The Young Riders was an American Western television series created by Ed Spielman that presents a fictionalized account of a group of young Pony Express riders based at the Sweetwater Station in the Nebraska Territory during the years leading up to the American Civil War. The series premiered on ABC on September 20, 1989 and ran for three seasons until the final episode aired on July 23, 1992.
The peaks and the valleys. Find the essential episodes — and the ones to skip.
Ike is romancing Emily Metcalfe whose father has been feuding with shady gambler Neville. Emily vows revenge when Neville shoots her father but it's Ike who pays when trying to protect his girlfriend.
Hickok, Lou and the Kid tangle with a vengeful ex-lawman while escorting a desperado to his execution.
War arrives on the plains forcing the riders to choose sides. Cody joins the Union army while Frank returns for his brother Jesse. A deadly encounter with renegade Rebels leaves the Riders intent on justice for a fallen comrade.
Hickok falls in love with a woman who belongs to an unwanted religious group, but must first settle an old score with a gunfighter.
Each point is an episode, plotted in order. Colored bands mark season boundaries. Look for the rise, the plateau, or the decline.
High votes + high rating = beloved classic. High votes + low rating = notorious stinker. Low votes + high rating = hidden gem.
One point per season. Smooths out the episode-to-episode noise to reveal the bigger arc.
Did each season build or fizzle? Green means the finale outscored the premiere. Red means the opposite. Longer arrows, bigger swings.
How steady is each season? Tightly clustered dots mean reliable quality. Scattered dots mean a wild ride.
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