Tread Perilously

Tread Perilously's Blue Sky month continues with Matt Bomer and the White Collar episode called "Quantico Closure."

While Neal continues to work on the codex and romance Rebecca, Peter's ongoing grief about the death of an agent under his command comes to a head when his ex-girlfriend, Jill, comes to town. Both were at Quantico years ago, but split up for reasons unclear to Peter. But Jill needs his help to finish buying a codebreaking MacGuffin before private military contractors or a rouge state can get their hands on it. It all seems innocent enough, but Peter's wife Elizabeth doubts Jill's good intentions. Will any of this connect back to a carjacker using a stolen FBI badge?

Erik feels cheated because the "Previously on..." featured an otherwise absent Mark Sheppard. He also tries to guess the premise of White Collar and gets pretty close. Justin extols the virtues of Matt Bomer, leading to a new version of The Thomas Crown Affair for television. The quality of Tiffany Thiessen's character and performance proves to be a revelation. Justin speaks out against deviled ham. Kim Dickens proves to be a welcome guest star. Erik complains about the scene transitions and the pair stumble into "Chandler Bing's Law."

Tread Perilously's look at the USA Network Blue Sky dramedies continues with the Psych episode called "A Nightmare on State Street."

Following his breakup, Gus's sleep habits have become erratic at best and sleep therapist Ashford N. Simpson (special guest Bruce Campbell) offers no real guidance. Instead, Gus's few moments of rest are marred by vivid nightmares of losing Shawn or finding himself in classic horror movie situations. But is all of it a dream? And will Shawn be able to clear guest star Dean Cameron of a murder involving guest star William Zabka? Also, will Tears for Fears' Curt Smith survive in one piece?

Erik imagines a lost 1980s slobs-vs-snobs movie starring Cameron and Zabka. A Psych star plays Secret Mexican, although Erik totally understands why. Justin explains the actual premise of Psych, which is not just "a funny version of The Mentalist." Erik reveals the one thing he really doesn't like about Psych, which leads to a discussion of Topper Returns. Both he and Justin recall an all-day movie marathon they planned featuring Exorcist II: The Heretic. Clive Barker's Texas Barbecue & Great American Steakery becomes a new sponsor. The episode's homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre leads to a Tobe Hooper lovefest and Justin realizes Psych is more popular than he thought.

Tread Perilously beings a month of USA Network's Blue Sky era dramedies with Monk and its sixth season episode "Mr. Monk and the Rapper."

When Bay Area hip hop artist Extra Large is murdered via a car bomb, rival rapper Murderuss becomes the prime suspect. But anticipating this, he turns to Adrian Monk to prove his innocence. Intimidated by a large Black man, Monk takes the case and spends most of the hour trying to get out of it. Natalie, meanwhile, notices the owner of Extra Large's label being quite shady about the whole affair. Will she be able to wake Monk out of his racist haze long enough for him to put the pieces together?

Erik issues an important safety warning about limos on the Universal Studios backlot. Geography Corner makes a special trip to San Francisco. Bane returns with new allegations about the Batman's child army. The show's loose implication that Diddy killed the Notorious B.I.G. becomes an unavoidable part of the discussion. Special Guest Star Snoop Dogg gets praise for his performance. Justin also praises guest character Snake Da Assassin. Monk's apparent racism gets criticized. Erik tells a horror story about the ghost of Richard M. Nixon (harroo!) and the importance of ordering breakfast is reiterated.

Tread Perilously closes out its New Class month with Glee and the episode called "Lights Out."

Will's plan to prepare for the upcoming regionals gets derailed when the power goes out across the school. Principal Figgins cautions against cannibalism while Will takes the opportunity to make the Glee Club go "unplugged." It has a surprising effect on some of the students. Meanwhile, in New York, Rachel and Kurt try to stop Santana from becoming a go-go dancer by inviting her to the "social event of the ballet calendar," and Sue tries her best to convince herself that quitting to protect Becky was the best choice she ever made.

Erik immediately wants Glee to focus on guest star Melissa Benoist. Justin tries to fit the series into the Ryan Murphy pantheon and his understanding of it via the Community parody. Musical theater as a form get examined. Erik starts to plot the Infinity War musical. The discussion inevitably leads to Fame. The pair appreciate Iqbal Theba's performance as Principal Figgins, but criticize the program's use of a sensitive issue. Justin disagrees with the use of "Everybody Hurts" on general principle. The number of songs featured in the episode also becomes an issue and Erik finds he likes a sympathetic Sarah Jessica Parker.

Tread Perilously's New Class continues with a final season episode of Dawson's Creek called "Lovelines."

When Jen successfully books Loveline hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Adam Carollla for a college show, Audrey gets excited to meet Dr. Drew. Jen, meanwhile, gets stressed out and breaks up with C.J. (Jensen Ackles!). Across the dorm room, Joey's trust issues with Eddie leave him believing she is repulsed by his touch ... which is a totally reasonable guess on this occasion. Finally, Jack wonders if his boyfriend is flirting with a dude who's clearly looking for a threesome. Will the incredibly questionable advice of Dr. Drew and Adam help these couples resolve their problems? Oh, also, where's Dawson?

Justin's daughter discovers Pokemon. Erik's 20+ year dislike of Dawson's Creek is reaffirmed. The pair differ on The Faculty while launching into a discussion of the reference-laden dialogue favored by Dawson's creator Kevin Williamson and the sound of video store nerds from the 1990s. They also reminisce about Loveline's formative years in the Los Angeles radio market. Justin theorizes Eddie would sell Joey to the Humungus if given the chance. Erik and Justin create the Supernatural spinoff that would have found success and stumble into another of the Batman's many crimes.

Tread Perilously's New Class continues with Airwolf (finally!) and the episode called "Out of the Sky"

Stringfellow Hawke lazily finds himself a new squeeze when Santini Air gets hired to film the final show of country star Roxy Marvel's current tour. The gig includes filming all the rehearsals and flying a prop UFO over the stage. The flaw in that design becomes apparent when Roxy gets shocked, but it is only the latest in a series of troubles between the star and her manager/ex-husband Nick DeSoto. String suggests she join him and the Airwolf crew at his private mountain retreat to unwind. Will it lead to true love or will kidnappers connected to the stagecraft business ruin their bliss?

Erik and Justin get lost in Roxy's UFO-related song and the power of fake music -- which leads immediately to Josie and the Pussycats. Jan-Michael Vincent's "strengths" as a performer are examined. Ernest Borgnine gets praise for his enthusiasm. Justin reveals he's never seen Rambo: First Blood Part II. A Cobra Kai spoiler comes up for those not finished with Season 3. Airwolf gets compared to Tequila and Bonetti (and some other super-vehicle series from the 1980s) and the pair send a love letter to Joe Mantegna.

Tread Perilously begins a new year with four TV shows completely new to the podcast. The New Class begins with Columbo and "Last Salute to the Commodore."

When a shipping magnate and sailing enthusiast goes missing, Detective Columbo becomes involved in a case of mistaken identities, unlikely romances, and at least one instance of rampant alcoholism. Although it is fairly clear special guest star Robert Vaughn is the killer, the plot pivots when he also turns up dead. Will Columbo be able to determine the circumstances of both murders in an incredible parlor scene?

Erik is delighted to feature an episode of television directed by The Prisoner's Patrick McGoohan. Justin is delighted to attempt a Columbo impression. Ridley Scott ends up on the hot seat for some reason. Justin declares star Peter Falk's performance in Murder By Death as that film's funniest. He also comes around to The Vicar of Dibley. The pair are shocked to discover Columbo is a very tactile detective. Robert Vaughn gets praised, as does guest star Diane Baker, who you may remember from a certain classic thriller. Falk's status as an angel is clarified and Justin figures out how Columbo would deal with the Pevensie children in Narnia.

Tread Perilously closes out the year with a special Lifetime TV Movie event: Blue-Eyed Butcher.

Based on actual events: Susan Wright is a young, blue-eyed woman with seemingly everything going for her. So what would compel her to murder her husband and bury him near the fountain he never finished installing? To the local DA, the motive is a life insurance payout. To Susan, the reason is years of mental and physical abuse. But who is telling the truth here or are we in a version of Rashomon as only the Lifetime Network could tell it? And if the film is based on actual events, did the DA in the case really wheel the bloody mattress into the courtroom?

Tread Perilously: Special Review Unit Captain Charlie Wright joins Erik and Justin for a spirited discussion of the film. Charlie is convinced her last name mattered to the proceedings. Justin tries to point out the Lifetime tropes being subverted in the movie. Erik recalls his days copy editing home video packaging for Lifetime. All three get lost in Texas geography. Justin Bruening's filmography is examined. The Humungus is re-imagined as a Texas mayor. Justin finally decides Susan -- at least in the movie -- is lying and Charlie makes a pitch to become a Lifetime Wedding Planner.

Tread Perilously finally releases an episode on Christmas Eve Day with the Tread Merrily Christmas Carol finale: The Six Million Dollar Man's "A Bionic Christmas Carol."

Steve Austin's (Lee Majors) Christmas Eve Day plans are interrupted when he is ordered to inspect the Mars mission space module being built at Budge Industries. Steve soon discovers the boss, Horton Budge (special guest Ray Walston), is rather Scrooge-like in his appreciation of Christmas, safety tolerances on the engineering specs, and his nephew (special guest star Dick Sargent). Will Steve's bionics, and Budge's dependence on a mysterious liquid drug, give the situation a more Christmas feel?

Justin finally watches his first episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. He and Erik debate its political leanings and its hilariously dated title. Erik attempts one of his most obscure impressions ever. Steve Austin's mustache gets reviewed. The pair debate whether or not Walston brought his A-Game to the proceedings. WarGames is noted for its great research scene. Erik introduces the idea of Bionic Empathy. Justin decides he's a-ok with Ethan Hawke while Erik offers a differing opinion. They both agree on what Budge is taking for his unspecified illness, though. Knock-off Army Men come into existence and powdered soup mix makes another special appearance.

The Tread Merrily Christmas Carol finally takes Erik and Justin to Cicely, Alaska for the Northern Exposure episode called "Shofar, So Good."

It is the day before Yom Kippur and Dr. Joel Fleischman seemingly goes out of his way to be awful to people. He fires Marilyn, gets into another argument with Maggie, and refuses to help rebuild the house of a citizen who left a cigarette lit while he slept. But will a vision of his rabbi back in New York, some choice clips from the previous season, and the specter of what his leaving town will look like change Fleischman's heart?

Erik tries his best to explain the B-plot, which was excised from the copy of the episode he managed to find. He is also surprised to see Fleischman still so bitter and obtuse six seasons in. Justin is surprised to see an episode of the show without its famous local flavor -- all of the lovable supporting characters like Holling and Shelly. Erik declares John Corbett the "acceptable Ed Burns." Justin reveals he has no emotional connection to WarGames. Both imagine what would've happened had George W. Bush and Dick Cheney faced a full SARS pandemic. Erik forgets the names of the Ramones and the English Revolution becomes a topic worth riffing on for five minutes.