The Duke family lives in Hazzard County, Georgia. Their patriarch is Jesse Duke, a farmer and former moonshiner who's very wise, and probably the most trusted person in six counties; his nephews, Bo and Luke, and his niece, Daisy, live on the Duke farm with him. Jesse raised Bo, Luke, and Daisy after their parents died in an auto accident.

The Duke family had been making moonshine for generations. A few years ago, Bo and Luke got stopped on a moonshine run. Jesse swallowed a lifetime of pride and signed a treaty with the U.S. government to stop making moonshine if Bo and Luke could be released on probation. Since then, Jesse has kept his word and no longer runs moonshine. Even though Bo and Luke are on probation, that does not stop them from having their share of fun. They help Jesse run the Duke farm, and they have a souped-up orange Dodge Charger called the General Lee. Daisy works as a waitress at the Boar's Nest, the most popular bar/restaurant in the county. The Boar's Nest is owned by the corrupt Hazzard County commissioner, Boss Jefferson Davis "J.D." Hogg. Boss Hogg owns just about everything in Hazzard County, including bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. Boss would do just about anything to make a dishonest dollar, but he does not condone violence.

Boss is planning to have Rosco receive a delivery of slot machines, and Rosco is loyal enough to do whatever Boss tells him to. After about 20 years as one of the best lawmen in the state, most of Rosco's pension got defeated in the last bond election in Hazzard County, and as a result, Rosco turned bitter and crooked. Now he is up for re-election, against an even more corrupt opponent. After highjacking the shipment of illegal slot machines, Bo and Luke form a plan to distribute the machines to civic clubs and organizations in the area, and use their proceeds from the sales to help the local orphanage get renovated before the health department shuts it down.