Fugitive comes to DVD in a 33 disc set on Nov. 1st 2011 (1 Viewer)

[66KIMBLE]

Great list, 66Kimble. I'm with you on many of those episodes being in my Top 12. In no particular order (except for the very first one, which is my absolute favorite of them all), my top dozen episodes would be:

Search in a Windy City
Ill Wind
Never Wave Goodbye I&II
Nightmare at Northoak
2130
Escape Into Black
Man in a Chariot
Home is the Hunted
Angels Travel on Lonely Roads (Pts 1 & 2)
See Hollywood and Die
Trial by Fire
Come Watch Me Die

Honorable mentions to Wife Killer, Nemesis, The End is but the Beginning, Fatso, Bloodline and two from the final season - A Clean and Quite Town and Ivy Maze.

As you can see, my favorites slant heavily toward the 1st season (which I do think was the best of them all). I enjoyed all 3 of the b/w seasons and, like many other fans, felt the 4th year definitely dropped off some.


Gary "greatest show of all time for me" O.

Angels Travel on Lonely Roads II just missed my selection. A classic for the Albert Salmi poker scene alone (and Ellen Heckhart of course!)

 

[stevelecher]

Angels Travel on Lonely Roads II just missed my selection. A classic for the Albert Salmi poker scene alone (and Ellen Heckhart of course!)

Lonely Roads I and II should make anyone's list due to the light humor and the great dialogue between the Sister and Kimble, particularly in the cabin at the end of Part I. I love that scene and think the acting by Janssen and Eileen Heckart is spectacular. Albert Salmi is great throughout. I doubt this episode would be made today, as faith and religion are not treated as respectfully today as they were in 1964 by the entertainment industry.I love all three of the B & W two part episodes. They're all filled with great writing, acting, and suspense. Both Suzanne Pleshette episodes are great as is Echo Of A Nightmare. A couple of decent 4th season episodes are Joshua's Kingdom and Passage To Helena. Everybody always puts The Survivors on their list but I find it wanting. It starts out fabulously, but Kimble's ability to turn away his sister in law comes too easily. Then, he makes no attempt to protest his innocence to his mother in law. I would think he would ask, "How could you possibly think I would have done that?" It may have been too close to the scenes with his brother, Ray, but he would have asked her. And finally, the policeman couldn't have missed Kimble hiding behind that closet door. The whole episode rings hollow to me. I know I'm in the minority here.Is there a bigger clunker in the whole series than Devil's Carnival? I will not watch Hanes McClure, Tad, and his whining mother again.Thanks for the comments, people. Gary O, you are correct about the stature of this show.

 

[Walsh61]

Everybody always puts The Survivors on their list but I find it wanting. It starts out fabulously, but Kimble's ability to turn away his sister in law comes too easily. Then, he makes no attempt to protest his innocence to his mother in law. I would think he would ask, "How could you possibly think I would have done that?" It may have been too close to the scenes with his brother, Ray, but he would have asked her. And finally, the policeman couldn't have missed Kimble hiding behind that closet door. The whole episode rings hollow to me. I know I'm in the minority here.Is there a bigger clunker in the whole series than Devil's Carnival? I will not watch Hanes McClure, Tad, and his whining mother again.

A couple of things about "The Survivors", when Kimble turns away his sister in law it's what you might call tough love. He knows that she has a crush on him. Helen's father had said something to him earlier about it. He knows she wants to be with him and that is something that obviously he can't allow. He has to push her away, so to speak, in order to get her to stop wanting to go with him. I thought Janssen played this scene well and you can see the pain it caused him in the following scene with Helen's father out in the hallway.

As for Helen's mother, I felt that Kimble wasn't in a position to protest his innocence with her given the circumstances. She's obviously still grieving over her daughter's death and Kimble is an unwanted guest hiding from the law in her house. I think he just wanted to help the family out financially with some money he knew Helen had in an account and get the heck out of there before the police caught him. I felt he was trying not to make matters worse by upsetting anyone anymore than they already were or anymore than he had to.

As for the scene where the cop doesn't see him hiding behind the door, well it is what it is. There are a number of scenes like this throughout the series where Kimble's ability to avoid the police borders on the fantastic. Overall I thought this was one of the better episodes.

A few people have mentioned they didn't care for Devil's Carnival or The Witch so I may be in the minority when I say I liked both of those episodes. They were both rather unusual and perhaps a bit uneven but I thought they had some good character actors in them along with Janssen's fine performance.

I really didn't run into anything I'd call a real "clunker" until I got to the fourth season. I just finished watching the first three discs from this set and Approach With Care, Ten Thousand Pieces Of Silver and Sharp Edge Of Chivalry are all ones I don't care for. I'm still going through the fourth season again right now so I know there are at least a couple of more disappointments to come.

 

[stevelecher]

I rather like The Witch too. It has to grow on you as it has on me these many years. I like the idea of The Survivors but don't care for the execution on this one. As I said, I know I'm in the minority here.

 

[Gary OS]

Wow, and here I thought I was literally the only Fugitive fan on the face of the earth that didn't mind "The Witch." So I find out I'm not alone after all. Good to know.


Gary "good discussion" O.

 

[stevelecher]

Wow, and here I thought I was literally the only Fugitive fan on the face of the earth that didn't mind "The Witch." So I find out I'm not alone after all. Good to know. Gary "good discussion" O.

How do you feel about Devil's Carnival?

 

[Gary OS]

I'm fine with "Devil's Carnival." I won't go so far as to call it one of my all-time favorites, but I have never been as down on it as others have.


Gary "to each his own, I guess" O.

 

[buford2]

So what is it that people dont like about "The Witch"? I like that episode and am just trying to understand.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Wow, and here I thought I was literally the only Fugitive fan on the face of the earth that didn't mind "The Witch." So I find out I'm not alone after all. Good to know.


Gary "good discussion" O.

I had to go to the episode guide to recall that episode but it was a good one, not in my top list but I didn't have issues with it.

I'm fine with "Devil's Carnival." I won't go so far as to call it one of my all-time favorites, but I have never been as down on it as others have.


Gary "to each his own, I guess" O.

I don't recall that one too well either but after looking it up, it rated average in my list.

So what is it that people dont like about "The Witch"? I like that episode and am just trying to understand.

Hard to say, perhaps the episode title is one reason some didn't rate it too high on their list.

Opinions are diverse in any series. For example, most probably rated the S3 two parter "Landscape With Running Figures" high on the series list but it wasn't on my top list.

Most of my favorite episodes probably are from S1 in this series.

Never Wave Goodbye (Pt 1-2)
Nightmare At Northoak
Search In a Windy City
Angels Travel On Lonely Roads (Pt 1-2)
Smoke Screen

 

[stevelecher]

I think people think the girl is just a little too weird with her interest in witchcraft and such; her talking to that doll and speaking Latin. I didn't care much for it for a long time but it has grown on me.I'm one who would put Landscapes high on my list. I agree with those who say it is one of the series' best episodes. Love the weariness Kimble exhibits in part one. A well executed episode.Season three has a few weaker episodes than the first two seasons, but there are a number of great episodes there too. What a show!

 

[Gary OS]

Jeff and I often share a brain when it comes to what we like and don't like in The Fugitive. I've never been a big fan of "Landscapes" and I don't really know why. It's just not up there in my Top 20 even though I know it is a huge favorite with almost every fan of the series. Most of my favorites are from S1 as well. I don't think there was a big drop in quality from S1 to S2 or S3, but I do seem to gravitate toward that first season if I'm just pulling out one episode to watch.


Gary "I think the first 3 seasons of The Fugitive, overall, is the best thing TV has ever done - bar none" O.

 

[Dean Kloss]

Just purchased this from a third party on Amazon, can anyone please tell me how to tell the difference between the 2011 and 2012 versions. The copy I bought has the soundtrack cd as well as a sticker on the front advertising the restored score. The 5 discs are defective on this set requiring the replacement discs, but otherwise do I have the correct copy? Thanks!!!!!

 

[Walsh61]

Just purchased this from a third party on Amazon, can anyone please tell me how to tell the difference between the 2011 and 2012 versions. The copy I bought has the soundtrack cd as well as a sticker on the front advertising the restored score. The 5 discs are defective on this set requiring the replacement discs, but otherwise do I have the correct copy? Thanks!!!!!

The 2011 set will have gray colored discs. The 2012 set has black colored discs. I have both sets and the cd soundtrack as well as the sticker came with both. If you have the 5 defective discs then you know you've got the 2012 set.

 

[Harry-N]

The Ed Robertson book states the opinion that "Landscapes With Running Figures" represents a high point in the series and that things went downhill after that two-parter. I'm not sure I agree or disagree with that.

Most of the "clunkers", if one is to view them that way, do seem to fall after that point, but there were still some pretty decent efforts following "Landscapes..." as well.

I agree that "Landscapes..." Part 1 is among the very best. It's the resolution - part 2, that seems to fall flat and not live up to the build-up of part 1. Barbara Rush, though a pretty and classy lady, has a way about her in her hysterics that tends to grate. And the whole deserted town scenario seems surrealistic.

But that part 1 is a brilliant hour of television. At no point in the series do things seem as hopeless for Kimble as they do at the beginning of part 1, and Janssen plays it perfectly.

From the original broadcast, here's the teaser that aired between Part 1 and Part 2:



I never had a problem with "The Witch". It's only fault, if there is one, is that it occurred so early in the series. At that point in the series, I think we all might have liked a little more action, and here's Kimble mired in a rural town and some of its citizens' problems, plus it throws a child into the mix. Add to that the next episode in sequence, "The Other Side Of The Mountain", and the series seems to be quickly becoming too focused on rural flavor.

I like both of the episodes, but feel that putting them a little later in the running order would have been a little better, and perhaps separating them from each other.

"Devil's Carnival" never struck me as an episode that should be disliked. It seems fine to me. It had a great cast of character actors: Warren Oates, Philip Abbott, Madeleine Sherwood, Strother Martin, George Mitchell, and Woodrow Parfrey.

If I had to pick the weakest episode, I might choose "The Garden House" from the first season. I never cared for that one, and hated the fact that it opened the second half of Season 1.

Harry

 

[ScottRE]

I guess The Witch was "okay" but there's something about "fibbing children" stories that rub me the wrong way. That plus the obvious studio set at the lake at night (for a series that was outside most of the time) made the ending claustrophobic. It was an all around uncomfortable episode. Pat Crowley was gorgeous, though.

Landscape is an outstanding two parter. Yeah, Barbara Rush is a little too hysterical, but I love the way Kimble, not knowing who she is, lets his guard down and speaks nostalgically about Stafford. This is one episode that I think would have worked better if it ran directly after Wife Killer; after catching Johnson and getting his confession, Kimble (who was never this close before) gets his hopes dashed. This should have sent him right into the frame of himd he was in when Landscapes began.

Landscapes starts off really dark, with those damned kids - very weirdly played with the strange background music going on - casually billing Kimble and lying to Gerard (who is a total snake here the way he butters up the youngest).

 

[66KIMBLE]

I pretty much agree with ScottRe on Landscapes,Part I was much better than Part II.Gerard looks like he's had it along with Kimble. I did like Kimble recalling meeting his wife in Part II (Janssen's acting was especially strong throughout),however I couldn't rank it in my top dozen because of a weak ending and the story was stretched out.(surprisingly Morse's Gerald was a non factor in Part II). I thought this ground was better covered in Angels from Season 1. Though a decent episode(s) it paled compared to the other two parters.

P.S. Harry, I disagree with Ed Robinson(Fuge Recaptured). The peak was Ill Wind before it took a turn though there were good moments afterwards.

 

[stevelecher]

I think Landscapes has to be considered in its totality, and it is excellent. Yes, part one is better than part two. The mean young trio in part two is all padding and it bogs down the episode a bit. IMO, the two motorcycle creeps in Angels Travel... are the same kind of padding, needed to turn 90 minute episodes into two hour episodes. Anyway, without that padding, the discussion between Marie and Kimble in the deserted bar, her realization of who she was talking to and then his discovery of who she is, is outstanding. I probably would have preferred an ending where Kimble isn't talking to a motorcycle cop who doesn't recognize him, in the middle of a huge manhunt, but that's just me. Regardless, the two parter, as one story, is outstanding and is, probably, in the top 15 or 20 episodes of the series.Incidentally, the man at the hotel that has his back to Marie and she momentarily thinks might be Kimble, is also mistaken for Kimble in Brass Ring. Was that actor a stand in for Janssen in the series. I have the feeling he's in some other episodes too. Thanks.

 

[Dean Kloss]

Called the 800 number this morning and requested the replacement discs. The girl I talked to said they were replacing disc 4. I told her that I had thought there were 4-5 discs being replaced. She put me on hold, came back took my information and they would mail out disc 4 and I would have my order. Anyone else experience this at all?

 

[stevelecher]

The woman doesn't know what she's talking about, I guess. I think I would call back and re-confirm what they're doing and ask for a supervisor if you don't get the right answer.

 

[Harry-N]

I watched "Devil's Carnival" today since it's gotten some notice here lately and I still think it's a fine episode. If there are any annoyances, it would be the hysterics of Madeleine Sherwood. (As an aside, I happened to switch off the episode near the middle. Antenna-TV came on and there was Madeleine Sherwood again in THE FLYING NUN!)

Also a tad annoying, but actually rather humorous when it came down to it, was Strother Martin's character with the great name of Shirky Saulter. The rest of the cast was fine and did a good job in this rural setting. (I'm sensing a theme that it might be some rural episodes may not be held in high regard.)

But then that can't be true either, as there are some fine rural episodes all throughout THE FUGITIVE. Maybe it's just Madeleine Sherwood that no-one likes. She's in both "The Witch" and "Devil's Carnival."

Harry