"The Hazzard Project"

[King2628]

Hello everyone! I am new to this site, but I have been watching it and reading the posts for years now. I love the dedication this group of Hazzard townies and can't tell you how much I love knowing that there are people that have such fond memories of this show as I did. I was born in Columbus, Ga, not too far form where it all started, and I remember in REAL LIFE seeing the General Lee in my town on tour while the show was still filming. I remember local companies in town that had TV ads featuring the General Lee. A bank branch from Columbus (CB&T) once had a General in front for advertising. My father bought me my first Mego General Lee toy with Bo and Luke. So believe me when I say....I know, love, breathe, and bleed the Dukes! It was kind of difficult being black loving this show so much. I know we are all aware of the stigma concerning the show and its "connections" to racist views and bigotry. But if you actually watched the show, you know that the Dukes stood for everything decent in a person. In America.

Now.....I know that there is a section on the forums for introductions, and I may just repost part of this for that section, but what I came here to do was share something that I have been working on for a little while. Lately, I have been consumed with writing. I started about 4 years ago, and mainly in online forums such as this one. So far.....I've had a tremendous amount of positive feedback and a genuine love for my stories. This year, I decided to make something of that. I went about the business of finding an agent. I have spoken to a few people who have been amazed at what I have been doing, but I am still waiting to find that RIGHT agent that knocks my socks off. Recently, I was directed to Abbot Management (now known ad Abbot Entertainment), and I have been in the works of trying to get a script written for TV. I would love to share the premiss with you, if you would give me honest feedback. It is a pitch for a new Dukes show....that is NOT a reboot, but a continuation.

[King2628]

The Hazzard Project.

Possible titles; “The Next Dukes of Hazzardâ€, “The New Dukes of Hazzardâ€, or just “The Dukes of Hazzardâ€.

Characters:

Balladeer, Bo Duke, Luke Duke, Daisy Duke-Strait, Enos Strait,“Cooter†Davenport,Roscoe Coltrane, Jesse Duke, Caleb Duke, Lilly Strait,Jacob Strait, Nancy Lou (Cooter’s daughter), Brad Davenport, and Hogg Family (will be later named).

Family Tree:

Bo Duke is the father of Caleb Duke. Luke Duke is the father of Jesse Duke. Daisy and Enos are the parents of Lilly and Jacob Strait,Cooter is the father of Nancy Lou and grandfather of Brad. Nancy Lou is Brad’s mother. Hogg family will not have a direct paternal/maternal connection to J.D. Hogg since Hogg never had kids with Lulu or otherwise. But Huey Hogg was a nephew, so it should be reasonable that he had children to continue the Hogg family name. Christian will be heir to the Hogg name and fortune, as well as the new antagonist. He will have a big family complete with siblings, aunts and uncles who will all hold Boss Hogg as the family patriarchal icon. Thinking his sister will be a good antithesis for Christian…..maybe even a point of contention for their ways. She will be involved with Caleb, not directly, but with flirting and character development.

[King2628]

Story:

This story will take place approximately 27 years after the end of the original show with history being referenced from throughout that period. Also, both TV movies will not contribute to anything in the new TV show’s story other than Daisy and Enos being married and a few other story development points.

Five years after the show’s end, Bo and Luke begin to drift apart as they start to live their own lives. They should be roughly in their mid 20s, with Bo obviously being around 24 or 25 and Luke close to 29. Bo still yearns to drive in NASCAR and Luke is concentrating on a boxing career. Both do find success in this, eventually rising to their own stardom. Both have been removed from probation and no longer have to worry about going back to jail. Their split happens after the death of Uncle Jesse, as Luke decided to stay in Hazzard to look after the family land and Bo refused to give up his plans. Luke doesn’t forgive him for “abandoning†the family.

Daisy has tried singing again, but never was able to get past mild stardom and fame, but it was enough to draw the attention of Hollywood for her to star in a few movies and a host of TV shows. While she was in California,she met up with Enos,where they both resumed their romance and quickly married. Enos becomes chief of police there and they both have now established new roots in California with the births of their two children Lily and Jacob. Daisy’s fame was overshadowed by her love for motherhood. She quickly became a big advocate for women working and being mothers, as she did a great balancing act with her career and her parenting. After having Jacob, she retired from TV acting and focused more on behind the scenes work. As the years rolled on and their kids got older, Lily became the quintessential Cali girl, deeply rooted in the culture, glitz and glamour of Hollywood and all that L.A. had to offer. She scoffs at her parents’ upbringing and constantly reminds them that “Yanno, its 2012 mom and we don’t live on dirt roads and wear long flower dresses in the summertime anymore.†To which Daisy has replied “Baby, I ain’t ever wear them dresses either, but you ain’t going out this house look’n like a painted clown villain from Batman either. That looks bad no matter what year it is.†Daisy wants Lily to be a decent and virtuous woman, even as she is trying to find her own identity, but Lily only sees her mother as a prude and too old fashioned, easily finding ways to be rebellious. She is easily a daddy’s girl, as Enos has little to no willpower to say “no†to either of his girls in the house. When momma says no, daddy says yes. Jacob is at least 11 years younger than his sister. As the baby, he is still impressionable and cleaves to his mother. As he is developing, he will expand as a character. Lily’s bad decisions and the environment they live in has made Daisy think of going back to Hazzard, GA to raise Jacob better than how Lily was raised. When Uncle Jesse got ill, it made her decision even more pressing. Enos was looking into a police chief position in Hazzard when Uncle Jesse finally passes away. With his death, the move is a final decision and Lily hates her mother for making them move to “Hicksvilleâ€. Lily is about 17, finishing up her high school years in Hazzard. She stands about 5’8â€, inheriting her mother’s beauty and signature legs. She has a Cali tan and brown/blonde hair. She wears a typical Californian teen’s style of clothing when she arrives in Hazzard, but gradually incorporates a bit of Southern fashion into her look. She even blushes at the thought of wearing a pair of cut-off jean shorts her mother once wore. Enos, of course, does not approve.

[King2628]

Bo, 52 and living the fast life in NASCAR, moved from Hazzard and lives in Atlanta, where his race team is based, and married the hottest woman he could find, but the marriage was short-lived and his wife left him and their 4 yr old son, Caleb. Caleb grew up not really knowing his mother, and becoming distant with his father, who always seemed to be racing to another destination and victory. They do not get along very well and tend to argue when they are around one another, which is very rare. They are both incredibly stubborn and will see something through to the end once they have set their minds to do something. While Caleb may not be the most moral teen on the planet, he is at least honorable to his own set of standards and ethics. He believes a man should always earn what he wants, and nothing should be just given to him. The one thing that Bo and Caleb share outright and seem to actually bond over, is their love for cars. Caleb, now 20, is an exceptional driver for someone his age and a lot of it came from his father’s instruction. Bo likes to joke that “Caleb came out the womb doing 90†and he is proud of his son’s ability. Caleb also has another love; MMA fighting. He is not overly big or muscular, weighing a lean 190 lbs and standing at 5’11â€, he was picked on early in his life by guys, especially for his good looks and dirty blond hair. He learned MMA style fighting since he equates it to his style of driving. “In MMA, you go hard and use all you got, just like when I drive. Size don’t mean a thing if you are on the ground and you got a guy in an ankle lock.†His ways are not quite rebellious, but they are enough to get him into trouble from time to time…..mostly because of his mouth. He has an aversion to authority and will run from police when he can. His style of clothing is anything in between grunge/garage look to street wear. A typical outfit for him would be loose jeans, with sports shoes on, short sleeved shirt with some slogan or band on it over a long sleeved thermal shirt. His hair, naturally, is unkempt.

[King2628]

Luke never really left Hazzard, even when he was in the midst of a pro boxing run. Between that and the occasional marketing events on ESPN, he based almost all of his operations from Hazzard County. He even married earlier than all the other Duke Cousins, well ahead of Daisy and Enos and Bo’s failed marriage. His wife was born and raised in Georgia, so Hazzard was an easy home for her. They were married for 11 years before she died. Jesse was only 12 when she died, so he has a better memory of his mother than Caleb did. She got to know Uncle Jesse and was easily loved by him. Her stern spirit and iron will made her a great companion to match Luke’s fire and she was not ashamed to marry into the family. While Luke trained, she watched after Uncle Jesse, even through her own pregnancy. Jessie Jr was a little over 9 when Uncle Jesse died, and Luke quit the sport altogether (retired from the ring by then, but continued as a trainer until Uncle Jesse died) to focus on keeping the family land. Luke becomes bitter at Bo for leaving the family, making set in his mind that Bo “abandoned the familyâ€. He even holds a small bit of resentment at Daisy for leaving, too. He has given up much of his career and dreams in order to keep the family land secure, but had a major set back with medical expenses when his wife became ill with cancer. He had to take a couple of large loans out against the land in order to take care of his wife’s treatments. Her death has left a large hole, in more ways than one. Since their insurance company found a way to not pay for his wife’s care, or funeral arrangements through loopholes in the laws, he was left with a larger than life mortgage against the land. It also doesn’t help matters that the insurance company is owned by the Hogg Family. Luke never would ask for help from either Daisy or Bo, mostly due to pride and stubbornness. But mainly he didn’t ask because he feels like if they had been there from the beginning and more involved, that things would have been different, or less of a burden would have been on his shoulders. His son, Jessie, took after his father in many ways, both in stubbornness and in strength and physical prowess. Life on a farm will give you muscles and a strong build, so Jessie was a favorite at wrestling in high school and football, becoming team captain in both sports. He chose to turn down several scholarship offers in order to help out at the farm full time. He is a hometown sweetheart all around and a great role model for younger boys in town. He always carries himself with almost a regal quality, but is modest and respectful. He just about embodies everything wholesome about country living, with a good sense of morals that seems to have been instilled in him by his father and mother, but mostly from the stories his dad always told him of his own uncle Jessie. He is 25, dark hair and features like his father. He stands at about 6’2†and is built like a bull. His choice of clothing is usually something farm related, but he can normally be found in jeans, boots, any shirt that doesn’t smell like pig slop, and his favorite Stetson hat.

[King2628]

The Hogg family has a unique legacy tied to Hazzard, mainly through Boss Hogg’s past dealings….both legal and illegal. For the most part,the Hogg name is synonymous with wealth, shrewd business sense, and cheaters. The family name is a bit tarnished, not so much from Boss Hogg himself, but also the prior failings of Huey Hogg, the patriarch’s nephew. Huey tried to emulate the late Boss Hogg, but his uncle’s name and reputation preceded him wherever he went. It wasn’t until some land deals and shady business practices with real estate went his way that he was able to bring the family back up to elite status, and also gaining enough popularity with the town. Enough, that he was able to become the town’s first official mayor. Hazzard was just a township, until the populations of Hazzard and the other surrounding counties grew too large to be on their own. In 1995, the counties (Hazzard, Sherriff Little’s town, and another neighboring county) merged into one consolidated government. Since Hazzard was the largest at the time, the name was kept as the official city name. Therefore, Hazzard County became Hazzard City. Since the Hogg family was the de facto power of the area, they naturally assumed many leadership positions in the new government, effectively consolidating their position and status for the foreseeable future. It was the single greatest power grab any Hogg has ever orchestrated. Huey Hogg has since taken a backseat in running the new Hazzard, but has left things in the hands of the next generation of Hoggs, mainly his son, Christian Hogg.

He is blond haired, has chiseled features, and steely blue eyes that are calculating and can be cold. He is about 27, stands at 6 foot even and well in shape, refusing to gain the “Hogg pouch†all the other older males in his family gain from inactivity, and was once a fierce rival of Jessie back in high school. When everyone bent to Christian’s will, Jessie would never yield. While they never came to physical blows in public, or even private, it was well known that Christian was the former captain of the football team before Jessie joined, and has more than once put Christian on his back. The only time they came physically combative was when they were in their early teens in middle school. 15 year old Christian was introduced to the dirt by a twist and flip provided by Jessie….who was age 13.

In addition to Christian, there is Angel “Lulu†Hogg. She is every bit as sweet and beautiful as the name implies. It is said that she must have been switched at birth with some other child because for everything that the Hoggs are, she is their antithesis. As there are other siblings/cousins and relatives in the family that try to prove their worth by their schemes and plots, she refuses to stoop to their level, choosing the moral high ground every time, which usually puts her at odds with her father. She seems to have a sort of neutralizing effect on Christian, as he would normally be prone to acts of cruelty or immorality if she were not around. He loves her fiercely, and would do anything to protect her….even from his own family. Christian seems to genuinely be at conflict with himself as he tries to please his father, but also tries to live up to his sister’s expectations of him. He is the one that is trying to change the family’s current image, by initiating a bunch of welfare programs in the city as well as being the first one to offer relief in times of hardship. This creates a bit of a conundrum, as most of the hardship is usually caused or brought on by any one of the Hoggs’ schemes. Angel naturally had a crush on Jessie Duke, but due to their family’s mutual disdain for one another, she is unable to pursue a relationship. There is also the fact that she is also about 6 years younger than Jessie. At 19, she is already easily one of the prettiest girls in Hazzard, with a bright complexion, dark auburn hair, hazel eyes and a country girl’s curvaceous shape. She was the prettiest girl in all of town until Lily moved there. Because of their age differences, as well as the fact that Angel has already graduated high school, Lily and Angel really do not have any connection or interaction with one another, but Lily has a grudging respect for her “rivalâ€â€¦.mainly because they have the same taste in clothes. But the times that we will see Lily and Angel interact; they will get along like best friends….especially when Caleb finally sees her for the first time. This, however, will create some tension between Caleb and Jessie. More on that later.

[King2628]

Cooter Davenport was a wild man back in his youth, and throughout the years we see him mature and grow into the fullness of adulthood. We even see an estranged daughter by the name of Nancy Lou, whom Cooter never knew. She was about 18 years old when they met. Nancy Lou and Cooter stayed in touch for years, getting together with one another for holidays and special events. As Cooter came into the fullness of maturity and began to tire of the crooked politics of his own town, he decided to begin his political career by running for Town Commissioner. He lost by a narrow margin (or Boss Hogg’s interference), but that did not stop him from trying to have his voice heard, or that of his home. The very next year, he began his bid to run for senate. It took only a few attempts before he became an official United States Senator for Georgia, with Nancy Lou at his side helping with the campaign. All of Hazzard was behind him, even a few Hoggs.

Roscoe and Boss had to eventually join the crowd of supporters, but Cooter made it clear to the both of them that while he was in office, he would be keeping an eye on them and their dealings. Needless to say, Hazzard enjoyed a respite from Hogg’s schemes…..at least for a little while. Cooter’s every-man approach and good ol’ boy charm and likeable demeanor became his main selling point to voters, and even inspired many who once led a life of foolishness and degrading ways to change, and gave hope that anyone can change for the right reasons. As Cooter brought stability to Georgia, Hazzard prospered. The town grew larger, eventually making it headquarters worthy of a political candidate. Cooter closed down his famous shop while he was in office, but would come back from time to time and open it just so he could get his hands dirty again. He never charged anyone for his services outside the charge for parts. Since Bo had gone off to NASCAR, he los his number one customer….the General Lee.

Nancy Lou enjoyed a life of freedom and discovery by traveling for a little while with her father while he was on the campaign trail. As they traveled, their bond grew more and more. The image she once had of her father quickly eroded away with time, and she began to see the man her mother fell in love with. Well, at least the “POTENTIAL†man she knew he would be. When the elections were over, Nancy began to go back to school, thinking of becoming a teacher. She believed that if her father could change, then any child had a chance of being a great leader in their own right. All they would need is proper education and someone to believe in them. Her travels eventually led her to Oklahoma, where he attempted to set down roots while attending Oklahoma University. While attending OU, she met an older professor that charmed her enough to seek a romance with him. They eventually lived together, producing one child. Their son was named Brad Ben “Cooter†Davenport, for obvious reasons. The “professorâ€, as Nancy’s friends and relatives back home came to call him, never really liked her family, seeing both her father and his town of Hazzard as a “backwoods dumpâ€. When all was said and done, he left her and the baby, but she had the last laugh: she placed a giant Georgia Bulldog mascot plush animal on the front campus lawn, with his picture tacked to the chest, him wearing a UGA jersey. While back in Hazzard for a brief visit, he lost a bag at the airport, so her father let him wear the jersey overnight until his luggage was found. Somehow, she knew that picture would come in handy one day….

[King2628]

She transferred to the University of Georgia to complete her degree, and earning a teaching job at a prominent high school in Atlanta. Brad was growing up fast, and by the time he was 13, he had already become a natural at mechanics. He could take apart anything and put it back together…..which usually got him in trouble at school. It wasn’t long before his curiosity and natural wild streak landed him in trouble with authorities. It turns out that Brad rewired a Dekalb county police cruiser to play a popular Kelis song named “Milkshake†to impress a girl that he liked. He was also “owning up†to a dare by his friends. Needless to say……the police were not impressed. He began to get into more trouble by accident than any teen would get on purpose. So much so, that he was facing actual jail time, or detention time, in a juvenile detention center for boys. Cooter suggested that maybe they should come on back to Hazzard, where things wouldn’t be so “temptingâ€. Nancy actually took him up on the offer, and they moved there before Brad’s 15th birthday. They’ve lived there for 8 years. During that time, Brad and Jessie became closer friends than they had in previous years, mainly because they had only seen each other during reunions and holidays, just like the other Duke children.

While back in Hazzard, they attended the same high school, Jessie being Brad’s senior by three years. With being close to Jessie, Brad attained instant popularity, but also instant enmity with Christian Hogg and his followers. That is, until Brad pulled a school prank that launched him into legend at Hazzard High, home of the Rebels. During a football game in which the home team was losing by a two-score margin, Brad hotwired the opposing team’s bus, and drove it through the field at half time with spray paint all over it. It had a giant “01†on the sides and a Rebel Flag while the horn was blasting “Dixieâ€. It rallied the home team crowd, and The Rebels, as they came back in the second half and defeated the LaGrange High “Grangers†by a touchdown. The after party celebration was amazing…..but Brad didn’t get to attend since he was being detained in Hazzard Sheriff’s holding cell until his mother was able to come get him. The funny thing is, even though the LaGrange High school officials wanted to press charges on the culprit, the sheriffs department didn’t know exactly who took the bus or vandalized it. They claimed that it was found abandoned on the highway leading out of town. Apparently, the prank was conveniently swept under the rug, as the town was thrilled by it. Several deputies, after all, went to the school in their youths.

As Brad spent more time in Hazzard, his grandfather taught him plenty about cars and mechanics. He was so good, that by the time he turned 18, he was running the old shop full time after school. Cooter opened it back up since Brad was such a great hand at fixing vehicles, and trusted him to be fair when charging for the work done. By the time he graduated from high school, Cooter named him the manager, and even allowed him to hire any part time help he wanted, as long as he was responsible enough to take care of their salaries. While doing this, Brad attended a vocational school, earning a legitimate certificate in automotive mechanics.

By 21, he was well on his way to earning a Master Mechanic degree, but decided not to go to the bigger schools. He was happy just where he was. Jessie and Brad and Caleb were always getting into trouble together growing up, so it is no surprise that Nancy Lou is cringing a little at the prospect of all the duke kids coming back to Hazzard to live. That headache is shared by the rest of the family….and town. Brad is a lean 6’1â€, with toned physical features, not overly muscular like Jessie, or wired like Caleb. He is constantly in a greasy pair of jeans or coveralls, and has adopted a sort of Cooter like appearance in the garage. He even wears a ball cap. Rumor has it that he cleans up nice, though…..

[King2628]

Well, that is all I am posting for now. It should give you guys a chance to fully read all that I have to say. I have an outline coming together for the story/pilot. I am working diligently on getting this into screenplay format, so I cannot write it the way I want to with all the descriptive emotions. So, feel free to comment and give me feedback!

[K-Duke15]

I Love this. I would so watch it and read it if it was to be a story. You have my support for this.

[King2628]

I Love this. I would so watch it and read it if it was to be a story. You have my support for this.

Thanks so much my friend!

[Brian Coltrane]

Howdy King -

You've put a lot of thought into the character development. Sounds interesting and I encourage you to move forward with your concept. Only word of caution is, be careful putting too much online with anything you're planning to commercially market.

I would love to see the Dukes return to prime time TV in some form, but I'm afaid it would be along the lines of the sleazy-dumb stuff that we saw in the 2005 movie and "The Beginning" TV movie. Not because it's what the fans want, but because Hollywood thinks it's where the money is.

Anyway - here's a link that might be useful to you.

https://www.wgaeast.org/script_registration

Go forth and write! I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted on how things are going!

[King2628]

Thanks Brian. I, too, cringe when I think of those incarnations of the Dukes and vow to never go there. Thanks for the advice and link. And I love that Supernatural Sig.

[Brian Coltrane]

Thanks Brian. I, too, cringe when I think of those incarnations of the Dukes and vow to never go there. Thanks for the advice and link. And I love that Supernatural Sig.

You're welcome King! About the sig - it's taken from the Supernatural "metallicar", but waaaaay before there was that show, somebody else had used a '67 Chevy Impala in a few stories and it was part of a character identity. And then Supernat comes out. Coincidence, but now I can't use the car in anything I'd like to offer commercially without looking like a copycat...such is the irony.

I also own a '67 Impala, so I enjoy describing how the car moves, how the heavy tail slides around a turn, how the chassis bears down on the frame when you accelerate. Sadly, what Supernatural seems to do the most to the Impala in the show, is show it parked, or getting smashed. Just once, I'd like to see them launch that beast over creek, ala Dukes of Hazzard.

Anyway! Protect your work. You just never know.

[King2628]

Will do, rest assured ASCAPP has me well in hand. I'd love to read that other work you have.

[Brian Coltrane]

I've got some new stuff in the works, we'll see how it goes. I also plan to finish some Dukes stories based on the original series and original characters. Just to kinda keep things going. Besides, the world needs more car chases.

[King2628]

So after reading this, which characters seem to stand out as a potential favorite?

Also.....I've found an agent. Yay!

[Brian Coltrane]

So after reading this, which characters seem to stand out as a potential favorite?

Also.....I've found an agent. Yay!

Good for you on the agent! Lessee, characters...I'd have to say Caleb, after giving them all another look. He's got that edgy quality that opens a lot of storyline possibilities. Duke-ish, yet a shade darker.

[K-Duke15]

Also.....I've found an agent. Yay!

Yay!!! That's great news to hear. Ya have to keep us updated on what happens.

[King2628]

Thanks guys! I've been told to get to finishing the screenplay, so that is my focus now......but during all the readings and re-readings. I kept thinking of how I can improve upon a certain angle here and there, or what I can do to strengthen a character's introduction. Its so much different from writing a novel, which I have no trouble doing. Looking forward to that being published soon, too. I love to write now lol!

So far I am actually loving Christian Hogg. Its almost like a Lex Luthor meets J.R. Ewing kinda thing I have going. You may love him and then hate that you love him as he develops. ANDDDD........I know everyone is wondering what I have planned for the General Lee. That is the only thing I am nervous about. I'll post that treatment later. I thought I would let everyone get ot know the characters first.

[King2628]

Ok guys, quick lil note. I just got finished talking with the agent, and we both think a good choice for the Balladeer would be Trace Atkins. Anyone else agree?

[K-Duke15]

Ok guys, quick lil note. I just got finished talking with the agent, and we both think a good choice for the Balladeer would be Trace Atkins. Anyone else agree?

I think that's a good idea. Couldn't think of anyone else that could be good for that.

[waikiki23]

I just found this link. King, I love the story line. I would totally watch! Trace Adkins as balladeer...yeah, i could see that.

[King2628]

Thanks man. I'm on day two of writing a script. The support so far keeps me motivated. This is so much harder than writing a book.

[JadedPhoenixBurning]

Thanks man. I'm on day two of writing a script. The support so far keeps me motivated. This is so much harder than writing a book.

Love the idea. Any chance that the next generation of the other cousins could show up too? Jebb over in Placid, Judd might have stayed in contact with Luke (might have helped Luke get into the pro-boxing since he was a pro already), even Coy and Vance might have had kids. There is always room at the Duke table.