Customer Reviews

Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Third Season

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Season 3 of Hogan's Heroes has some of the top ranked episodes, including War Takes A Holiday when Hogan tricks Colonel Klink and Gestapo Major Hochstetter (Whooo eeez theese mahn?) that the war is over so prisoners can escape. In The Ultimate Weapon Colonel Hogan convinces Schultz he has ESP, with the predictable outcome of disaster for the Nazis. Colonel Crittendon shows up in The Crittendon Plan, which only endangers Hogan's smooth running operation. I've been a fan of Hogan's Heroes for 40 years, and can't wait to get each DVD set.

63: The Crittendon Plan 9/9/1967
64: Some of Their Planes Are Missing 9/16/1967
65: D-Day at Stalag 13 9/23/1967
66: Sergeant Schultz Meets Mata Hari 10/7/1967
67: Funny Thing Happened on the Way to London 10/7/1967
68: Casanova Klink 10/14/1967
69: How to Win Friends and Influence Nazis 10/21/1967
70: Nights in Shining Armor 10/28/1967
71: Hot Money 11/4/1967
72: One in Every Crowd 11/11/1967
73: Is General Hammerschlag Burning? 11/18/1967
74: A Russian is Coming 11/25/1967
75: An Evening of Generals (a.k.a. Evening of the Generals)12/2/1967
76: Everybody Loves a Snowman 12/9/1967
77: The Hostage 12/16/1967
78: Carter Turns Traitor 12/23/1967
79: Two Nazis for the Price of One 12/30/1967
80: Is There a Doctor in the House? 1/6/1968
81: Hogan, Go Home 1/13/1968
82: Sticky Wicket Newkirk 1/20/1968
83: War Takes a Holiday 1/27/1968
84: Duel of Honor 2/3/1968
85: Axis Annie 2/10/1968
86: What Time Does the Balloon Go Up? 2/17/1968
87: LeBeau and the Little Old Lady 2/24/1968
88: How to Escape From Prison Camp Without Really Trying 3/2/1968
89: The Collector General 3/9/1968
90: The Ultimate Weapon 3/16/1968
91: Monkey Business 3/23/1968
92: Drums Along the Dusseldorf 3/30/1968

It'd be great to read some reviews posted by cast members.

Without a doubt, "War takes a Holiday" is probably the best episode of "Hogan's Heroes" and one of the funniest sitcom presentations ever on television. The absolute absurdity of "Hogan's Heroes" is neatly summed up as Col. Hogan and the boys convince the Germans that the war is over so as to secure the release of some important allied prisoners.

Every one of the classic "Hogan" characters plays his part (with the notable exception of Larry Hovis, who is strangely AWOL this time around) to maximum effect as the prisoners concoct and enact a scheme whereas they isolate and control communication around Stalag 13 and convinice everyone, prisoners included, that World War II has ended. It is especially priceless to see Howard Caine's Major Hochsteter join in the mirth as he unwittingly allows Hogan to secure his staff car for the prisoners' escape, as Hogan suggests it would be a nice gesture..."seeing that the war is over."

The introductory CBS logo is gone, but the show remains in top form. Season three of HOGAN'S HEROES is the point at which the actors have become inseparable from their roles.

More Col. Crittendon, Hochstetter, but less of Hilda. This season featured larger roles for Ivan Dixon, Larry Hovis, Robert Clary, and Richard Dawson.

Some of the best shows of the series appear in this season. Included this this collection are episodes about the snowman tunnel, Schultz conveniently misplacing his rifle while under fire, and Crittendon's assignment to replace Hogan at Stalag 13.

Yes, it is still perpetual winter at Stalag 13. Despite the lush California greenry in the background we still believe that it is freezing cold outside. The actors must have been roasting in their jackets and overcoats. Additionally, you do not have to look too carefully in some of the season three episodes to spot a soundstage or studio warehouse in the background -- towering over the barracks set. Then again, after three years it was becoming difficult to find new camera angles from which to shoot.

Klink still reports to General Burkhalter. Leon Askin, as usual, is great in this role. However, throughout the series' six-year run there was always a question as to why a Luftwaffe colonel reported to a Heer general. We will just have to assume that Burkhalter, whose military duties were never fully described in the series, was the local non-combat Wehrkreis commander. From a military heraldry standpoint it is interesting to note that Burkhalter sports a ceremonial Luftwaffe dagger suspended from his leather belt.

Like the costuming of the SS in other television series, HOGAN'S HEROES SS and Gestapo personnel, who should be wearing field gray uniforms in wartime, continue to don their pre-war black attire. I suppose that it made them more readily identifiable as the bad guys. Season Three marks the first time we find Burkhalter and Hochstetter together in the same episode. According to Brenda Scott Royce's book HOGAN'S HEROES: BEHIND THE SCENES, the Hochstetter character was used almost interchangabley for Burkhalter when Leon Askin was unavailable for a show.

There are a couple additional faux pas in this season. In one episode we find Klink summoned to report to a high ranking SS general. He tries on hats trying to decide which one to wear for the visit. The peaked cap he dons for one moment is not his usual Luftwaffe hat, but is a field-green German army (Heer)cap. Additionally, the mystery is solved as to how Sergeant Schultz's cartridge belt remains level around his equitorial girth. Most German soldiers wore leather Y-suspenders to support their heavily laden belts. In one show, while Schultz is temporarily in charge of the Luft Stalag, we see that his overcoat is tailored with metal clips on each side so that his overcoat actually supports his belt.

By the way, doesn't anyone find it peculiar that the French underground is operating so deep inside Germany? Luft Stalag 13's fictional location is in the middle of Germany by Hammelburg. During World War Two, Hammelburg was actually the site of a Yugosloav and American POW camp that housed General George S. Patton's son in law after his capture in North Africa.

In Season Three there are numerous clues that it is 1944 as there is talk of an impending D-Day invasion, two episodes about rocket fuel, and General Hammerschlag's plan for the destruction of Paris prior to its capture by the Allies. In fact, the title of the Paris episode, "Is General Hammerschlag Burning?" is a direct reference to the Larry Collins and Dominique Lepierre book (and later movie of the same name) IS PARIS BURNING? However, a few episodes later, Hogan tries to persuade Klink to play his violin in a POW camp stage production of "Escape Follies of 1943." Much like M*A*S*H, the actual chronological date is not important.

Remember too that this was the year that Desilu Studios was absorbed into Paramount. Some episodes credit Desilu, while others list Paramount. The original STAR TREK likewise shared this change. Considering the fact that the Culver City 40 Acres lot, which was actually 29 acres in size, was surrounded by urban sprawl the studio did a fantastic job depicting the Luftstalag as being located in the country. Indeed, when I stumbled onto a several websites featuring photographs of Stalag 13's set in the northwest corner of the lot, I was amazed at how the narrow, grassy and tree studded berm effectively shielded the lot from the highway, homes, and businesses directly on the other side. About the only recurring clue that civilization lurks nearby are the utility lines above the trees.

As another point of trivia, the edge of the HOGAN'S HEROES set was directly on top of the site of GONE WITH THE WIND's Tara mansion. Unfortunately the dilapidated remains of Stalag 13 were bulldozed in 1976 to make way for modern sound stages and buildings built for a procession of subsequent studio lot owners.

Once again the DVD set is of exceptional quality.

Same great mix of comedy and action as in the first two seasons, well worth owning.
The image remastering might be even better this time out, I haven't yet noticed any color changes and very little in the way of scratchiness ( seasons 1 & 2 had just a little more I think).
Season 2 was a 40th anniversary special edition, packed with good extras, 3rd season is almost useless for them. You get 4 episode photo galleries, the first two are best (with maybe half a dozen not very different pictures), I think the 4th gallery has only 2 pictures!- why'd they even bother? The only good extra is a segment in which Werner Klemperer appeared on "The Pat Sajak Show". There aren't any commentaries.
As you may have noticed in past seasons many episodes have snow patched around on the ground, they went all out in 3rd season's "Everybody Loves a Snowman" (disc 3)with quite a blizzard blowing around, the snowman the gang built to hide a tunnel entrance was the worst part of it (didn't look real at all).
Now all we have to do is wait for Season 4.

I only discovered "Hogan's Heroes" in the mid-'90s through french-dubbed reruns while living in France. I very quickly found the plots and characters hilarious, and the fake german accents incredibly funny. I also found the concept extremely bold: even though the series took place in a pseudo-POW camp and not an extermination camp, swastikas and SS uniforms were all around, and the situations and nazi organizations portrayed were bound to shock more than one. AND the series was originally aired about 20 years after the liberation of the concentration/extermination camps. How could they pull off introducing the project to studios, having it accepted, and then airing it? I don't know, but I'm certainly grateful they did. This is one of my favorite shows if not THE favorite, along with "Sanford & son", "Barney Miller", "Taxi" and "Seinfeld"... Now viewing them in their original English version is great, since some of the humor in the storylines was lost during the translation to French, although I find the german accents less ridiculous in the US version. Anyone fluent in French and having access to French-dubbed episodes should look out for Hochstetter's and Burkhalter's appearances.
I'm sorry nothing as good has been made in recent years; any TV series' attempt at being funny lately has only turned out ridiculously retarded, save for a very few...

So far, all of the Hogans Heroes dvds have been worth owning, but this season had some of my favorite episodes.

D-Day at Stalag 13 has the POWs concocting a plan to make visiting generals believe Klink is being made Hitlers chief of staff, so they can keep the Germans from reacting in time to the Normandy invasion.

War takes a holiday is one of the best - with Col Hogan convincing Major Hochstetter the war is over, and he should let the important captured prisoners take his staff car to go into town.

The Ultimate Weapon - has Schultz becoming "Clairvoyant" so Hogan can clear the way for a heavily protected ball bearing plant to get bombed.

The low point is probably "The Hostage" with Nita Talbot as Marya - "the White Russian". Any Marya episode seems to start with her causing serious trouble and presenting an attractive target. Somehow, in spite of her "help" the boys of Stalag 13 come through.

It's all kind of hokey and predictable, but it's always fun to watch. Like the earlier releases, the video quality is better than you'll remember from watching on TV - especially if you have a progressive scan dvd player.

John Banner is an Austrian Jew who escaped a Nazi concentration camp and now has his revenge playing Sgt Schultz and making hilarious fun of the Nazi establishment. Even when not in center stage his facial expressions are hilarious.

For all of us that grew up with Hogans Heroes it just wasn't right that a day would go by without one on the tube, even if it was reruns.

Now that the shows are on DVD in better quality than VHS everyone who loves this show can view them all the time, in their own sort of order.

I am very fond of the episode #40 "A Klink, a Bomb and a Short Fuse" originally aired on 04 NOV 1966, which has Hogan thinking that he is difusing a fake bomb when in reality its real. Lots of laughs and it shows have scared the two main german characters are, Klink and Schultz.

Anyway, the Dvd's are here so now you can see some really funny TV not the stuff they have on today

The third season of Hogan's heroes is short on special features, a few photo galleries and a clip from the Pat Sajak show, but the shows themselves are some of the best including Hogan Go Home and War takes a holiday two of my favories episodes.

You will see a lot more of the Gestapo and a particular Major and a little less of a certain plump General. You will also spot William Christopher in his 4th and final spot on the series playing "Thomas" subbing for Carter as well.

My teenage sons are enjoying this series as much as I have. I am waiting for the simpson's clip to show up (I'm guessing season 5).

Buy it and enjoy

Col. Hogan and the gang at Stalag 13 continue fighting the war from inside a POW camp, evading detection by their German captors. Highlights from Season Three include . . .

The Critendon Plan: Bernard Fox is back as the bumbling Col. Crittendon, who once again is a prisoner in another POW camp. London orders Col. Hogan (Robert Crane) to break him out, so he can put into effect his plan to stop a German convoy. It's all a big mistake, but Crittendon still does manage to get the mission accomplished.

Sgt. Schultz Meets Mata Hari: A frustrated Maj. Hochstetter (Howard Caine) suspects something is going on at Stalag 13, and instructs Gestapo agent Eva Mueller(Joyce Jameson) to try and find what, by getting close to Sgt. Schultz (John Banner). Schultz is married, but that doesn't keep him from having some fun with Eva. Great interplay between Jameson and Banner.

One In Every Crowd: Paul Picerni plays an obnoxious POW, who plans to reveal the secrets of Stalag 13 to the Nazis for a price. The gang does their best to wipe the smirk off the traitor's face.

Is General Hammerschlag Burning?: Lovely Barbara McNair, guests as a Parisian psychic with influence over a high ranking German officer. Sgt. Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon) sure gets around, as he knew the lady when she lived back in the States. With her help, Hogan and the gang are able to copy some critical documents during a séance.

The Hostage: Nita Talbot returns as Marya, the beautiful and mysterious Russian agent. This time she's in the company of General von Heiner (Theo Marcuse) who is in command of a nearby military installation. Hogan and his men have rigged the place to blow up, but thanks to Marya, Von Heiner suspects that Hogan is much more than just a POW, and holds him hostage at the depot as the timer ticks down. Can he escape before disaster strikes?

Two Nazis For the Price of One: Alan Oppenheimer guests as a Freitag an ambitious Gestapo agent who knows all about the operation at Stalag 13, but has not revealed the secret because he is more interested in something else called the `Manhattan Project'. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the top secret effort to develop the atomic bomb. Freitag is too dangerous to be left alive, but fate intervenes and Hogan and his men get a reprieve.

Hogan Go Home: The high command wants Hogan to return to the States. Things get complicated when Hogan's replacement turns out to be Col. Crittendon, who takes over as the senior Allied officer. The prisoners must scramble in order to keep Hogan around, and get Crittendon shipped off to another camp.

War Takes a Holiday: In perhaps their ultimate con job, the heroes convince Maj. Hochstetter that the `krieg iz zu ende' (the war is over), in order to effect the release of several key leaders of the underground being held prisoner at Stalag 13. A phony call with Newkirk (Richard Dawson) on the other end as a Nazi officer celebrating the end of hostilities helps seal the deal.

Duel of Honor: Antoinette Bower guests as underground agent Erika Wilder, who develops a phony crush on Col. Kink (Werner Klemperer), in order to get critical information to England. Klink is all for the romance until he discovers that Erika's husband is a German officer who loves to slice things with his saber. Sgt. Carter (Larry Hovis) assumes the role of `Tiger' Wilder, and during a tantrum chops Kink's office to pieces.

The Ultimate Weapon: In order to get the Germans to shift some of their defenses, Hogan convinces Kink and General Burkhalter (Leon Askin) that Sgt. Schultz has psychic powers that enable him to predict where The Allies will strike next.

There are a few clunkers, but for the Season Three is another winner. POW's Carter, Newkirk, LeBeau and Kinchloe each are featured individually in at least one episode, and General Burkhalter and Major Hochstetter make more regular appearances. Great new guest stars, and favorite reoccurring characters return. Fans of the series will not be disappointed by this set.