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: Dragnet‘s “The LSD Story”

Tread Perilously begins a month of television reacting poorly to social trends with the 1967 episode of Dragnet called “The LSD Story.”

When Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner, Officer Frank Gannon, take a call concerning a young man with a painted face “eating the bark off trees” at a nearby park, they make their first contact with Blue Boy. Sure, he has a real name and comes from a fairly affluent family, but Blue Boy’s fascination with LSD gets in Friday’s craw — particularly as there is no law against possessing, making, or distributing the hallucinogenic compound. But then the laws finally go into effect six month later, Friday and Gannon make a bee-line to Blue Boy. What they find at his drug den will not surprise you.

Erik attempts to explain the month’s theme while Justin calls out the 1960s. Both join the anti-Hippie crusade. A History Corner leads to a mention of William Jennings Bryan. The pair also get deep into the weeds about cop shows. Justin calls out the sexlessness of Dragnet and Joe Friday for being a killjoy. Erik reveals his reticence to start the new season of Stranger Things, and Duke from G.I. Joe ends up facing H.R.

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