21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The original television series is funnier than the movies, July 4, 2001
This review is from: Police Squad:Help Wanted [VHS] (VHS Tape)
"Police Squad," which aired in 1982, starred Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin, Alan North as Captain Ed Hocken, Ed Williams as scientist Ted Olson, William Duell as Johnny the Snitch, and Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln. The first three episodes from the short-lived but well-remembered comedy created by the Zucker Brothers are preserved on this tape. I have included both the title that appeared on the screen and the one intoned by the narrator (in that order). Oh, and please remember that the "guest star" for each episode is always killed during the title credits. Now, back to the episodes:
(1) "A Substantial Gift"/"The Broken Promise," the March 4, 1982 series premier with guest star Lorne Greene (dumped out of a car with a knife buried in his chest), finds Frank investigating the murder of a teller at the bank. His girlfriend Sally says it was a recently fired employee, but Frank has his doubts. There is a great scene involving Frank trying to get clear about "Jim Fell" and an equally funny visit to the Dentist. (2) "Ring of Fear"/"A Dangerous Assignment," with guest star Georg Stanford Brown" (crushed by a falling safe), has Frank working the case of a boxer who is murdered after refusing to take a dive. This means a visit to Jim's Gym for Frank, who ends up working with a real dog. (3) "Rendevouz at Big Gulch"/"Terror in the Neighborhood" takes out guest star Florence Henderson (gunned down in her kitchen while making a meal and singing) before Frank and Norberg go undercover at a dance studio to crack down on a protection racket. I really like the fight at the studio.
Why on earth did this hysterical show not succeed? Well, apparently there were so many sight gags (e.g., the Japanese Garden consisting of Japanese people standing in large flower pots), that people actually had to WATCH the show, which, it seems, they did not like to do. Now they have to pay to watch Frank Drebin in the movies. Go figure.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Cigarettes?" "Yes, I know.", September 26, 2000
This review is from: Police Squad:Help Wanted [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Why isn't this on DVD? Taken together, the six episodes of 'Police Squad!' (in colour, no less) form three of the most consistently funny hours of television comedy. Like 'Fawlty Towers', it didn't go on long enough to be boring, and it's a lot funnier and more focused than the 'Naked Gun' films. And any series which features William Shatner being poisoned deserves respect.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure genious, March 27, 2003
This review is from: Police Squad:Help Wanted [VHS] (VHS Tape)
These are the first three episodes of Police Squad, the program that laid out the ground works for the Naked Gun series and a lot of other parodies out there (stuff like chalk outline jokes and name puns). I personally consider Police Squad to be better than the Naked Gun series, and all other parodies made by the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team. Too bad there were only six episodes made, as this is just pure gold in my humble opinion.
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