Customer Reviews

Wanted Dead or Alive: Season One

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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!!!

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)

I am a big fan of Steve McQueen and I have watched several episodes of Wanted Dead or Alive. I am excited about the series coming out on DVD. It is hard to find this series on VHS and when found they are expensive. Steve McQueen played Josh Randall with a calm Mid-Western type attitude with a sense of humor. McQueen does not play the tough guy looking for a fight, instead he was a gentlemen to the ladies and kept calm in most situations. He was a bounty hunter doing his job and when pushed he used his rifle with speed and accuracy. The series is dated because you can tell right away who is bad and who is good and it is in black and white. Although, I like the camera angles in most of the episodes they are very good. Richard Donner directed a few episodes and there are several episodes that take place outdoors. The best part is Steve McQueen was a great actor even while on T.V. and he was the "King of Cool" on Wanted Dead or Alive.

BUT...it would be NICE if Amazon would consider adjusting the product information to reflect what they're selling, and not, apparently, the Rutger Hauer movie of the same name. It's a little difficult for someone who may not be highly familiar with this classic television series to buy it, when EVERYTHING in the product listing was apparently lifted from the other item (probably the vhs form of the movie, no less) rather than someone taking the time to give the correct information for the actual product - a classic television series that deserves far better treatment. C'mon, Amazon...FIX IT! Steve McQueen should at least be getting credit where credit is due!

Before this DVD set came out I've only seen photos and clips of this series. I took a chance on it. I think this is the coolist western series ever. Steve McQueen takes what could of been a cardboard character and played it like dry toast, which was done all too often in that era. Instead he plays it so real that the show could be aired today. The Quality of the images and the extras are very good. My only queation is, when is season two coming out?

I recently purchased this box set for my husband's 30th birthday because he is constantly complaining that there is nothing "good" on t.v. anymore. I had forgotten how much I also enjoyed this series as a kid. The first week,this is the only thing that we watched and now that we are down to the last few episodes he is "savoring" them. With out commercial breaks, they really seem to end too quickly and before you even realize it; 2 or 3 hours have passed. There are a few color episodes in the extras, but it really loses something in the transition. It was interesting to see Josh Randall bring justice to the old west in color but it just didn't seem the same. I very strongly encourage anyone that is shopping to add this to their collection and can't wait for the next series!

Shows of this quality are what made television grow from its infancy. Steve McQueen was a giant of an actor. The character Steve McQueen portrays has morals and scruples . Simple behavior and not in your face like so many today's shows portray is what I enjoy about this show. This show portrays a hero who is low key but to the point. In other words, he's not a show off. If you miss good television shows then this show is for you and it should be on your list of what to watch and buy, now, or in the near future. It's also a show that could teach us how to act as human beings and it also takes place in the old west.

This is an incredible box set. Each episode is like a mini-movie, that stands on it's own. Even though it's in black-and-white, I was contatly thinking, "My God, this is so much better than ANYTHING that is on TV today!!!" Seriously, PLEASE release the entire run of this EXCELLENT series, on DVD, ASAP!!!

In the late 1950's, the Western was a TV staple..Gunsmoke, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Have Gun With Travel, Maverick, Sugarfoot and of course The Lone Ranger.

Wanted Dead or Alive was a rare bred of TV show
.. .A hunter who was soft spoken and smart. He let his gun do the talking when most would challedge. However Josh Randall was intelligent, a thinking man..not a man who will be bullied around, so guns were used sparingly

Steve McQueen, fresh from Studio one production of the Defenders and the movie the Blob, took this role and brought the TV western into a new hero-the anti hero. The Bounty Hunter was always the bad guy in the movies and early TV.

McQueen brought a softer side to the harden professional. That is why Wanted Dead or Alive and Have Gun will Travel survive in western lore and DVD box set, because of its intelligence

It also showed why McQueen was a great action hero!...he learned from his time on wanted (also what he reported told Walker Texas Ranger's Chuck Norris) "Always let the ACTION do the talking" and it always did! He later showed in Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape

Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD