Ep 1. Joaquin

The Big Valley season 3 episode 1, titled "Joaquin," takes place in the Wild West during the late 1800s. The show follows the Barkley family, a wealthy family who owns the largest ranch in the San Joaquin Valley of California. In this episode, the Barkleys are faced with a new challenge as a notorious bandit by the name of Joaquin terrorizes their ranch.

At the beginning of the episode, a group of men are seen robbing a stagecoach filled with supplies for the Barkley ranch. After killing the driver and guard, the robbers take off with everything on the stagecoach. Meanwhile, the Barkleys are discussing their upcoming harvest with their farmhands when they learn that there is a bandit named Joaquin on the loose. The Barkleys quickly realize that Joaquin may be the one responsible for the robbery.

Victoria Barkley, the matriarch of the family, is worried about her family's safety and decides to contact the sheriff for help. The sheriff, however, tells her that they are already stretched thin and cannot offer protection to the Barkleys. Feeling helpless, Victoria turns to her son Jarrod for advice. Jarrod suggests that Victoria talk to her old friend, a former bandit who can help them track down Joaquin.

While Victoria is hesitant to accept help from a former bandit, her son Nick takes matters into his own hands and decides to go after Joaquin himself. Nick, who is known for his fearless and reckless behavior, is determined to catch Joaquin and bring him to justice. However, things don't go as planned and Nick is captured by Joaquin and his gang.

The rest of the episode focuses on the Barkleys' efforts to rescue Nick and put an end to Joaquin's terrorizing ways. They team up with the former bandit and, together, they come up with a plan to rescue Nick and capture Joaquin. The plan is risky, but they know that it is their only chance of catching Joaquin and ending his reign of terror.

The climax of the episode takes place when the Barkleys and the former bandit storm Joaquin's hideout to rescue Nick. A fierce gunfight breaks out between the two groups, but the Barkleys emerge victorious. Joaquin is apprehended and taken into custody, and Nick is rescued unharmed.

In the end, the Barkleys are able to harvest their crops and the town is safe once again. The episode ends with Victoria expressing her gratitude to the former bandit for his help and Nick promising to be more careful in the future.

Overall, "Joaquin" is an action-packed episode that highlights the importance of family and community in overcoming adversity. It showcases the Barkleys' resilience in the face of danger and their willingness to do whatever it takes to protect their loved ones and their way of life.