[Aryn Leroux]

I just saw this news on tvshowsondvd.com, i must say i am pleasantly surprised. I had this on my want list for so long and then removed it, for the simple reason i never thought it stood a chance of ever getting released. Yeah, i see it is a volume release, but it is only 5 seasons long of which season 2 is a very short season. So i can live with that aslong as they see it through. I always liked Joe Penny from Riptide fame, so this was a show that started late 80's and ran into the early 90's that i managed to watch from start to finish. Thanks Paramount for this unlikely release!

[Aryn Leroux]

I am starting to get the idea there are not many fans for this show/release. Where is the love for Jake and the Fatman!

Here are some clips of the show:

YouTube - Jake and the Fatman intro

YouTube - Jake and the Fatman

YouTube - "Jake And The Fatman"

[Jeff*H]

No one's feeling the love apparently for William Conrad (and there's a lot of him to love). Cannon thread hasn't seen much response either. Oh well, I'm in for both.

[Tory]

I never watched this one but I always loved the name and remember the ads I saw for it. What was on opposite it? I can't understand what would have prevnted me from seeing it though I was young I would watch full prime time line ups often enough to have been watching at what ever time this was on. Thinking about it, while I know I saw ads for it, my family seemed to keep away from the CBS primetime for a while, I don't know why. I think I might have saw the ads while channel surfing between commercial breaks.


Anyways, I think this is up my alley for a purchase.

[Aryn Leroux]

Here is a link to a Jake and the Fatman fansite of sorts. I think you will find a few interesting tidbits to read.

Jake and the Fatman on DVD Campaign Headquarters

Jake and the Fatman was actually canceled after its first season, but CBS revived it under unusual circumstances. With Magnum, P.I. coming to an end, CBS was left with empty -- and very expensive -- studio facilities. The producers of Jake and the Fatman moved the show to Hawaii with J.L. First Jake was sent over to Hawaii to visit an old friend who turns up murdered. McCabe and Derek come to his rescue when Jake is accused of murdering his friend’s partner. McCabe decides to retire from Los Angeles to take up the practice of criminal law and talks Derek and Jake into joining him. He later became District Attorney for Honolulu. The ratings went up sharply with the move. Apparently, CBS's lease on the Hawaii studio expired during the 1990-91 season, resulting in the show returning to Los Angeles.

[Aryn Leroux]

Jake and the Fatman has the dubious honor of being the only series with more than 100 episodes that has never been syndicated.

The show's second season was delayed by two union strikes: the writer's strike of spring-summer 1988 and a wildcat strike of resort workers in November. William Conrad arrived in Hawaii incognito and stayed quiet until the second strike was resolved, to avoid charges of conflict of interest.

[Steve...O]

Thanks for the links and the stories about this show.

This is a show I'll be buying since William Conrad was good in virtually everything he did. I never expected it to come to DVD and will be surprised if it sells very well. Perhaps that's why CBS is splitting this season (most color shows from them get full season releases).

Then again, if STREETS/SAN FRANCISCO is getting a S2 release then there is hope for this as well.

[Hank Dearborn]

From the book, Harry and Wally's Favorite TV Shows:

The problem with the character of the Fatman is that while Cannon was endearingly chunky, the Fatman is . . . well, just fat, and looks like an old wino to boot. It's a miracle the guy can move around at all, not to mention catch a thief. That, of course, is why there is Jake to help the Fatman out. Jake is some young, oily hotshot who works undercover to do the legwork that would result in an immediate massive coronary if the Fatman tried to rise from his torpor to duplicate the task. So since Jake looks like the kind of guy who will proposition your fourteen-year-old sister and the Fatman looks like he just got out of the detox street mission, there isn't much chance you're going to get real involved with the characters in this show.