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Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Best of Season 1 (2004) – DVD Review

Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Best of Season 1

Film:
DVD:

Starring Duane “Dog” Chapman, Beth Smith, Leland Chapman, Tim Chapman, Justin Bihag

Features:

  • TV promos
  • Cast bios
  • Seven episodes from the first season hand-picked by Dog

Released by: A&E Home Video.
Rating: NR.
Region: 1
Anamorphic: N/A; episodes appear in their original 1.33:1 format.

My Advice: Good for a rental; hold out for a season set.

[ad#longpost]Duane “Dog” Chapman is a man on a mission. First and foremost, he’s a bounty hunter that’s got his family’s well being riding on his ability to go and catch the bad guys. However, he’s been a bad guy–and did jail time for being near a murder rather than committing it. So he’s been where the folks are going back to…and he wants to try and help them straighten out if he can. He operates out of Hawaii and he’s got his family to back him up: his wife, Beth, along with his brother, son and nephew.

At first glance, this show seems like it could be just another attempt to spin reality show gold. After all, anybody who will let somebody stick a camera in their face and follow them around can be a TV star these days. And even from the commercials (many included on this disc), it seems like this is what the show is: here’s a guy with some notoriety who does a job that most of America will find novel, let’s film him.

But having watched these episodes, some things quickly become clear. First of all, Dog is incredibly sincere. When he talks about hoping that he’s made a difference in these fugitives’ lives…he means it. And when he talks about the effect his time behind bars had on him…he really means it. If he’s playing to the camera, he’s a better actor than almost anybody on television. Not to say he’s a bad actor…he’s actually pretty freaking clever at getting these guys to give up their locations. And he’s resourceful as hell: he gets a call from a guy and seconds later is hauling ass to the location. How did he know? He was listening well enough to hear somebody in the background mention the name of the bar.

Dog the Bounty Hunter

The other thing that makes Dog such a likeable guy is his family. He and Beth go at each other like cats and dogs, then when they’re apart you’ll get, “Well, you know, she’s right…” and “He’s just got too big a heart sometimes…” so they’re really crazy about each other. And his kids are lethally cute. And the guys on the team, all family, really do care about each other. So you can relate even when they do crazy stuff like try to hire a clown for the brother’s birthday or put special emphasis on catching a guy because he shares their last name.

I’d like to take a second to say that everyone should probably pick this up to watch the opening credits, if nothing else. They’re so wonderfully over the top and it puts you in the right frame of mind for the show. From Dog materializing out of a plume of black smoke to Ozzy Osbourne providing the theme song’s vocals, it’s just classic.

The DVD is fairly bare bones, having the seven episodes Dog picked from the first season. This is a shame, because two more discs and you’ve got the first season covered, but oh well. The promos, as mentioned, are included as are bios for the team. But that’s about it. I would love to hear a commentary on an episode by Dog and Beth, personally. Maybe on a season boxed set.

If you haven’t checked out the show, I’d recommend renting this. It really is fun…I’m tapped out for time to watch TV or else I might get hooked myself–and I hate reality TV. So that says something. But I’d wait to plonk down your coin until a season set appears.

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233 comments

  • dear chapman family,my name is barbara and i live in seattle, i would like to say that i watch your show all of the time and i love it,i love all of you and ma so so sorry about BarbaraKate, i cant even imagine the heart ach of loosing a child cant even think of it. i would like to say i am your number one fan!!! and that i am so sorry about this whole mexico deal it really stink’s i want you to know i will be praying for when duane has to go back there for his trial, there has already been alot of tradgedy we dont need any more!! i have a friend who was suppose to go down to hawaii and set up a time to see you and get some autographs, but she left and went to indonesia, but any i love you and tell leland and tim they are doing a great job and also Beth i love her too, and like i said i will keep you in my prayer’s and thought’s so please hang on and all of this terrible mess will work it’s way out, see you all later bye by

  • Scotland,
    The episode of Kimberly Tucker, her friend is Dog and Beths housekeeper is the episode Dog asked Justin if he would come in and help with a bounty. Dog first asked Tim and Leland what they thought about asking Justin for help and Tim said that Justin is more of a clown than a bounty hunter and Leland questioned if Justin can basicly hang. Dog said Justin left for personal reasons so obviously there was tension between all of them and he thought leaving was best. Before this show I always heard Justin went to New York to pursue a modeling career. This show aired a week after the wedding episode.

  • Hello Chapman Family,
    I love you all . I very sorry for your lose my best friend lost her daughter from hospital neglagence she was only 16 . They did’nt put a tube done her throat right and riped it so she could’nt breath and they thought she was faking not breathing. So it’ not only bad guys on the street there everywhere . Thank for working so hard, America needs to stick up for you so you don’t go to prison in Mexico. They don’t treat there own people good. i would want to find out they sent you there. Bless you all

  • Dog and crew, Love the show, can’t get enough of Leland.The American Govt better not give you up, considering what great work you guys and girl do.My thoughts are with you, and of course with Leland.

  • hi you guys i love your show and yes i also think leland is the hottest guy ever!! well i would love to meet you guys. So if your ever in utah look me up!!! leland you are so sexy

  • leland ur soooo fine i wana make u mine. haha its cheesey i no but true.wow i cant get enough of ya love ya

  • Hey,
    Just wanted to say i love you’r show and wanted to say i hope justin comes back cause he is preety hot and i love the way he talks, so i hope you guys will bring him back oh and leland is pretty good looking. And i hope you guys can get all your people safely.
    Love you guys

  • I just wanted to say Hey from all the way from Newfoundland, Canada. And Hope you guys are proud of yourself’s cause you should be. And wanteed to say hey to Beth she is so funny. I really like the comment she keeps makin about Leland about not haveing a girlfriend, but its not like he is short a girl that dont want him cause alot of girls want him. But sorry Leland i’d rather Justin he is adorable. Just wondering how old he is. Hope to get a response from someone hopefully from Justin. Just joking anyone from the crew is good i love you all and Beth love the attitude keep it up, and Dog i love how you dont care about crying on screen it takes a real man to do that.
    Love you guys see ya

  • Dog and beth i am so happy that everything worked out for your family my husban and myself were praying for you all God bless you and keep you all my little girl would love a picture of you all if anyone could tell me how ot get one for her .thank you love you guys

  • i really think that justin is really fit i want to see more pictures of him `on my computer cause he is really hot and so is leland i dream about them all the time.

  • heylo!x i love the show!.And i think your a true hero the things you and your family do for people you have probley changed soo many peoples lifes you dezerve a gold medal for all your hard work i just wish we had some one like you in our country!=[ any way g2g n by da way leland your fittt hehe =P Rach x x x

  • i live in England and watch your show religiously.I think eveything you and your family do is fantastic, you are an inspiration to us all. x x x x x x keep up the good work x x x

  • I come from England and think your show is great. Pity there isn’t more people like you in the World. Keep up the good work. Oh yes, may I just say that Leland is very sexy. Best wishes to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

  • Best Wishes Dog and Beth, Next time in the Springs have Bobby and your crew stop by and have lunch at the Skybox. Best green pork chili in town. Really enjoy you show, love ohau

  • I would just like to say how much I love the show it is the best thing that has happened since sliced bread..lol… And oh by the way Leland if I came to the Island and done something bad would you chase me..lol.. I want to meet you so bad I might just have to try and see..NOT.. dont want to ever go to jail..sorry.. I would love to have a pix signed by Leland if you would please send me one that would make me the happiest person in the world..thanks.. from your #1 fan in the world.

  • Heyy!!! I just wanted to shout out and say tha I LOVE the show and everybody on it…(Leland and Justin..of course!!lol) No…but seriously everyone rocks and I love how you all thank the lord for everything you do and have…and Dog, what your doing now shows that anybody can change! Beth I love you too… your amazingly awesome and you show those boyz whose boss!!! lol love you all, and god bless you, and keep you all safe!!

  • hi dog i love your show it is amazing i love your son gary and bonnie they are so sweet i want your autographleland is so amazing you are so cool i like the place you go and see who you are looking for bail bond any way you are really wicked hope you have a really lovely christmas megan i live in worthing i used to go to hawaii i went when i was 4 years old it is so hot and brezzy i am your biggest fam come to my house in [removed by the editor] i want an autograph please bring lealand he is so fit xxxxxxxxx

  • Megan, dear heart, if you are indeed 14 then please don’t put information about where you live on the Net. At least nothing as specific as that. Just not a safe thing.

  • hi Leland u r soooooo hott u r sooooooooo aattai (means cute in Inupiaq) juss thought id say something because u r sooooo sexy hahahah jajajajaja

  • Heyy Leland!! whassup?? man i love to be on your show and id want to be a bounty hunter juss like you.. i have to agree with all the other gurlz cause we love you cause your soo damned sexy and i hope to meet you later in life…i love you soo much i love your sexy abs.. and most of all I WANT YOUR BODY.. okay i better go

    I LOVE YOU LELAND!!!

  • HEY ALL ,
    MY NAME IS WENDY. IM FROM A LITTLE HICK TOWN IN NY, I DO WATCHY THE BOUNTY HUNTER ALL THE TIME, IM NOT HOOKED ON ONE PERSON ON THE SHOW I LIKE THEM ALL AT ONE TIME IN MY LIFE I LED THE LIFE OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THERE SHOW I WAS VERY MUCH A DRUNK AND ADDICT AT 23 ,I WAS IN A VERY ABUSIVE MARRIAGE THAT HAD MANY ISSUES MOST PHYISCAL AND MENTAL ABUSE I DONT KNOW HOW I MANAGED TO ESCAPE,,I WAS PUT IN A BAD SITUTION AT ONE TIME I WAS VIOLENTLY RAPPED AT 15, I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT , IT NEVER HAS GONE AWAY , IM SCARED ALOT AND I DONT SLEEP WELL AT ALL. THEY NEVER CAUGHT THE GUY , WELL BY WATCHING THIS SHOW IT HAS INSPIRED TO MOVE ON AND NOT SETTLE FOR ANYONE HURTING ME OR ABUSING ME, NO ADAYS I DONT NEED DRUGS ALCHOLO ,JUST ME MYSELF AND I ..I WISH ALL ON THIS SHOW THE BEST IT MUST BE SO ANNOYING ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SOMETHING FOR THE CAMERAS, I COULDNT DEAL , I WILL ALWAYS WATCH THE SHOWS THERE VERY THEAPUTICA FOR ME, U GUUYS EVER WANT A SISTA IN FATE *****e-mail removed by Widge*****

  • i think dog and his crew are wonderful people. our streets are crowded with crime and it’s about time someone is doing something about it. i also think it’s great that dog turned his life around after being in a gang and getting into trouble with the law. he shows that people can change for the good and stay that way. i am just really pleased that he and his crew are cleaning up our streets.

    i don’t get to watch the show because i don’t have a&e. but i hope to get some of the dvds if i can. i want to watch all of the episodes. my fanily watches it everytine it’s on and says that it’s pretty good. i have only seen one or two episodes.
    much aloha, heather
    from the big island, HI

  • Leland I think you are so hot! You should come back to denver and do some more hunting here. I wish you and your whole family the best with everything thing that is going on. Aloha

  • heya dog i think you r great i wish that you wernt up against court tell beth i think she is wicked lol and lealend that mi mam thinks you are really fit lol please get back to me iv watched all your episods lol and i think you are the best gtg bibi xxxxxxxxxx (i would love to meat you and you and beth) xxxxxxxxxxxx

  • hi dog.say hi 2 all ur family. includin ur pets. id love 2 meet all of ur family. thts always been my 1 dream. or if u could send me a msn letter 2 give me ur adress thn i can send u letters. we could stay in contact. i love 2 meet ur daughter. i always c ur so protected over ur children. hi beth. do u know the bounty huntin is tht wht u do every day? plz reply bck 2 my message.

  • RE: LINCOLN ALO
    Dear Dawg, Beth and crew,
    I watch you all the time and tonites episode just tore my heart. I’m sure you remember Lincoln Alo, well in 1976 when I was just 17yrs I went there to live in ohau with 50.00 in my pocket. Well I meet Lincoln there in Waikiki. He had just gotten out of jail. It was long before I was stealing from tourist and where we slept was under hobicats,etc. Well I got caught and was put in what they called the womens prison. It was a large house and I was the only howlie in there. Boy oh boy. Well after I got out and boy was i glad, I left him and went back to the mainland. He just showed up there one day and wouldn’t leave. We soon had a baby boy named Lincoln also and when he was 10 months old I left for good and he returned to Waikiki. That was in “81”. It wasn’t until 16 yrs later when Lincoln boy turned 16 that I took him to Ohau to meet him for the first time and we met him as he was coming in from the fishing boat. Well let me jump to the present which is sad. Our son will be 27 in May and he too got involved with meth. What happened was his 2 month son, my only grandchild had died during open heart surgery. Meth is how he’s dealt with it but you wanna know what else, at the time he was on probation and wasn’t to be around the baby’s mother. But when thier son is in critical condition , it’s not possible. The other granmother called the police and they arrested my Lincoln at the hospital while his son was under going his 2nd heart surgery. He died 2hours after they took him off to jail. So he was in jail and we had to call with the news. After that he went down hill.Not only is his birth father in prison and used drugs but his only child our son is in prison too. Lincoln has not known that he was a grandpa. One thing that really stood out to me was when you said you couldn’t reach him,his heart. He did hear you and most likely you did touch his heart, and wants to change but he doesn’t know how. My son Lincoln is the same way, hard to reach and doesn’t open up but stuffs everything and I worry he’s headed down the same path as big Lincoln. It brecks my heart and I cry many tears over this. How can I reach him, to let him feel he can trust someone, to trust me. What are some things I can do? He’s my only child and I don’t want to loose him to the system or worst yet death. He went in last June, 06 and his release is Dec 1st, 07. It’s ironic, big Lincoln and Lincoln boy weren’t together for almost all of our sons life yet he has so many of his characteristics and thier both at the same time locked up. Do you know if big Lincoln is still locked up or where I can look to see. I’d like for him to know about his Grandson who’s name was Lincoln Noah AuAu. Thats what is really Lincoln’s last name. And you’ll like this,it pronounced, Ow ow you know like a Dog howling Thank you for all you do and for who you are. All of you do make a difference and I wish you could of around when I was headed in the wrong direction because you offer hope something we lose when were druggin. And I’m sorry for the long letter and I do hope that you get the chance to really read it as I know your busy. If you can send me any info or advice. I will welcome it. And Beth you keep up what you do. You are a solid strong but gentle person. Thank you for your time, Katherine

  • Hi waz up love the show and i think lealand an dog and young blood are great i am so happy for all of yal an would love for lealand to e-mail me back just to say hi he is so sexy!!!