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The Dukes of Hazzard Original TV Series
Synopsis provided by Lisa Philbrick (MaryAnne)
In a place called Hazzard County, which existed ‘somewhere in the South,’ lived the Duke family. Jesse Duke (Denver Pyle) with his two nephews, Bo (John Schneider) and Luke (Tom Wopat) and his niece Daisy (Catherine Bach) worked hard to run a farm, run moonshine (if they really had to. Bo and Luke were on probation after getting caught running shine) and out run the local Sheriff. And they looked pretty good doing it too.
The boys drove a souped up 1969 Dodge Charger that was painted orange, with an 01 on the doors (which were welded shut) and a Confederate flag on the roof. The car was known as “General Lee,” and every week, the boys drove fast and jumped long and far to get out of trouble (“Trouble” usually being getting out from under some trumped up charge or bad rap put on by the County Commissioner, “Boss” Jefferson Davis Hogg (Sorrell Booke) and his right hand man, Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best).) The trumped up charges were usually done in an effort to keep the Dukes out of the way while Boss tried to turn a dishonest buck or two. The charges probably would have stuck, if Bo and Luke weren’t so persistent in not wanting to be framed and if Rosco wasn’t such a bumbling idiot sometimes.
However, Boss and Rosco were helped (if that’s the word) by ‘dipstick’ deputies Enos Strate (Sonny Shroyer) and Cletus Hogg (Rick Hurst). Cletus actually replaced Enos for about a season or so but both were cut pretty much from the same cloth. They were only a smidgin bit smarter than Rosco and more often then not their loyalties usually ended up being placed with the Dukes.
All in all, a one hour episode basically consisted of a car chase, Rosco giggling “Khee, khee I love it, I love it!” Daisy smiling pretty and wearing her short-shorts while slinging brew at the Boar’s Nest (the local watering hole), Enos, Cletus or Rosco wrecking their patrol cars (usually in very creative ways too), General Lee flying high or driving fast, a fist fight or two and everything being resolved in the end with Boss usually making a hefty donation to the orphanage when the Dukes found out of his illegal activites.
Really, only one word would best describe The Dukes of Hazzard. FUN. No one ever got seriously hurt, there was no swearing (although the first few episodes had a couple of ‘hells’ and ‘damns’) and Daisy’s skimpy clothes seem pretty darn conservative compared to today! (Although they weren’t at the time!) Plus the messages of good triumphing over evil (not that Boss and Rosco were necessarily evil or ‘bad’ people. They just got too greedy sometimes), and family values as taught by wise ol’ Uncle Jesse, are something that seems to be sorely missed on television today.
Get ready for action Hazzard County style! Luke and Bo Duke, along with their beautiful cousin, Daisy, and cranky Uncle Jesse, push the good fight just a little bit more than the law will allow.