[.ca] Starsky & Hutch: The Complete First Season

From Amazon.com:
In the rough-and-tumble, wildly entertaining world of Starsky & Hutch, impatient cops--anxious to join a foot race in pursuit of a villain--throw themselves out of moving vehicles and roll to a bruising stop. Undercover detectives Dave Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson (David Soul), hardly imbued with the powers of Spider-Man, routinely scale walls, hop from rooftop to rooftop, and fling themselves down steep hillsides to stop bad guys from doing what bad guys do. Two years before Hill Street Blues redefined the cop genre as a mesh of overlapping storylines and workaday frustrations, Aaron Spelling's Starsky & Hutch capped a five-year run (1975-1979) portraying LA's finest as madly heroic creatures of reckless determination and physicality. The Complete First Season reminds us how startlingly brutal this primetime series could be while maintaining a delightful, often incongruous, self-deprecating humor. From the series pilot on, partners and best pals Starsky and Hutch work a fine line between predator and prey, relentlessly pursuing suspects while also snared by crime chieftains or short-sighted superiors. In "The Fix," Hutch's secret romance with the former girlfriend of a mafia boss (Robert Loggia) results in the lawman's kidnapping and forced addiction to heroin. Similarly, in "A Coffin for Starsky," a mad chemist injects the wisecracking cop with a slow-acting but lethal poison. "Jo-Jo," written by Michael Mann, finds our guys at loggerheads with federal officers over a dumb deal the G-Men make with a serial rapist. The 23 episodes in this set are all fun, if sometimes shocking, viewing. Expect each character to take as much abuse as he dishes out. Still, the comic sight of Starsky and Hutch (in "Death Notice") trying to conduct business amidst busy strippers is well worth the surrounding violence. --Tom Keogh

fun:
They leap across buildings, chase down the bad guys, and rescue hollering damsels in distress. For someone who wasn't around during the era of Starsky and Hutch, I was surprised how enjoyable the series is. Whilst it can have it's campy moments, this series holds up remarkably well. It explores issues such as corruption, terrorism, gambling and drug addiction, but still maintains an inherent sense of fun that seems to be so lacking in today's television. It's pure escapism, and I look forward to the second season. So even if you weren't around during this era, and have not yet seen this series, give it a go because you just might be pleasantly surprised.

STUNNING!!!!:
Watching "Starsky & Hutch" On Dvd Was A Wonderful Flashback!!! The Picture & Sound Are Terrific, The Price Was Good & The Extras Were Fun!!!! The Show However Is The Real Deal!!! Great Actors And Wonderful Characters, A Hot Car, Warmth & Humor!!! I Can't Wait For Vol. Two!!! With "Magnum P.I." & "Columbo" Coming Out Soon Who Cares What Garbage They Put On TV This Season!!! Bring Back ALL The Great Shows!!!! Looking Forward To..."BEN CASEY", "Dr. Kildare", "Emergency", "Hawaiian Eye", "Bewitched" & "I Dream Of Jeanie"

Great Show!:
I recently brought the series since I couldn't wait to see it. I was blown away but the handsome Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul plus the car chases and not to mention the car...

Best Cop Show Ever!!!!!:
Like many, I grew up with this show in the 70's, but since forgot how good it was, I hesitated to buy the first season on DVD, but did anyway, & boy, am I glad I did!!, although some episodes I remember were not here,(probably in season 2), I was amazed at how well I liked those episodes I had not seen, of the 33 episodes, I disliked only two, but loved the rest, It was refreshing to see a show not trimmed for political correctness, Paul Michael Glaser & David Soul really brought out the best in these characters, & you really could identify with them as people,& Captain Doby is a boss you just can't help but like, & how he backs his men in the face of adversity is what makes him likable, although the show screams 70's, it is a nice to see a good quality show that grabs you & keeps you interested, not one time did I get bored, like I do with today's imitation shows, it took me awhile to get through season 1, but I can't wait for season 2!!

"All Time Cool Original Cop Series" & David Souls Letter:
Although the upcoming movie will likely be entertaining, I prefer to go for the real deal. I've already viewed several episodes from the 1st season box set, and after 29 years, still recall most of these episodes, only because it was such a stand up series. In my opinion no other two actors blended as well as David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser, and between 1975 - 1979 they managed to mould a very unique television series, containing action, romance, drama, and even comedic moments. If you were too young to recall it, my advice is to purchase it, for the price its well worth every penny. A lot of extras with the DVD release, very nicely put together. It would be great to see these two together again. I encourage everyone to read David Souls letter on the interest of doing a film that presents a closure to this original superb series. I don't understand why they have never been approached? Get with it producers, because with the new movie and DVD release of the series, now is the time! Go To: http://www.criticdoctor.com/features/sandh1.html (for David Souls letter)