The Alcoholic: Brett, as a crutch to cope with the death of his son in a riding accident.
Alcoholic Parent: Brett, who as a result, grows distant from his wife and two surviving children.
Dropped a Bridge on Him: Charles mentions that his father Lansford, who hadn't appeared since Season 3's "Journey of the Spring", is now dead.
Earn Your Happy Ending: After the Harper family is nearly destroyed by patriarch Brett's alcoholism, Laura's closing narration reveals that not only did Brett get sober, but a year later, he and his wife Leslie had another baby; as gratitude for Charles' immeasurable help during his stay with them, the infant was named Charles Michael Harper (his middle name being the same as the family's deceased son).
Mistaken for Servant: Charles gives Brett a ride home and, having seen him fool around with saloon girls, assumes he's not married and because of his callous treatment of his wife, thinks she's a housekeeper.
Recycled Premise: The episode is nearly a carbon copy of a Bonanza episode, titled "A Dream to Dream" (a phrase which Charles uses several times during the episode). The major difference is that there's never a chance that the wife will leave her husband for Charles like her equivalent in the Bonanza episode almost does for Hoss, as Charles is already married.
What the Hell, Hero?: Charles shakes Brett to the core to make him pull himself together.
