If you're thinking this is an early version of the young boy that would become the Cartwright's fourth (and only adpoted) son, think again.
Although there would be a few episodes where the character, played in the final seasons by Mitch Vogel, would be set straight, "The Trouble With Jamie" teenager in need of an attitude adjustment here is the thinks-he's-an-aristocrat spoiled brat son of one of Ben's cousins.
When the cousin goes to San Francisco on business and decides that Jamie would be too much to come along, he leaves him in care of the Cartwrights. If Jamie thinks he can push around Ben, Hoss and Joe ... he's in for a shock, and the end result will shake his bratty character to the core.
Eventually, the effort works, and — with Ben's counseling and some mentoring from Hoss and Joe — Jamie at least has started on the path toward becoming a responsible young adult. But a secret has to come out first: That he's unhappy that his father is now getting married.
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Berserk Button: Jamie pushes this with each of the Cartwrights, as well as Sheriff Coffee:
- Hoss, when he catches Jamie attempting to steal a horse.
- Sheriff Coffee (and, likely (off-camera), Deputy Clem Foster), when he repeatedly goes to town to cause trouble.
- Joe, when Jamie's prank involving roping a calf results in a broken leg. Joe's already pissed, but when Jamie says it's no big deal, Joe wants to strangle him, causing Ben to immediately intervene.
- Ben, who quickly loses his patience with Jamie, especially after causing a huge fight at the saloon, the roping incident and finally when he continues to smart-talk the Cartwright patriarch.
- City Slicker: Jamie, in spades. None of the Cartwrights like his attitude.
- Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off!: When Jamie continues to push his luck with the Cartwrights and Sheriff Coffee brings him home again after causing trouble in town, Ben lays it out on the table: "Shape up right now, or you'll get a whipping you'll never forget." Jamie finds out the hard way not long thereafter — some 50 hard hits does it — that Ben means what he says.
- Guess Who I'm Marrying?: Although Jamie's father isn't marrying an evil woman, but simply marrying at all, and he'll no longer be the center of his attention.
- I Warned You: Ben, when he makes good on his threat to spank Jamie, this after a prank involving roping a calf goes horribly wrong.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Ben has to deliver several of these to Jamie to get through to his arrogant soul, including one where he gives him a final ultimatum: Shape up or be locked in your room.
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: When Jamie throws one of his tantrums and calls Ben by his first name, he is quickly set straight.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Jamie has several, one particular incident coming when he goes into Virginia City to try to woo a girl and orders whiskey. He is refused service and when he throws a bottle at the barkeeper, he is quickly laughed at and that starts a big fracas at the saloon, where a high-stakes poker game is interrupted. In general, though, Jamie has this air about him, and the Cartwrights — who have big names but small egos (ergo, despite incredible wealth, they still put in a good hard day's work) — set out to knock that chip off his shoulder.
- Spoiled Brat: Jamie ... and then some!
- Ungrateful Bastard: Jamie criticizes everything about the Cartwrights and Virginia City, from Hop Sing's cooking to what he considers less-than-kingly accommodations.
