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Tread Perilously's 2026 horror month focuses on the Devil. It all begins with an episode of Highway to Heaven called "The Devil and Jonathan Smith." When a freak accident leaves a child on his deathbed, Mark makes a deal to save his life. And when the broker reveals the deal was for his soul -- and the Devil will come to collect on Halloween night -- it's up to a Burbank area con-man to come up with the greatest swindle of all time. But how do you cheat the Devil and will Jonathan's soul be the real prize? Justin is pleasantly surprised by the actor playing the Devil. The rest of the guest cast is also a treat with Conrad Janis and Anthony Zerbe turning in great work. Erik can't get over how much the locations feel like Burbank. Justin accidentally pitches a better version of Highway to Heaven. The difference between a Clarence-style Angel and a Biblically Accurate one is outlined. The Wandering Do-Gooder archetype is fondly remembered. Silver Shamrock makes its presence known. Horror movie recommendations begin in earnest. The status of producer Joel Silver is determined. Lanterns talk finally enters the chat and Geography Corner takes the pair to 1980s Hollywood Boulevard.

Tread Perilously concludes its annual Star Trek month with an episode of Star Trek: Picard called "Imposters." Picard and Riker have returned control of the U.S.S. Titan to Captain Shaw, but are now on the hook for treason. Starfleet dispatches the U.S.S. Intrepid and a special Intelligence operative to bring them back to Command. But when Picard sees the operative is Ro Laren, it brings back some awful memories and a few questions both need answered. Meanwhile, Jack Crusher sees something terrifying in the transport beam. And elsewhere in the galaxy, Raffi and Worf play a deadly game to confuse a Vulcan crime boss. Justin attempts to explain the premise of Picard. Erik faces Kirk Acevedo once again. The pair also try to make sense of Changeling society -- such as it exists. The phrase "synthetics on Mars" leads down a rabbit hole. Justin tries to decipher the Season 3 story while Erik desperately attempts to remember why Picard and his team are on the Titan. Justin grapples with Dazzler as a possible X-Men film pick. Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine proves to be the MVP again. Justin makes some sense of Jack Crusher. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds talk continues and Star Wars planet Nar Shaddaa makes a special Geography Corner appearance.

Tread Perilously's annual Star Trek month continues with an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called "Ensign Ro." When the Enterprise is ordered to handle a potentially explosive Bajoran crisis near the Cardassian border, Captain Picard's superiors assign Ensign Ro Laren to the mission. One of the few Starfleet officers of Bajoran ancestry, she would be an invaluable asset if not for the fact she let eight people die on her last away mission. Or is there another reason why people don't like having her around? Also, is there more to the operation than Picard understands? Will Ro come to trust him and reveal what she knows? Erik and Justin sit back for an extra-long discussion as Ro is only the beginning of several ideas that will eventually bear fruit on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Erik tries to map Ro onto the Babylon 5 pitch document while also naming the Star Trek equivalent of the Narn Regime. Justin recalls TNG's premise is rooted in the 1980s. The pair determine when the '90s began as a consequence. Riker's proclivities come into focus. Mr. Mot debuts. The discussion of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues. Favorite TNG episodes are revealed. Starfleet Admiral's Disease is outlined and an important truth about TNG is revealed.

Tread Perilously's Star Trek month continues with an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds called "A Quality of Mercy." When Captain Christopher Pike considers altering the fate he has been dreading since his year in command of the U.S.S. Discovery, a future version of himself makes him leap into the events of "Balance of Terror" -- only he's still in command of the Enterprise. Will he make the same choices as James T. Kirk? Or will his wish to save everyone lead the Federation into another prolonged war. Also, whose fate among the Enterprise crew is crucial to future events? Erik and Justin consider the Kurtzman Era of Star Trek via a legacy sequel (or is it a requel?) to one of The Original Series' best episodes. Continuity and Enterprise also come into question. Erik marvels at how much Akiva Goldsman gets Trek. Justin reconsiders Joel Schumacher. The pair debate a recent Strange New Worlds episode inspired by soap operas. Erik removes Kirk from William Shatner. Sarek's abilities as a father are doubted. The pair also consider Trek's tendency to equate promotion to admiral with death. Justin's attempt to use Middle-earth mythology gets an immediate correction and Babylon 5 cannot help but make another return.

Tread Perilously begins its 10th annual Star Trek month with the classic Original Series episode "Balance of Terror." When the U.S.S. Enterprise is called to the Federation Neutral Zone along the border with the Romulan Star Empire, they discover outposts have been destroyed. When the ship reaches a base under attack, they learn the truth: the Romulans have crossed the zone with a new ship capable of cloak and a devastating energy blast. Will Captain Kirk and the crew manage to prevent the Bird of Prey from returning to Romulan space while stopping the incident from becoming a full scale war? Justin argues Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is also a sequel to "Balance of Terror." Erik recalls the correct stardate for once. Kirk's tendency toward crappy Internet Atheism is examined. Navigator Stiles brings Dr. McCoy's racism into stark relief. Next Generation barber Mr. Mott proves to be an eternal being. The pair try to figure out what Patrick Stewart or Avery Brooks would say upon returning from space. Leonard Nimoy once again earns MVP status for a superb exposition dump. Justin determines the origin of DeForest Kelly's accent. Erik admits to being behind on Strange New Worlds. Collision acting is reviewed and Babylon 5 cannot help but enter the chat.

Tread Perilously concludes its summer Patreon request month with an episode of The Highwayman called "Warzone." When Jetto seemingly goes rogue and abducts military and city officials, the Highwayman springs into action to figure out the how and why. But a clearly corrupt general has his own reasons to silence Jetto. What really happened six years earlier? Why can't Jetto remember? And is Wayne Newton among his captives? These and other questions might be answered by the time the episode concludes. In a rare role-reversal, Justin turns out to be the person with Highwayman history as Erik did not watch it in his misspent youth. Nevertheless, Justin finds the worldbuilding to be very poor. Erik marvels at a show containing so much of what he thought was cool as a child, but proves to be a slog. He also determines Jetto fought in a second Vietnam War. The pair profile the brief success of Jetto actor Jacko (yes, that's his stage name) and rank the worst Halloween movies. Justin recalls a particularly "Hollywood" moment from his elementary school days. Phony Australian accents falter. A sedate Jane Badler appears. Justin tries to explain the program's special convertible trucks; it leads to a discussion of M.A.S.K. The pair appreciate Terry Kiser's contribution to the episode and the definition of a "highwayman" comes into question.

Tread Perilously's summer Patreon request month continues with an episode of Sledge Hammer! called "The Spa Who Loved Me." Hammer includes himself in the case of a missing nuclear warhead. The trail leads to a downtown fitness center run by the queen of workout tapes, Jill Taylor. His tour of the spa only leads to him getting his first workout in years, but Doreau decides to take a look herself. Meanwhile, a Hooded Figure releases a tape indicating they will detonate the device unless the State of California delivers $1 billion to them. But is the threat coming from the spa? And will Hammer know what he's doing before the cliffhanger ending? Erik and Justin finally revel in an episode of Sledge Hammer! Mary Woronov turns out to be a featured guest star, leading to a continuing conversation from last week's episode. The writing and directing credits also provide a few surprises. Justin compares the show's humor to the Abrams/Zucker tone of Police Squad. Erik credits star David Rasche with making the underlying joke work. Co-star Anne-Marie Martin's surprising credit is revealed. The pair remember questionable celebrity Robin Leach. Geography Corner centers on Southern California pastrami chain The Hat and a recommendation about Barbarella is issued.

Tread Perilously's summer Patreon request month continues with the Matlock episode known as "The Network." When television producer Paul J. Bartel is accused of murdering the head of a Big Three TV network, Matlock agrees to represent him. Flying to Los Angeles, the Georgia lawyer quickly learns about the lingo, the motives, and the media attention to be found in Tinsel Town. But are Paul Bartel's protestations of innocence valid? Will Hollywood Today follow Matlock's every move? And will the older barrister inadvertently create the "zoom and enhance" phenomenon? Also, is Alf really in this episode, too? Erik and Justin embrace getting older as they finally sit down for an hour of Matlock. Justin outlines the career of the real Paul Bartel. Special cameos lead to plenty of weeds. Betty White is once again celebrated. The legend of The Hogan Family is told. Geography Corner centers on Lawry's Prime Rib. Another car chase scene finds Erik lamenting the loss of the art. The pair eventually remember to talk about Matlock star Andy Griffith. Erik detects some other inside-baseball aspects to the episode's script, including the secret basis for the murder victim. A famous Hollywood alibi becomes important to the proceedings and Larry David enters the story for the strangest reason.

Tread Perilously begins its summer Patreon request month with the infamous Punky Brewster episode "Cherie Lifesaver." Just as Punky and Margaux learn basic CPR techniques, Henry decides it's time to buy a new refrigerator. While his visit to Cheap-o Chester's seems to go okay -- although he may have overpaid -- the bigger issue arrives when he puts the old fridge in the backyard. There, Punky, Cherie, and Allen are playing hide-and-seek in the snow. But having seen Cherie run into the building, he never sees her get into the old ice box. And once he finds her unconscious inside, will Punky and Margaux employ what they learned in time to save her? Erik and Justin recall the times when getting stuck in a refrigerator was a genuine concern. Erik also turns out to be a guacamole purist. Justin finds Punky unfunny -- although Erik has a hypothesis as to why. Justin investigates Henry actor George Gaynes' unique accent. The pair also stumble into what John Carpenter's The X-Men might've looked like. The presence of T.K. Carter might have something to do with it. Erik is convinced Allen would've been tested for developmental issues in more modern times. A surprise Frank Bonner appears. The weeds grow taller with various topics and Sugar Beasties becomes the official breakfast cereal of the podcast.

Tread Perilously's Summer Grab Bag concludes with the penultimate episode of Tequila and Bonetti: "Brooklyn and the Beast." When a local news van prevents Bonetti, Garcia, and Tequila from apprehending a group of fleeing jewel thieves, Bonetti arrests the reporter, an obvious Geraldo Rivera pastiche. When he pays fine and leaves the South Coast squad room, he claims Tequila bit him and looks into the reason Bonetti left New York. The pressure only mounts when a woman is killed next to the reporter during an apparent drive-by and the gun is traced back to Bonetti. Justin declares this episode to be the most racist Tequila and Bonetti episode of all. Old characters return, suggesting to Erik that this was meant to be the season finale. He also offers some notes on the recent version of The Odyssey. Tony Plana makes a surprise appearance as the would-be Geraldo Rivera. Michael Douglas returns once more to destroy his own life via horniness. Both Erik and Justin end up deep in the weeds with discussions about Castle Rock and more. Mariska Hargitay continues to be the most dignified actor in the ensemble. The pair's Bonetti impression turns into a certain stand-up comedian's self-caricature and Bonetti's Cadillac looks like it needs to be detailed.

Tread Perilously's summer grab bag month continues with an episode of Automan called "Unreasonable Facsimile." When Walter is given the chance to develop a video game based on a popular prime time soap opera, Auto mistakenly watches the show instead of his assigned case files. The result: Auto wants to fall in love and experience the sort of passion dramatized on television. Meanwhile, Walter and Auto end up working a case involving a dead aerospace CEO and his beautiful daughter. Will she spark with Auto and will he learn about this thing humans call "love"? And will it prove he can make the intuitive leap necessary for true artificial intelligence? Is Automan finally finding its footing? Erik considers the possibility while Justin maintains it's just Automan. Delta Burke makes a rare appearance, leading to another episode of Tread Perilously Loves Delta Burke. Fellow guest star Glenn Corbett looks unreal throughout. The Hutts end up part of the plot for some reason. The pair debate how to pronounce director Winrich Kolbe's name. Desi Arnaz Jr. finally becomes the sidekick -- the right place for his character in the series. Of course, Justin still tries to recast him. Geography Corner centers on the North San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. Late 1990s computer effects are remembered and Tawny Little enters the chat.

Tread Perilously's Summer Grab Bag continues with the annual visit to Cop Rock for an episode called "A Three-Corpse Meal." While LaRusso stews in lock-up, Officer Quinn encounters Patricia again. She's remorseful about selling her baby back in the pilot and wants the young officer's aid. Quinn's husband, Lt. Ruskin, gets a bad health report and a new restricted diet. Elsewhere in town, Mayor Plank returns from her nose job and wows Police Chief Kendrick, leading to a surprising night for both. And back at county jail, LaRusso proves he's not stuck in there with the criminals ... they're stuck in there with him. Erik continues to wonder if Steven Bochco and his collaborators know much about Los Angeles. Justin struggles to recall what previously occurred on Cop Rock. The comparisons to The Shield continue to abound as they zero in on the differences between LaRusso and Vic Mackey. Paul McCrane's character gets a quirk thanks to a passion for whole foods and fitness. Justin figures out exactly why guest star Patricia Whilhoite gets parts. Erik suggests avoiding The Commish. Mickey Cohen and the Hat Squad are invoked, which leads to a warning against the film Gangster Squad. Justin gets to see the Echo Park of his youth. The secret of Doritos is revealed and Susan Powter makes a surprise appearance.

Tread Perilously opens the summer grab bag for the penultimate edition of The Ballad of John D. Cort -- an episode of Baywatch called "Deep Trouble." When CJ finds a homeless Cort sleeping under her guard tower -- not a euphemism -- she turns to Mitch to help out his alleged best friend. But as it happens, Mitch needs Cort's aid as the brother of a young leukemia patient has gone missing. And with only a few days remaining for the brother to donate bone marrow tissue, it's up to the former Navy Seals to save the day. Meanwhile: Matt is sore that Cort is back in town. Erik and Justin find themselves missing Eddie as Matt has proved a poor replacement. Justin's wife makes her first on-air appearance via a handwritten note. The Batman Part II rumors end up leading to a discussion of various villainous options for the film. A certain montage finally brings the Baywatch of popular imagination into the text. An unnamed shadow lurking around Pamela Anderson leads Poison's C.C. DeVille to enter the chat. The promise of "Voula's Dad" re-emerges. Justin recalls hanging out in 1980s Venice Beach. The Naya Water sponsorship makes itself known and all praise goes to Alison Pregler for creating the study of Baywatch in the first place.

Tread Perilously's pilot season wraps up with Beyond Witch Mountain, an attempt to extend the Witch Mountain film duology into a weekly series. When extraterrestrials Tia and Tony leave their community atop Witch Mountain in search of their Uncle Bené, they learn his missing son has been located. But when Bené passes in a very Jedi-like way, they take on the rescue mission themselves and recruit the aid of helpful curmudgeon Jason O'Day -- the man who drove them to Witch Mountain in the first place. And, as it turns out, rich industrialist Aristotle Bolt is not over losing them before and continues his search for the kids. Will he finally abduct O'Day and use him as leverage?  Erik and Justin get lost talking about Disney in the 1970s and renegade animator Ralph Bakshi. Eddie Albert makes his Tread Perilously debut as O'Day while Erik reveals where Justin might recognize Witch Mountain film stars Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann. Justin puts the pilot to the Cinema Test. He also fails to recognize the voice of the opening sequence's narrator. Geography Corner gets a workout as the Southern California mountains and Highland Park seem to play the Pacific Northwest. Tracy Gold makes an earlier appearance replacing Richards as Tia. Justin disagrees with the naming of Uncle Bené and Erik recalls the Long Distance Rate Wars of the 1980s.

Tread Perilously's pilot season continues with the first episode of The Art of Being Nick -- the bizarre Family Ties spinoff with one notable star in its cast. When Family Ties guest character Nick Moore moves back to New York to concentrate on his art, he ends up living with his older sister, Marlene, and her young son, Louis. As soon as a job is mentioned, he pushes to work in her bookstore, where he immediately catches the eye of co-owner Rachel. All seems well until Marlene announces she is engaged to Louis's teacher, Bob. Is Louis really okay with it, or will Nick's strange anti-intellectualism reveal the truth? Paul and Corey Cross the Streams' Paul Pakler joins Erik and Justin for a deep dive into the strangest part of Family Ties' history. Paul reveals the history of actor Scott Valentine while Erik discloses the other attempts to spin off the actor and his character. Nick inadvertently demonstrates the gross and unexamined underpinning of the Keatons' real political biases. The age gap between Nick and Mallory also comes into the conversation. The "Tom's Rule" makes its debut. Paul acknowledges the existence of the Bronx Wars. Erik theorizes NBC was looking for Friends for a long time. Julia Louis-Dreyfus easily proves to be the standout in the ensemble and Nick's anti-intellecutal tendencies provide a possible way forward for the series.