"The Young Riders" Drinking Game

The Young Riders Drinking Game

So what happens when you mix two dedicated fans, a DVD boxed set, two bottles of rum, and a pad of paper? A drinking game emerges.

My sister brought me into the wonderful world of "The Young Riders" around 1992 or 93. She watched reruns on the Family Channel (way back when it still showed family-friendly fare like TYR and "Snowy River: The McGregor Saga," rather than edited adult films like Cruel Intentions. It aired weeknights at 7pm. She and my parents watched it. One night I gave in and sat down. It was season three, episode ten. "A Tiger's Tale." I thought it was brilliant.

I was hooked, and watched it every night. When the series started back at the beginning, we videotaped it. I had great fun discovering this series, and new (to me) characters like Ike, Emma and Sam. I was ecstatic when I heard they were releasing this series on DVD. I've watched all but 4 episodes. They aren't remastered, and you can see where the film has degraded over the years (the show ran from 1989-1992). But it's just like I remembered. I can sit down and make fun of some aspects of the series, all in the name of love.

Isn't that what drinking games are all about?

Well, that and getting totally smashed. On with it…


The Rules.
Take one drink for:

The opening credits.
Someone blames the Indians for something.
Someone tries to set up the Indians in order to bring in the Army/start a war/wipe them out.
Emma gets emotional (and that wide-eyed, psychotic stare).
Lou is referred to a third party as "he."
Lou wears a dress.
Foreshadowing of Hickok's future.
An old friend or long-lost relative shows up.
Said friend or relative dies.

Hickok is referred to as "James."
Cody is referred to as "William."
Someone calls Lou "Louise."
Someone calls Ike "dummy."
Sam warns someone to stay out of trouble, because it's his town (or some variation thereof).
Someone in the credited cast gets shot. Two drinks if they are stabbed, horse kicked, bonked in the head, hung, dragged, shot with an arrow, or thrown from a horse.
The boys get into a group fistfight. Two drinks if it's in Thompkin's store.
Kid rides a horse that isn't Katie.
Hickok rides a horse than isn't his tan Palomino.

References are made to the coming Civil War.
Teaspoon gives sage advice.
Kid and Lou give each other meaningful glances.
One of the Riders is kidnapped by Outlaws. Two drinks if it's by Indians.
Someone is called out.
Hickok is accused of having a hot temper or quick trigger.
Future inventions, technology or pastimes make an appearance (baseball, the dentist drill).

A dog randomly enters the scene.
The weigh station gets shot up.
Teaspoon says they all did "a hard day's work."
Teaspoon mentions his past as a Texas Ranger.
Someone guest stars who is well-known now. Two drinks if that guest star dies.
One of the Riders gets involved with the "wrong kind of girl" (or guy).
The Riders are deputized.
One of the Riders is arrested.
Anyone orders a Sasparilla.
Someone gets drunk.

A traumatic childhood incident is revealed.
An establishing shot of Sweetwater shows the "Sentinel" sign.
One of Sam's deputies is shot.
Slow motion horseback riding that is not part of the opening credits.
There is a continuity error.
An incident or character from a previous episode is brought up again (good continuity).
Hickok is called "Wild Bill."
One of the Riders repeats what Ike has signed for the benefit of the viewing audience.
There's a dream sequence or flashback.

ENJOY!