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: Perfect Strangers’ “The Gazebo”

Tread Perilously enters the realm of ABC’s TGIF sitcom block with its first series, Perfect Strangers, and the seventh season episode, “The Gazebo.”

Balki and Larry’s attempts to build a gazebo in the back yard remind their wives of a famous comedy duo from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Balki and Larry transform into Laurel and Hardy in a bizarre simulacrum devoid of humor. Faces get smashed, concrete gets poured, and the construction project seemingly goes awry. Hilarity does not ensue.

Erik and Justin stare into the heart of darkness. Justin learns about Perfect Strangers‘ key role in turning Friday into a family comedy night on ABC. Erik offers his first thoughts on Anson Mount as Star Trek: Discovery‘s Captain Christopher Pike. It leads to a digression about Star Trek. The pair end up watching the first episode of Perfect Strangers to figure out why “The Gazebo” was devoid of anything funny. Some classic comedy rules are defined while the fictional island of Mypos is explored. Erik co-opts a certain famous catchphrase to prove a point. An attempt at an Alfred Hitchcock impression fails miserably while Erik and Justin try to determine if Laurel and Hardy were actually funny. The ancient art of the Sick Burn returns, and The Simpsons episode, “Cape Feare,” is praised as the pinnacle of half-hour comedy.

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