The Wilder Ride

Bart finishes his ride across the open prairie as Count Basie and his orchestra end their tune with a flourish. We cut to the center of downtown Rock Ridge where the townspeople are preparing for their new sheriff. Olson Johnson runs in with a telegram saying the sheriff will arrive by noon. Howard Johnson needs to practice his speech where he wants to deliver a laurel and hearty welcome. Samuel J...

We open with the Governor unzipping his pants and letting them fall to his ankles on his way back to Miss Stein. April in Paris by the Count Basie and orchestra begins to play. We see the Gucci logo and pull back to reveal one hip sheriff on the back of a palomino. He begins to trot forward, eventually revealing Count Basie and his orchestra are actually live in the desert playing! And, since it i...

We continue today where we left off from yesterday as Hedley yells, "Lepetomane!" The governor hits his head against the wall but realizes it will never work. He tells Lamarr that the folks in Rock Ridge will kill him in just one day. Hedley remarks that one day is all you'll need to be forever remembered for what he did. As Lamarr begins to parade the governor around his office, singing Hail to t...

The episode begins with the Governor telling someone to throw something on and stay in that position. As he enters the room, we hear him zipping up his fly. He explains he was out walking the parapet. Lamarr reminds the governor he was to find a new sheriff and was bringing him in for an introduction. Lepetomane takes one look and realizes Hedley has lost his mind. He even asks, "Are you crazy? Ca...

We begin with Hedley Lamarr looking directly into the camera, asking where he can find such a man? He follows up with, why am I asking you? The sound of a crowd outside gets him to go to the window. As he opens, we see Boris the Hangman saying to Bart, "Welcome to Hanging House!" He then adds, "Not to worry, everyone is equal in my eye." Lamarr gets a sudden bolt of inspiration and nearly chokes o...

The episode starts with Hedley trying to adjourn the meeting, but realizes he is overstepping his bounds. The governor then decides to pass around the paddle-balls for everyone to use. As the scene dissolves, we are back in Lamarr's office. He is contemplating his dilemma. He is tasked with finding a new sheriff of Rock Ridge. However, law and order is the last thing he wants. As he ruminates, he...

We begin with a near Marge Simpson-like growl between Hedley and Lepetomane. After helping the governor sign the bill, Hedley needs to also help get the pen back in its holder. It seems the meeting is about to conclude when Miss Stein says she has an urgent telegram she received last Friday. It is from the citizens of Rock Ridge. When the governor hears the letter, he immediately jumps up and says...

The episode continues with Governor Lepetomane decryring the paddle balls are defective. Hedley is using his perfectly but still agrees with the governor who makes him stop. Hedley then gets the governor to sign legislation to create a refuge for the criminially insane by creating a casino. Governor Lepetomane gives a short speech to the staff about the importance of the new legislation and they a...

Today's episode opens with Reverend Johnson telling the congregation he is going to read from Matthew, Mark, Luke and...Duck. He says this last big as a lit bundle of dynamite is thrown into the church through a window. The explosion is followed by a quick fade to black. We then fade in to the door of the Governor William J. Lepetomane after some discussion about what life in a nursing home might...

We continue with the townspeople holding an open meeting in the midst of their church service. After Olson Johnson finishes his monologue we hear from several other Johnsons. For those who missed it earlier, apparently everyone in the town in a Johnson. Howard Johnson says he is not about to give up the ice cream stand he built with his own two hands. Samuel Johnson, who looks like he is moonlight...

We continue today's minute with Gabby Johnson still making his speech before the congregation. Alan and Walt, along with guests Jim and Dwayne, try to figure out the derivation of all the words Gabby uses. Afterwards, Olson Johnson stands up and acknowledges the speech. In fact, he says he is happy all the children were there to hear such authentic frontier gibberish. He then goes on a monologue o...

Today's episode opens with the conclusion of the Ballad of Rock Ridge, which turns into a church-sounding hymn stating the town is turning into excrement. As Reverend Johnson asks everyone to be seated, he presents his position on the matter. He reminds them all of the events of the past few days. The sheriff murdered, crops burned, stores looted, people stampeded and cattle raped. He says to them...

We continue the raiders doing their dirty work in the town of Rock Ridge. As we go through each of the moments, we break down what is real and what is not. We discuss the difference between jumping through candy glass and putting your hand through a real glass window. The discussion moves to a strange platform with feedbags that seems to serve no purpose other than for a stunt. Alan and Walt also...

We begin today's episode with a fade in to a day in the life of Rock Ridge. We also get the Ballad of Rock Ridge being sung to help advance the story. We get a kind of montage sequence to go along with the lyrics being sung about the town. The discussion moves to how each movie studio had their own Western town set for filming Westerns, but they were only shallow facades. Once an actor steps insid...

We begin the episode continuing with Taggart complaining about being hit on the head with a shovel. He then pleads for a favor and asks Hedley to hang Bart by his neck until dead. Hedley returns to his window and speaks with Boris the Hangman once more. He asks if there is a way to work in a special. Boris laments he is so busy he will not be able to work him in until Monday. While this conversati...

Today's episode begins with Hedley trying to think of a way to scare off the people of Rock Ridge. Initially, Taggart has an idea, but Hedley mistakes it as a need for him to use the restroom. Taggart instead suggests he knows how to rid the town of its residents. He suggests they kill the first born male of every household. Hedley considers the idea for a moment but then declares it as too Jewish...

At the beginning of this episode, Hedley Lamarr (played by Harvey Korman), drops an obscure joke with, "The Doctor Gillespie killings." Once he returns inside his office, he mulls over how to get the land while giving Lady Justice a thorough molesting. As he ponders the way to steal the land, Taggart, uncomfortable at his boss's gyrations, accidentally knocks over a stack of law books. Hedley imme...

We open with the continuing discussion between Taggart and Hedley Lamarr regarding the railroad. Taggart keeps reminding Lamarr the railroad has to go through Rock Ridge. As they are discussing the matter a sudden crashing sound scares Taggart. Hedley goes to the window to reveal a gallows below with Boris the Hangman hard at work. Hedley asks him to keep it down and Boris promises to try but he h...

Today we continue with Bart and Charlie pulling themselves the rest of the way out of the quicksand. They are tired and gasping for breath after drudging through the mire. Taggart, now noticing the two lying on the ground, derides them for lolly-gagging and trying to get a tan. He tosses a shovel down and tells them to put it to good use. Bart, unable to take it anymore, graps the shovel. Charlie...

The episode begins with Taggart calling for Lyle to get a rope over here. Lyle complies, tossing his lasso out over the quicksand. Bart and Charlie's expression turns from relief to panic as they realize Lyle is rescuing the handcar. Charlie says they are going to be left to die but Bart tells him not to panic. He's got his foot on the rail. As Charlie manages to get some of the quicksand in his m...

Bart and Charlie move along the track on the handcar, dancing and continuing to sing De Camptown Lady. As they come to a stop, Charlie suddenly gets the feeling that the world is rising around them. As Bart and Charlie slip below the frame, we hear them discuss the nature of water and earth before yelling, "Quicksand!" Taggert comes riding up and in disgust at the sight of the quicksand, throws hi...

Taggert informs Lyle and company that the surveyors are concerned there is quicksand along the track. Lyle suggests having some horses check it out, only to be beaten over the head by Taggert. They cannot afford to lose horse so they send a couple of the railroad workers. Bart explains that he is not qualified given his grandmother is of Dutch decent. Lyle forces them to get on a handcar and head...

The minute opens with Lyle suggesting a song the railroad workers can sing, like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. After Bart and his fellow workers feign to not know that song, Lyle suggests a different song. He asks them to sing De Camptown Lady. Once again, Bart and his compatriots act as if they do not know the song. So, Lyle begins to sing it for them. As he continues, he gets more and more into both...

The Wilder Ride welcomes as its first guest of season two, podcaster Jim O'Kane. Jim brings his expertise in railroads and Western history to the discussion of the opening scene of Blazing Saddles. After squaring off on each side of the tracks the railroad workers, led by Bart, enter into a battle of wits with Lyle and his crew. Lyle tries to taunt them with a request for a "slave" song. Bart rest...

Alan and Walt wrap up the credits and begin to discuss the camera movement toward the men working on the railroad. We get a good look at the rail line and number of people doing the work. There seems to be a good number of overseers keeping on eye on the work being done. Eventually Lyle shows up and talks about the heat of the day before a Chinese worker passes out. Lyle unceremoniously demands th...