartwrights' one-thousand-square-mile Ponderosa Ranch is located near Virginia City, Nevada, site of the Comstock Silver Lode, during and after the Civil War. Each of the three sons was born to a different wife of Ben's; none of the mothers are still alive. Adventures are typical Western ones, with lots of personal relationships/problems thrown in as well.

Where to Watch Season 7

33 Episodes

The Debt
E1
The DebtWiley Kane comes to the Ponderosa, along with his sister Annie, offering to work to pay back the debt he feels they owe the Cartwrights from when their father Sam swindled them. Joe tries to teach Annie to read, but Wiley objects to this out of pride. Later Wiley and Annie learn that their father, whom they assumed was dead, is actually locked up in the Virginia City jail.
The Dilemma
E2
The DilemmaSeveral Virginia City citizens appoint Ben as a temporary circuit judge. He soon faces a major test when the bank is robbed clean, and an old safe-cracker confesses to the crime - but refuses to tell where he hid the money unless Ben lets him go free.
The Brass Box
E3
The Brass BoxDon Jose Ortega claims to have a brass box full of Spanish land grants, giving him ownership over most of the area around Virginia City, including the Ponderosa. Although Jose is reluctant to pursue his claim, his nephew, bitter over the loss of land in the Mexican War, would like to claim it back. Making things worse, many others living in the area are determined not to lose their land and will resort to any means to stop the Ortegas' claim.
The Other Son
E4
The Other SonA mule skinner and his two sons are hired by Ben to transport nitroglycerin to California.
The Lonely Runner
E5
The Lonely RunnerA judge awards itinerant horse breeder Jim Acton's beloved mare to rancher Sam Whipple. Jim tries to buy her back, but Whipple refuses his offer, after which a fight ensues and Jim kills Whipple in self-defense. The Cartwrights want to bring Jim in to make sure he receives a fair trial, but an ambitious and overzealous deputy doesn't care how he brings him in.
Devil on Her Shoulder
E6
Devil on Her ShoulderThe Cartwrights try to help a religious group that is passing through the Ponderosa, but incur the wrath of the clan's leaders when they come to the defense of one of their members, a young woman whom they accuse of being a witch.
Found Child
E7
Found ChildHoss comes upon an overturned stagecoach and discovers a little girl suffering from shock. After the Cartwrights suceed in bringing her around, Hoss is disappointed she has relatives and cannot stay. The girl's uncle turns out to be the enemy and Hoss saves her.
The Meredith Smith
E8
The Meredith SmithAfter falling off a wagon, a dying friend asks Ben to make sure his large estate is given to a relative since he didn't have a will. After posting an ad in a newspaper, several people come forward to claim it.
Mighty is the Word
E9
Mighty is the WordVirginia City's newest preacher is an ex-gunfighter who wants only to build a new church, but the brother of one of his victims has other ideas. The blueprints for the church are said to be a gift from Adam.
The Strange One
E10
The Strange OneHoss and Joe find a woman abandoned by a wagon train because her gift of prophecy is considered a curse. "Wouldn't it be wonderful," says Ben, "if eveybody made a real effort to understand whatever's strange and unfamiliar rather to fear it and try to destroy it?"
The Reluctant Rebel
E11
The Reluctant RebelHoss catches young Billy Penn working with rustlers, but because Billy stops another member of the gang from shooting him, he doesn't tell the boy's father. Billy is embarrassed and bored by his father's hog farm and yearns for a better and more exciting life. But it won't be so easy breaking away from the rustling gang either.
Five Sundowns to Sunup
E12
Five Sundowns to SunupBen is appointed temporary sheriff after Sheriff Coffee is injured while bringing in one of the Lassiter boys, who has been sentenced to hang. Elizabeth Lassiter, bitter ever since the death of her husband and loss of her ranch, has turned her sons and her foreman into outlaws, and is now threatening to kidnap one Virginia City resident a day and kill them unless her son is freed. Little Joe becomes the third one taken hostage.
A Natural Wizard
E13
A Natural WizardHoss brings young Skeeter Dexter to live at the Ponderosa after his brutal stepfather leaves the area. Skeeter, a boy with a natural affinity for animals, has had no luck with his home life: his mother is bitter and destitute and has blamed him ever since his father abandoned her.
All Ye His Saints
E14
All Ye His SaintsLittle Michael Thorpe's father is accidentally shot and gravely injured. Believing that only God can save his father, and told by his Indian ranch hand that God lives on a mountain, Michael wanders off onto that mountain, and finds an old hermit who he thus thinks is God.
The Dublin Lad
E15
The Dublin LadAfter sitting on a jury that has convicted Terrence O' Tool of murder, Joe has second thoughts about the verdict and decides to do some investigating of his own.
To Kill a Buffalo
E16
To Kill a BuffaloHoss finds a young Indian who's been left to die by his tribe because he is lame. He is brought to the Ponderosa, where the doctor is able to heal his leg so he can walk again. Hoss tries to teach him to overcome his hostility to the white man as well.
Ride the Wind (1)
E17
Ride the Wind (1)The Pony Express sets up office in Virginia and Joe is one of the first to join up. Ben also decides to invest in the fledgling enterprise. However, troubles soon plague the Pony Express with the Paiutes and a newspaper reporter, both trying to get their own agendas across.
Ride the Wind (2)
E18
Ride the Wind (2)If the Pony Express is to survive, the growing Indian problem must be addressed. When things get out of hand, it is Ben Cartwright who steps in to save the life of the Indian chief's son and secure a peace treaty.
Destiny's Child
E19
Destiny's ChildBen tries to find jobs for two strangers who helped him when his wagon was bogged down in the mud. Trouble ensues when one of the strangers dies, leaving the other one who is mentally disabled, alone.
Peace Officer
E20
Peace OfficerA band of rowdy young punks accidentally kills a deputy in a barroom brawl. With Sheriff Coffee out of town, the mayor sends for legendary peace officer Wes Dunn to take his place temporarily and track down the gang. But it soon becomes apparent that Dunn is totally ruthless and brutal in the methods he uses to catch them.
The Code
E21
The CodeA gunfighter comes to Virginia City. Little Joe allows his pride to draw him into a challenge. Ben forbids him to participate. Little Joe must decide to obey his father or obey the "code of the West."
Three Brides for Hoss
E22
Three Brides for HossNot one, but three mail-order brides show up unexpectedly at the Ponderosa, all of them believing they are to marry Hoss.
The Emperor Norton
E23
The Emperor NortonJoshua Norton, an eccentric and formerly wealthy San Francisco merchant who considers himself Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, comes to the Ponderosa. Authorities want to have him committed, and Ben contacts Mark Twain to testify to Norton's sanity.
Her Brother's Keeper
E24
Her Brother's KeeperClaire Armory comes to Virginia City to live with her brother Carl, an invalid neighbor of the Cartwrights. Carl encourages Claire to see Ben, and soon Claire and Ben fall in love with each other. But Carl is a manipulative man who uses his condition in order to get Claire to do what he wants, and tries to use her now to get money from Ben. Claire struggles with whether or not to break free from her brother and marry Ben.
The Trouble with Jamie
E25
The Trouble with JamieBen's cousin Matthew visits the Ponderosa, along with his ward Elizabeth and his son Jamie. Jamie is a spoiled and arrogant brat who constantly insults both his father and the Cartwrights. When Matthew decides to leave Jamie with the Cartwrights while he and Elizabeth visit San Francisco, Ben has his work cut out for him in teaching the young man a lesson in behavior.
Shining in Spain
E26
Shining in SpainLittle Joe falls for beautiful young Wendy Daniels, who has arrived in Virginia City to wait for her father, who plans to start a stage and freight line there. Wendy has nothing but the highest praise for her father, but the town banker receives information that Daniels has not told Wendy the truth about his financial situation, a fact which could deeply disappoint the girl.
The Genius
E27
The GeniusHoss chooses a difficult path when he decides to rehabilitate a famous poet, Will Smith, who is really William Warlock Evans, who spends too much time drinking and eventually his wife arrives at the Ponderosa.
The Unwritten Commandment
E28
The Unwritten CommandmentEveryone feels Andy Walker is an outstanding singer but his father, who feels the boy should concentrate on ranch work instead. Joe mentions receiving a letter from Adam, currently in Paris.
Big Shadow on the Land
E29
Big Shadow on the LandItalian immigrants are determined to establish their own vineyard on Ponderosa property.
The Fighters
E30
The FightersFeeling guilty for unintentionally ending the career of a professional boxer, Hoss vows never to fight again. But things change when Joe is nearly beaten to death.
Home from the Sea
E31
Home from the SeaA sailor, claiming to be one of Adam's closest friends, is given a warm welcome by the Cartwrights, who have no way of knowing the man and his accomplice plan on robbing them.
The Last Mission
E32
The Last MissionBen and Hoss unwittingly aid a vengeful army colonel who plans to wipe out every Indian he can with a Gatling gun.
A Dollar's Worth of Trouble
E33
A Dollar's Worth of TroubleHoss finds himself in another mess, this one involving a beautiful blonde, a moonshiner, and a nearsighted outlaw who is allergic to chocolate and flowers.