DODGING THE LAW; Proof telly isn't as good as it was REWIND.

The Dukes of Hazzard (BBC1, 1979-85)

ORIGINALLY aired on American station CBS in 1979, the show was bought up by the BBC and it became a major hit during its six-year run. It followed the adventures of two "good ol' boys", Bo and Luke Duke (played by John Schneider and Tom Wopat), who lived in fictional Hazzard County and spent most of their time racing around in their souped-up 1969 Dodge Charger, The General Lee. The problem was the corrupt Boss Hogg (Jefferson Davis) and inept county sheriff Rosco P Coltrane (James Best) were always on their trail, trying to arrest the cousins on some trumped-up charge. The reason for Boss' desperation to get the Duke boys out of the way was simple - he wanted to get his hands on their family farm which he saw as the key to him becoming rich.

It was up to Bo and Luke to uncover the schemes and foil the criminals.

Bo Duke (Schneider) was the blond-haired Duke boy. He was the younger, wilder one - more of a shoot first, ask questions later type.

An ex-stock car test driver, Bo was the one who drove The General Lee most of the time.

He was known for taking the car off wild jumps and always somehow managing to land the vehicle without it suffering a single scratch. He and his cousin Luke were under probation for transporting moonshine and were not s permitted to leave the county. Along with Luke, Bo regularly fought for justice against corrupt law officials. Luke Duke Wopat) was the dark-haired, older cousin. More mature and rational than Bo, he was typically the one who came up with the plan that would get the two out of whatever trouble they were in. An ex-Marine, Luke was the more physical of the two, often doing stunts like jumping onto moving cas rs.

One of the most popular cast members, particularly among male viewers, was Daisy Duke, played by Catherine Bach. Daisy worked as a waitress at the Boar's Nest, the local bar owned by Boss Hogg. She often used her looks and her position at the restaurant to get insider information to help the Dukes foil Boss' various schemes.

Uncle Jesse (Denver Pyle) completed the Duke clan, a patriarchal figure who presided over Duke Farm.

There was never anything sophisticated about The Dukes of Hazzard but it was one of those knockabout shows that Saturday evenings are made for.

COUNTRY LIVING: Catherine Bach, Tom Wopat and John Schneider made The Dukes of Hazzard a smash Saturday night hit

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* PS ...: Jessica Simpson took over as Daisy Duke in the 2005 film version