The Fugitive: Season Four, Volume 1 (1 Viewer)

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by shadyguy

I just got my S4V1 in this week and watched only the first two episodes, but really noticed that David Janssen looks really really tired and can barely make it thru the first episode.

Personally, I think that's the way it SHOULD be. He's been running around the country for four years, doing menial, heavy labor, getting injured, barely escaping - I'd think he'd BE dead tired by now. And in the scheme of things, Janssen WAS tired of the grind, so playing it that way came naturally.


There were no Richard Kimble action figures - he wasn't a super-hero, or really, even a hero. He was an ordinary doctor thrust into extraordinary circumstances. The narrator at the start of the final episode relays the tiredness:

How long can a man search before the search destroys him? To Richard Kimble working for a trucking firm in Tuscon, Arizona, defeat has never seemed so mockingly near. Months have passed - and the trail stays cold. There is no trace of the elusive hope he seeks. But sometimes hope lies no further than the next truck...

Naturally there's no excuse for the clichéd and tired writing of the fourth season, and it's been pointed out that some of his escapes are unreal to the extreme. But I'll never agree that David Janssen didn't give his all to the show. He played it "tired', because he WANTED to play it tired - because in his heart of hearts he knew it would be the final season, whether the show was wrapped up or not.


Harry

 

[rony1955]

thanks

 

[Charles Thaxton]

Some BIG LOTS stores are selling season 2 vol 1 for 6 bucks! I have avoided buying any of THE FUGITIVE due to the music replacement issue. I caved in and bought the set at BIG LOTS and popped in "Nemesis"...and was nauseated by the replacement score. I know that episode pretty well and the music change during Kimble's initial escape from the hatchery when Gerard arrives is ridiculous. I feel like it's not even worth the 6 bucks!! I'll watch these then take it to the trade-in DVD store.

 

[Dave B Ferris]

Alan Armer, the producer of The Fugitive (and later, The Invaders) recently passed. His obituary was in the L.A. Times

yesterday.


http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-alan-armer-20101209,0,1290060.story

 

[Jack P]

Originally Posted by Charles Thaxton

Some BIG LOTS stores are selling season 2 vol 1 for 6 bucks! I have avoided buying any of THE FUGITIVE due to the music replacement issue. I caved in and bought the set at BIG LOTS and popped in "Nemesis"...and was nauseated by the replacement score. I know that episode pretty well and the music change during Kimble's initial escape from the hatchery when Gerard arrives is ridiculous. I feel like it's not even worth the 6 bucks!! I'll watch these then take it to the trade-in DVD store.

In waiting this long you lost the chance to get the corrected S2 V1 which at least had a 70-80% intact ratio.

 

[LeoA]

Charles, the season being carried varies. So if anyone has several around, might be worth checking in more then one.


My Big Lots was carrying season 1 volume 1 during Black Friday. Got several decent deals that day, including that release of The Fugitive, Laverne & Shirley, and others.

 

[Charles Thaxton]

I tried watching ESCAPE INTO BLACK a while ago and couldn't make it past the kitchen fire scene. I knew about the corrected discs....maybe they'll release all 4 seasons as a box set one day with the corrections. I just cannot watch these, even at 6 dollars.

 

[stevelecher]

Charles:


The repacement version featured a perfect "Nemesis," no replacement music remained. "Escape Into Black" on the otherhand, fared much worse, with key scenes still screwed up by the horrible music.

Is it now impossible to get a corrected version?


Steve L.

 

[shadyguy]

Just finished watching episode #4, "The Sharp Edge of Chivalry" and I have to say that may have been the worst episode of the entire series and hope there are none worse.

Starting with the entire episode being taped on the oh so fake backlot, to the nervous figity Robert Dreyfuss(?) to the over acting of Rosemary Murphy to the wasted scenes of Gerard standing outside gazing at the buildings.


How on Gods green earth, did Kimble swing like a monkey on the fronts of the building and go running around from bldg. to bldg. and never get seen by all the cops that were supposedly searching for him ! This entire episode was simply ludicrous and unrealistic and I cannot think of one good thing from it!


This episode must have been directed by the same people who did "The Invaders" series where no matter how many people are chasing you, the hero gets away !
I would give this zero stars if possible !

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

"The Devil's Disciples" was a pretty decent episode. Besides giving us Bruce Dern in perfect sleaze biker villain mode, the story (credited to about 5 writers) had some good suspense. But the fact that it was obviously trying to cater to the same demographic as a Roger Corman exploitation biker youth movie of the same era, with the 'hip' dialogue and kids doing the twist to a jukebox, made it that much more entertaining.

 

[stevelecher]

Shadyguy:


Sorry, you're in for a few more clunkers yet.


Steve L.

 

[Paul_Scott]

I watched "...Chivalry" yesterday and had the same reaction as Brad. I was really looking forward to seeing the color eps again, but good grief these are weak so far.


(BTW I also had the same reaction to The Invaders)

 

[Harry-N]

Originally Posted by stevelecher

Charles:


The repacement version featured a perfect "Nemesis," no replacement music remained. "Escape Into Black" on the otherhand, fared much worse, with key scenes still screwed up by the horrible music.

Is it now impossible to get a corrected version?


Steve L.

I have no factual information, but the poster above mentioned grabbing the S2V1 set at Big Lots. Perhaps CBS/P dumped the first-version disc into the bargain marketplace for distribution. We know that they didn't recall them. I'm guessing that if one got an S2V1 set from a regular retailer these days, perhaps they'd get the re-done soundtracks - I don't know.

Harry

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Originally Posted by Jack P

OTOH, you had "Happy Days" which was an intact first season, a screwed up second season and then an intact third season and I was more charitable.

Season Three is not intact, according to a couple of reviews on Amazon. Suposedly, Richie asking the Fonz why he didn't tell him 'Sticks' the drummer was a negro is missing (in 'Fonzie's New Friend'). Also, the end tag to the episode (with Fonzie doing the limbo) is missing (unless this tag also contained the above-mentioned bit). The review hinted that other episodes might be cut, too.


As for Season Two, at least it is available with the '50s music (apart from the theme song) intact on its Region 2 release, so at least fans can import a decent version of the episodes for that one.