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Season 2, Episode 1: “Days of Shine and Roses” – Originally Aired 9-21-1979

In which Uncle Jesse races Boss Hogg to determine the best ridge runner of them all…

Welcome back for Season 2, those of you that are returning, and hello to any new readers!
After a new shot of the Balladeer’s guitar (it’s now Waylon Jenning’s signature Telecaster instead of an acoustic), we see that both Cooter and Enos have been added as full time cast members, with their names in the theme song and everything! So, now we’re guaranteed more of Cooter’s “helping” and Enos’s “ogling Daisy.” Yay?


The Boars Nest is closed for a private function this evening, for the Annual Ridgerunner’s Reunion. where all the retired moonshiners and friends get together to drink, eat, and reminisce about when they used to break the law for fun and profit. They’re watching a  filmstrip of young Jesse and Boss racing to outrun the Sheriff of Hatchapee County, Emmitt “Spike” Loomis, so called because he liked to take a railroad spike and use it to tear apart the cars of moonshiners.


After the film, Bo loudly boasts that Uncle Jesse is “the best moonshine runner in the world.” Boss and Rosco disagree, saying Boss was better. Bo makes the spurious claim again, saying “everyone knows it’s true.” Luke tells him to shut the fuck up, but then Boss and Jesse get into it, and decide to have one last run to determine who is really the best, once and for all.


We then meet Sheriff Loomis, who is apparently still Sheriff-ing, despite being in the filmstrip from what appears to be the 40s; that’d make this guy at least in his 70s. Maybe things are different in rural Southern areas? Anyway, he’s apparently still spiking things up

Boss and Jesse and the boys meet up at Cooter’s garage to discuss the terms of the race. THe route is agreed upon, as well as the cargo, the standard 10 gallons of moonshine. Jesse protests and mentions the boys’ probation, so they change it to water instead. JEsse laments that he doesn’t have his car, the original Black Tillie, so Cooter offers him a beat up Mustang that has a super fine engine. He takes it, calling it Black Tillie II.


Boss decides to cheat in the race, and has Rosco sneak over and pour something into the gas tank of Black Tillie II. The next day, Jesse is practicing his moves, when the car stalls out. Luke makes Cooter promise to fix it.He does so, and shows off by tearing through the Boar’s Nest parking lot. Boss sees this and decides to replace the jugs of water in Jesse’s car with real moonshine, and then he calls over to Hatchapee County (using a ridiculous falsetto) and tells Loomis that Jesse will be making a moonshine run through his county on the day of the race, winning him the race, and getting the Dukes out of his hair forever. Loomis is PISSED.


Daisy overhears Boss and Rosco discussing their other plan, to have Rosco run interference incognito against Jesse during the race. You would think by now they’d know not to discuss their plans at the Boars Nest, where Daisy works. They weren’t even being quiet about it, either. So, obviously, she goes home and tells the boys, who agree to interfere with the interference.

The next day, while everyone is inside having a pre-race drink, Rosco and some thugs switch out the jugs for moonshine, and then the race begins. Rosco calls Loomis to let him know the race has started, and Bo and Luke trail the race to stop Rosco’s plan. Back at the bar, Cooter hears the thugs gloating about the plan. Jesus, what’s with people on this show just blurting out their evil schemes? Anyway, he tells Daisy and they go out back to check if they really were switched with water.


Rosco puts up a detour sign, and Jesse follows it, sending him off course. The boys grab the sign and race ahead of Jesse, jumping the car for no reason in the process, nearly tipping it upon landing. Luke gets out and places the sign so Jesse will get back on track.


Bo and Luke get a CB notice from Cooter and Daisy about the moonshine in Jesse’s trunk, and JEsse and Boss overhear, because it’s a CB radio. Luke catches up to Jesse and dives onto Black Tillie II, grabbing the moonshine and smashing it on the road. Cooter pulls up beside and hands the water over, so Jesse is clear.


Jesse and Boss both make it to Loomis’ roadblock, but then just smash through it and keep going. Jeez, this guy was like the Darth Maul of Dukes villains. He certainly seemed badass, but in the end didn’t do much of anything. Loomis didn’t get cut in half, though.


So Jesse wins the race, and everyone celebrates. Way to make your season premiere super light on story there, writers.

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