Product Details

• Actors: various
• Directors: Kevin Hooks;Jefery Levy
• Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: A&E HOME VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: July 29, 2003
• Run Time: 1050 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005JM67
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,100 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Drama > Television > Profiler

• For more information about "Profiler - Season One" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 1 in The Profiler Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The first season of Profiler gives fans and newcomers a fresh opportunity to view this popular TV series at its best. Premiering on September 21, 1996, the series lasted four seasons as part of NBC's Saturday-night "Thrillogy" lineup, attracting a predominantly female audience drawn to its lead character, FBI profiler and single mother Samantha "Sam" Waters, played by Ally Walker. As the pilot begins, Sam's living with her daughter (Caitlin Wachs) and roommate (a thankless role for Erica Gimpel), still traumatized by her encounter with Jack (a.k.a. "Jack of all Trades"), a psychotic genius who killed Sam's husband three years earlier. Sam's mentor and leader of the Atlanta-based Violent Crime Task Force, Bailey Malone (Robert Davi), convinces Sam to rejoin the Bureau, where her VCTF colleagues include former cop John (Julian McMahon), computer ace George (Peter Frechette), and forensics expert Grace (Roma Maffia). Taking a cue from The X-Files' "mythology," Profiler tracked Jack's killing spree for two seasons, challenging Sam in an extended subplot as the VCTF pursued weekly cases of murder and mystery, aided by Sam's uncanny ability to "profile" unidentified killers.

Profiler borrowed heavily from The Silence of the Lambs and The X-Files while cribbing its title sequence from Seven, but the series established its own dark identity through slick production values and gruesomely plausible plots. The miscasting of Walker reportedly troubled NBC executives despite her growing fan base, but Profiler earned respectable ratings, building its popularity on a compelling escalation of tension and terror. Walker's DVD commentary on the pilot episode repeats the official reason for her departure after two seasons (she'd grown weary of the show's humorless tone), while Davi's is refreshingly frank, citing on-set squabbles and network mismanagement as reasons for first-season hardship. Still, he's quite correct in stating that later, more successful shows (C.S.I., Without a Trace, and others) would not have existed without Profiler's stylishly trendsetting example. (Note: episode #4, "I'll Be Watching You," was omitted from this set due to prohibitively expensive music rights for the Police hit "Every Breath You Take," which featured prominently in that episode's plot.) --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 04/29/2008 Run time: 1050 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ally Walker as THE PROFILER, April 2, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

Dr. Samantha ("Sam") Waters used to be a forensic psychologist/profiler for the FBI until a serial killer obsessed with her, called "Jack-of-all Trades" ("Jack"), killed her husband. She quit the Bureau & went into hiding. Sam & her daughter, Chloe, had been living with Angel (Sam's best friend), an artist. Sam made ends meet as a photographer until her mentor & friend, Bailey Malone, asked her to help the FBI solve a series of murders at the same time when "Jack" resurfaces. After the suspect of the murders had been caught, Bailey asked Sam to rejoin the FBI on a full-time basis. Sam agreed but she set certain conditions. The new FBI unit, headed by Bailey Malone, was called the Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF). The VCTF was in charge of investigating & solving violent crimes all over the US - this included tracking down the elusive "Jack" who continually taunted Sam.

"Profiler" was an exceptional series. It had a female lead: an FBI agent working as a profiler that was BRILLIANTLY played by Ally Walker. Ms. Walker was able to portray Samantha Waters as a strong & intelligent woman without sacrificing the character's femininity. She convincingly played a mother (to Chloe) & friend (to those around her). Samantha Waters was one of the best female characters that have ever appeared on TV. I loved the fact that "Sam", with all her problems, still had a good sense of humor (especially around Bailey). While watching the series, one could really feel for what "Sam" was going through. As for the other characters in the show, a viewer could sense that the core VCTF team (Sam, Bailey, Grace, John, & George) was like family. This could only happen with a great supporting cast. The series was very successful in integrating a short plot (good for a 1 hour show) & a long sub-plot (the "Jack" storyline).

The show lasted for 4 seasons on NBC but Ally Walker only stayed on until the 1st 2 episodes of the 4th Season. The new profiler for the remainder of the 4th Season was played by Jamie Luner. With all due respect to Ms. Luner, in my opinion, Ally Walker was the one & only profiler.

I'm very happy that "Profiler" is now available to pre-order on DVD. I can't wait for the other seasons (all the episodes of the show) to be in DVD format.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review & Clearing-up Errors in Amazon's Staff Review, July 11, 2004

By	Roman Seano "Writer" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I have to take issue with Amazon's Editorial reviewer Jeff Shannon, and his review of Profiler Season I.

Mr. Shannon attempts to review not the DVD itself, but what he *thinks* are the behind-the-scenes truths of the Profiler production. One, he refers to the DVD commentary of Ally Walker - suggesting that she is in fact giving the reason why she left after only "two" seasons. (Psssst, Jeff... it was after THREE seasons - not to mention she headlines the opener of the fourth season).

Then he gives more of his "insight" when he suggests that NBC was troubled by the "miscasting" of Ally Walker. Well, not that I believe Mr. Shannon has any reliable inside information, but what does that have to do with reviewing this DVD? I tend to think that Shannon was insinuating his own feelings about Walker, and trying to use the NBC network - based on rumor - as a way to reinforce them. A more candid review would have read, "I wasn't terribly impressed with Walker, and felt she was miscast in the role."

But that probably wouldn't have held-up against the enormous fan-following of Walker on this show (or as Shannon understated in his review, "growing popularity"), nor would it have stood up well against the fact that after Walker left and was replaced by Jamie Luner, the ratings pretty much tanked.

Make no mistake about it: this is a GREAT show. You will esecially enjoy this Season I DVD. The isolated, episodic stories are each fantastic in their own right, and the Jack thread is very addictive. Ally Walker's performance is compelling, and she leads a solid cast - notably Robert Davi, Peter Frechette, Julian McMahon, and Roma Maffia. You'll watch Season I, and you will RUN to grab Season II.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic crime series with a fantastic cast., April 8, 2003

By	Mr. Thomas M. Hulse "Tom" (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Profiler is truly a magnificent series. Starring Ally Walker as Samantha Waters, a brilliant forensic psychologist with a unique gift for understanding the criminal mind, the show focuses on the Violent Crimes Task Force, an elite unit of the FBI that investigates the most violent of crimes, including those perpetrated by the infamous serial killer, Jack of All Trades.

The storylines in this show constantly surprise and delight and the on-going cat and mouse game between Sam and Jack is handled with great aplomb. The first season finale, 'Venom', is perhaps one of the show's best episodes, with an intriguing storyline and a shocking cliffhanger.

The cast always turns in stellar performances. Ally is superb and flawless in her portrayal of the tormented but strong Sam. Julian McMahon and Robert Davi are equally good, but mention must be made of the fantastic Peter Frechette and Roma Maffia, who may not be featured as much in the spotlight, but turn in some wonderful performances each week, anyway.

I'm really looking forward to picking up this set, as I've only ever seen "Into the Abyss" and "Venom", the last few episodes of season one. I also really look forward to season two.

The cover art for this set is gorgeous, and keeps very much in with the dark nature of the show.

Highly recommended. You won't be disappointed.