The BEST episodes written by Bob Wehling
#1 - Presenting Senor Zorro
Zorro (1957) - Season 1 - Episode 1
The story of the masked rider in Old California opens as Don Diego de la Vega is returning to California from Spain, where he has been studying for several years. He passes the time at sea by fencing with the ship's captain, who tells him that the Pueblo de Los Angeles is under the rule of a cruel dictator, Capitan Monastario. This helps Diego understand the meaning behind a vague letter his father sent, urging him to return home. Realizing that open opposition to Monastario and his troops would be fruitless, Diego decides to work in secrecy. He assumes the role of a foppish student more interested in books than in swordplay. To protect his true identity, Diego will become El Zorro - "The Fox". His servant Bernardo, a mute, also takes on a new role when he decides to pretend he is deaf, thus allowing him access to secrets he can share with Diego. Not long after they arrive in Los Angeles, the travelers are provided with proof of the capitan's cruelty. Don Torres, a neighbor of Diego's, is thrown into jail for treason, and others are jailed for taxes they cannot pay. Diego notes the injustices in silence before traveling to his father's hacienda. Diego's arrival first pleases then saddens his father, Don Alejandro. Diego decides not to endanger him with knowledge of his plans, and the older man's hurt at his son's seeming inaction provides even greater incentive for Diego to ride as Zorro. He takes Bernardo to a secret valley where a beautiful horse has been cared for while Diego was away. Tornado will remain hidden until Zorro is ready to appear. Zorro's first act is to save the life of Don Torres, whom Monastario plans to release and then kill, claiming the prisoner had escaped. Sneaking into the fort, Zorro cuts the saddle straps on the soldiers' horses so they can't interfere. He then frees Torres, who escapes while Zorro battles the capitan. With Monastario locked in one of his own cells, Zorro rides off without fear of the lancers while their leader
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#2 - Masquerade for Murder
Zorro (1957) - Season 2 - Episode 35
Capitan Arrellanos continues his attempts to rule California by hiring Carmelo, a recent arrival to the pueblo, to kill the governor. Diego and Bernardo overhear the plan but don't act at once, hoping instead to learn who the other conspirators are. The governor has begun to recover and spends his time sitting outside on the patio, which prompts Don Alejandro to give a party to celebrate his better health. An unexpected danger arises when Arrellanos convinces Leonar to make the party a masquerade ball, for the capitan plans to sneak Carmelo into the party in a disguise. At the party, Diego sees that his father and someone else are both dressed as medieval executioners. He suspects the other man may be Carmelo, for this costume would enable him to come near the governor. Another costumed figure enters the ball, for Zorro slips in, determined to follow the executioners. One of them moves behind the governor and raises his axe, spurring Zorro into frantic action to stop the murder. The hooded figure escapes into the crowd, as does Zorro.
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#3 - Finders Keepers
Zorro (1957) - Season 2 - Episode 39
Celesta Villagrana and her servant, Montez, are on their way to Los Angeles when a hooded robber stops them and steals her jewelry. The thief knocks the travelers to the ground then departs, leaving Celesta lying there unconscious. Bernardo rides by and sees a piece of jewelry glinting in the sunlight. He stops to pick it up but Celesta awakens and mistakes him for a thief. She screams, and Sergeant Garcia arrives in time to hear her accuse Bernardo, which leaves him no choice but to arrest the mute servant. The case appears to be a strong one and is further strengthened when Montez picks Bernardo out of a line-up. Diego is sure he saw a secret signal passed between Montez and a Señor Lopez who is watching the procedures, which has let Montez know whom to accuse. Hoping to clear his friend, Zorro confronts the two men as they talk that night in the tavern. He accuses them of being the real thieves, but they deny the charges. Zorro then uses his sword to slash open Lopez's coat and the jewelry falls to the ground, thus proving Bernardo's innocence.
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#4 - A Fair Trial
Zorro (1957) - Season 1 - Episode 9
With his father Don Alejandro now charged with treason along with Don Torres, Zorro must see that the judge sent by the governor arrives to assure a fair trial.
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#5 - The Missing Father
Zorro (1957) - Season 2 - Episode 21
A mystery develops when a teenage girl arrives in the pueblo and asks for directions to a ranch no one has ever heard of. Anita Cabrillo has been studying at a boarding school, and she has come to visit her father, whom she has not seen in many years. Anita attracts a small crowd when she asks about Don Cabrillo, who is unknown in the city, and Diego offers to let her stay at his house until the mystery can be solved. Anita has barely arrived there when she screams, then tell Diego and Don Alejandro that someone tried to enter her room. Alejandro begins to think Anita is subject to delusions, but Diego senses that someone may be trying to scare her out of town for some unknown reason. The intrigue continues when Anita sneaks away that night and rides into the woods. Zorro follows and hears a voice that warns Anita to return to Spain or be killed. Believing her to be in immediate danger, he rushes in to save her. Instead, he scares her into attempting to escape, and only Tornado's great speed enables Zorro to save Anita from riding off a treacherous cliff in the dark.
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#6 - Long Live the Governor
Zorro (1957) - Season 2 - Episode 36
The recovering governor is beginning to become irritated by his confinement to the de la Vega home. At times it seems as if the only thing that can pacify him is a music box. Almost as soon as it begins to play, the governor falls asleep. Knowing that the Rebatos are still trying to kill the governor, Diego uses the box to lull him to sleep then Bernardo moves him to safety. The capitan and five rebellious dons arrive at the hacienda and openly announce their plan to kill the governor. They tie up his daughter, Leonar, then spring into his bedroom ready for the kill. Finding it empty, they split up to search the house. Zorro attacks them one-by-one, until only the capitan remains free. Unable to surprise the traitor, Zorro engages him in a swordfight and kills him, thus ending the threat to the governor. The music box finally winds down and the governor awakens. He looks out the window and sees his would-be killers tied to a wall, where a huge "Z" has been carved to publicly announce who saved him.
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#7 - The Brooch
Zorro (1957) - Season 2 - Episode 23
Don Alejandro remains firm in his wish to send Anita back to Spain and tells the girl to pack her bags. Gonzales arrives to take her to the ship and Anita gives Alejandro a goodbye kiss. She turns to climb aboard the carriage but Alejandro stops her, for Anita is wearing a brooch that he once gave to the mission to be sold at a charity auction. When she tells him her father sent it her in Spain, Alejandro finally believes her story about the missing man. He changes his mind and allows her to stay, then plans to research the sales records to learn who bought the brooch. Meanwhile, Ruiz and his partner, Guerrero, try once again to steal Anita's gold. They tell her to bring it to Castle Rock if she ever wants to see her father again. Anita takes the gold as instructed and is surprised to find Gonzales there, bound and gagged. Gonzales admits to Anita that he is her father and that he sent her to Spain for a good education. He was ashamed to admit his identity to her, for he had lied for years about being prosperous in order to encourage her to succeed. Now it appears they will die together, as Ruiz and Guerrero pull out knives and approach the reunited twosome. Zorro, who has been hiding nearby, steps out of the shadows and stops the killers. The next day, Gonzales and Anita head back to Spain together, happy to be together again at last.
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