Customer Reviews

Emergency! Season Five

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There were a few episodes of Season Five that REALLY took me back. The days before paramedic engine companies, the days before EMT training was required for state firefighter certification, days before automated defibrilators were common practice, and of course the days before the cell phone. If you came on the scene after 1990, please watch in particular these episodes:

1) The Stewardess - This was made in 1975, before airplanes had an AED on board (my old department got their first AED in 1991). Roy and Johnny are returning to Los Angeles from Sacramento, and a man had a heart attack on the plane. Roy and Johnny spend 30 minutes with this patient until landing and then on to Rampart (they are allowed to retrieve gear from the cargo hold). Today, airliners have an AED on board (and better packed first aid kits).

2) Equipment - This was made in 1976, before the advent of paramedic engine companies. Paramedic Gage is overtiming as a firefighter at Station 8 (normal for a big city department) when he and Captain Stone (who had been a paramedic) are treating a construction worker who had a heart attack and have to wait 25 minutes for cardiac drugs and a defibrillator because the only available squad was across town. Gage and Stone did their best with their brains and the equipment they had (as well as CPR), but the patient passed away. Had that happened today, Stone and Gage would of had the right equipment much earlier. REALLY makes you think - it hits home for a firefighter and an EMT or paramedic. I don't think any EMT or paramedic forgets the first patient they lost (I haven't - he was a 48 y/o male who died of a heart attack).

3) There are a few episodes in the Season 5 set where Johnny and Roy are dispatched to meet the Coast Guard. Today, the Coast Guard has their own EMT's and Paramedics.

4) The Frequency episode in Season 3 was also a good one, and there was one episode where a Priority Dispatch System was discussed. Priority Dispatch became reality down the road.

Newbie's as well as old-timers can watch these episodes for the history of the Standard of Care in the mid-1970's. Note the changes, and be thankful that your truck doesn't carry a 42 pound defibrillator, and you have EMT-first responders on fire trucks and police cruisers. Make sure you young guys thank these trailblazers for their perseverance, patients, and tenacity. Without them, you wouldn't be here today.

We enjoy watching Emergency! when t.v. is lacking and have all 5 seasons. Unfortunately, this season is like season 4 and the quality isn't the best.

I loved this series in my youth, and I have found in watching the other seasons on DVD that they still hold up very well thirty years later. Unfortunately, the quality of the transfers seems to be getting worse with each subsequent season release. This set is definitely the worst, to the point that it's almost unwatchable at times. The usual blue fire department shirts look aqua, many scenes are overly orange or dark, and so forth. In addition, I tried to report these problems to Universal through their feedback form on their web site, and it too was broken.

I have enjoyed watching Emergency Season Five. Brings back memories of when I watched it as a child. They don't make great shows like that anymore just reality crap you couldn't pay me enough to watch. I reccomend this dvd. It's a must for any Emergency fan or anyone who longs to see a tv show from a time when tv used to be good.

Having been a fan of Robert Fuller and Emergency I was over joyed to see the series on DVD. I have watched all of season 5 and ordered and watched season 1 and am waiting for season 2 to arrive. These old series are so much better than the reality shows on TV now. Thanks for the great quality of the DVD's and the opportunity to watch my favorite shows of the past. Great fast delivery and great product.

I don't know who was hired to transfer Emergency! to DVD, but whoever it was didn't do a very good job. The sound is awful and the picture quality is very scratchy looking at times. I'm not sure about this, however, I just watched the final episode in the set and it looked as if it was taken from a bad VIDEO transfer rather than from film. ALL of the episodes in season 5 are great, so no worries there. If you are a fan of Emergency! you have to buy this set.

I purchased this product and was very happy to find it here. Not only was it cheaper than anywhere else, it was brand new and arrived here very quickly.You could not find it in any stores so I was very glad I found in at Amazon.com.

Well the show was always great, especially because I'm biased being an EMT. It's better than season one and two which you could only watch once because when you put it in to watch it a second time it wouldn't play again without wavey lines through it. This season 5 shows EMS using helicopters. Can't wait for season six.

I have purchased all five seasons and love them all. There are few shows today that offer real entertainment as Emergency. I was happy when the show was offered on DVD as I had missed this on TV and watched it years later on cable.

I had the biggest crush on Randolph Mantooth and still do!! He is awesome! In fact, I married a guy who looks a lot like him. The other cast members are great as well, including Michael Norrell as Capt. Stanley.

The episodes are great and the acting was well done. I can't think of an episode that I didn't like. I only wish the show had continued after Johnny and Roy were promoted to Fire Department captains. I'm sure there were a lot more adventures to be told.

I admit it -- I was obsessed with this show during my 1970s kidhood. I watched it in prime time (starting with Season 5, when it was no longer past my bedtime) and in reruns. Drop me into the middle of an episode and I could tell you by the procedures and equipment the paramedics used which season it was from. I even recognized the differences in the opening theme music as it changed from season to season, even as it changed subtly from Seasons 1 through 4.

This is why it has been so disappointing that in this DVD set (as in the sets for the last two seasons) Universal has used prints that have had Season 6's open grafted onto each episode.

Look, I admit it, I'm still a slobbering fan of this show and my mile-wide OCD streak is showing. But I am grumbling heavily at the beginning of each episode to see and hear the wrong open. My nostalgia buttons are not being properly pressed.

All I can say is that at least next year, when they release the Season 6 set (I hope), at least the Season 6 open will be right for those episodes.