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YOUNG RIDERS, THE: BORN TO HANG {SECOND SEASON PREMIERE} (TV)

Summary

The second season premiere in in this Western drama series about a group of young Pony Express riders in the antebellum Nebraska Territory. In this episode, Hickok watches at a free black man, Noah Dixon, approaches a slave sale and boldly purchases – and then immediately frees – a young woman and her son. As Teaspoon and the other riders discuss Marshal Cain's departure, a local man, Barnes, belligerently demands proof of Dixon's freedom, and Hickok assists him in fighting the man off. As the riders struggle with their ruthless new cook, Helga, Hickok bonds with Dixon, who agrees that he was "born to hang" and is unafraid of causing trouble. The Kid finds a dejected Lou and tries to comfort her, but she explains that she could confide in Emma like no one else. "Stagecoach" Sally then rides into town and happily greets Dixon, learning that he had to sell his horse and his father's prized saddle in order to buy the two slaves. Lou defends Fine against Helga's unkind words when she criticizes the riders' housecleaning abilities, and Barnes attempts to place Dixon under a "citizen's arrest," but is quickly rebuffed.

Sally soon suffers a broken wagon wheel while out with Dixon, and the riders attempt to hire a kindly old granny to do their cleaning for them. Sally informs Dixon that she has amassed a large quantity of gold with which she intends for a large group of slaves to be taken back to Africa, though Dixon argues that the slaves have a right to remain in America as free people. Barnes and his sidekick McKenna then try to trap Sally in a shootout, but she escapes, revealing that she has hidden a young slave boy, Benjamin, inside a trunk. Granny proves unhelpful as she spends her days sleeping rather than cleaning, and Sally tells Teaspoon all about her plans to return to the slaves to their native homeland, though Dixon declares that he cannot accompany her. He proves his bronco-riding skills when Hickok invites him to join the other riders, and later, over dinner, Sally reveals that Dixon's father bought and freed her, as Dixon did the others, and that she essentially raised Dixon as her own after his parents' deaths. He again voices his disapproval of the Africa plan, pointing out that most of the slaves in question were in fact born in America, and declaring that it is cowardly to flee rather than stay and fight for freedom. Sally gives him a furious dressing-down, suggesting that he wants vengeance for his father's death and has no right to criticize other's dreams.

Later, Barnes and McKenna attack Sally in the barn, seeking her stash of gold, but she is accidentally killed in the process, forcing Barnes to concoct a new scheme. Unaware of the tragedy, Dixon talks to The Kid, explaining that he bought and freed the slaves in honor of his father's similar actions, revealing that his father was indeed hanged for it. The two begin to argue when The Kid unthinkingly uses a hateful word, but Fine then rushes up and reveals that Sally has been killed, much to Dixon's distress. The riders express doubt that she was killed by a misbehaving horse, as suggested, and Dixon searches feverishly for her hidden gold, determined to fulfill her dream of assisting the slaves. The others ride off alongside him, and when Hickok spots the new "wagon master" who is to escort the slaves to freedom, he instantly recognizes McKenna and realizes that it is a trap. A shootout erupts as Dixon and the riders chase of Barnes, McKenna and the others, and the slaves are overjoyed to realize that Sally's plan will still come to pass despite her death. The riders return home and are amazed to find that Teaspoon has hired a new cook in Helga's place – the young and very attractive Rachel Dunne. Several of the riders declare that they have fallen in love with her on the spot, unaware that she is hiding a dark past of her own. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: September 22, 1990 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:02
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:19367
  • GENRE: Drama, western
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western; Drama, action/adventure; African-American Collection - Drama
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1989-1992
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Certs breath mints
    • TV - Commercials - CoverGirl Anti-Smudge mascara
    • TV - Commercials - Dodge automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Energizer batteries
    • TV - Commercials - Head & Shoulders Intensive Treatment dandruff shampoo
    • TV - Commercials - Listerine mouthwash
    • TV - Commercials - Partnership For a Drug-Free America program
    • TV - Commercials - Pert Plus shampoo
    • TV - Commercials - Protect Literacy USA program
    • TV - Commercials - Sony V videotapes
    • TV - Commercials - Subaru automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Vidal Sassoon hair products
    • TV - Commercials - Visa credit cards
    • TV - Commercials - Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum
    • TV - Promos - "America's Funniest People"
    • TV - Promos - "Beverly Hills Cop"
    • TV - Promos - "Coach"
    • TV - Promos - "Cop Rock"
    • TV - Promos - "Head of the Class"
    • TV - Promos - "Life Goes On"
    • TV - Promos - "MacGyver"
    • TV - Promos - "The Running Man"
    • TV - Promos - "The Young Riders" upcoming episode
    • TV - Promos - "Who's the Boss?"
    • TV - Promos - Monday Night Football

CREDITS

  • Jonas McCord … Executive Producer
  • Larry Rapaport … Coordinating Producer
  • Ed Spielman … Supervising Producer, Created by
  • Christopher Seitz … Producer
  • Raymond Hartung … Co-Producer
  • Steve Baum … Co-Producer
  • Tony Palermo … Associate Producer
  • George Mendeluk … Director
  • Delle Chatman … Writer
  • John Debney … Music by
  • Stephen Baldwin … Cast, William F. Cody
  • Josh Brolin … Cast, James Butler Hickok
  • Travis Fine … Cast, Ike McSwain
  • Ty Miller … Cast, The Kid
  • Gregg Rainwater … Cast, Running Buck Cross
  • Yvonne Suhor … Cast, Louise McCloud
  • Anthony Zerbe … Cast, Teaspoon
  • Don Franklin … Cast, Noah Dixon
  • Barry Cullison … Cast, Barnes
  • Clare Wren … Cast, Rachel Dunne
  • Della Reese … Cast, Stagecoach Sally
  • Ron Phillips … Cast, McKenna
  • Francesca Jarvis … Cast, Helga
  • Mildred J. Brion … Cast, Idabel
  • Elijah N. Crain … Cast, Young Noah
  • Lillie Richardson … Cast, Black Mother
  • Adam Frank … Cast, Murphy the Undertaker