Seriously
This is by far the best TV show ever. Nothing even close. It can take the breath away as one watches it. And done without special effects.
shareIt is one of TVs all time best.
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MovieChat Forums > The Fugitive (1963) Discussion > Seriously
I was too young when it first aired, but a local station reran it overnight many years ago--after I got a video recorder. I set my timer and recorded it overnight five times a week for several months and loved getting to see what this was about.
To my thinking, TV shows that of an hour long, with a script and professional cast can be classified in almost all cases as "comedy-dramas" or "straight dramas."
The comedy ones--St. Elsewhere, Diagnosis Murder, regularly mix some laughs into a mostly dramatic plot.
In the "straight drama" group, there are few scenes designed to make you laugh. To me, the absolute two best straight dramatic series in TV history are Combat! and The Fugitive.
I think what made The Fugitive work so well were all the episodes that had nothing to do with catching the one-armed man or eluding Gerard, but ones that focused on Kimble helping the person or people he had encountered. Now we needed the escape/chase the killer shows, but they couldn't have had him come real close to either every week for four years. Most episodes mostly had him focus his actions on helping someone. Without those, the series would not have been nearly as good.
Yes. He was an exceptionally good person.
But the ones I especially liked were the ones where he had to chose to stay and help someone even when it meant risking being caught by the police. When they incorporated both of those elements, it was purely spectacular. He always chose to stay and help and still managed to slip through the cops' fingers.
Such a great show!
Unfortunately, I saw the final episode FIRST! Can you imagine?! MeTV showed the final episode one evening during Prime Time. I didn't even intend to watch it but couldn't turn the channel! I had always heard that this show was special, but I must say that even though I know how it ends for Dr Richard KImball, I have set my DVR to record every show now, and I'm enjoying each one, every week. They don't make dramas like this anymore.
sharefunny and sad that happened but,
you know, it is so good, you'll forget that and get involved in each story.
it's like watching Psycho over and over.
When they first aired the final episode of The Fugitive in 1967, it became the most watched television program ever. It remained atop that list for many years.
shareFor me, I have a difficult time figuring out whether I like this show because of it's innate quality vs. whether I like it because it takes place in an America that is gone, that I miss, but is never coming back.
shareAnother great time capsule show is Route 66; You'll see a genuine America in the early 60's with sporadically brilliant dialogue or monologues courtesy of Stirling Siliphant. Milner, Maharis and the early Corvette all shine.
IMO The Fugitive, Route 66 and the Twilight Zone are probably the best series ever made.
agreed, saburns1
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It certainly is my favorite, and I go back to the mid 50s. No. 2 is "The Untouchables."
shareAgree, but see my poat on best TV shoes of all time, Many put The Walking Dead high up and The Fugitive doesnt even make the list! Sad
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