The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (TV Series) High Treason: Part 2 (1994) User Reviews

That'll do, Brisco.

[Mr-Fusion · 9/10 · 5 June 2016]

With its two lead characters shot by firing squad (also being that this is a show that's well-acquainted with supernatural cunning), all we're really waiting for with 'Part 2' is finding out how Brisco and Bowler cheat death. And I wouldn't even call it a cop-out because it's in tune with the series as a whole. The professor comes through later on with a zeppelin, which they still manage to weave into the fabric as we know it. In other works, this works because it's all in the spirit, which is the guiding principle this time around in place of 'Part 1''s dire tone. It's all action, humor and likable characters.

Even still, the bar's been set pretty high, and 'Part 2' has some big shoes to fill. Not only is it wrapping up a two-parter, it's also the series finale. Does it tie everything up nicely, exposing the sinister cabal behind the attack on the President? Certainly does. Not only that, it stands as a nice bit of punctuation to a series that wasn't picked up. Dixie's absence is glaring, but those are usually because of reasons behind the scenes. I mean it's not like the writers forgot to include the show's primary love interest, even if it's just a last-minute shoehorn. But that's not even a criticism because this episode succeeds where it's most important: satisfaction.

9/10

If they'd all been this good, the series would have been renewed

[FlushingCaps · 9/10 · 8 March 2021]

This wound up being the final episode of the series and that's unfortunate because they had reached their peak-this was the best episode of all the ones I saw-didn't quite catch them all.

The guest star was football's Terry Bradshaw as army Colonel March, who spent most of the show teamed up with three then-current NFL star players, Ken Norton Jr., and two men from my home state of Michigan, Jim Harbaugh, currently head coach of his alma mater the University of Michigan, and Carl Banks, who comes from my home town of Flint, Michigan and who was playing for the New York Football Giants at the time.

In part one, Brisco and Lord Bowler were blamed for acts against the government perpetrated by a General Quarry and his aide, Colonel March, who were planning to assassinate President Grover Cleveland to take over. Our heroes were sentenced to the firing squad but they escaped death there, then spent most of this episode trying to get to the president and avoid capture by March and Co.

Meanwhile other good guys Pete, Whip and Sheriff Viva spent much of their time in a jail trying to break out. Viva is a 19th Century Elvis Presley in looks, speech and mannerisms and about every third sentence he says includes a song title from the real Elvis.

In leading his three football players, March commands them to "huddle up" and proceeds to draw a plan of attack in the dirt, using X's and O's and some terms vaguely familiar to football fans. They even have a chase scene that makes one think of a classic football training camp drill involving running through a bunch of tires-only the 19th Century version of a tire is a wagon wheel, of course.

As if this wasn't enough, Brisco and friends are rescued at one point by their friend Professor Albert Wickwire's (John Astin's) incredible airship that looks like a Zeppelin, or a blimp. Two of the all-time funniest lines in this series come with this part. Brisco's friend Socrates Poole is aboard, helping turn the valves above the cabin to release the right amount of helium to keep the ship balanced. Or, as the professor puts it, he was there to "help me pass gas." Later, he tells Brisco about a deal with a German named Zeppelin, and finishes by telling Brisco that if he just sells him one of his airships, "it'll be a good year."

The role of President Cleveland is played by Richard Herd. Now most people don't know who that is. I see he had 155 credits to his name but to me he'll forever be George Costanza's immediate supervisor when he worked for the New York Yankees, Mr. Wilhelm. Of course I'm referring to Seinfeld.

With all that going on, you can see why it was a memorably funny episode, especially for a show that's half drama. This was truly a funny episode with a decent-enough drama to carry it even if you didn't see part one-I missed that one myself. I give it a 9.