Alias Smith & Jones - Season One

I love this western. The stars of the show Ben Murphy and Pete Duel are what made this show so much fun to watch. They had such great chemistry.

The Glen Larson commentary on the pilot is sparse--he doesn't talk most of the time, and he does't talk about Duel or Murphy much at all. But it does have some interesting historical tidbits and info on what was going through the minds of the show's creators. It may not be much, but compared to the non-existent special features on other old t.v. westerns, it's very, very welcome.I liked the way the main menu came up--it looks like a wanted poster is being hung, then bang, bang, bang, bang as four nails are being hammered in.I also really like the theme music and the music during the episodes. This show is just so darn good-natured--you can't help but enjoy it. Most of the episodes really do deal with the problems a couple of train robbers might encounter while trying to go straight. Duel and Murphy play it just right--not too heavy and not too light. They both just look so easy going and natural, and their friendship seems very real. The characters of Heyes and Curry never come off as preachy or like martyrs--they just seem like two decent men who really do try to help out anyone in trouble. They stand up for themselves, but in a smart way--they never seem cocky. Heyes and Curry never blend into each other--they are two very distinct characters.It's an uneven season--there are some clunkers on disc two, but overall it's a great show. Because it's over 30 years old, the episodes strech out towards 50 minutes, too, which is a plus for modern viewers.If you like buddy movies and buddy stories, you can't go wrong here.

This short-lived series was a small screen version of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It offered appealing actors who had a great chemistry with each other. Please note that I am referring only to the eps that starred Pete Duel and Ben Murphy. Honestly, I couldnt bear to watch it after Pete died. I always found the decision to just stick another actor in the role like no one would care to be a crass mistake.Having recently re-watched the episodes I have to say its aged remarkably well. I think you really have to thank the writers for this. Oh sure, there's a few spots where you know its not a recent show (note the horrible music in a few eps) but overall you'd be hard pressed to date this 30+ year old show.Both actors are perfect in their roles as two "pretty good bad men" who are trying to go straight. They have to contend with not only lawmen, posses, and other outlaws, but their own less than sterling natures. Some eps focused on light comedy (The MacCreedy Bust) while others are starkly dramatic (The Bounty Hunter)Both were handled equally well by the cast.It offers something for everyone. Good writing/scripts, handsome outlaws, light comedy, drama/angst, and a hint of danger all set against the backdrop of the beautiful Southwest (yep, them are real locations..)If you are a fan of westerns you simply can't go wrong with this series.

Alias Smith and Jones is a clever precursor to the genius of Glen A.Larson. The casting of Duel and Murphy works with great comradery and chemistry. The scripts are written with humor and enough of a plot to keep your interest over the 30 some years since they were on prime time. It is a shame that due to the times in the early 70's and the death of Pete Duel that the series wasn't produced for more seasons. One of the joys in watching season one was again seeing many of my favorite stars from my childhood performing again, reminding me why I liked to watch them, and how much I miss seeing them on screen.

I was so excited to find out this series was finally coming out on DVD. I got my copy yesterday and it was even better than I remembered. It looked quite good on my 32" flat panel TV. I watched the pilot episode which I'm not sure I've seen before. This series doesn't disappoint and doesn't have a dated feel to it. Maybe because it already takes place in another time? The chemistry of Pete Duel and Ben Murphy is fabulous. The humor and the way it underplays itself holds up very nicely. I'm hoping this series will be a success so that the next two seasons will also be released. Season 2 is probably the best of the bunch as that's when Duel and Murphy really hit their stride. Most sadly, Pete Duel committed suicide during the second season and was immediately replaced by Roger Davis. Davis does an excellent job considering the incredibly tough situation he was put into. Though Davis and Murphy work very well together its still not the same. Enjoy this classic series. It was an original in its day and still holds up that way.

I remember watching this series as a youth & having a HUGE crush on both Pete & Ben. It was in the days before VHS, at least for the common folk, so I fondly recall holding my little portable tape recorder up to the TV to record an episode. Corny? You bet. Now as a grown-up, I can relax in my cushy sofa, and watch these fun episodes, and the humor is just as good now as it was then. And they are just as handsome!The premise is plausible: if they can stay out of trouble for an entire year, they can get amnesty. Unfortunately, the only ones that know are their former comrade-now sheriff, and the Governor. Good hearted criminals, helping the helpless, trying to go straight. Constantly running into troublesome situations.I wish this set had a booklet with some fun facts about the filming, or some bloopers, or interview / commentary with some of the cast today. Maybe in the next set.For some good fun and laughs, "Alias Smith & Jones" are your men. Enjoy!

Good show.

Fast delivery, and good quality DVD

Beeldkwaliteit van DVD 4 disc (Alias Smith& Jones Season 1) is prima. Echter, in tegenstelling tot de vermelde productgegevens, is er geen ondertiteling beschikbaar. Ik versta Engels, maar een (Engelse) ondertitel heb ik toch wel nodig.Slechts een halve aflevering bekeken; 2 sterren voor beeldkwaliteit en snelle afhandeling retour door Amazon.

Es ist wirklich schön, die Originalstimmen von Pete Duel und Ben Murphy in diesen Serienfolgen zu hören. Sicher kennt jeder Fan, die ersten Folgen dieser Serie, "Ein Jahr Galgenfrist"-der Pilotfilm, ";Mc Creedys Büste" u.s.w.Da es diese Serie soweit ich weiß, einzeln nicht in deutscher Sprache gibt, (nur komplett, 1. u. 2 Staffel, wahrscheinlich auch schon als Sammelpackage , Staffeln 1-3, habe ich mich entschlossen, jede Staffel mit Pete Duel einzeln zu kaufen, denn er war lt. meiner Info, komplett in der ersten Staffel dabei und in der zweiten Staffel nur für 4 Folgen. Schade. Roger Davis, der Pete's Part übernommen hatte, kann ihm lange nicht das Wasser reichen. Wirkt gegen Pete Duel unscheinbar.Bonus Feature gibt es nur zum Pilotfilm ein Audiokommentar von Glen Larson, dem Produzent u.s.w.Es ist nur in englisch aufgenommen, ohne Untertiteln 4 DVDs. DVD 1 enthält den Pilotfilm und zwei Folgen.DVD 2-4 jeweils 4 Folgen.Die Qualität ist ansonsten gut, wie im Fernsehen, eben.Ich bin froh, das ich diese DVDs gekauft habe. Für Interessenten, die mehr Ausstattung einer DVD-Box erwarten, wie z.B. Booklet, oder HD-Qualität etca. wäre hier nicht zufrieden. Wem es nur um die beiden Schauspieler geht, englisch versteht, empfehle ich diese DVDs weiter.

Although AS&J was intended as a quick cash-in on the popularity of Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, it is one of the best Western series around, in my opinion unmatched until the wonderful 'Magnificent Seven' series starring Michael Biehn, Anthony Starke et al.AS&J's great strength - and it's great luck - was the perfect chemistry between Pete Duel (Hannibal Heyes) and Ben Murphy (Kid Curry) which carried some of the weaker episodes (not that there were that many). Also, unlike other Westerns, the dialogue contained humour and banter instead of relentless dourness and/or perpetual moralising; it also had strong, positive female characters like Clementine Hale (Sally Field) again a contrast to such as "Bonanza Woman" (any woman who appeared on that Western, or such as High Chapparal tended to be killed, die of disease or leave within two episodes). The show also featured elite guest stars such as Cesar Romero, Don Ameche, Patrick McNee amongst others such as genre veterans Slim Pickens and Keenan Wynn.Not that AS&J was fluff - many of it's epsiodes were written by Roy Huggins (1914-2002) who could make serious points and intriguing, engaging plotlines. His best was "The Bounty Hunter" episode in 1972, guest-starring Lou Gosset Jnr as the eponymous BH who was black; that single episode did more to highlight the stupidity and monstrousness of racism than any other TV show before and for many years after.The suicide of Pete Duel, caused by alcoholism and severe depression, was also the death knell of the series, not helped by the insensitive reaction of the studio to shoehorn Roger Davis into the role; lacking that vital chemistry with the grieving Ben Murphy, Davis was also burdened with the network's desire to maximise profit without expense - for several episodes of Season 3, the opening credits still clearly showed Duel, a constant reminder to viewers reluctant to embrace Davis in the role just who he was replacing.My main bugbear is the wait - AS&J wasn't released in the UK in Region 2 format until 2007, despite it's huge popularity, and we are now entering 2009 with no sign of Season 2 - please can someone get their act together, particularly as they have to know how much of a guaranteed seller this will be?

Arrived On Time Great Old Show.