King of the Road story
Sheriff Joe Garrett is confronted by Billy, a cocky hoodlum and street racer who has learned that Joe himself was once a legendary street racer known as "Iceman", and attempts to challenge him to a race. The stakes are raised significantly when Billy kidnaps Joe's daughter in order to blackmail him into racing him. Left with no other options, Joe is forced to come out of retirement and participate in one last race to save his daughter's life. Note: The "Two-Fisted Tales" comic book cover shown in the episode is a spoof. This tale came from the script for the film Two-Fisted Tales that was "based" on the comic book series of the same name along with the Tales from the Crypt stories "Yellow" and "Showdown". Warren Zevon provides the soundtrack for this episode. Directed by: Tom Holland. Story by: Randall Jahnson.
12 total · 2 choice · 7 major · 3 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| having a skeleton in the closet | choice | The fixture of the community Sheriff Joe Garrett had a dark secret: He was once a notorious street racer, and, moreover, never faced justice over having killed a teenager while behind the wheel. |
| the need to prove one's self | choice | The cocky speedster Billy wouldn't be satisfied until the legendary street racer Joe "Iceman" Garrett came out of retirement to race him. |
| blackmail | major | The cocky speedster Billy blackmailed and otherwise coerced the legendary street racer Joe "Iceman" Garrett into coming out of retirement to race him. |
| coping with a loved one being in peril | major | Joe found that Billy had upped the ante on him by kidnapping and threatening to kill Joe's daughter, Carey, lest Joe agree to the race. |
| dangerous driving | major | The story centers around the dangerous, but very cool pastime of illegal street racing. In his youth, Joe killed a teenager while behind the wheel in a street racing crash. |
| disapproving parent | major | Joe warned his daughter, Carey, that Billy was only using her, but she didn't listen to her regret. |
| father and daughter | major | Joe warned his daughter, Carey, that Billy was only using her, but she didn't listen to her regret. |
| law enforcement | major | Sheriff Joe Garrett was shown doing some mundane sheriff things. |
| male competitiveness | major | The cocky speedster Billy wouldn't be satisfied until the legendary street racer Joe "Iceman" Garrett came out of retirement to race him. |
| acting | minor | In his sketch, the Crypt Keeper feigned to be rehearsing together with his theater group. |