Tread Perilously is a podcast in which hosts Erik Amaya and author Justin Robinson watch the “worst” episodes of popular TV shows, attempting to determine if they would continue to watch the series based on the most off-key moments.

This Week: The Young Riders‘ “The Peacemakers”

Tread Perilously‘s summer Patreon request month winds down with a visit to 1990s westerns via an episode of The Young Riders called “The Peacemakers.”

When Hickok rides into Glen Creek, he sees an Amish baptism interrupted by a gang of interlopers. Aiming to help, he soon learns the small religious community is a target for persecution by the nearby town. The tension is stoked by the local newspaper publisher, who has more than one reason to want the Amish out of the county. Complicating matters: Hickok has made eyes at one of the Amish girls. Also, a mysterious man puts a washed-up gunfighter on Hickok’s trail. Meanwhile, McCloud and the Kid discuss their relationship.

For various reasons, Erik and Justin start with a discussion of HBO shows. Erik praises Don Franklin, despite his absence in this episode. Stephen Baldwin’s tendency to coast gets examined. Despite everything, star Josh Brolin turns out to be good here. Guest star James Cromwell leads to a lot of Star Trek and L.A. Confidential talk. Brolin’s hairdo comes down for a hard critique. The C-plot with McCloud and the Kid gets revised while the B-plot proves to feature a Justin favorite. The pair try to determine why the show is so coy about the Amish being Amish, and Erik finds the exact right movie to remind Justin how he knows guest actor Brenda Bakke.

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