The Young Riders: End of Innocence
End of Innocence
Season 1, Episode 10
Air Date
November 30th, 1989, NBC
Directed by
Virgil W. Vogel
Written by
Ed Spielman, Jacqueline Zambrano
Starring
Josh Brolin
Melissa Leo
Stephen Baldwin
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Emma Shannon (Melissa Leo) and her companion, James Hickock (Josh Brolin), set out on a journey to help a with a baby's delivery. Their destination is Fort Reunion. When they arrive, the pair are welcomed by Lt. Josey Cassidy (Lenny Von Dohlen), who escorts them to the leader, Captain Ryan (James Sutorius). The captain informs Emma that his men were ambushed the other day, killed, and probably scalped. He relays that as soon as he returned, he evacuated the women and children, including Emma's friend, Mrs. Seward. Mrs. Seward's husband was among the fallen. Though her friend is no longer there, Captain Ryan orders the pair to stay at the fort - insisting they are at risk.
Emma and James become suspicious after the captain's story of an ambush conflicts with what the fort doctor (Dennis Creaghan) tells them. They soon discover that the captain is a tyrant who abuses his power. He goes so far as to withhold water from his men. Cassidy, afraid to cross the captain, mostly agrees with his orders.
James offers his services as a Pony Express rider and a tracker to help locate the people responsible for attacking the captain and his men. He finds an indigenous man who states the captain burned his village and had all the women and children killed. He even left his own wounded soldiers to die. He says that one of the soldiers is still alive and that the captain will not stop until he is dead. Once the captain learns of the indigenous man, he has him captured and locked in a cell.
When James repeats the man's story, Lt. Cassidy believes it's a trap and refuses to send a party, saying the most that he can do is make a report. With Cassidy's departure, the doctor gives James the key to the man's cell, and the prisoner tells him he will lead him to the remaining soldier in two days.
When Captain Ryan learns of the man's escape, he doesn't know who to blame. As a result, his tyrannical rules become impossible to follow. He tries to prevent the men from sleeping and beats a man when he drinks more than his rationed one cup of water.
James is shot by Captain Ryan when he makes an attempt to climb out of the fort. The captain tells Lt. Cassidy that James is to be thrown in jail. If he lives, he must hang. Cassidy secretly helps the doctor remove James' bullet, and he survives.
A group of soldiers and a sheriff arrive. As soon as they enter the fort, Emma rushes to the sheriff and tells him to find the soldier who witnessed the massacre. James, the sheriff, and another man venture out. They find the soldier who relates the horrible truth about Captain Ryan. James and the sheriff return with the soldier, whom Emma welcomes. He's her friend's husband, Charles Seward.
Lt. Cassidy issues the captain's arrest. He admits that it is something he should have done long ago. As James and Emma mount their wagon to leave, Cassidy asks James if he might change his mind and become a soldier. He answers that he's sticking with the Pony Express.
Streaming Availability
The Young Riders is available on the following streaming platforms free of cost.
It is also available on DVD and YouTube.
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The Episode
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