Wanted: Dead or Alive - Season One

One of the most memorable and famous characters of the '50's Western genre was Steve McQueen's "Josh Randall", who spoke softly (with the Southern drawl he cultivated in his early days roaming around the South, particularly Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and carried a Big Gun, the sawed-off Winchester lever-action rifle then known as the "Mare's Laig". I remember the excitement each week eagerly waiting for each episode of this great Western.

One of my fondest childhood memories was the weekend I spent with my Dad, helping him to hand make my own custom-made leather belt rig from scratch for my toy "Mare's Laig" in time for use as part of a Halloween costume when the plastic original proved to be a poor replica.

With all the second-rate wastage flooding the DVD market lately, it's really great to see New Line Ent. bring back such a great actor in a great Western!

CBS and New Line Home Entertainment present "WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE", featuring Steve McQueen as the gentleman bounty hunter Josh Randall...a man of few words who carried on his belt an 1892 Winchester lever action pistol, which he fondly called "Mare's Leg"...originally introduced in an episode of the TV Western "Trackdown"...this was the beginning of a beautiful role that lasted for three seasons for Mr. Steve McQueen that catapulted him to stardom.

First time on DVD with all 36 Original Episodes of Season One...loaded with extras.
Disc One (Side A)...with title and directors:
THE MARTIN POSTER (Thomas Carr) (guest star: Michael Landon & Nick Adams)
FATAL MEMORY (Thomas Carr)
THE BOUNTY ( Thomas Carr)
DEAD END (Thomas Carr)
(Special Features...Genesis of Wanted:Dead or Alive...Steve McQueen Bio Part One...Color Episode of "The Martin Poster")

Disc One (Side B)...with title and directors:
PASSING OF SHAWNEE BILL (Thomas Carr)
THE GIVEAWAY GUN (Donald McDougall)
RANSOM FOR A NUN (Donald McDougall)
MIRACLE AT THE POT HOLE (Thomas Carr)
(Special Features..."The Bounty Hunter" featurette...Photo Gallery)

Disc Two (Side A)...with title and directors:
THE FOURTH HEADSTONE (Donald McDougall)
TIL DEATH DO U PART (Donald McDougall)
THE FAVOR (Thomas Carr)
RICHOCHET (Donald McDougall)
(Special Features..."Life in the Fast Lane" Documentary Parts 1 & 2)

Disc Two (Side B)...with title and directors:
SHERIFF OF RED ROCK (Thomas Carr)
DIE BY THE GUN (Donald McDougall)
RAWHIDE BREED (Donald Mcdougall)
EIGHT CENT REWARD (Thomas Carr)
(Special Features...Steve McQueen Filmography...Steve McQueen Bio Part 2...Color Episode of "The Favor")

Disc Three (Side A)...with title and directors:
DROP TO DRINK (Donald McDougall)
ROPE LAW (Thomas Carr)
SIX-UP TO BANNACH (Thomas Carr)
THE SPUR (Donald Mcdougall)
(Special Features..."Angel or Devil" featurette...Photo Gallery)

Disc Three (Side B)...with title and directors:
REUNION FOR REVENGE (R.G. Springsteen) (guest star: James Coburn)
COMPETITION (R.G. Springsteen)
CALL YOUR SHOT (Donald McDougall)
SECRET BALLOT (Donald McDougall)
(Special Features..."Life in the Fast Lane" Documentary Parts 3 & 4)

Disc Four (Side A)...with title and directors:
THE CORNER (R.G. Springsteen)
THE EAGER MAN (Donald McDougall)
THE LEGEND (Thomas Carr) (guest star: Michael Landon)
RAILROADED (Thomas Carr)
DOUBLE FEE (Donald McDougall)
THE KOVACK AFFAIR (Thomas Carr) (guest star: James Coburn)
(Special Features...Steve McQueen Bio Part 3...Color Episode of "Six-Up to Bannach")

Disc Four (Side B)...with title and directors:
BOUNTY FOR A BRIDE (Donald McDougall)
CROSSROADS (Donald McDougall)
ANGELS OF VENGEANCE (R.G. Springsteen)
THE LITTLE CLIENT (Thomas Carr)
THE CONQUERORS (Thomas Carr)
AMOS CARTER (Thomas Carr)
(Special Features..."Dead End" featurette..."Life in the Fast Lane" Documentary Parts 5 & 6...Photo Gallery)

Hats off (Cowboy Hats, that is) to Studio Canal, New Line Home Entertainment and CBS for taking us back to those thrilling '50s TV Westerns...tagged with the name "King of Cool" this legendary actor and TV series will never be forgotten...the clarity and format is top notch featuring great character actors of B-Westerns in every episode with McQueen...watching these episodes brings back so many wonderful memories of the times when television cared about cast and storyline...gotta love it!

Total Time: 4-DVD-Set ~ New Line Home Entertainment N8161 ~ (6/07/2005)

My wife and I have just finished watching (and reading) everything on these discs. We thought that the episodes looked great, and that the extras were just fine. Really, these studios are not obligated to include any extras, and this is just brimming with them. But, wouldn't you think that such a large amount of effort is a waste when the packaging falls apart to reveal how it was bound together to begin with? (Each disc is housed on their own plastic "pages," or panels, which are bound at the spine; just like a book.) It's not enough that it fell apart, but it's bound with what appears to be packaging tape! Can you believe that? HOW OBTUSE!!! You know that these discs are more than likely going be allowed to slip quietly out of print, which means that long after the incredibly cheap packaging has failed (and judging from the copy I own, it'll probably be sometime next week), we're going to be scrambling for ways to protect double-sided discs; which are difficult enough to care for when kept in their proper cases. I don't believe that we're owed any extras, but I DO believe that there should be enough pride on the studio's part, as well as a sense of obligation to the consumer to at least make a container which will properly house and protect the product being offered!
The show? Great!
The DVD quality? Great!
The packaging? DISGRACEFUL!!!

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