"Pin the Tail on the Dukes" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of The Dukes Of Hazzard.
Summary[]
Jesse's best friend Hector Farley (Henry Jones), who has just returned to Hazzard after 10 years in prison, is determined to make Boss Hogg pay for the farm that Boss conned him out of years ago. Not wanting to part with any of his money, Boss uses every dirty trick he can think of in his attempts to send Hector back to prison, and Boss wants to make sure Bo and Luke go to prison with Hector. Bo and Luke are framed for destroying county property after wrecking Rosco's illegal radar gun, which was actually a blow dryer.
Plot[]
Balladeer: What you’re lookin’ at is a reunion about to happen. The Dukes are meeting the bus that is bringing in Uncle Jesse’s old friend, Hector, back to Hazzard. Old Hector has been a guest of the government for about ten years now. That is, he’s been doing time in to pokey.
Bo drives him, Luke, Daisy, and Jesse to town. Hearing a siren, Bo looks back and starts laughing. When Jesse asks what he’s laughing at Bo explains Cletus is chasing him but he’s not even doing 55. Luke greets Cletus on the CB and tells him they don’t have time for games. Cletus says Bo crossed a double yellow line and Luke says it’s a dirt road and there is no such thing as a double yellow line on a dirt road. Cletus says Charlie Whoop painted it that morning. Luke tells him they’ll pull over at the Hazzard Pond and Cletus slams on the breaks. As the Dukes laugh Cletus calls him on the CB saying he stopped so they won’t trick him into the pond before realizing that the Dukes got away.
Police Department
Opens a package in front of Rosco to Rosco’s excitement. He tells Rosco that it is a radar gun and explains that the State Highway Commission gave him $10,000 to buy the best radar equipment that money could buy. Boss then shows Rosco it’s actually a hairdryer. Rosco thinks Boss was ripped off and Boss explains he pocketed the money from the State Highway Commission. Boss tells Rosco to give the second on to Cletus.
Bus Stop
The Dukes wait as Hector gets off the bus. Hector happily greets the Dukes before asking where he can find JD. Boss and Rosco come outside and Boss sees Hector Farley. Boss is horrified to see him and Rosco reminds Boss that he framed Hector but Boss insists no one could prove it. Boss tells Rosco to go arrest Hector. The Dukes prepare to go to the farm but Hector spots Boss and charges after him. The Dukes chase after him and Hector and Rosco collide, knocking Rosco down. Hector helps him up, apologizing and Boss tells Rosco to arrest Hector for assaulting a police officer. Upset, Hector runs away and takes Rhuebottom’s van. Luke says Rosco has no case but Rosco says they do now that Hector stole a van. Worried the Dukes head out to help Hector. Rosco and Flash take off after the van while Bo and Luke follow in the General. Jesse makes them come back to help him in the General saying Hector is his friend and he’s coming.
Road
Rosco is surprised when Bo passes him on the road and Luke praises him before telling him to show their uncle how they get Rosco to go the wrong way. Jesse remarks he’s not sure he wants to see it. Bo remarks Chestnut Creek Road is ahead. Bo blocks the road and to avoid the General, Rosco drives into a bush. Bo then continues to drive after Hector and cuts him off. After getting Hector out of the van, the boys send him and Jesse to the Farm before taking the van back to town.
Town of Hazzard
They park it where it originally was just as Rosco comes into town. The boys get out of the van and wait for Rosco, who is surprised to see the boys instead of Hector. He says he’s arresting them for stealing the van. Mr. Rhuebottom comes over, greeting the boys. He asks what is going on and Rosco says the boys stole his van. Rhuebottom says it doesn’t look stolen and Rosco asks if he wants to press charges, which Rhuebottom refuses to do. Luke remarks that was close and they must live right or something. Bo remarks ‘it’s a charmed life I’m telling you.’ As they walk to the street they see Cooter. Luke asks Bo if he thinks Cooter would give them a ride home and Bo says only if they feed him. They have a bet of 'winner does dishes' which Bo agrees to without thinking. They stop Cooter and ask for a ride. Cooter asks who is cooking supper and Luke tells Bo that he gets to do the dishes as he won the bet.
Road
The next day the boys head into town to get barbed wire. Rosco sets up a speed trap with the hair dryer. He points it at Bo and Luke as they drive by, confusing the boys. Bo hits a puddle, getting water over the hair dryer. Rosco sees it smoking and takes it off before taking cover as the hair dryer explodes. Rosco picks it up in surprise, yelling after the Dukes saying they are in trouble now. He chases after them, surprising them. Luke asks Rosco wants over the CB and Rosco tells them they blew it up. Bo asks what he’s talking about and Rosco tells them to pull it over. Luke says to lose him so they can figure out what Rosco is on about. Bo leads Rosco to a construction site and tricks Rosco into driving in a hole. The boys check on Rosco before driving off. Luke remarks he’s driving better, not good yet but better.
Police Department
Rosco goes to see Boss, who’s eating a tower of donuts and shows him the hairdryer. Boss barley reacts, prompting Rosco to assume he’s sick. Boss explains he’s actually happy as they got rid of Hector Farley as he is a scaredey cat and now they can pin the destruction of the radar equipment on the boys. Rosco calls Cletus and the boys hear him and Cletus talking when Cletus refers to the ‘so called radar gun’ and Rosco explains that they destroyed county property. The boy are surprised to learn they really did destroy something but don’t understand how.
Duke Farm
Jesse feeds the chickens as Hector laments his lost farm. Jesse starts talking about how they will be able to get the farm back but he hears his pickup start. Seeing Hector in his truck, he asks where he’s going. Hector says he’s going to have it out with JD before leaving. Jesse runs into the house and calls the boys on the CB. The boys fill Jesse in on what happened before agreeing to stop Hector.
Town of Hazzard
The boys arrive in town and get out of the General after parking in a back alley. Bo tries to look out for Hector from the alley but Luke pulls him back saying they need to stay hidden. Bo says there is no way they can see Hector from there and decides to climb up on a scaffold. He tells Bo to go bring the General around and Bo agrees after making sure Luke gets up on the roof alright. While on the roof Luke sees Boss and Rosco and Hector. Luke climbs down onto the scaffold below and greets the man who is on it.
Boss spots Hector, assuming Hector is going to kill him. Before Hector can get to him he is intercepted by Luke, who swung down from the building on a rope and onto a cart, grabbing Hector as he passes. Bo pulls up in the General as Luke and Hector get off and Luke puts Hector in the General. Bo drives off as Luke runs over to get the pickup. Boss and Rosco come out of their shock and Boss sends Rosco after them. Boss runs into the Bank to hide, putting out a ‘closed’ sign.
Road
Bo and Hector are in front with Luke behind them. Rosco follows them both. Bo tells Luke they are headed to Briarwood Junction and Luke says for Bo to take the upper road and he’ll take the lower road. Unable to decide which one to follow, Rosco stops. Bo reaches the end of the road and jumps down to the lower road, jumping over Luke in the pickup. Rosco heads back to town.
Duke Farm
Jesse scolds Hector while Daisy, Luke, and Bo watch. Hector apologizes and they talk about the boys facing the destruction of property charge. Hector thanks the boys for their help and Luke says it’s alright and he doesn’t know why Uncle Jesse is making a big deal about it. Daisy asks about the ‘so called’ charge. Bo says they don’t know but Luke remembers that Cletus used the same term to refer to the radar gun. Luke says they should look at the radar guns and they decide to go find Cletus at his favorite speed traps. Bo and Luke leave, promising they’ll fix it.
Police Department
Boss is shaving and tells Rosco he’s tired of hearing him say he’s sorry. Rosco apologizes and Boss tells him the next time Hector attacks him it’s his job to protect Boss. Boss remarks it would be great if he can get them all out of his hair. Rosco says the boys have protected Hector twice now and are more interested in protecting Hector than them. Boss gets excited, flinging soap on Flash. Boss says they will use Hector as bait to get the boys in the open and Rosco can grab them all. Rosco asks how and Boss suggests using the county payroll as it’s due to be handed out at City Hall that afternoon and that Hector will take it from him after Boss lies and says it’s the $25,000 land money he owes him.
Duke Farm
At the Duke Farm, Hector helps Daisy roll a ball of yarn while Jesse talks about a possible way to get Hector’s Farm back. The phone rings and Daisy answers it to learn its Boss for Hector. Hector takes the phone. Boss says he has decided to give Hector back his money. Hector is stunned when Boss offers to give him the entire 25 thousand. Boss says to meet him at the county courthouse in 30 minutes. Hector hangs up and informs Jesse and Daisy about the phone call. Jesse and Daisy try to stop him but he leaves. Jesse concludes he’s nuts before they chase after them. Hector takes the keys to the truck and leaves in Dixie. Jesse has Daisy go get the second set of keys in the house as he calls the boys on the CB to let them know.
Road
Bo and Luke watch Cletus at the speed trap. Cletus uses the hair dryer and Bo and Luke are amused. They hear Jesse call them and decide that Hector is being set up. Luke says they are going to stop them and as they get ready to leave they decide they’ll deal with the phony radar later. Jesse and Daisy leave the Farm.
Town of Hazzard
Boss and Rosco wait out of the courthouse, Boss holding a red box for the payroll. Rosco asks what makes Boss so sure the Dukes and Hector will show and Boss says Hector wants the money and the Dukes want to help their friend so they’ll all show. They watch Hector arrive in Dixie and head over to get the box. However Bo and Luke arrive and pull Hector in the General before speeding off. Rosco follows.
Road
Luke apologizes to Hector for manhandling him and Hector tells them to go back to town as he was about to get his land money. The boys explain that the box Boss was holding was the county pay roll and everyone in Hazzard knows not to touch it. Hector realizes he was set up and apologizes for getting the boys in trouble again. Bo tells him not to worry about it as they have been in trouble with Rosco before and they’ll be in trouble again.
A truck heads down the road and Bo serves around it. As Bo gets back on the road Luke sees a second truck coming toward them. Bo swerves again, missing the truck as the driver stops. Luke asks how Bo could do that twice and Bo asks that there are only two trucks in Hazzard. Rosco continues down the same road, seeing the first truck and avoids it by going off road. He sees the second truck is stopped and is forced to stop himself.
Hector gets mad at the betrayal and the boys ask him to avoid Boss for a while. He says he can’t promise that and they decide that Hector needs to stay with them until they get the radar gun mess over. Bo says Cletus isn’t going to show it to them and Luke says there is someone he might show it to if he thought he scared her. Luke then calls Jesse and Daisy and filled them in on his plan.
Daisy and Jesse drive around in the pickup, trying Cletus’ speed traps. Bo, Luke, and Hector watch Cletus as Daisy approaches them. Cletus points the ‘radar gun’ at Daisy and Daisy stops the truck. Daisy approaches him asking why he would point a gun at them. Cletus denies pointing a gun at them and Daisy says he pointed something. Cletus shows her the radar gun and Daisy, pretending to be excited, takes it from him. Daisy tosses it to Jesse, who tosses it to Luke when Bo drives up in the General. The boys drive away with the ‘radar gun’ as Daisy and Jesse get back in the pickup and follow. Luke takes it apart to confirm it is a hair dryer. Bo asks why Boss would do that and Luke says he would guess so Boss can pocket the money made to buy real radars.
Cletus radio’s Boss on the CB to tell him that the boys got the hair dryer. Boss then calls the boys on the CB and Luke answers. Boss asks what are they doing with the radar gun and Luke says they know it’s a hair dryer. Luke says they will take it to the State Police if Boss doesn’t drop the charges against him and Bo. Bo takes the CB and adds there is the matter of Hector’s farm as well and in front of witnesses. Daisy and Jesse are listening to the conversation in the truck, adding that those witnesses would be them. Boss is alarmed that they are all coming and agrees to the deal.
Town of Hazzard
The Dukes arrive in town where Boss, Rosco, and Cletus are waiting at the Court House. Luke hands over the hair dryer and Boss tells Cletus to arrest Hector and the boys. Jesse yells at him for going back on his word and Boss says he only keeps his word when he ‘spits and shakes’ on it. Boss and Rosco leave for the Hazzard Swamp and Cletus attempts to arrest them. Luke says Cletus has no bullets in his gun and Cletus says it does. Bo tells him he can see there isn’t any and Cletus opens the chamber to show them there are. Luke pushes his hand up so all the bullets hit the ground. They all run, Bo and Luke getting in the General and Hector, Daisy, and Jesse getting in the truck. Cletus tries to gather all the fallen bullets.
Road
Boss happily tells Rosco that they are coming to the end of a perfect day. As they drive Boss says he’s so happy he could sing. Boss decides to give him his own rendition of Dixie and when he goes to sing Bo hits the horn behind them, letting Boss and Rosco know they caught up. Boss becomes alarmed and says for Rosco to hurry.
As the three vehicles run down the road, Rosco assures Boss that the Dukes aren’t the only ones with tricks. He turns around and heads toward the Dukes, running both vehicles off the road. Jesse’s truck stalls out and Bo and Luke head for one of Luke’s short cuts. Jesse gets the pickup started again and takes the road Rosco did.
Hazzard Swamp
Boss and Rosco arrive at the swamp. Boss gets ready to throw the hair dryer but Rosco asks for Boss to let him do it as he used to throw for the Hazzard Pony League. Boss lets Rosco and says he wants the hair dryer to do in the middle of the water. Rosco starts to warm up.
Bo and Luke end up on the other side of the water. Luke tells Bo that they still got a chance and when he tells Bo to go, go. Bo does. Rosco throws the item and Bo and Luke jump across, Luke catching the hair dryer.
Balladeer: Back in 1944, at Hazzard High old Rosco threw two touchdowns at the wrong goal. Before Jesse gave Boss back that radar gun he made Boss shake hands ridge runner style to drop all the charges against the boys, return the State Highway Commission money they gave him for real radar equipment an pay Hector the land money that he owed him, plus interest. But the best thing that come out of all this rat killin’, was Hector realizing that ten years don’t change good neighbors, especially if they happen to be Dukes. You know, I reckon that applies to just about anybody.
Jesse, Daisy, and Hector arrive. Bo and Luke return and Boss tells them to give it back but Luke gives it to Jesse. Boss makes Boss spit and shake on dropping the charges and returning the money to Hector.
Duke Farm
The Dukes see Hector off to his new home on a farm he bought, presenting him with an ax and Bo and Luke promising to come by on Tuesdays to help him.
Cast[]
Main Character[]
- Tom Wopat as Luke Duke
- John Schneider as Bo Duke
- Catherine Bach as Daisy Duke
- Denver Pyle as Uncle Jesse Duke
- Rick Hurst as Cletus Hogg
- Ben Jones as Cooter Davenport
- James Best as Sheriff Rosco Coltrane
- Sorrell Booke as Boss Hogg
- Waylon Jennings as The Balladeer
Guest Star[]
- Henry Jones as Hector Farley
- John Wheeler as Mr. Rhuebottom
Locations[]
Hazzard County[]
Continuity[]
- This episode introduces another long time friend of Jesse's, Hector who was arrested ten years ago
- Mr. Rhuebottom is introduced for the first time
- Boss says he never keeps his word unless he spits and shakes on it
- Rosco was stated to be on the Hazzard High Football team in 1944