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: John from Cincinnati‘s “His Visit: Day One”

Tread Perilously begins a month of would-be prestige TV series that failed to connect with the debut episode of John from Cincinnati — “His Visit: Day One.”

Retired surfer Mitch Yost is spotted on the water by an ambitious promoter and a mysterious man who repeats what he hears called John. Back in town, Mitch’s son, Butchie — also a retired pro surfer — is anxious to score, but discovers his heroin has been cut so much, it might as well be nothing. Meanwhile, Butchie’s son, Shaun, is looking to participate in his first surfing competition and maybe get a sponsorship from the promoter hounding Mitch. Do any of these things matter? And why does Mitch spontaneously hover two feet in the air?

Erik and Justin confront one of the most infamous examples of failed prestige: John from Cincinnati. They laud a deep cast which includes Rebecca De Mornay and Bruce Greenwood, but are unsure about some of the less-seasoned actors, including the person who plays John. Geography Corner gets into detail about the Interstate 5 freeway between the Mexico border and Huntington Beach. The pair also theorize why Butchie is banned from that particular part of the coast. The show’s credit sequence gets analyzed, and the cadence of Deadwood dialogue trips up Justin. Also, an attempt is made to recast the title character, and Erik introduces his appropriate nemesis.

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