Zorro Season One -- Episode Summaries
DrMM
1 Dead Men Tell No Tales
Airdate: 01/05/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Philip John Taylor.
Diego is studying the (very fake looking) moon when he sees a man riding rapidly towards Los Angeles. The man goes to the tavern and orders a room, and tells Victoria to bring him breakfast at dawn. The next morning the man doesn’t answer the door so Victoria opens it and discovers the man is dead. Mendoza hears her scream and rushes to the tavern where he discovers her holding a bloody knife and has her arrested. Don Alejandro tells Diego of her arrest. He brings her some food at the jail where he learns that the dead man’s belongings are locked in the alcalde’s office. That night Zorro goes to the alcalde’s office, opens the man’s trunk where he sees a saddlebag with a special logo on it. He tears off a piece of the bloody part of the dead man’s shirt and is going to leave when soldiers and the alcalde appear. After a fight, Zorro escapes. The next day the alcalde tells Victoria that he is going to hang her. Felipe (who brought her some food) overhears and rushes back to the cave to tell Diego.
Diego shows Felipe a drawing he made of the logo from the saddlebag and then does a test on the piece of shirt, which proves that the red substance on the shirt isn’t blood. In the alcalde’s office he and the ‘dead’ man are talking. Mendoza enters, sees the dead man and faints. He gets up and realizes that it was all a plot to catch Zorro. The alcalde tells Mendoza that the man is a professional actor who he went to school with. Zorro comes to the pueblo and climbs onto the roof (they use a scene from the later episode Double Entendre I believe). He sees the man leaving the pueblo, chases and catches him. The next day Victoria is taken to the gallows where the alcalde announces her sentence. Zorro appears and shows the pueblo that the “dead” man is really alive, which saves Victoria from hanging.
(DrMM’s note: The credits in the first episode are different than the version used in later episodes -- a man sings the theme song instead of a woman, and different scenes are used. I can only assume this is because it was the original pilot episode, and they made changes later.)
2 Deceptive Heart
Airdate: 01/12/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Bruce Lansbury.
A widow that Don Alejandro has been corresponding with for five years and is now considering marrying comes to meet him. When she arrives she looks completely unlike the portrait that she sent him. The woman in the portrait is an older woman, the woman is young. When confronted she apologizes for the deception and says it’s because she was testing Alejandro (cheesy scene alert). Diego is skeptical. In the pueblo a man named Gomez and his men are creating havoc; Mendoza does nothing to stop them deciding to go eat first. Felipe tells Diego who was conversing with the woman, who leaves and goes to the cave. Gomez and his men are in the tavern drunk. Victoria orders them out; Gomez tries to kiss her and Zorro appears and stops him. They fight in the tavern and Zorro neatly defeats them. He leaves and is on the roof when he sees a person ride up underneath one of the tavern windows, climb the wall and enter through the window. Curious he goes to the window and pushes it open where he sees a man and the woman Alejandro wants to marry kissing.
Diego tries, but before he can tell his father what he saw the woman interrupts. When Alejandro leaves he confronts her saying a “friend” saw her with her lover. The woman tries to convince him that it wasn’t what he thought, but Diego doesn’t believe her. She then confesses that the man Rodriguez is her lover who corrupted her when she was young (another cheesy scene alert). She tells Diego that Rodriguez killed the real widow and then wrote the letters proposing marriage to Alejandro himself in a plot to get Alejandro’s land. Diego tells her to leave a note to his father and she mentions that Rodriguez will be in the town. Diego decides to go talk to Rodriguez and the woman releases a homing pidgin that Diego sees flying. He realizes it’s a trap. Meanwhile Rodriguez has convinced Gomez and his men to help him. When they see a carriage (apparently containing Diego) approaching they shoot the driver. But the driver is actually a sculpture (from the first scene) of Diego. Zorro appears, Gomez and his men run, and Rodriguez is left to face Zorro on his own. Rodriguez tries to fight, but is no match for Zorro’s fencing skills. As Zorro is leaving he tells Mendoza that the man is a murderer and there will be evidence shortly. The woman is taken to jail as well.
3 Water
Airdate: 01/19/90. Director: Michael Vejar. Writer: Ron Friedman.
Los Angeles is undergoing a drought. Water has run out everywhere except the plaza fountain. In Los Angeles Diego and Felipe have come to get water. The alcalde comes to the fountain and says he’s going to charge a tax on the water. The people are upset and Diego tells the alcalde that the people are likely to revolt and Ramone has Mendoza arrest him. After Diego is jailed the people are upset and begin throwing food at the soldiers and alcalde in the plaza. Don Alejandro arrives and forces the alcalde to either arrest the whole pueblo or back down. Ramone backs down, but is furious about it and tells Mendoza to collect on all the overdue taxes. Mendoza reluctantly goes to collect them, and at one farm Zorro intervenes. The soldiers give chase, and Zorro knocks Mendoza off his horse right into a spring of water.
The next day the plaza fountain goes dry, but the alcalde tells the people he has water on his land that he’ll give the people for free. Everyone is surprised, but goes to get water. When Diego comes to get water for the de la Vega household, he discovers that the alcalde is charging 2 pesos to cross his land. Later he does a test in the cave that proves the plaza water and the alcalde’s water comes from the same source. He determines that the alcalde must have stopped the source of the water right where Mendoza fell of his horse. Zorro goes to where the soldiers are keeping guard, and with a diversion of firecrackers and the help of Felipe, sets a bomb where the water is blocked. After a fight with the soldiers, who lose badly, the bomb goes off and sets the water free. The next day the alcalde comes out and sees people at the fountain, which confuses him. Then he sees the water. Furiously he blames Mendoza and orders him to stand guard in the plaza. Diego is going to give Mendoza some water but the alcalde stops him. Diego says that Mendoza will have relief from a higher authority soon anyway. The Alcalde rants about how he’s the supreme authority in the pueblo. Then it starts to rain.
4 Double Entendre
Airdate: 01/26/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Robert L. McCullough.
Don Alejandro and Diego are talking when Felipe comes to tell them that there is trouble in the Indian camp. They go to the camp where the alcalde is walking among fallen down teepees (ummm, minor history glitch -- Plains Indians lived in teepees, not the Pueblo Indians who would be living in California). He informs them that Zorro was the one who attacked the camp. Alejandro and Diego are skeptical, but the alcalde points to a Z in the side of one teepee, but much to their surprise an Indian comes up and also says it was Zorro. The next day in the pueblo the alcalde comes out and begins to rant about the evil Zorro has committed. The people are clearly disgusted with the alcalde. Then Mendoza and the soldiers come to town looking extremely disheveled. He tells them that the soldiers were attacked by Zorro, and for no reason. The alcalde uses this to emphasize his point. Then he orders Mendoza to his office where he shows him a piece of copper ore found on the Indians land, and tells Mendoza of his plans to “help” them make use of this resource. Mendoza thinks Zorro will be angry, but the alcalde tells him that Zorro will soon be out of the picture.
Diego is in the tavern talking to Mendoza when Victoria drops something. The older man who was going upstairs drops a rock. Diego sees this and tells the man, who runs back down, picks up the rock, and steps in the custard (or whatever she dropped), then goes back upstairs. A few minutes later everyone hears a commotion out in the plaza. The soldiers are attacking Zorro, who has robbed the poor box. He escapes, but not before slashing a Z into Mendoza’s coat and cutting him in the process. Later Diego is in the cave talking to Felipe. He shows him a tube with a piece of glass on the end, which removes certain colors with a lack of light. That night Zorro goes to the roof where the fake Zorro escaped and walks along the roof, using it to help him see the tracks (primitive night vision goggles?). He discovers custard where the man had walked. Then he goes into the alcalde’s office, and finds geological reports telling him that copper ore has been discovered on the Indians land; then he hears voices and has to hide as the alcalde and the man from the tavern come in. The man begins removing his gray eyebrows and hair, revealing a much younger man. The alcalde has hired the man to make Zorro look bad, and wants his money, but the alcalde now wants the man to make him look good, and tells him to come to the tavern the next day, where he will drive the “evil Zorro” out of town.
The next day the alcalde is in the tavern and claims the Indians land because it is of “strategic importance”, when Zorro appears and they fight, with Zorro clearly losing. Then the real Zorro comes to the tavern, and when the fake Zorro steps back into the kitchen, he knocks him out with a frying pan, and fights the alcalde, who’s clearly confused. Then the “fake Zorro” appears again, and the two Zorro’s fight. The alcalde sees that it looks like one Zorro is winning, takes Mendoza’s pistol and shoots him, and the other Zorro escapes. Mendoza is ordered to take off Zorro’s mask, which he does and a complete stranger is revealed (Mendoza – “he’s not so handsome”). The alcalde is disgusted because he shot the wrong Zorro (Alcalde – “that’s because he’s not the real Zorro”). The people rush out to see the real Zorro ride off on Tornado. And everyone has a happy ending, including the Indians because the alcalde is now too afraid to take their land knowing the real Zorro will protect them.
5 The Best Man
Airdate: 02/02/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Robert L. McCullough.
Diego’s cousin Rafael comes to Los Angeles with his fiancé, Margarita (not the beverage). She is incredibly excited because she will be able to see Zorro. Alejandro, Diego, Margarita, and Rafael are talking when Felipe interrupts to tell them there is trouble in town. Diego says he’s going to stay home and read, and the other three go to town where the alcalde has arrested several farmers for not paying their taxes. He plans on hanging them. Rafael questions the alcalde and he threatens to arrest him. There’s a small explosion and Mendoza and several soldiers run out of the alcalde’s office saying that the safe is destroyed. Zorro appears on the roof with the money that was in the safe. He says he stole it and now he’s going to pay the farmers taxes with the money. There’s a fight (note: there are several scenes from the credits that are in this episode) and Zorro rides off victorious. When they arrive home Diego is painting a still life, and Rafael asks him to be the best man. Margarita gets angry and says that there will be no wedding. Diego goes to talk to her but to his dismay she says she’s in love with another man, Zorro. Rafael is disgusted and wants to challenge Zorro to a duel. Diego tries to talk him out of it, but is unsuccessful.
In the plaza Victoria overhears Margarita saying that she things Zorro will like a particular fabric. They get into an argument over who will get Zorro (can we say catfight?) and Rafael intervenes. Diego gives Felipe a piece of a cactus because he wants Margarita to see Rafael in a heroic light. During the fight between Victoria and Margarita, while Rafael is busy, Felipe puts the cactus under his horses saddle and slaps it. The horse goes out of control, but the alcalde comes out of his office and grabs the reigns stopping the horse. Then he sees the disturbance around Victoria and Margarita. He orders Rafael and Margarita to leave within two hours or be arrested for disturbing the peace. While on the way back to his office he tells Mendoza to be sure and collect the travelers tax. Rafael and Margarita leave, although she’s clearly reluctant. Diego still wants to help Rafael and has another plan. As Rafael and Margarita are leaving they are stopped by Mendoza and some soldiers. Mendoza tells them that they didn’t pay the usual travelers tax (50 pesos before leaving, 200 after leaving). Rafael is disgusted and decides to fight. Mendoza orders the two soldiers to fight him and sits down on a rock eating. Zorro appears and gets them to leave. Rafael challenges Zorro and they begin to fight to Margarita’s dismay. While out of her sight Zorro disarms Rafael and then tells him to pick up his sword. When they appear in front of Margarita again Rafael “disarms” Zorro. Margarita tells Rafael not to kill Zorro, who rides off. (And they apparently live happily ever after, although I’m surprised Rafael is so easily persuaded to take her back -- I’d be a bit ticked off if I were him)
6 The Sure Thing
Airdate: 02/09/90. Director: Michael Vejar. Writer: Robert L. McCullough.
A man named Hilaro arrives on the pueblo and challenges anyone to a horse race. One of Don Alejandro's tenants is convinced that he can win with his horse Zeus, whom he had raised from a foal, and decides to challenge him, so he can pay his debts. Don Alejandro doesn't believe Hilaro's boasts and has Diego race Hilaro's horse. Diego reluctantly agrees, and wins the race, but noticed that Hilaro had pulled his horse back. When the farmer appears and challenges Hilaro, the people of the pueblo bet against him, including the Alcalde who bets 4000 pesos. The two race and Zeus is ahead at the beginning but falters at the end, and loses quite badly. The alcalde instantly confiscates everything the farmer owns, including Zeus. Later Mendoza takes them to the stable, where Zeus is ill. Everyone wonders if Zeus had been poisoned.
When Hilaro brags about his horse in the tavern, Victoria informs him that Tornado is the fastest horse in the territory. Hilaro is intrigued and offers to return all the pueblo's money if Tornado wins; if he loses, Hilaro keeps Tornado. Diego immediately sneezes, and says he's coming down with a cold. Later Zorro visits the alcalde, who's taking a bubble bath, and gets the alcalde to rescind the bounty for the race. The next day Zorro and Hilaro race and Zorro wins (of course), but Hilaro grabs the money and flees. Meanwhile the alcalde has been rigging a trap for Zorro, piling boxes etc. in two wagons hoping Tornado won't be able to jump them. (Did it ever occur to either of them that Zorro could ride out of the other side of the pueblo.) Tornado jumps the wagons, and Zorro chases and catches Hilaro. The farmer gets his property back, along with the rest of the pueblo people.
7 Zorro's Other Woman
Airdate: 02/16/90. Director: Ray Austin. Writer: Greg O'Neill.
Zorro is following some wagon tracks that seem strange when he hears some bandits who are robbing a wagon. He stops them from robbing the wagon and they ride off. He’s going to chase them, but stops when he hears a baby crying. He takes the baby to the cave and says he thinks that she’s the child of Russian immigrants. He leaves a protesting Felipe to take care of her (poor Felipe). The alcalde is eating dinner at the tavern when Mendoza comes in and tells him that some Russian immigrants have taken refuge in the tavern after being attacked by bandits who stole their wagon and child. The alcalde doesn’t plan on doing anything until Mendoza mentions that they’re offering a 500 peso reward for the return of the baby. The de la Vega’s are hosting a party and a woman is desperately flirting with Diego. In desperation he sneaks back into the cave where Felipe is trying to stop the baby from crying. Felipe begs him to do something. That night Zorro takes the baby to Victoria (an overly cute scene follows). Mendoza comes in and Victoria orders him out. When the alcalde questions Mendoza, he says that Victoria is just being overprotective of her baby. The alcalde realizes that the baby is the Russians and takes two lancers into the kitchen, where they find Zorro. They attempt to capture Zorro, but he, quite naturally, escapes. The alcalde then arrests Victoria for “kidnapping,” and puts Mendoza in charge of the baby.
The alcalde goes to the church to talk to the Russians. He tells them that a masked bandit called Zorro has their baby and will return her for a ransom of 1000 pesos. The Russians are horrified because this is all the money they have, but reluctantly give the alcalde the money. However, Zorro has been listening the whole time. He talks to them and convinces them of the truth. Meanwhile Mendoza is unable to stop the baby from crying. He finally gets Victoria out of the jail to help him and she takes the baby over to the tavern to try and feed her, Mendoza in tow. The alcalde discovers that they’re gone and furiously sets out to look for him. Victoria has just gotten the baby to sleep when the alcalde and several soldiers walk into the tavern and wake her up. He furiously asks Mendoza what he thinks he’s doing. Zorro is on the balcony and says that he’s going to return the baby to her family. The alcalde orders his soldiers to fire at Zorro, but the Russians walk out of several rooms and point their guns at the alcalde. The alcalde is forced to return the ransom money, and the baby is returned to her parents.
8, 9, 10, 11 The Legend Begins [A two hour movie]
Airdate: 02/17/90. Director: Ray Austin. Writer: Robert L. McCullough.
The alcalde is using forced labor to construct “the Ramone Highway.” Don Alejandro is furious and tells the alcalde that he’s going to tell the governor about this, to which the alcalde says “I doubt it.” Diego wants to go with his father, but Alejandro tells him to stay home. Diego knows the alcalde won’t let his father tell the governor so easily, so after Alejandro leaves he rides as Zorro to help him. Alejandro and his friend are riding along the trail when Mendoza and several soldiers surround them. Then Zorro appears and the soldiers start chasing him rather than stopping Alejandro. During the chase Zorro is on the edge of a cliff. Soldiers fire their guns and hit some rocks below Zorro, but Tornado rears and Zorro falls off him and down into a ravine. Mendoza and his men look down and see Zorro sprawled at the bottom of the ravine. They are convinced he’s dead.
Felipe is working in the cave when Tornado comes in without Zorro. Felipe is instantly concerned, gets on Tornado, and goes to look for Zorro. Tornado takes him to the place where Zorro fell. Felipe climbs down the cliff and goes to Zorro who wakes up (most conveniently) when he gets there. Zorro wants Felipe to leave, but he refuses. This reminds Zorro of how he acted when he was younger. As Zorro passes out, he flashes back to the past.
Diego is talking to a very young Felipe about his leaving. He tells Felipe that he’s going to Spain to learn about the sciences and promises to teach him what he’s learned when he gets back. Felipe asks about fencing, and Diego laughs and says any of that he picks up too. Don Alejandro overhears and tells Diego that he’s arranged for him to take lessons with Sir Edmund Kendall, the European saber master. Diego is a bit reluctant, but Alejandro tells him it’s a good idea to learn. Several years later at the University he is fencing with Kendall who beats him the first time. Kendall is quite disappointed and they begin again. This time Diego wins and Kendall realizes that Diego’s been holding back on him. Later Diego is studying when Kendall approaches. Sir Edmund says that he’s received a letter from Don Alejandro asking if Diego is ready to return, and that the rumored troubles in Los Angeles are apparently true. He then gives his prize saber to Diego telling him that he’s never had a student defeat him as a student.
When Diego returns home he greets his father and Felipe. He pretends (at least in my opinion) to not recognize Felipe at first and asks about him. Felipe tells Diego he’s Felipe and Diego says that Felipe was smaller. Felipe says he grew. In the house Diego asks his father what happened to Victoria Escalante. His father says she grew up and since she inherited the tavern she’s turned into a businesswoman. He then gives Diego a sword, and much to Diego’s amusement, is quite convinced that Diego is less than a mediocre fencer. Later in the tavern Victoria is being harassed by a soldier. She dumps something (water?) on his head. Diego and Alejandro walk in and Alejandro reintroduces them. They’re talking (to cheesy background music) when the soldier comes up and demands an apology from her. Diego stops him and the soldier is demanding a fight when Mendoza comes in. Mendoza recognizes Diego’s name, and welcomes him back to the pueblo, and of course the travelers tax (amusing quote: Victoria: He would tax the air we breathe if he could. Mendoza: Actually, I think he’s working on that.). They hear gunshots and go out to the plaza where the alcalde is berating some farmers for not paying their taxes. Diego introduces himself to the alcalde and asks what the government plans to do with the tax revenue. The alcalde is insulted and prepares to challenge Diego, but Don Alejandro steps in and stops them. Victoria asks Diego if he would challenge the alcalde, and Alejandro says that someone has to or they’ll lose the pueblo.
Zorro regains consciousness in the ravine. They hear soldiers coming and Felipe suggests trying to climb out, but Zorro realizes he’s to weak. He tries to move, but passes out again, and he flashes back to the past yet again.
Felipe is standing in front of the fireplace sweeping. When his back is turned Diego sneaks out from the secret passage in the fireplace. Felipe turns around towards the fireplace again and starts. He knows Diego wasn’t there before. Diego says it’s magic, and asks Felipe to turn around again. He goes back into the passage and when Felipe turns around Diego is gone. Felipe is looking around when Diego comes out of the passage and he is startled. Diego tells Felipe that the door leads to a cave that was built to protect the hacienda from Indian attack. He says the cave will be their secret. Don Alejandro comes in to get Diego because there’s trouble in town again.
The alcalde is sitting at a desk in front of the garrison collecting more taxes. Victoria goes to talk to him and they argue and she leaves. Diego and Alejandro arrive and Alejandro is arguing with the alcalde, when a soldier says there is trouble in the tavern. Victoria is talking rebellion and when the alcalde walks in he arrests her. Alejandro protests and when the alcalde calls him an “old man” he punches the alcalde, who arrests Alejandro as well. Diego goes to the alcalde’s office and demands the release of his father. The alcalde refuses and says if there is any trouble, he knows who to arrest. Diego walks into the tavern and overhears Mendoza telling stories about some Indian tactics. They have a conversation in which Mendoza tells Diego the unknown frightens stories, and Diego looks thoughtful. The alcalde is trying to convince Victoria to tell him who disagrees with his policies, but naturally she refuses.
Diego returns to the hacienda and Felipe drags him into the cave, where a fox is hiding. Diego marvels over the ability of the fox to stay alive since so many people are hunting them. Again, he looks thoughtful. They turn away and the fox whines and Felipe turns back to look at the fox. Diego realizes that Felipe can hear and is thrilled, but wonders why Felipe kept it a secret. Felipe says he was afraid that he would be treated differently. Later, Felipe is walking around the hacienda when a figure in black wearing a mask appears. Felipe is scared, but Diego says it’s just him. When Felipe asks if Diego is going to tell about his hearing he tells Felipe that it, the cave, and the saber will be their secret. (There’s a really pathetic looking scene where Zorro snuffs the flame of several candles with his sword.) That night Zorro makes his first appearance at the jail. He helps Alejandro and Victoria escape, and then fights the soldiers to keep them from going after them. (Mendoza’s line: Oh my God. It’s a demon!). The alcalde challenges Zorro, and after a brief fight Zorro chops the blade off the alcalde’s sword with his saber.
The soldiers are at the spot where Zorro fell. He regains consciousness and tries to get Felipe to leave, but he doesn’t want too. He tells Zorro has an idea and runs off. Meanwhile, the alcalde comes into the tavern and orders a bottle of good wine. He tells Victoria it’s because Zorro is dead. Mendoza and the soldiers look down at Zorro’s body (Mendoza does a funny speech about how he and Zorro were so much alike). They then raise their guns and fire at the figure on the ravine floor. They climb down the walls and go to the body, which is just Zorro’s hat and cape laying over some branches. Mendoza orders his men to search the ravine. While they’re doing that Tornado finds the soldiers horses and chews through the rope that’s holding them and then scares them so they start to run back to the pueblo. The soldiers hear this and climb back up (the rope is in a Z) and then start marching back to the pueblo. Down in the ravine Felipe and Zorro emerge from a pool of water where they were breathing through hollow reeds. They wonder what happens and Zorro thinks that Tornado must have helped them. He passes out and remembers how he found Tornado.
Felipe had helped Zorro by driving a wagon into the pueblo, but when they come back into the cave after rescuing his father and Victoria, he notes that Felipe had almost been spotted. He decides they need a horse, but one that no one has seen before. As he exits the fireplace his father and Victoria come in and tell Diego about their rescue by Zorro. They’re both clearly impressed. After they leave Diego and Felipe start searching for a horse. He and Felipe ride through the desert and find a black stallion who runs. They corner the horse in a canyon near a foal (baby horse) that’s laying on the ground. Diego realizes the foal is sick and tries to help it, which he does. After this the horse allows him to approach and pet him. They take the horse back to the cave where Felipe suggests the name Tornado, and Tornado the horse becomes.
While they’re in the cave the alcalde comes into the hacienda and arrests Don Alejandro again. Diego watches through the peephole and is furious. He’s about to do something (stupid) but Felipe stops him and says it’s Zorro’s job. The alcalde takes Alejandro to his office and tells him that he is going to hang. Then he says that he won’t hang Alejandro if he tells him the identity of Zorro. Alejandro says he has no idea and the alcalde tells him he will hang at dawn. In the cave Diego holds up a drawing of a hanglider by Leonardo Da Vinci. He and Felipe use the drawing to create a hanglider. The next morning Alejandro and several men are taken out to the gallows to be hung. The alcalde is making a long winded speech about the evils of Zorro (Victoria disagrees). In the desert Felipe is driving a wagon with the hanglider on the back of it. The hanglider goes into the air (whoever wrote that doesn’t know the first thing about aerodynamics because that wouldn’t happen). The alcalde is still speaking when the people look up in amazement, and the hanglider lands in the pueblo (oohhh, I’m scared). There’s a fight during which Zorro disarms the alcalde and tells him not to arrest those men again without cause and forces him to return the tavern to Victoria. The alcalde reaches for his sword and Zorro carves his very first Z on the tail of the alcalde’s coat and races out of the pueblo on Tornado.
Zorro wakes up feeling a bit better, but they hear hoofbeats and fear the soldiers are returning. He and Felipe get ready to fight, but it’s actually Tornado and Felipe’s horse (who Tornado apparently managed to saddle and bring to the canyon) who have found a way into the ravine, and Zorro goes home. Mendoza and the soldiers return to the pueblo and tell the alcalde that they couldn’t find the body because the coyotes took it, but they do have his cape and hat. The alcalde goes to the tavern and announces Zorro’s death.
Dr. Hernandez is treating Diego, who claims that he was thrown by “the old mare.” He tells him that things are worse on the pueblo and that Zorro is “dead.” Diego tries to get up so he can help, but passes out yet again. The next day Victoria comes to see Diego. She tells him about the new series of taxes the alcalde has imposed, including an income tax (Diego: what a bizarre idea). She tells him that there will be a memorial service for Zorro that night where the body will be displayed. Diego decides that he has to do something and gets up. In the cave Diego is preparing what looks like small rockets with small explosives on the tips and fuses, which he says are similar to time delay fuses. That night Zorro rides to the pueblo and sneaks into the chapel where Zorro’s “body” is displayed.
At the memorial service Ramone gives the “eulogy” for Zorro. He rants about Zorro’s crimes and when he says he would ask why Zorro did what he did, Zorro’s “body” gets up, and Zorro tells him “Because the government is a corrupt oppressor of the people,” much to Ramone’s shock. Zorro tells the alcalde to stop the taxes and forced labor or his “men” will begin an assault. Ramone is skeptical, and tells him that he has no men, but Zorro says while he was dead the souls oppressed by Ramone have joined his army. Zorro leaves the church, gets on Tornado and rides by Felipe, who’s holding a torch. He rides by the series of explosives that he rigged and lights the fuses, then rides back into the pueblo. The alcalde still doesn’t believe that Zorro has any men, and orders his soldiers to go outside the pueblo and search for Zorro’s “men.” When they leave Zorro’s explosives go off around them and the soldiers come back coughing saying there’s an army. The explosives continue to go off all around the pueblo. The alcalde is forced to renounce his enforced labor and goes back to his office in disgust. (Cheesy scene between Victoria and Zorro) As the alcalde goes back to his office a Z of flaming arrows is shot into his door.
Don Alejandro comes back and says his trip was successful. He asks what happened to Diego, and when Victoria tells him that the old mare threw Diego, he laughs and says Diego should take riding lessons.
(DrMM notes: If you pay attention during the cave scenes, you can see the hanglider hanging in the background. What I want to know, is how on earth did Diego sneak that out of the middle of the plaza where Zorro left it, without being discovered?)
12 Pride of the Pueblo
Airdate: 02/23/90. Director: Michael Levine. Writers: Ted Alben & Greg Klein.
A free black man named James Horton arrives on the pueblo. He’s eating in the tavern when some of the soldiers bother him, knocking his plate off the table. Horton tries to leave, but the soldiers attack him. Horton fights back, beating the soldiers easily. The alcalde comes in and arrests him. The next day the alcalde to Mendoza where we learn Horton broke one man’s nose and the others jaw. The alcalde is upset because he’s being considered for promotion in Monterey and the governor’s magistrate will be in the pueblo the next day and Horton made his men look bad. Then the de la Vega’s arrive to plead for Horton’s freedom. The alcalde at first says no quite adamantly, but Diego proposes a boxing match between a soldier and Horton. If the soldier wins, the alcalde will look good in front of the magistrate, and get a reward. If Horton wins, he can go free. The alcalde agrees and Diego posts the man’s bond. Then the alcalde tells Mendoza to find a soldier who was dismissed from the garrison several months earlier for beating up three men in a tavern brawl and reinstate him. Horton is reluctant to trust the de la Vega’s but Diego manages to win his trust, and he agrees to box. He also discovers that his papers proving he’s free have been stolen. That night Zorro goes to the barn where Mendoza is helping the soldier train. When Mendoza leaves to get food (what else?) the soldier puts an iron bar in his hand. The soldier attacks Zorro, who deftly avoids him every time, until finally the soldier tries to punch Zorro who moves out of the way, and the man hits the wall instead. The governors magistrate and the boasting alcalde walk into the tavern where Mendoza is wrapping the soldiers hand, which he apparently broke, and is now unable to fight. The magistrate says Mendoza will fight instead. Next there’s a montage to music showing Mendoza and Horton training (why did I expect to hear the Rocky theme?). In the cave Diego shows Felipe some ether (it knocks you out if you didn’t know), and tells Felipe he wants him to put some on Mendoza’s gloves the next day. Obviously he’s using this as a way to rid the pueblo of the alcalde.
The next day the fight begins. Mendoza is quite reluctant to fight, and even uses Diego as a shield. The magistrate is bored and the alcalde is disgusted. Horton lands a punch and Mendoza is almost knocked out. Then Mendoza lands a punch and the effect of the ether is quite evident but he shakes it off and lands another punch that knocks Mendoza into the alcalde who tells him to “keep your guard up.” Mendoza says “that is an excellent suggestion,” and goes back into the ring holding his gloves right in front of his face much to Diego and Felipe’s dismay. Mendoza collapses and Horton is proclaimed the winner -- although he’s a very confused winner. The magistrate is disgusted and tells the alcalde that the only place he’s likely to move to is the garrison at Death Valley. The alcalde is furious and says that all bets are off and has his soldiers arrest Horton. That night Zorro comes to the jail. He lowers a bunch of roses on his whip and the soldier stupidly sniffs them and collapses (the ether again). He frees Horton and they go through the door to the alcalde’s office where the alcalde is lying in wait with a pistol. Zorro tells the alcalde that there are two of them and only one bullet. The alcalde turns to Horton and tells him “You wouldn’t dare.” “Try me,” says Horton. While the alcalde is distracted Zorro uses his whip and knocks the pistol out of his hand, then Horton punches the alcalde. “Apparently not all men are created equal alcalde. Some men are better than you’ll ever be,” comments Zorro (a wonderful line in my opinion). He then sees Horton’s papers on the alcalde’s desk and gives them back to Horton. And they all lived happily ever after. . . um, except for Mendoza who’s ego was crushed. . . oh, and the alcalde was still there so Los Angeles still suffered . . . um, well, maybe Horton lived happily ever after.
13 Honor Thy Father
Airdate: 03/02/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Adam Tyler.
Bandits attack the carriers of the military payroll. Don Alejandro, who is out riding hears the shots and goes to see what’s wrong. One of the soldiers who has been shot falls off his horse in front of Don Alejandro, who tries to help. When the bandits, who have been chasing the wounded soldier, come upon the scene, they shoot Don Alejandro. Victoria, finds Don Alejandro. Later at the hacienda Dr. Hernandez attends Alejandro and removes the bullet. Unfortunately, Alejandro is still in a coma, and has to tell Diego, Felipe, and Victoria he might die. Diego goes to sit by his father. Felipe asks if he is going to ride as Zorro, but Diego says his place is by his father. Some time later the alcalde comes by to express his “appreciation” and says he won’t rest until he captures Zorro.
In the alcalde’s office, Mendoza tells the alcalde that there’s no evidence that Zorro was involved. The alcalde tells Mendoza he didn’t search hard enough, and orders him to search again. Then he carves a Z on one of the payroll saddlebags, saying that is all the evidence he needs. In the hacienda Diego is still watching over his father. Victoria comes in and tries to get him to eat or sleep, but Diego refuses. When she calls him a good son, he feels guilty about his secret life, and tells his father (who’s still in a coma) that he is Zorro (in a rather excessively long angsty scene). The next time Dr. Hernandez visits, he tells Diego that a sap which could help cure his father was stolen along with the gold shipment. Naturally, he decides it’s time for Zorro. He sends Felipe to the blacksmith for a special horseshoe his father’s horse needed (the bandits stole the horse). Using the difference between the horseshoes, he follows the bandits trail (we are all duly impressed). He finds the bandits arguing near a river and fights with two of them, while the third tries to run away with the gold. Naturally, Tornado is in the right place, and drives the bandit back to Zorro. He then takes the sap to Dr. Hernandez who wonders how Zorro knew about the sap (you’d think this would give him a clue, but in the wonderful world of Hollywood a mask (or a cape in Superman’s case) can render a person unrecognizable to his friends and family). Meanwhile on the pueblo, Zorro has returned the gold and the thieves which renders the alcalde’s plan useless. When he arrives back at the hacienda his father is awake and asking for him. Alejandro later tells him that while he was in the coma he had a dream that someone told him Diego was Zorro, but he’s proud of the son he has (Ezri (from Deep Space Nine) moment -- awwwww, how sweet).
14 The Magician
Airdate: 03/09/90. Director: Michael Vejar. Writers: Ted Alben & Greg Klein.
A traveling magician performs a show at the tavern. He performs a number of tricks, including bringing a “dead” bird back to life after pouring some water on it. Diego thinks that the magician switched birds somehow, and the magician labels him “Senor Skeptical,” and has Diego assist him with his next trick. After the show, the magician starts flirting with Victoria. Back in the cave Diego is trying to discover how the magician worked the bird trick, without switching birds. He assumes that the bird is only drunk, and pours some water on a bird he fed a few drops of wine to. The bird doesn’t wake up, but Diego decides the magician must have added a stimulant to the water. Later in the tavern Diego is talking with Mendoza, who informs him that there is a gold shipment arriving on the pueblo, but he is nervous because a previous shipment had been attacked by a giant fireball. The magician, who is planning on leaving the next day, arrives at the tail end of this conversation. Diego is highly suspicious of him (How convenient for criminals that Mendoza can’t keep a secret).
That night the shipment is robbed. The soldiers are scared off with several fireballs. Zorro arrives on the scene too late, but chases the robber and slashes his telltale Z on the back of the robbers coat. He then goes to the tavern and peers into the magicians room, where much to his chagrin he sees the magician sleeping in a mirror. Back at the cave, Diego has figured out the secret to the bird trick. If he adds a chemical called pyritic sulfate to water it wakes the bird up. However, as he shows Felipe, if the chemical is added to alcohol it produces a fireball like the ones that “attacked” the soldiers. At the tavern, Diego picks the lock to the magicians room and discovers a dummy and pulley system, obviously used to make people think he was in his room. It’s time for Zorro to do his work. The magician is leaving that day. He asks Victoria to go with him, but she refuses and tells him her heart belongs to another. He doesn’t take this well, and forces her to tell Don Alejandro she is leaving with him with his sword. Zorro appears (was that swinging down to the floor on the chandelier really necessary?), and reveals to the pueblo that the magician is really the thief. The two fight and Zorro is disarmed. He smiles, drops his glove and a smoke screen appears. When the smoke clears, the magician is bound and gagged (oohs and ahhhs are now appropriate). Zorro disappears and Victoria opens the magicians luggage where she finds the coat with the Z on the back of it.
15 Deal with the Devil
Airdate: 03/16/90. Director: Ray Austin. Writer: Suzanne Herrera.
A group of soldiers, including a Colonel Palomarez, arrive on the pueblo. Palomarez demands to see the alcalde. The alcalde is shocked, and says Palomarez was known as “the butcher of the Yucatan.” Palomarez tells the alcalde that he has orders from the king to capture and execute the bandit Zorro. He demands a list of all of the citizens of the pueblo, and tells the alcalde he plans on executing one every day until Zorro is captured. Everyone, including the alcalde, is appalled. The soldiers kick the current occupants out of the tavern. When the alcalde objects, Palomarez tells him that he (Palomarez) is now in charge of the pueblo. That night the first drawing to determine who will hang is held. Mendoza’s name is drawn to the alcalde’s shock. Apparently everyone’s name is there, including the soldiers and the alcalde’s name. After the drawing, Zorro rides to the pueblo. He finds Palomarez downstairs alone at a table and challenges him to a duel. If Palomarez wins, Zorro agrees to hang, if Zorro wins, Palomarez will leave the pueblo. Palomarez tells Zorro he’s a man of honor, and then orders his men (who are apparently standing guard) to seize Zorro.
Zorro is taken to the jail and put into the cell next to Mendoza. Palomarez tells the alcalde that he has Zorro. The alcalde goes to gloat, and wants to take Zorro’s mask off. Zorro had anticipated this, and when Palomarez goes to open the cell, he whistles for Tornado and the bars at the window are pulled loose and he escapes. Palomarez says that Mendoza will hang. In the cave Diego creates a ball of gunpowder and attaches chunks of it to arrows. In the morning he rides to the pueblo where Mendoza is being led to the gallows that have been constructed. From the top of the church Zorro shoots a number of arrows in various directions that explode when they hit the ground. Palomarez and the alcalde assume that Zorro is leading an attack on the pueblo, and Palomarez orders his soldiers to go attack Zorro, thus getting them out of Zorro’s way (“Bring me the head of Zorro”). Palomarez gets on his horse to follow the soldiers, but as he is leaving Zorro drops in front of him, cuts the reigns with his saber, and Palomarez falls off. (One of my all time favorite lines comes here. “I present to you the head of Zorro, firmly attached to the body.) They begin a duel, but Mendoza (Zorro had shot an arrow cutting the noose off earlier) isn’t sure that Zorro can win because Palomarez has never been defeated. They fight, and Zorro leads him up the stairs of the gallows. He tricks Palomarez over the trap door through which the body would normally fall, and kicks the lever. Palomarez falls to the ground. Zorro has won. He borrows a burro from a farmer, knocks Palomarez out, throws him over the burro, and lets the burro go. Meanwhile, the soldiers have come back and the burro goes between their horses on which is a very smug and amused alcalde. Later in the tavern Diego, Victoria, and Mendoza are discussing Zorro’s “capture.” Diego is convinced that Palomarez will return.
Author’s note: Why did I get the urge that the alcalde and Palomarez were going to get in a fight going “I’m more evil than you are.”
16 Whereabouts
Airdate: 03/23/90. Director: Ron Satlof. Writer: Jim Wells.
Mendoza and some soldiers come into the tavern to hang up a portrit of the alcalde, who has decreed that a portrit of him must hang in every public place (it’s a badly done one too -- I guess the taxes he charged weren’t enough for him to be able to hire a quality artist), much to Victoria’s annoyance. When the soldiers are leaving a gentleman comes in and asks Mendoza if he knows the whereabouts of Zorro, much to the soldiers amusement. The man says he plans on unmasking Zorro. The man tells Victoria he is Sebastian Moreno, the writer (“Perhaps you’ve heard of me” -- how egotistical). He wants to write a book about Zorro. The soliders have left and two men, who have been quietly sitting at a table, get up and rob the tavern. Felipe, who is in the kitchen, hears the commotion. Naturally, Zorro soon appears, fights the bandits, carves a Z in the alcalde’s portrit, ties them up and leaves.
Felipe is cleaning the cave, when he notices some of Diego’s experiments on the table. He picks one up, pulls a string off of the top of one, and when Diego comes he hurridly puts it back and acts innocent. Diego notices, and plugs his ears. There is a small explosion which startles Felipe. Diego has been working on a time-delay fuse (these remind me of grenades for some reason). Then he tells Felipe that his father has invited the writer to dinner. When Moreno arrives he is ushered into the living room. He is standing by the fireplace inspecting something when Felipe opens the door in the fireplace (note: much against my original impression, Moreno does NOT find the latch in the fireplace). Felipe sees the writer and runs back down into the cave, stupidly not shutting the door again. The writer looks up and sees the door and immediatly goes to inspect it (I can only imagine what he’s thinking). Diego, who is standing at the door, quickly introduces him to Moreno and when questioned says that the hacienda was built by a man paranoid about Indian attacks and the door leads to what is now used as a storage room. Moreno is convinced that he recognizes Diego, but can’t remember where. Don Alejandro volunteers Diego to lead Moreno around the pueblo when he learns of the writers quest.
The next day Diego arrives at the tavern to escort Moreno. The alcalde orders Mendoza to follow them and write down everything and everyone they talk too (There’s an amusing scene where a man calls the alcalde a buffoon which Mendoza spells it with only one f -- when the alcalde reads it he just looks so, so, insulted, and tells Mendoza he spelled it wrong). Moreno has been there two weeks and his ship is leaving soon, but he still doesn’t know Zorro’s identity. Moreno tells Diego and Alejandro that he plans on telling everyone he knows Zorro’s identity. He thinks Zorro will be so curious that he will confront Moreno, who is sure he needs to only see Zorro one more time to know his identity. Diego is concerned because he knows the alcalde won’t let Moreno leave without knowing Zorro’s identity, but if Zorro helps Moreno, he will know his identity for sure. He sees the time-delay fuses and decides those can help him.
Moreno is riding to his ship (he keeps peering over his shoulder) when the alcalde stops him and says he is arresting him as Zorro’s accomplice. Moreno says he’ll go with the alcalde, but keeps looking around for Zorro. There are several explosions and Zorro appears at the top of a hill and tells the alcalde that Los Angeles is under attack from the United States. The alcalde sends Mendoza back to town, but stays with Moreno, unwilling to let Zorro go. He draws his pistol and is going to fire at Zorro, but Moreno bumps into the alcalde’s horse and the pistol discharges into the air. The alcalde is furious, draws his sword and hits Moreno in the shoulder. Zorro cuts the strap holding the saddle on and the alcalde falls off his horse (the stuntman is extremely obvious here). There’s a nice little duel, some small talk where we find out the alcalde has been corresponding with a swordsman in Mexico City, Zorro wins. He takes Moreno to a mission, gives him a nice little lecture about moral responsibility, and before he leaves he asks Moreno who he is. Moreno tells him “You, señor, are Zorro. That is all anyone needs to know.”
17 All that Glitters
Airdate: 03/30/90. Director: Peter Diamond. Writer: Richard Frieman.
The alcalde receives a letter informing him that a thief named Leonardo Montez has escaped from the Santa Barbara prison and is heading towards Los Angeles. The alcalde is delighted because Montez stole a jewel, and since Montez was captured in Los Angeles, he is convinced that the return means that the jewel is hidden near the pueblo. In the tavern Mendoza describes the thief as handsome and having a scar to Victoria. While he’s talking, a man holds his hand over one side of his face and walks out of the tavern. Victoria says, “Like that man,” and Mendoza runs out chasing the thief. At the de la Vega household Diego is showing Felipe a painting (looking suspiciously like Victoria) which he calls “The Mona Lisa of the Pueblo. Victoria comes and informs him of Montez’s capture, leading Diego to the same conclusion as the alcalde. Diego rants about how they have to stop the alcalde much to Victoria’s surprise. Then he realizes what he’s saying and goes “we have to . . . pray,” to Victoria’s disgust.
In the alcalde’s office Montez is being interrogated. The alcalde is about to use a knife on Montez when Zorro arrives and stops him. After a fight, Zorro (who told the alcalde that the stone was at the south fork) and Montez escape. Zorro takes Montez to a barn (evidently on the de la Vega land) and leaves, telling Tornado to watch him. Montez is going to try to escape, but Tornado stops him, and he decides to stay. In the tavern, the alcalde comes to order the soldiers to the north fork (he obviously can’t take Z’s suggestion) much to Mendoza’s amazement. In the cave Diego is working on a fake jewel, when he tells Felipe to go check on Montez. Montez is talking to Tornado and confesses he really did take the jewel. Felipe (who’s hiding behind a absurdly small column) overhears. The soldiers are digging to find the jewel. The alcalde insists that the jewel has to be there. Zorro lets Montez go, but has Felipe follow him. Zorro goes to the north fork where the alcalde is and gives him what appears to be the jewel. The alcalde orders the soldiers to attack (the traditional fight scene ensues). Montez is at the scene where the jewel is hidden when Zorro arrives. Unfortunately, there’s a mountain lion in the way. Zorro uses his whip to distract the lion, knocks aside a stone and finds the jewel (what a pathetic excuse for a hiding place). The alcalde tells the priest that the jewel hasn’t been found. Zorro rides into the pueblo and gives the priest the jewel, telling him Montez helped him retrieve it. The alcalde rushes to his desk where he hid the jewel, and finds a glob of goo. Zorro rides off to the church where he left Montez and Montez goes back to jail, which he’s not to happy about.
18 Child's Play
Airdate: 04/06/90. Director: Michael Levine. Writer: Marta Victoria.
One of the pueblo’s landlords, Don Antonio has died, and his son Don Pedro returns to claim his inheritance. He goes to a farm where an older man and his grandson, Miguel, live. Miguel wants to know where a horse Don Antonio promised him, but Pedro refuses to give it to him, and orders the grandfather to vacate his land. The grandfather resists after telling Miguel to leave, and naturally loses, but Zorro intervenes. Don Pedro and his friend attempt to fight Zorro and lose. Zorro leaves on Tornado, but Don Pedro grabs a pistol and shoots after him. Tornado is hit on the leg. Zorro evades the two and is safe, but doesn’t want to ride Tornado, so he takes the saddle off and lets Tornado go free. Victoria is on the road in her wagon (most convenient), sees the horseless Zorro and offers him a ride, which he accepts (duh!). She tells him that Don Pedro has been forcing all his tenants off his land.
Meanwhile Miguel is out playing with his wooden sword. He sees Tornado and falls in love with the horse. He’s convinced that this is a gift (from God?) because he can’t have Firestorm. Amazingly, Tornado lets the boy put a bandage on his leg, and pet him. The soldiers are out riding and come across Victoria. Zorro hides under a tarp in the back, but while Victoria is talking to them, he gets out and runs to the cave. To his surprise Tornado hasn’t returned. Miguel names Tornado Blackstar and reluctantly leaves him when his grandfather calls. In the cave Diego decides that Zorro should pay Don Pedro a visit (amusing note: he picks up Zorro’s hat first, although it would be most illogical to put that on before he was dressed and had the mask on). In Don Pedro’s house Zorro picks up what appears to be a will. Victoria is in the tavern, which is crowded with people Don Pedro kicked off his land. When she goes upstairs she finds a Z of roses and a note (awww, how cute). That night Miguel sleeps outside near Tornado. When Zorro goes back to the cave Felipe is asleep in the hay. In the morning Zorro finds Tornado and Miguel. There’s a cute scene where Miguel tries to keep Tornado, but he reluctantly is forced to give up. Later at Miguel’s grandfathers farm Don Pedro and several men are going to burn the house down. Pedro wants his men to shoot Zorro, but Zorro promises them they’ll be safe and they leave. There’s another fight (and an amusing whip battle). Zorro gives Pedro his fathers will and forces Don Pedro to read the will, which says his people get their freedom and land, and Miguel gets Firestorm. Through the story, apparently Diego is trying to finish reading Robin Hood (a bit too obvious for me).
19 A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Airdate: 04/13/90. Director: Michael Vejar. Writers: Paul & Sharon Boorstin.
A new priest, Padre Benitez, arrives to take over the mission. Diego has apparently been corresponding with him for some time and says he’s a kind gentle man. However, the priest that arrives is anything but that and treats the Indians harshly. Don Alejandro visits the mission and sees him berating the servants. He goes back and tells Diego who has a hard time believing that the man he’s been corresponding with could treat them that way. Benitez also sends Alejandro and the other cabelleros a letter asking them to triple their donations. Diego notices that the handwriting of the letter is totally different from the letters he has been receiving and he’s convinced that the priest is not Benitez. Meanwhile, Carlos one of the servants at the mission has been accused of stealing the silver and arrested. That night Zorro goes to the mission to learn more about the priest. While the alcalde and “Benitez” are making arrangements with the churches money, Zorro sneaks into the church and finds the stolen silver. The next day Carlos is taken out to be whipped unless he reveals where he hid the stolen silver. Zorro comes to his rescue and reveals to the people that “Benitez” was not a real priest and he found the stolen silver hidden in his closet. The alcalde orders his soldiers to stop Zorro. During the fight “Benitez” escapes with his horse. Zorro escapes from the soldiers and chases after “Benitez.” Unfortunately he’s unable to catch him and he gets away.
The fake Benitez sends a ransom note along with a message from the real Benitez. Diego notices that the priest mentions starlings, leading him to believe that the priest sent a clue. In the tavern Don Alejandro tells the other cabelleros that the alcalde won’t pay the ransom (he’s broke) and they agree to raise the money among themselves. The fake Benitez is about to kill the padre when Zorro arrives. He followed a starling to where they roost. They fight, Zorro wins and the priest is saved. Don Alejandro and the others arrive with the ransom when Zorro shows up with the real priest. Some of the other cabelleros try to capture Zorro, to Alejandro’s amazement, who throws his sword away. He dodges around their blades and then when they lunge he jumps and their blades get stuck in a wagon. The priest defends Zorro, and he leaves.
20 Ghost Story
Airdate: 04/20/90. Director: Michael Levine. Writers: Paul & Sharon Boorstin.
Mendoza has inherited the Porteal Hacienda from his a distant relative. While showing Mendoza around his new house the servant Torres tells Mendoza that the first owner of the hacienda suffered from a lost love and hung himself on a chandelier. His ghost now haunts the hacienda. The next day at the tavern Mendoza tells the story and invites Diego, his father, Victoria, and his neighbor Don Emilio to a banquet the next evening. That night there’s a storm and Mendoza is unable to sleep. He hears noises and leaves his room to investigate and sees the ghost. In the market the next day while buying supplies for the banquet he tells Diego about it. Diego tells Mendoza he has nothing to worry about, and apologizes for his being unable to make it because his fathers rheumatism is acting up. Later in the cave he tells Felipe that the pueblo’s chronicle says Don Porteal died peacefully in his bed, not that he hung himself. He decides that Zorro should check up on the mystery. At the banquet that night (poor Mendoza has horrible table manners) the ghost appears again, as does Zorro, and the ghost leaves. The alcalde orders the soldier he has with him to attack Zorro, and there’s a fight during which the ghost escapes (as does Zorro -- which we all know).
Diego is puzzled about what the purpose of the “ghost” is. He decides to pay Mendoza a visit but when he gets there Mendoza is moving out. As the servant Torres enters the house he notices his boots leave a black smudge of tar on the ground. Don Alejandro informs Diego that Mendoza’s neighbor Don Emilio is buying the hacienda, although the other cabelleros wanted to make it an orphanage. That night Zorro inspects the barn at the Porteal hacienda and finds the armor the ghost was wearing. Torres is loading up a wagon to leave when he hears Zorro masquerading as the ghost of Don Porteal. Zorro tricks Torres into revealing that he pretended to the ghost of Porteal because Don Emilio wanted the land, which they had discovered tar on. Torres tries to fight Zorro, but loses and ends up falling into a tar pit. Torres tells Zorro that Mendoza is signing the deed to the property over to Emilio that night. Mendoza is about ready to sign the deed when Zorro stops him and tells him Torres is the ghost. Don Emilio’s men attack Zorro and Mendoza draws his sword and sides with Zorro. Zorro defeats Don Emilio and his men easily, and although Mendoza tries to help he’s quite useless. Mendoza decides to go back to the barracks and donates the hacienda to be an orphanage.
21 The Bounty Hunters
Airdate: 04/27/90. Director: Michael Vejar. Writer: Philip John Taylor.
Diego is trying to use the newly invented camera, but unfortunately puts to much powder in the flash and scares Felipe. Later, a mail wagon carrying gold is attacked by “Indians.” Several men are shot by them, and the driver is furious. The governor places a bounty on the heads of the Indians who attacked the wagon, dead or alive. Unfortunately, this leads to bounty hunters attacking any Indian, including the wagons driver, and Zorro is kept busy saving innocent men from being killed for the bounty. The next day Diego tries his camera again, but it still doesn’t work right. Don Alejandro comes in and tells him that the alcalde let the bounty hunters captured by Zorro go. That night Zorro has Victoria trick the driver out of his room in the tavern and takes one of the arrows left by the Indians.
The next day by a river a man is shaving his leg and cuts it. The driver tells him to keep with it because Indians don’t have hair on their legs. They’re planning another robbery when the bandits hear a small explosion sound. Zorro appears and tells them that the tip of their arrow gave them away because the feathers were colored with paint instead of a natural dye. There’s a fight and Zorro captures all the bandits but the driver. He takes them to the pueblo tells the people that the driver is the leader. The driver denies it, but Zorro throws Mendoza the photo he made of the driver and the others around a campfire and the driver is arrested. Of course they’re incredibly puzzled as to how he made it.
22 The Unhappy Medium
Airdate: 05/04/90. Director: Michael Levine. Writer: Bruce Lansbury.
A woman claiming to be able to speak to the dead stays at the tavern. A friend of Alejandro’s visits her wanting to speak to his father and then tells Alejandro she knows things only his father would know. While they’re talking the woman comes out of her room, points at Alejandro, and says she has a message from his wife. Diego is skeptical, and tells his father that what his mother would say is to go on with their lives. He goes to the tavern where Mendoza, who has just visited with his “father,” tells him that he learned he was from a wealthy family. A man named Ricardo, who travels with the woman, comes down and offers to sell the people “magic” gemstones. Diego looks at one, which Ricardo says is turquoise, but Diego says it has only been painted to look like turquoise. That night Zorro watches the man and woman go to the alcalde’s office and give him money. He is getting twenty percent of the profits for information from the pueblo’s records.
In the cave Felipe hears a strange voice and drops a few bottles. Diego come in and shows Felipe a tube (which looks like a funnel with a straight tube attached) that he’s been speaking through. Diego tells Felipe that Ricardo from the next room has been using the tube to be the medium’s “ghostly” voice. Don Alejandro tells Diego that he’s made an appointment with the woman for that night. Diego says it’s a good time to put the woman to a test. The couple is in the alcalde’s office looking over information on Elena. The woman notices that she was a patron of the arts, but Ricardo says it’s no problem. During the visit Alejandro asks about how Goya influenced Micaelangelo. In the other room Ricardo answers that Goya’s influence was threefold. . . When he’s done Alejandro asks the woman if she was certain that was his wife. She says yes, and Alejandro promptly calls her a fraud because Goya was born after Michealangelo. He announces to the tavern that it was a fraud and Ricardo comes out of his room and attacks him. Diego runs to his defense, but while his back is turned Ricardo knocks him off the balcony. The alcalde suggests a duel, which Diego accepts, and says one hour. Meanwhile Felipe has brought in Zorro’s attire to the town. He goes into the alcalde’s office, where Mendoza is trying on the alcalde’s clothes, and takes the money that the alcalde had gotten from the medium. He tells Mendoza that the alcalde would appreciate him returning the box to him in the plaza and leaves. The people are out in the plaza waiting for the duel when Zorro appears and hands Victoria the money the couple robbed. Ricardo attacks Zorro and they duel, which naturally Zorro wins. Zorro mentions that the alcalde had given them the pueblo’s records, which the alcalde denies. Then Mendoza comes up with the money, and says it’s the twenty percent given to the alcalde by the couple. The alcalde has them arrested. Later Diego comes in, and is told the fight is all over. Alejandro says Diego insisted on changing his clothes before the duel.
23 An Explosive Situatiton
Airdate: 05/11/90. Director: Peter Diamond. Writer: Philip John Taylor.
Ricardo from the episode “The Unhappy Medium” returns. He sends the alcalde and Mendoza notes that are supposedly from Diego, inviting them to his fathers surprise birthday party, at the tavern. He sends Diego and Alejandro a note supposedly from the alcalde inviting them to a surprise party for Mendoza, and of course tell no one. They all leave, but the de la Vega’s forget Mendoza’s present. When Diego and Alejandro step into the tavern they see two presents lying on the floor, and then the chandelier drops on top of them. When they wake up, they’re all bound and gagged. Ricardo rants about how he rotted in prison, and we learn that the woman has died. He blames them (Mendoza, the alcalde, Diego, Alejandro, and Victoria) for her death. He takes a keg of gunpowder and lets out a small trail, sets it on the ground and lights the trail. He says they have fifty minutes, and he wants them to suffer. They all proceed to have a series of hysterical fantasies.
The alcalde fantasizes that he’s been promoted to be the commander of the garrison at Monterey. Everyone is horribly depressed to see him leave, especially Victoria. As a goodbye present they give him the Mona Lisa (the real one, not a copy). Zorro appears, carves a Z in the painting, and Victoria says Zorro is probably ugly under the mask. Mendoza dreams that the alcalde is carted off in chains, and he’s now the alcalde, and naturally everyone is overjoyed. He has an inaugural banquet, consisting entirely of beans. Zorro appears and he and Mendoza fight, with Mendoza easily winning. Victoria dreams that Zorro comes to the tavern, steps on the flame and saves them. She mysteriously manages to change outfits in ten seconds and runs to the tavern door in a completely different dress. Zorro was riding off, but comes back and carries Victoria off with him. As the church bell starts to ring, they kiss. (Awwww........how sweet.)
Meanwhile Felipe notices the gift on a table. He rides into town but when he gets to the tavern door and knocks on it, no one answers. He goes to the window, and then runs off for help. Diego notices a bottle of wine (conveniently) placed on a table right above the gunpowder trail. He stretches out and manages to pull a table forward a bit, then kicks it, which tips the wine bottle (why is it even open?) over and puts out the flame, to everyone’s relief. Felipe has several men open the tavern door, comes in and unties them. Everyone compliments Diego on his quick thinking. Later Diego gives Mendoza his “birthday gift” of beans. Ricardo has been found in the alcalde’s office tied up, and the alcalde rushes off to see if he Zorro is still around, to everyone’s chagrin. Victoria wonders why Zorro didn’t come to rescue them, to which Diego replies “He can’t be everywhere, I suppose.”
(DrMM note: Diego is in each of the fantasies, and in Mendoza and the alcalde’s dream acts profoundly different than what we normally see (it’s quite amusing). I always found it a bit doubtful that no one ever recognized that he was Zorro because we never see the “wimpy” Diego in any episodes, but if he normally goes around acting like he did in those dreams it’s much more understandable, although not completely)
24 Family Business
Airdate: 05/18/90. Director: Peter Diamond. Writer: Philip John Taylor.
Victoria’s brother Francisco arrives in Los Angeles much to Victoria’s delight. He has been traveling from Mexico City with a woman who asks for the de la Vega hacienda. She walks to the hacienda and when Diego and Felipe open the door, she calls Felipe José and says she’s his mother. After Diego recalls when he found Felipe, he tells Felipe it’s his choice to make. Felipe takes the woman’s hand. Meanwhile Victoria’s brother is planning on transferring to the garrison in Los Angeles. He has an interview with the alcalde, who tells him that if he can capture Zorro, he will be allowed to join the garrison. Diego and Felipe come to the tavern to say goodbye to Victoria. As Felipe and his “Mother” are leaving in a wagon (um, she arrived in a coach -- how’d she get a wagon?) Francisco comments that Felipe looks exactly like the son of a bank president. As Felipe and his “mother” are driving along the trail the come across a man. When the woman sees him, she has him tie up Felipe’s hands, and he is captured.
Victoria is suspicious of the woman and goes to tell Diego about what her brother said. Diego tells her that he’ll go look for them. Zorro then finds the trail and follows them to a barn where the woman and man are. The man is going to try and fight Zorro, but the woman stops him and tells Zorro that they were going to use Felipe to help them rob the bank. Felipe comes riding into the pueblo with them tied up in the wagon and a note from Zorro, much to Mendoza’s surprise. When Victoria goes into the kitchen Zorro is there, and he reassures her that Felipe is safe. Francisco comes into the kitchen, sees Zorro and challenges him. They begin to fight in the tavern and then work their way outside. The alcalde sees them fighting and orders his men to shoot. Mendoza is concerned that they might hit Francisco, but the alcalde doesn’t care. Victoria jumps in the way and the alcalde sends his men in with swords. Francisco realizes that he’s been mistaken about Zorro and helps him escape.
25 Palomarez Returns
Airdate: 05/25/90. Director: Ray Austin. Writer: Robert L. McCullough.
Diego and Mendoza are in the tavern playing cards. Diego wins but offers to buy Mendoza dinner. He asks Victoria what they’re serving, but she says that she had to fire the cook to pay the alcalde’s taxes. (The alcalde and most of the garrison is out of town on “maneuvers.”) Mendoza tells her that he’s not as bad as Palomarez. Victoria says she’d rather die than be under Palomarez, who conveniently enters and tells her it can be arranged. Palomarez tells everyone that he has returned from Spain with a land grant giving him control of all the territory because the king is displeased with the people’s support of Zorro. He gives Mendoza (who the alcalde left in charge) 48 hours to get the people to leave. Palomarez decides to stay in the de la Vega hacienda. Alejandro is quite upset and tells Palomarez that the people will revolt, and the land does no good without any people. This apparently makes Palomarez reconsider. He asks Alejandro what he needs to do to gain the people’s support (Perhaps treat them as human beings?). Alejandro tells him to let the people judge the authenticity of the document. They appoint Mendoza as an impartial judge because he owns no territory and pays no rent.
Diego returns to the hacienda dressed as Zorro (they’re staying in the tavern). He sees Palomarez talking with a man through the peephole in the cave, and realizes that Palomarez is going to sell the pueblo to the British. The man wants to know what Palomarez plans to do about Zorro. Palomarez is noticeably unconcerned. He opens a small bottle and dips the tip of his sword in it, saying that one scratch will kill Zorro because it’s one of the deadliest poisons known. They leave the room. While they’re out, Zorro sneaks into the room and steals the document. He takes it back to the cave where he discovers the document is a clever forgery. He’s returning the document when Palomarez comes into the room, sees him, grabs his sword and nicks Zorro with the tip. He laughs and tells Zorro he’s going to die. Zorro uses his saber to snatch the bottle of poison out of Palomarez’s hand and jumps out a window. In the cave he realizes that there’s no way to find an antidote in time and comes up with a plan.
The next day in the tavern Diego appears slightly ill. When the time comes to judge the document, Mendoza says it looks real. Diego tells Mendoza to look at the watermark, because all royal documents contain a watermark in the paper. Mendoza looks at the watermark, but says he can’t read it because it’s in Portuguese. Everyone realizes that the document is fake. Meanwhile, Diego nods to Felipe, who uses a blowgun to hit Palomarez with a dart. Palomarez looks at the dart, sees it has a Z on it, and panics thinking he’s been poisoned. He and one of his men run off, Mendoza pronounces the document to be fake, and the British man sneaks off never to be seen again. Palomarez and his man ride around the desert until Palomarez spots a cactus with a flower on it. Zorro appears and asks if that’s the antidote. Palomarez says it is, but draws his sword and fights Zorro, who has double vision. Zorro wins and puts a drop of the flowers nectar into his mouth. Palomarez begs for the flower, but Tornado comes up and eats the flower to Palomarez’s dismay. Zorro tells Palomarez that he was never poisoned, and it was all a trick to lead him to the antidote. He orders Palomarez to leave and never return.
(DrMM note: Palomarez is my favorite villain I think . . .even more than the alcalde. One interesting thing I noticed is that Zorro has a line where he says he has no desire to kill another man, which leads me to speculate who he killed. . . . hum, I sense a fanfic idea.)
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