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

[ScottRE]

Just so there's no confusion: DVD Planet - good. Dvdnowtv.com - bad.

 

[stevelecher]

Just so there's no confusion: DVD Planet - good. Dvdnowtv.com - bad.

Sounds about right.

 

[jimmyjet]

i feel confident that this set will sell for a long time, and get out at amazon with corrected disks. which is how i think the majority of purchases will occur. i am in no rush. i have all sorts of stuff to watch. i do think it is great that cbs put out such a quality product. and hope that other studios follow suit. i dont ever purchase anything but complete shows with good reviews. i simply will not participate in these silly buy one season at a time. either they give me a complete product, or i give them no money. most of these shows would be profitable if done correctly the first time around. i know a lot of people who are too young to have ever seen any of these shows during their original airing, and they like to watch them. so this not just about us babyboomers. they have plenty of available buyers FOR A GOOD PRODUCT, such as this latest fugitive release.

 

[Harry-N]

I sincerely hope the series sells well, and that they ultimately get it all 100% correct so people don't have to jump through hoops to get corrected discs. They shouldn't have to. The series is and was a great one - undeniably so - and it deserves the best. Will I ever spring for the corrected sets? Perhaps someday, if the price is more amenable, the discs are all correct, and I can manage to save my pennies for it. Meantime, the original sets will have to do. Harry

 

[stevelecher]

I can't watch seasons 2 or 3 from the original sets. Can't stand them.

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by stevelecher
I can't watch seasons 2 or 3 from the original sets. Can't stand them.

When it's all you've got, you make do.
Harry

 

[stevelecher]

Well, this looks like it. It took almost 5 years since S2V1 come out and knocked us for a loop. This particular topic has been up since late summer 2011 and on til spring 2013. Thanks to all that contributed to these topics and helped keep the heat on CBS/P. It's great having my favorite show in my collection in virtual perfect, night of broadcast quality. Thanks CBS/P for painstakingly restoring all the audio cues and enhancing the video, even repairing the problems with Cry Uncle.Bye everyone. Enjoy the series, as it was meant to be enjoyed!!Steve Lecher

 

[Sam Favate]

Blu-ray, anyone?

 

[JoshuaB.]

Blu-ray, anyone?

Yes, please! I haven't gotten around to picking up The Complete Series DVD set (I have rotten luck dealing with telephone customer service). The Fugitive is one of my holy grails of TV series on blu-ray (along with Twin Peaks, X-Files and 60s Outer Limits). The odds are stacked against this QM production getting HD treatment on home video, but few series would look as good in HD! If it ever was released on blu-ray, I would buy it promptly!

 

[Brian Himes]

I hope to be back in this thread later this week. I have just finished watching the episode The Ivy Maze, so I'm very close to finishing the series. I'll be back with my thoughts on the series when I'm finished.

 

[stevelecher]

I hope to be back in this thread later this week. I have just finished watching the episode The Ivy Maze, so I'm very close to finishing the series. I'll be back with my thoughts on the series when I'm finished.

When you last wrote, you were in the middle of season one. Look forward to reading your impressions of this series.

 

[jimmyjet]

i suspect that this thread will soon migrate to discussing various episodes. i havent seen them for a long time, so i only have bits and pieces available to me, now.

and i dont intend to get the series until amazon, or another reputable seller, is selling them with the disks already fixed.

i have so many wonderful shows to view, that i will probably die before i get to see them all !!

i am also watching a lot of educational stuff.

 

[Brian Himes]

Well, here I am at the finish line, but I haven't quite crossed it yet. I have not watched the two part series finale. I'm waiting to watch that this evening and then dive into the special features disc. However, eventhough I have not quite finished the series I wanted to come here and post my thoughts, observations and reactions to this show. Having seen only a few episodes on Me-TV (mostly from season three as it turned out), I pretty much knew what to expect from the entire series. Well, I'm happy to report that I was more than pleasantly surprised by this show. This series is probably the most exciting series that I've watched in a very, very long time. More often than not, the show did have me on the edge of my seat. I also, at times, found myself shouting to the screen for Kimble to stop meandering and get the #*&% out of where ever he happened to be at the time when the police or Gerard showed up. For me, that shows how much I was into the show. If I'm talking to the TV then I'm hooked.

The show was also pretty consistent with the writing. Most episodes were solid, well constructed plots. There were a few episodes where I didn't see certain aspects or revelations coming. Like the revelation in the episode, Middle of a Heat Wave. I really didn't see the ending coming.

Now some folks here claim that you don't have to watch the series in order. Well, there are a couple of instances where that stand could be challenged. While I will agreee that most of the time the internal continuity of the series is fairly small and you can certainly watch most episodes in any order, there are a few times that you should view certain episodes in order as they were broadcast.

The first part of season one, I feel should be viewed in order. I noticed that when Kimble first describes what happened the night Helen was murderd, he simply says that they had an argument and he left the house. When he returned he found her dead. A couple of episdes or so later Kimble then tells the story of Helen's mischarage and hysterectomy and the subsequent arguments they had over adopting children and Helen's drinking. Finally, it is revealed a few episodes later that this was in fact, the same argument they were having the night Helen was killed. I'm not sure that this was just the writers fleshing out the backstory more or if this was intentional to maintain some kind of story continuity. Either way, the story is layed out for the viewers in a particular way. Until finally, the whole thing is revealed to us in the episode The Girl From Little Egypt. It plays out like Kimble is revealing more about himself to us as we get to know him.

The other instance where you should view things in a particular order is in season 4 where the $10,000 reward is first presented. The reward is presented and from that moment on it hangs like a dark cloud over the entire action of season 4. The reward is either directly mentioned or is referenced when that newpaper clipping with Kimble's picture is shown. If you don't see the episode where the reward is first introduced, then you would wonder where the reward came from. Especially after seasons 1-3 have stated time and again that there is no reward for Kimble's capture.

As I stated earlier, the show was quite exciting viewing. Most of the time the episodes were quite solid. There were very few clunkers throughout seasons 1-3. I did notice that season 4 is slightly weaker than the previous seasons. While there are still top notch episodes in season 4, there were more clunkers than before. However, when the episodes focused on the main story, Kimble and the one armed man or Gerard, they were usually very, very good episodes. The Ivy Maze is among the best of the entire series. Also, I was not all that thrilled with the show going to color. I don't feel that the show benefited all that much from the color. I was so used to it in black and white that it was a bit jarring to suddenly have color. Also, like the first year of Dark Shadows, the show lost some of its atmosphere when it went to color. It's almost like it isn't the same show anymore. Typical of all 60's shows that went to color, set designers and costumers went out of their way to dress sets and actors in loud colors. Sometimes to the point of distraction. The Fugitive didn't do this often, but there are a few of the early color episodes where this trend does show up.

Another aspect of season 4 that didn't sit well with me was the number of episodes that had oportunists all too willing to try and use Kimble for their own rotten means. The whole, either you do this or I will turn you in mentality. Sure, these type of characters were peppered throughout the first 3 seasons, but they were few and far between. In season 4, however, they seemed to come out of the wood work all too frequently. It got to be rather annoying after a while. A clear indication that the writers were running out of ideas.

Some of my favorite episodes from the entire series are, Nightmare at Northoak, Escape into Black, Angles Travel on Lonley Roads, The Iron Maiden, Landscape with Running Figures, Trial by Fire, Wife Killer, Running Scared, Ill Wind, The 2130, A Clean and Quiet Town, The Ivy Maze, Second Sight, Nobody Loses All the Time, The Evil Men Do, The Breaking of the Habit, and Dossier on a Diplomat. I'm sure the series finale will rank among that list too, but I haven't watched it yet.

Speaking of The Judgement, eventhough I have not watched it yet, I do feel that the series needed to have closure. Ending the series without Kimble getting vindicated would have been totally unfair. Especially after the way that seasom 4 was clearly building upto that conclusion. Could the show have gone on to do another season? I doubt it. Season 4 was not the strongest season and a 5th season might have just seen the show decline drastically. I'm glad they ended it when they did.

Some have mentioned that they would have liked to see some sort of longer resolution or what happened after Kimble returned to a normal life. How many of the people Kimble helped along the way would have paid him a visit one he was totally free? I'm sure that there would have been a few, but a few of them probably didn't live to see Kimble vindicated. Sadly we know Kimble's father didn't live to see his son a free man. I seriously doubt Sister Vernoica lived to see Kimble free nor did Ambassador Unawa. Barbara Wells certainly would have shown up to take up where she and Kimble left off. I'm sure that reporter Barbara Webb would have stopped by for an interview. Margaret Ruskin undoubtedly would have paid him a visit. As for some of the others, in fact most, probably wouldn't have given Kimble a second thought after he left their lives. I'm also sure that Kimble might have tracked down a few people himself, but as there were so many and so many places he wouldn't have sought them all out. I'm sure that there were a few that he would just as soon forget he ever met.

All in all, this series is firmly on my list of all time great shows to ever grace TV. In about a year I'm sure I will pull this down off the shelf and rewatch it. This has been a really fun and exciting show to have experienced for the first time. I have been curious about the show since the Harrison Ford film, but I didn't know where on TV I could catch it. Then when the series was coming to DVD, I thought about getting it. However the whole sale slaughter of the music turned me off. I wrote the series off at that point. Then, after seeing a few episodes on Me-TV (even with the bastardization of the soundtrack) I really like the show. I'm really, really glad that I waited to get this set. I totally understand now what eveyone has been talking about all these years. What a thrilling show. Now one of my very favorites.

 

[Brian Himes]

Also, here are some of my thoughts regarding Gerard.

It seems to be that Gerard is a bit short sighted. He doesn't seem to see the bigger picture. After certain events in the series, he should have re-evaluated not only himself but his blind obsession with Kimble and his capture.

In Corner of Hell, once the shoe is on the other foot so to speak, and Gerard is suddenly accused of something he didn't do, and with no way to prove it, he should have begun questioning Kimble's conviction and innocence. But he doesn't. By this time, Kimble has saved his life at least once and he still doesn't question whether or not this man is guilty.

The fact that Gerard delludes himself into beliving that the one armed man is a figment of Kimble's imagination make me question not only Gerard's motives for wanting Kimble captured but his sanity as well. In fact, the one armed man is practically handed to Gerard on a silver platter (twice in fact) and Gerard just simply cannot be bothered to even attempt to question this guy. The second time, he knows 100% that this is the man Kimble is after and he doesn't even post a guard to make sure that the man doesn't get away. No. Instead he runs out of the room to look for Kimble. Why, doesn't Gerard ever figure out that if he wants to capture Kimble all he has to do is get the one armed man himself? During Kimble's trial (and at least one other time) he states that he did everything he could to find the one armed man. Did he? I find his statement to be, while not an out right lie, at least suspect. I think from the moment Gerard was called to the scene of Helen's murder he was conviced that Kimble was guilty and nothing was going to change his mind. Sure, he went through the motions of an all out police investigation, but the evidence already pointed to Kimble so why bother looking further. Gerard had already tried and convicted Kimble and he just couldn't be bothered to entertain the possiblity of his innocence. Then Kimble got away. On Gerard's watch. This only seemed to compound things further. I think in Gerard's mind, if Kimble was trully innocent, he wouldn't have run but faced the electric chair.

Kimble said in Nightmare at Northoak that Gerard was haunted by the thought that once Kimble was executed, then Gerard would find the one armed man and thus Gerard was wrong and they executed an innocent man. If that were true, then why didn't Gerard as a way to end his own internal torment, try and find the one armed man himself? Again, Gerard seems blinded by the fact that Kimble got away on his watch. He somehow blames himself for the escape. But he doesn't believe that Kimble is a menace to anyone but himself. That Kimble has commited the one murder that he will ever do. This is in the episode, The Evil Men Do. I can't believe that even at this stage of the game, Gerard still believes that Kimble commited the murder. Why is this man so blind? What does it take to convice this man that Kimble is innocent? Just about everyone Gerard comes in contact with tells him that Kimble is innocent. A witness comes forward (Trial By Fire) stating he also saw the man with one arm leaving the scene of the crime, and Gerard again dismisses it. 'Believe the word of a junkie? Be serious.' In Wife Killer, Barbara point blank tells Gerard that Fred Johnson is the killer and not Kimble. He confessed. Again dismissed. 'Of course he confessed. Otherwise Kimble would have stopped treating him.' This is one stupid, dense, hard headed, stubborn man.

Because of his blind obession, Gerard misses the one thing that would have brought the entire situation to an ending. Find the one armed man. Find him and you get Kimble. Simple. You would think that after so many failures to capture Kimble, this thought would have at least crossed his mind. But it just doesn't. Not even once. This man is trully blind to everything but his own obsession and becasue of this he continues to fail in that obession. Gerard's wife leaves him over this and still he doesn't change. Gerard's son questions him about Kimble's innocence, and still Gerard doesn't change. Everyone around Gerard questions his motives and Kimble's innocence and still Gerard doesn't budge. Gerard's own boss finds this obession with Kimble to be detrimental, and still Gerard doesn't give an inch. This man is like a dog to a bone.

Also, if you look at things carefully, Gerard's lack of motivation to find the one armed man during his initial investigation is directly responsible for Kimble's conviction. This is another mistake on Gerard's part and it is an error that he doesn't seem to want to correct. In fact he goes out of his way not to correct this mistake. This is most evident in the episode Trial By Fire. Gerard and the DA go out of their way to disprove the witness. Why? Gerard should have just stayed out of the entire situation. Sit back and let the retrial happen. Let Kimble turn himself in. The end result is the same. They get Kimble. But instead, Gerard does everything he can to make sure that Kimble stays on the run. Why? I think it all boils down to the fact that if Gerard can't be the one to bring Kimble in, then no one will.

 

[Brian Himes]

Well, I've crossed the finish line and the series finale has lived up to my expectations. The final two episodes were perhaps two of the most exciting episodes of the entire series.

Finally, finally Gerard comes to his senses and honestly looks at the entire situation logically. For the first time he begins to question Kimble's conviction. Finally Gerard realizes that in order to get Kimble he has to get Johnson, the one armed man. As the time drew nearer that Gerard would have to take Kimble in, Gerard even seemed genuinely sad that he and Kimble were unable to get the one armed man. I was really on Gerard's side when he gave Chandler Hell for not coming forward to clear Kimble. The guilt worked perfectly.

I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to the series. Very well done.

 

[Gary OS]

Brian, first off let me offer congrats on finishing the greatest of all TV series! Welcome to the club, my friend. Secondly, let me commend you on two very thoughtful and well written posts. Many of the episodes you named as your favorites are faves of mine too. And many of the conclusions you came to are universal for just about every Fugitive fan I've ever known. Finally, let me assure you that a second viewing down the road will also be an enjoyable ride. I know because I've gone through the series several times and I really never get tired of it.


Gary "earlier today I desperately wanted to post that what you wanted to see from Gerard you would indeed see in the finale, but I held back to let you experience it for yourself without any spoilers" O.

 

[ScottRE]

Well, I've crossed the finish line and the series finale has lived up to my expectations. The final two episodes were perhaps two of the most exciting episodes of the entire series.

Finally, finally Gerard comes to his senses and honestly looks at the entire situation logically. For the first time he begins to question Kimble's conviction. Finally Gerard realizes that in order to get Kimble he has to get Johnson, the one armed man. As the time drew nearer that Gerard would have to take Kimble in, Gerard even seemed genuinely sad that he and Kimble were unable to get the one armed man. I was really on Gerard's side when he gave Chandler Hell for not coming forward to clear Kimble. The guilt worked perfectly.

I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to the series. Very well done.

Actually, I am okay with Gerard not chaning his stance because it wouldn't alter his job. His hunt for Kimble has nothing to do with Kimble's actua innocense or guilt. It was that the law found him guilty and Kimble is running from justice. "Let others debate and conclude, I obey." It didn't matter what he felt, all Gerard knew was that Kimble needed to be caught to face his punishment. Or, to quote the excellent Ford/Jones movie version: "I didn't kill my wife!" "I don't care!"

Great, insightful posts, Brian!

 

[jimmyjet]

gosh, i havent watched this show for a long time. but it is my favorite show of all time.

so i cant give any specifics for my following statements.

but from my remebrance, there were several instances in the series where you could tell that gerard was no longer sure, and had severe doubts. but he wasnt willing to say it out loud.

which i think made a good storyline for gerard, as a character. it displayed the mental gymnastics we all go thru at one point or another, when we begin to realize that what we thought was true, is not true.

it is that process of actually accepting it by being willing to admit to others.

i guess we all like the show for various reasons. but my reason is not about it being exciting.

it is about the message that is presented. it shows how one man, as big as his problems are, is still able to help and care for others along the way. how he always does the right thing.

basically, a model for us to strive towards.

and as i stated before, my most favorite moment was when kimble spoke to the mom about her autistic kid - what others would label as his flaw is the very thing that would make him stand out as a kid.

 

[jimmyjet]

stand out as an ADULT.

 

[jimmyjet]

i did not realize that helen kimble and miss canfield were one and the same.

although helen is not really in much of the fugitive.