Fugitive: First Season 1 [DVD] [1964] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

I'll never understand why every terrible movie and television show that was ever made was released on DVD ages ago and perhaps the finest television series of the 60's - or perhaps of any decade - is only now being released.

I just don't get it, but better late than never.

I am so pleased that this series is finally being released. I was a young boy in the 60's and I recall getting hooked on this show early in the 1st season. Great story lines - great performances (both by David Janssen, Barry Morse and the guest stars) - excellent writing and wonderful suspense / drama at times.

I can't think of a single negative about this show. The first season was filmed entirely in black and white and this only contributed to the sometimes "dark" and serious tone to the series. The narration at the beginning and end of the series by William Conrad was a pleasure to listen to. And David J. was the perfect actor to play the part. He could be both strong and vulnerable at the same time and his character - Dr. Richard Kimble - was so honorable and admirable it was no wonder that so many people helped him to elude capture for so many years.

You look at the sorry state of television today - where networks continue to churn out the most stupid reality shows possible- and you wonder when it began to unravel. In fact, it's only getting worse. Is it any wonder that so many people are buying DVDs of classic tv shows and watching them over "America's Next Top Model" or whatever.

I'm getting ahead of myself here, but I sincerely hope the powers-that-be follow up season 1 with the release of season 2 and subsequent seasons as quickly as possible. I want to have the entire collection of this great show in my library as quickly as possible - before the idiots who make the decisions decide that maybe it would make more sense to issue some brainless tv show - instead of this classic..!

But for now - thanks for finally getting your act together - whatever caused you to get a grip on reality and decide to release it, I just hope you can stay lucid and smart enough for alittle while longer to release the other seasons.

I got my set a day early and wanted to let you guys know this DVD collection has amazing picture and sound. Transfers from the original camera negative and magnetic tracks and you can tell. No special features. Decent packaging with synopses inside the liner.

Box says some music has been changed and some episodes may be edited. I have only watched a couple and have found no changes thus far. It may be that CBS/Paramount simply puts this disclaimer on all their packaging, or it may have simply been on the template used for GOMER PYLE season two and someone forgot to change it.

In any event, this is a great series and we can only hope the next volume hits stores around Christmas.

By the way, it's a myth that you pay more for split season sets. You actually pay a couple of dollars less for a combined complete season than you would if you boiught the whole thing at once.

UPDATE - I have watched the set and found no scenes missing or music changed (that I remember). In fact, a few bits of scenes that did not air on the syndicated versions were restored for this release. I am 99.9% certain everything is here. If not for the disclaimer, I'd be 100%.

Even stock music is included unchanged, as well as local jukebox music.

The only problem...not enough episodes on the set.

At long last, the groundbreaking television series, "The Fugitive" comes to DVD. This show, which lasted from 1963-1967, was suspenseful, moving, engaging, and original. This was the first successful television show that took the dramatic formula of putting the hero with new characters and in new situations every week to another level. In previous shows such as Cheyenne, Maverick, and many others, the hero was a wanderer going from town to town to earn a living. In this show, the hero had no choice. He had to run to stay out of jail.

Charged with murdering his wife, a crime he did not commit, Dr. Richard Kimble, played by David Janssen, escapes from the law when the train taking him to his execution wrecks. Tracked doggedly by police inspector Gerard, Kimble wanders across the country running from the law while trying to track down the one-armed man he saw leaving his house the night his wife was murdered. As he wanders the country, he helps many people with their problems, all the while trying to find the one armed man and trying to avoid Gerard.

This classic show had all the goods - great acting by Janssen, Morse, and the many guest stars, fantastic narration by William Conrad, clever, well-written scripts, and taut direction. This show had it all, and made Dr. Richard Kimble one of the most famous and sympathetic characters television history. We can be glad that it has finally made it to DVD.