Product Details

• Actors: William Conrad, Joe Penny, Barbara Parkins
• Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: July 8, 2008
• Run Time: 567 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001675ZJW
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,545 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It was a brilliant stroke of counter-programming to schedule Jake and the Fat Man opposite Moonlighting in its inaugural season. Never mind that by 1987, Moonlighting had lost its magic. Jake, an old school crime series, was perfect for older audiences who couldn't keep up with David and Maddie's rapid-fire banter or didn't have a clue about the show's inside jokes and pop culture references. "Hip" and "stylish" would not be words to describe Jake and the Fatman, but it is enormously entertaining thanks to its alchemic casting. William Conrad, the slovenly anti-Bruce Willis, is the blustery behemoth L.A. District Attorney J.L. McCabe. A lean Joe Penny, supplying the sex appeal, is fast-living investigator Jake. Sure, Jake might get annoyed with McCabe for interrupting his late-night trysts with unannounced visits and refrigerator raids, but they genuinely like and respect each other. McCabe's wall-shaking bark is worse than his bite. In the episode, "Laura," in which Jake is on the case of his former partner's killer, he tells McCabe not to worry. "I always worry," McCabe gruffly replies, before adding, "about you, kid." And we don't need a Christmas episode to show us that deep down McCabe isn't really a Scrooge. We see that in his devotion to his ever-present bulldog, Max ("I never leave home without him"). These first 11 episodes are light on traditional gunplay, car chases, or hot pursuits, but the stories are plenty compelling. Viewers witness a crime (a senatorial candidate's ambitious Yuppie-scum speechwriter murders the politician's mistress, a man preys on skid row bums to conceal a closer-to-home murder plot, a defense attorney frames his ex-wife for the murder of her lover) and then watch McCabe and Jake do the legwork. With his massive girth and stentorian voice, Conrad is in his element making a feast of the scenery, whether it be railing against a novice assistant D.A. ("Stop having opinions before you know what the facts are"), rattling a suspect, or staging outrageous stunts in the courtroom, like pulling a gun on a witness to expose his false testimony. These are the simple pleasures that, pound for pound, make Jake and the Fatman a show that really pulls its weight. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description
Veteran district attorney "Fatman" McCabe solves cases in Los Angeles with the help of his easygoing private investigator partner Jake Styles

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great show :->, April 5, 2008

By	Little Miss Cutey (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This used to be one of my all time favourite tv shows and I can't wait to see it again. Jake Styles was so 'smooth' as an investigator working for J.L McCabe who was the District Attorney. The show started off in LA and later down the track it moves to Hawaii.
McCabe was a cigar smoking 'tough' guy who had his dog follow him everywhere (or sit still and do nothing) and Jake was a 'suave' (back then) guy who almost always got the girl. Each episode was usually a new story and by todays standards, it's very old school but to me, that is some of the appeal. I loved the chemistry between McCabe and Jake - almost like a father and son relationship. There was also Derek Mitchell who always tried his best to impress McCabe, but never seemed to do so. He was a little goofy, especially in Jake's shadow.
It's definately worth checking out. It's much better than Riptide which Joe Penny (Jake) also starred in. I recommend it if you like the old style of getting the bad guys.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Only HALF of the first season with a FULL season price tag., April 7, 2008

By	J. McDonald - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Unfortunately, once again DVD consumers get only half the product while paying full price. In case you hadn't noticed, this is only HALF of the first season. List price is $36.98. If you were to purchase the complete first season at list price (assuming the second half even gets released) that would come to $73.96 for a single season. How does that grab you? Even with the Amazon pre-order discount you'll still end up paying over $50 for a single season, not to mention having to wait for the next volume!

Please note that my rating is a reflection of the HORRIBLE decision to release only half a season with a pathetic "rip-off" price tag.

This is a very entertaining late 80's, early 90's crime drama. It deserves to be released as a reasonably priced FULL SEASON. If a production company is going to offer only half season releases, they need to price them CORRECTLY ($17.99 to $19.99 per half season).

Should you decide to purchase this set, you'll be treated to episodes featuring some great guest stars, such as; Robert Culp (I Spy, Greatest American Hero), Dwight Schultz (The A-Team), Joe Regalbuto (Murphy Brown), Mark Goddard (Lost in Space), and many more. While season five is a long way off, I really enjoyed the addition of Melody Anderson to the cast (Flash Gordon - 1980).

Great to see this series arrive on DVD. A shame that consumers once again get the shaft!

JM

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time this came out on DVD!, June 14, 2008

By	V. Mendoza "Book Woman" (Ontario, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I became hooked on this show during the 5th and final season so I am soooo thrilled that I can finally catch up on the other seasons. I am a huge Joe Penny fan, and this show was perfect for him. I'm kind of bummed out that only 1/2 a season will be on the DVD but it's a good start!