Mr. Horton n Dudley


I shudder to think about what happened to poor Dudley during his second visit to Mr. Horton's home.

The entire atmosphere of the two-parter, The Bicycle Man, was very dreary and dismal. There was quite a since of dread over it. It seems the the early 1980s were quite dreary themselves (I wasn't around, I didn't come until the mid-1980s), as the movies I see from around that time always have this sort of strange bleak atmosphere about them. It's hard to explain. If you want specific examples, please let me know in your response and I will be glad to provide.

I first saw this episode on syndication back in the early 1990s as a kid. It really didn't scare me because my five year old brain couldn't comprehend what was going on. I just thought Dudley and Arnold were talking to a very bad stranger who lured them in with candy and toys.

I recently rewatched the episode this past weekend. My thirty year old mind immediately picked up on the fact that Mr. Horton was manipulating the hell out Dudley and Arnold. However, he was doing it in such a subtle way that he can maintain "plausible deniability" if Arnold or Dudley ever went home and told Mr. D that Mr. Horton let them drink wine and look at flicks.

Mr. Horton was a sick bastard. He drove around in a 1979 Mercury Colony Park, he played "Tarzan and the Wild Lion" with the boys, he made them take their shirts off, he tried to get them drunk on Jesus Juice. Mr. Horton then made Arnold take pics of him and a shirtless Dudley. If Dudley was a little older, and Mr. Horton was a little younger and more fit, he probably would have tried to leap into Dudley's arms to take the pics. Sick ass. That was the first day. The kids narrowly escaped the wrath of Mr. Horton only because Mr. D showed up at the bike shop and inadvertently interfered in Mr. Horton's exploitation of the children.

The kids come back the next day for absolutely no reason at all, and Mr. Horton kinda makes snide comments about them dipping out on him. He lures the boys back into his web of lies and lair of unsavoriness. As soon as the boys sit down on his floral pattern couch, Mr. Horton serves them up two big pieces of pie and starts trying to work on them again.

Mr. Horton pops in a flick (since this is the early 1980s, it was probably a scene with Jonathon Younger and Sue Nero). The kids are in awe. Arnold makes a comment about people being naked and Mr. Horton makes a rebuttal to his statement by saying: "Naked is natural, especially around adults. We are adults here, aren't we?!" No, Mr. Horton, you sick bastard, you're the adult! You shouldn't show that kind of sh!t to 10 year old kids. Arnold eventually stormed out of the apartment, refusing to watch anymore porno. Dudley, however, stayed. Mr. Horton suggested after they watch the flick, they should play "Neptune: King of the Sea" in the bathtub (shudders). Dudley seemed to be in good spirits about it.

Okay, there is so much wrong with this episode that it's insane. Willis and Kim don't really react to their ten year old little brother smelling of wine. Then Arnold leaves Dudley BEHIND!! Who the hell thought of that crap!? When I was younger I was in a wanna be gang, where they PREACHED not to leave your homies behind. Hell, I never left my normal friends behind somewhere when I was ten unless they specifically asked me to. Then I joined this thing called the US Army, where again, they PREACHED not to leave anyone behind. I just can't believe Arnold would be that selfish to leave his friend behind.

Secondly, what the hell is "Neptune: King of the Sea"? What kind of sick mind thinks like that?! Then I think he had his hand on Dudley's knee when he was explaining it. If I was a kid and some crazy, old stranger suggested playing anywhere around a bathtub, I would cheesed it out of there with my arms flailing.

I can only pray that Dudley didn't get in that bathtub. I can only pray that he made it out of that licentious dwelling before Mr. Horton had a chance to hurt him in the bathtub.

Also, is it just me or did Dudley look and seem "out of it" at the end of the episode when they were at the Drummond's penthouse? It seemed as if Mr. Horton drugged him!!! That would push the envelope even more and become more disturbing than it already is.

I do hope he kinda bounced back in future episodes.

Thanks for the nightmares, Mr. Horton. Prison is too good for you!



Knock it off, Hudson.

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Note how controversial this episodes was, yet it was the highest rated episode of that season. Viewers were demanding for his character to return?


Wait....

Mr. Horton was that popular among the fans that viewers were ASKING for his return?!!? WTF?!

Knock it off, Hudson.

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yes

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This is supposed to be a family sitcom--but why is it so detailed w the abuse?? This is probably why most of the kids on it got messed up in some way. Okay we got the point that kids are not supposed to be abused.....they could have just showed Dudley and Arnold running away after the first attempt...hello!!

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That episode looks scary by today's standards but in the 70s, 80s, and 90s many sitcoms talked about very serious issues. Fat Albert, Fresh Prince, Boy Meets World, Family Matters, All in the Family, even Golden Girls all had some really serious episodes talking about things like gang violence, drugs, racism, police brutality, homosexuality, which was a sensitive issue in the 70s 80s, The Bob Newhart Show had an episode about a gay man which was pretty out of character for the show, there weren't too many serious episodes. Even Saved by the Bell had some serious shows about homeless people, drunk driving, drug use, pollution by oil companies.

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Also, is it just me or did Dudley look and seem "out of it" at the end of the episode when they were at the Drummond's penthouse? It seemed as if Mr. Horton drugged him!!!


I just took at as he was in a bit of shock, not drugged.
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I think he did drug Dudley, he probably drugged him with the date rape drug, flunitrazepam.

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I think he did drug Dudley, he probably drugged him with the date rape drug, flunitrazepam.


That's what I kinda assumed, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions. That makes this episode even more disturbing.

Knock it off, Hudson.

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I learned something by watching that episode as a 6 or 7 year old child. I learned that it is not okay for someone to try to "touch you."

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I watched this two-parter last night for the time in a decade. Gordon Jump played some classic characters in his career, but this will be one he's most remembered for. He was perfect for this role.

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I'm going to say he'll be most remembered for WKRP, then this, then maybe as the Maytag repair man

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You have many question, Mr Sparkle. I send you premium -- answer question, hundred percent!

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This 2 part episode needed a sequel.

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Dudley specifically states that Mr. Horton gave him a pill to "make him feel good." Dudley even claims he felt "goofy" from the pill he was given. My guess is Mr. Horton was mere moments away from molesting poor Dudley before the cops and Mr. Drummond appeared. Notice how quickly Mr. Horton was closing the shop and even told Phillip to go away. I don't think Dudley was touched, but he was an asshair's length away from it.

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I absolutely agree with the OP, and those who replied. Pretty terrifying, isn't it? Especially, as he wasn't an out and out monster, but rather knew how to be subtle about it. Arnold and Dudley aren't dumb kids who didn't read the signs correctly. Horton simply understood the signs and bent them toward his own desires.

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