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: Maude‘s “The Slumlord”

Tread Perilously begins a month of Women First television shows with an episode of Maude called “The Slumlord.”

When a man pickets in front of Maude’s house, she discovers Walter invested in a slum. After inviting the man in, she harangues Walter into divesting his interest in the building. But the news spreads quickly around the neighborhood with her grandson unable to go to school and frenemy Dr. Arthur Harmon congratulating Walter on his choice to get into property. But what will Maude do when she learns she also signed the papers to the deal?

Erik and Justin pick apart the Maude theme song. They also try to determine if the show knows Maude is wrong in this situation. Florida Evans (played by the great Esther Rolle) proves to be the MVP with just two short scenes. Erik determines the Two Absolutes. Justin offers a timely Eurovision update. Maude and Walter’s socioeconomic status comes into question — as does Tread Perilously‘s adherence to the Podcaster Handbook. The styles of the early 1980s get properly criticized. Both Erik and Justin praise the episode’s overall message — being a slumlord is bad — but debate how well it lands. Erik invokes Richard Stark’s Parker for an explanation of TV inflation and learns a surprising fact about Taxi.

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