Jude Emery

Synopsis:

While changing a flat tire mid-chase, Bo and Luke pick up Texas Ranger Jude Emery whose truck has broken down. They soon get boxed in by Grady Byrd and Enos, and all three are arrested before Jude is allowed to reveal his identity. Back in Hazzard, Jude tells Boss and Grady who he is and that he’s in Hazzard to arrest Russel “Snake” Harmon for hijacking and running contraband.

“Snake” is supposed to be hiding out in Yuchee Swamp, but the Dukes warn Jude about going in alone as he could easily get lost. With that in mind, he decides to take Bo and Luke along as guides. Meanwhile, Boss is entertaining thoughts of running Harmon’s contraband business for himself.

Jude isn’t the only one interested in Bo and Luke, and it’s not long before two of Harmon’s gang are trying to recruit them (they know about the Dukes working with Jude, but figure they can keep an eye in them if they’re close by).

Bo and Luke’s initiation into the gang is a driving test, complicated by a snake placed in the General …

… and Jude Emery hidden in the rear seat (complete with guitar!).

Daisy falls for Jude’s charms, and is disappointed when he won’t let her help to capture “Snake”. Never one to take “no” for an answer, she borrows a car from Cooter and follows them. She later returns to the gang’s hideout to rescue Bo, Luke and Jude with Jesse and Cooter hidden in her back seat.

After a short chase, all the gang members are arrested. Grady wants to arrest “Snake”, but has to concede that he’s just over the county line in Placid County, so Jude gets his man. After a farewell to Daisy, Jude heads off with his prisoners in his truck that Cooter’s fixed.

Grady and Enos do get to capture two of the wanted men, but Boss is left with some explaining to do to his associates about the promised contraband deliveries.

Commentary:

This is the last episode written by Dukes creator Gy Waldron. It was intended to be the pilot for a spin-off series featuring the exploits of Jude Emery, but it never got the go-ahead. Chuck Norris’s show Walker: Texas Ranger has a similar premise, but didn’t start until 1993.

Dixie’s inexplicably missing for most of this episode, but Daisy seems to enjoy the car she borrows from Cooter. Hardly surprising because it’s nearly the same as her old yellow one. The blue interior with metallic pinky-red paint job takes some getting used to …

… but it does complement Daisy’s outfit!

Highlights:

Grady Byrd returns for his second and last appearance in the show. When Boss tells him to catch “Snake”, he has to admit that his patrol car is being fixed and that he doesn’t have his own car. This leads to him having to borrow his mama’s prized ’59 Cadillac. Daisy fails to recognize him in the car and runs him off the road.

Trivia:

Pete Munro, who plays Willie in “Snake” Harmon’s gang, was a bootlegger named Zeebo in Dukes precursor Moonrunners.

Although he played a police officer in The Rookies TV series, Sam Melville (“Snake” Harmon) seemed to excel at playing intense, dark and memorable bad guys. He would return to guest star on the Dukes again in The Great Hazzard Hijack and Happy Birthday, General Lee. Sadly, he passed away in 1989 at the age of 52.

–synopsis and vidcaps by Hoss (with info from The Dukes of Hazzard Unofficial Companion).