In the gripping second season of Billy the Kid, we find ourselves pitted against the unimaginatively named Jesse Evans Gang, with the stirring climax of the Lincoln County War taking center stage in Episode 4, aptly titled "The Day of the Dead." While I referred to it as an "opening salvo," the truth is that the battle lines were drawn long before, when Jesse's deadly hand claimed the life of Billy's mentor and employer, John Tunstall, in the third episode of the season. This act of bloodshed marked a pivotal moment in the season's trajectory, though its inevitability couldn't dim its impact.
Billy, joined by Dick Brewer, Fred Waite, George Coe, Charlie Bowdre, and Tom O’Folliard, decide to make a stand by ambushing Jesse and his gang in Lincoln, foiling the corrupt Sheriff Brady's bid to serve Alex McSween with a bogus arrest warrant by filling him full of holes. This public act of retribution against one of Murphy and the Ring's allies sets the stage for the back half of Season 2, which will premiere on MGM+ in 2024, marking a new Sheriff who will ultimately be the end of Billy the Kid's story.
While both sides can be argued to have earned their fates, Billy's cold-blooded execution of Frank Baker and William Morton has made the Regulators wanted fugitives and panicked Murphy and the House into taking more direct action. Riley remains steadfast in his belief that Billy poses a threat greater than anyone gives him credit for, but targeting his allies in the meantime seems like a prudent move. Murphy plans for Sheriff Brady to serve Alex McSween, now the leader of the Regulators following Tunstall's death, with an arrest warrant, charging him as an accessory to the murders of Baker and Morton. And then, there will be a sham trial followed by a public hanging.
In a scene reminiscent of historical events, the Regulators launch a surprise attack on Brady on Lincoln's Main Street, resulting in his fatal shooting. This tragic event, which unfolded for the same reasons depicted in the show, creates a palpable sense of tension in "The Day of the Dead." Riley's public party serves as a cover for Billy and the Regulators as they sneak into position, their every move a dance with death.
Murphy's plan to have McSween arrested as soon as he arrives in town adds an element of urgency, raising the stakes even higher. The shootout claims the lives of Brady and several members of the Jesse Evans Gang, while Tom O'Folliard, Billy's most ardent supporter, is severely wounded. Despite previous warnings about the dangers of involvement, Tom is hidden under the floorboards of the McSween residence, nourished with food and water.
Meanwhile, Billy and the other Regulators ride out to Blazer's Mill, another pivotal battleground in the Lincoln County War, maintaining the pressure on the Jesse Evans Gang. This intense sequence, much like the ambush of Brady, is based on actual events and stands as one of the most thrilling action set-pieces in Season 2 so far. It's a shootout brimming with close calls and near-misses, but it's also imbued with a strong sense of character. Despite their bitter enmity, Jesse and Billy maintain a complicated relationship, with the former refusing to take a clear shot at the latter, giving him time to escape with Charlie Bowdre, who narrowly survived the battle.
"The Day of the Dead" concludes with the appointment of Pat Garrett as the new Sheriff of Lincoln County. This pivotal development is of paramount importance since Pat Garrett, in real life, eventually became the man who brought down Billy the Kid. While we had met him in Season 1, his return is treated as a monumental event here in the mid-season finale, as he is personally appointed by Thomas Catron as Brady's successor. His sole mission is to bring down Billy and the Regulators.
