One Armed Bandits

'One-Armed Bandits' is an eye-opener if, like me, you know this show from an '80s childhood and just expect the Duke boys to jump something in the General Lee and annoy the law. It is that, but there's more attention paid to fleshing out the Duke family's history as wronged citizens and the brothers' passion for making sure the system doesn't step on the little person.

As a pilot, it's pretty straightforward - Bo and Luke swipe the Sheriff's slot machines and funnel the winnings into an ailing orphanage - but one thing that really adds authenticity is the location shooting in Georgia. It actually feels like the South as opposed to the sun-bathed dirt and hills of Newhall, CA. But in the end, it really is all about the simple things: rebel yells, good-natured car chases and Catherine Bach in a bikini.

7/10

No complaints whatsoever. Probably in my top five best Dukes of Hazzard episodes. I absolutely love Bo and Luke's "gang" of friends, and they sadly were only around for this episode. Seeing General Lee leading the charge of cars? Nothing better. Also too bad that Cooter's Torino was only around for this episode. He probably wrecked it lol. This episode portrays the characters very well, although they do slightly change in later episodes from how they were first introduced in this episode. It's hilarious how Jesse yells at Bo and Luke for things that aren't their faults! Sure it's not fair that Daisy gets off scot free all the time, and no one ever DARES to criticize her (which makes me mad bc i don't like her) it's still funny how Jesse yells at the boys.

I love when Boss Hogg says "I wish them Duke boys was on my side." It basically describes his attitude towards them for the entire series.

The Dukes of Hazzard 49-minute 1979 pilot episode, "One Armed Bandits," involves the good ol' boys saving an orphanage and was actually filmed in Georgia where the fictitious Hazzard County is supposed to reside, unlike future episodes filmed in Southern California.

To be honest, I never saw an episode of the Dukes of Hazzard in my life before viewing this pilot, although I've of course seen clips of the show while channel surfing.

My main interest in viewing it was Catherine Bach, who plays Daisy Duke. In her prime Catherine was one of the most beautiful women to grace God's earth and this pilot features her in all her awe-inspiring glory. She has some solid screen time and is shown in white "daisy dukes" (short shorts), denim daisy dukes and -- whoa -- a red bikini.

The episode itself is just harmless good ol' boys TV fun, but Catherine Bach is incredible. She was born in Warren, Ohio, part of my stomping grounds in NE Ohio and Western PA -- proof that our hometown babes are some of the finest in the world.

In fact, because of Catherine I can justly brag: OUR BABES ARE BETTER THAN YOUR BABES -- hah!

The pilot episode of The Dukes of Hazzard introduces the Duke family via narrator Waylon Jennings. There are a couple of cousins he neglects to mention who came in handy when there was a contractual dispute with the main cast!

Bo and Luke are on probation after being stopped for being in a moonshine run. It is the reason why they do not use guns and have bows and arrows instead. They live in a farm with their uncle, a veteran former moonshiner and their pretty cousin Daisy.

Hazzard County is corrupt run by by the dodgy and slimy county commissioner Boss Hogg ably assisted by his lackey Sheriff Rosco.

In this opener Bo and Luke steal some illegal slot machines and use them to raise funds for a local orphanage. Sheriff Rosco is on to them and cousin Daisy even ends up in the cells.

The Dukes of Hazzard was silly fun. The Dukes were lovable outlaws, the local police were rather incompetent. Daisy was suitable eye candy. Boss Hogg became the rogue everyone loved to hate. Sorrell Booke played him loud with his all white suit, he eats raw liver in the first episode.

The reason I watched it as a kid was because of the car chases and car stunts. The stories were formulaic and got increasingly weaker and sillier in later episodes.