Ponderosa — Season 1, Episode 6: Homeland
Western, Drama • 60 min • 1 season, 20 episodes • ★ 7.0/10
Episode synopsis
Carlos is overjoyed and Ben and his sons are amazed when Carlos beautiful and spirited eighteen-year-old sister, Isabella, appears at what until recently had been the Rivera family's ranch. Carlos had presumed she'd died in a fire in Mexico. Isabella is overjoyed at being reunited with the brother she'd feared had died in the Mexican-American war, but she's also heartbroken to learn that her former home has been sold to Margaret Davis as a war reparation. Since she's now homeless, Ben takes Isabella into the already-crowded Ponderosa, but events take a dismaying turn when a sheriff from Texas arrives in town on the trail of a ""killer"" and discovers that Isabella rode in on the murdered victim's horse. The sheriff threatens to arrest Isabella, but Ben takes responsibility for her custody, offering to stand trial for whatever crime, if any, the sheriff decides to try her for if she flees. Fearful for Isabella's life, Isabella and Carlos do flee, but when they learn what Ben has done, the
About Ponderosa
Ponderosa is a television series developed by Bonanza creator David Dortort for PAX-TV that ran for the 2001–2002 television season. Envisioned as a prequel to the long-running NBC series Bonanza, it had less gunfire, brawling and other traditional western elements than the original. Bonanza creator David Dortort approved PAX TV's decision to hire Beth Sullivan, creator and executive producer of Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman to oversee scripts and executive produce, which some believe gave the series a softer edge. Ponderosa was canceled after one season, in part because of disappointing ratings and high production costs. Although Sullivan had hoped to film the series in and around Los Angeles, PAX decided to film in Australia to reduce costs. Series "show runner" Sullivan sustained severe injuries in a car crash only twelve days after the airing of the first season's last episode. The show should not be confused with Ponderosa, the title used for Bonanza reruns aired on NBC during the summer of 1972.