Episode Guides--Season One
The first season of "The Young Riders" ran from September 20, 1989 to May 14, 1990.
I know some of these are rather long, but I like to tell the whole story!
Episode 1: "The Kid"
Date: Sept. 20, 1989
This is the first episode of the series. It begins with the introduction of Kid. While passing through town, his attention is caught by a beautiful horse,
and he wished he could buy it. Not being able to afford it, he fights to earn the money. After that, he sees an ad for the Pony Express, a job which he
applies for. At the Pony Express station, we first meet the other riders: James Butler Hickok (Jimmy), a rebel with a chip on his shoulders; William F.
Cody (Billy), a young, too cocky for his own good rider, with an excellent ability with a gun; Buck Cross, a half-white, half-Kiowa Indian and his friend,
Ike McSwain, a mute who lost his hair and his ability to talk due to the Scarlet Fever; and finally Lou McCloud, a small, but a big spirited rider with
a secret. We also meet "Teaspoon" Hunter, their very eccentric, but caring boss and Emma Shannon, the woman who has taken the job of taking care of these
orphans. After extensive training, The Pony Express is born. Meanwhile, a group of bandits are on the loose in Sweetwater, and the town's marshall, Sam
Cain is maintaining order. The riders get along, but you can tell that everyone is just doing their job, staying out of the others way, or just trying
to impress the others. While on a ride, Lou is shot. Kid, who comes to the rescue, tried to help him, only to discover that Lou is really a girl. Kid has
a problem with this, because now he fears that because Lou is a girl, she is in more danger than ever. The riders decide to go after the men who shot Lou,
and justice is served. The bandits escape, and Kid accidentally walks into their hideout and has to kill them to save his own life, which he takes pretty hard
because he hates the fact that he took another life. But with some comforting words from Sam, he is on his way to recovery. In the end, everything works out
great, and Lou thanks Kid for keeping her secret, and we start to see the beginning of a romance. And so the adventure begins!
Episode 2: "Gunfighter"
Date: Sept. 21, 1989
Jimmy is being tormented by childhood memories. While on a ride, Jimmy spooks a horse, and the rider feels personally insulted by this. The man, Longley
demands an apology from Jimmy, but Jimmy isn't sincere enough. Longley calls Him out to settle it, and Jimmy goes, but he is saved at the last
minute by Kid, Longley turns out to be a professional hired gun. Teaspoon assists in helping Jimmy cool down his demons, and Emma talks to Longely
since he is an old acquaintance. She trades her father's pocket watch to keep Jimmy out of it, but Longley insists on satisfaction. Jimmy decides
to fight Longley after all, but Kid and Cody give him a hand. The gunfighter dies in the end. Jimmy now thinks that he will have to leave
because he went against Emma's wishes, bu she decides to let him stay. They now have a new understanding of one another.
Episode 3: "Home of The Brave"
Date: Sept. 28, 1989
An Indian raid on a nearby way station causes the townspeople to vent their hostility on Buck. Ike is captured by Buck's brother's tribe
while on a run. Buck saves Ike and the tribe puts him through rites to prove that he in a real Indian at heart.
Episode 4: "Speak No Evil"
Date: Oct. 5, 1989
A band of killers try to prevent Ike, the only witness to a stagecoach massacre, from testifying against their leader.
Episode 5: "Bad Blood"
Date: Oct. 12, 1989
Lou attempts to rescue her younger brother and sister, who have been kidnapped from an orphanage by her estranged father. Kid realizes she is
in trouble and leads the other riders to her. While confronting her father, the other riders finally discover that Lou is actually a girl.
Episode 6: "Black Ulysses"
Date: Oct. 26, 1989
The riders try to help a runaway slave accused of murder. Kid, who grew up in the South, learns a valuable lesson. In the end, he stands up for
Black Ulysses and asks him to stay.
Episode 7: "Ten-Cent Hero"
Date: Nov. 2, 1989
A novelist avenges himself after being beaten by Jimmy in a gunfight by writing a story that entices others to challenge Jimmy to gunfights.
Episode 8: "False Colors"
Date: Nov. 9, 1989
Kid learns that his long-lost brother, Jed, may be part of a plan to steal a gold shipment.
Episode 9: "A Good Day to Die"
Date: Nov. 16, 1989
Kid captures a Sioux brave at the site of an Indian massacre and brings him to justice.
Episode 10: "End Of Innocence"
Date: Nov. 30, 1989
Emma travels to Ft. Reunion to assist a friend in the birth of her baby and Jimmy is sent with her for protection. After they get there, they
realized the commanding officer in charge is unstable and has led a massecre on a peaceful Indian village, Cedar Springs. Jimmy volunteers
to scout the area for hostiles and finds one of the surviving members of the Indian village. The Indian is captured and held in prison, but Jimmy
feels that the Indian knows the truth of what really happened at Cedar Springs, and he finds out that there is still one surviving
Army member. Jimmy decides to get away from the fort to get help and is shot and accused of treason and is ordered to hang.
It the midst of all of this, Jimmy grows closer to Emma and shows his affection for her by kissing her. He tells her he would never leave
her and wouldn't be like the others, but she explains to him that he is way too young and that she could never vision him in a romantic way. Sam
and the riders come to the rescue in the end.
Episode 11: "Blind Love"
Date: Dec. 7, 1989
Jimmy falls in love with a girl, and she and her real husband frame him for murder. Kid and Lou find proof that saves Jimmy.
Episode 12: "The Keepsake"
Date: Dec.14, 1989
A young woman, Amanda, claims to be Teaspoon's daughter from a woman that Teaspoon was in love with a long time ago. But really, the girl is just a
friend of the girl who was really Teaspoon's daughter, but she died. While on her deathbed, she tells Amanda about a keepsake that is worth
$10,000, and Amanda's companion plans a way to steal the money from Teaspoon. During a town dance, Kid and Lou dance together outside by the
corral, and share a kiss. Amanda comes clean about what she is really doing there after Emma discovers that Amanda is trying to steal the
silver comb. Teaspoon decides to help Amanda, and her companion is killed. Teaspoon then decides to let Amanda keep the $10,000 to open a saloon
for him.
Episode 13: "Fall From Grace"
Date: Jan. 4, 1990
A fake argument with Teaspoon allows Jimmy to quit The Pony Express and join a gang of hired guns led by a ruthless madam after a good friend of
Teaspoon's is killed. Jimmy is secretly working for the Army, but upsets the riders with his attitude toward them. In the end, Jimmy comes back to
the station after the madam, Grace is killed.
Episode 14: "Hard Time"
Date: Jan 11, 1990
Kid winds up in a slave labor camp after being railroaded into jail in a corrupt town.
Episode 15: "Lady For A Night"
Date: Jan. 18, 1990
Lou drops her male disguise in a distant town and finds herself having dinner with a man who turns out to be a robber.
Episode 16: "Unfinished Business"
Date: Feb. 1, 1990
After surviving a massacre of wealthy settlers near Salt Lake City, Emma's estranged husband returns seeking shelter, and raises the suspicions of
Sam and the other riders.
Episode 17: "Decoy"
Date: Feb. 8, 1990
Cody rides with what he thinks is an important message and is chased by outlaw Union soldiers; an abandoned baby is left with the riders.
Episode 18: "Daddy's Girl"
Date: Feb. 19, 1990
Buck falls in love with the daughter of Sweetwater's richest new banker, and runs into trouble with his henchmen.
Episode 19: "Bulldog"
Date: Feb. 22, 1990
An educated stranger's attempts to emulate Hickok lead to trouble.
Episode 20: "Matched Pair"
Date: March 8, 1990
The influence of an old Machiavellian teacher lead Jimmy into a deadly confrontation with an old friend.
Episode 21: "Man Behind The Badge"
Date: March 22, 1990
The riders help Sam clear his name, and regain his job after an old enemy with a score to settle tries to take over Sweetwater.
Episode 22: "And Then There Was One..."
Date: April 5, 1990
Teaspoon searches for a killer hunting down his old friends, who were the only survivors of the Alamo. Jimmy and Buck follow to help Teaspoon.
Episode 23: "Gathering Clouds; Part 1"
Date: May 7, 1990
Kid finds himself secretly helping the Army to learn the identity of the leader of rebel guerillas.
Episode 24: "Gathering Clouds; Part 2"
Date: May 14, 1990
As Civil War draws near, Sweetwater becomes an embattled town caught between the Army and Hawk's Raiders.
