Product Description Smart and sexy, tough and brassy. Meet Sergeant Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson, LAPD's top undercover cop. A member of the Criminal Conspiracy Unit, Pepper works the wild side of the street, where she poses as everything from a gangster's moll to a streetwalker to a prison inmate. Join Golden Globe-winner Angie Dickinson and guest stars Cathy Rigby, Larry Hagman, Pat Morita, Bob Crane and Philip Michael Thomas for 22 episodes and the 2 hour pilot of explosive crime-fighting action and excitement in POLICE WOMAN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. .com After holding her own opposite heavy hitters like Frank Sinatra (Ocean's Eleven) and Lee Marvin (Point Blank), Angie Dickinson earned the right to top billing. For four years, Police Woman gave the cool blonde that chance and, as she admits in the DVD commentary, the idea of becoming a household name was a big attraction. (It worked.) Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson, a two-year police veteran is first introduced, as Lisa Beaumont, in Police Story's season finale, which opens this five-disc set. In "The Gamble," Pepper proves she has what it takes to handle undercover work as she foils both a prostitution ring and a gambling racket. Airing in the coveted slot after The Rockford Files, the gritty, yet glamorous Police Woman became a top 20 hit. In the season premiere ("The End Game," actually the fourth show), Pepper is joined by the rest of the vice squad: Italian-speaking Irishman Lt. Bill Crowley (Earl Holliman, taking over from Bert Convy) and Police Story holdovers Royster (Charles Dierkop) and Styles (Ed Bernard). Together the four were as tough on crime as they were fierce about fashion. Among hundreds of groovy get-ups, sartorial standouts include Royster's patchwork cap, Styles' suede jacket, Crowley's plaid sports jacket, and Pepper's studded pantsuit. First year guest stars include TV vets, like Robert Vaughn ("Blast"), Patti Duke and John Astin ("Nothing Left to Lose"), and Dickinson's Big Bad Mama co-star William Shatner ("Smack"). Police Woman also provided a showcase for up-and-comers like Kathleen Quinlan ("The Beautiful Die Young") and Phillip Michael Thomas ("It's Only a Game")--as a character named "Sonny" no less. (In the show's fourth season, another up-and-comer named Michael Mann would direct an episode.) In 2002, TV Guide voted Dickinson the sexiest TV star of all time after Diana Rigg and George Clooney. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
S**H
One of my favorites--presented very nicely on DVD
In the mid-1970's Police Woman was one of my favorite shows. I longed to grow up to be like Angie Dickinson, and admired her so. (I still do). Earl Holliman was gorgeous too! It is so nice to see this show on DVD. The cast and chemistry were fantastic--especially between Angie Dickinson and Earl Holliman. Except for the occasional use of 70's phrases--like "Turkey" and "pad," some of the guys' sideburns, and Charles Dierkopf's (I am probably spelling that wrong) funky hat, the show has held up well. It does not appear obviously outdated the way some other 70's shows do. The stories are typical 70's--drugs, hookers, murderers and rapists--with time spent on character development, rather than on forensics and technical stuff. Well written and acted. The presentation on this set is very nice for the price. There are 3 clear slim plastic cases inside the master case. Each one has a different paper insert with a great photo of Angie Dickinson on the inside, and one on the outside. There are really 3 photos--all from the same shoot, but different poses, and they are alternated so that the outside of one is the inside of another, etc. The discs themselves look very nice too. The whole set looks classy, particularly compared to the way some other shows are being released (for example, the dismal job Universal did with the presentation of MacMillan & Wife). Someone put care and thought into the Police Woman set, and it shows. I have just finished watching 1 1/2 disks over a rainy weekend, and the quality has been terriffic. The picture is clear and bright, and the sound is crisp. They even included the little promo bits that used to show before each episode (or as coming attactions after the previous show). I like that! As aonther person already pointed out--the show had a really great theme song. I have to say that after all this time, I really only remember bits of one or two episodes, so I can't say if the episodes are in order, or cut or anything. However, if anything is cut (and I don't know that it was) it was done seamlessly, because nothing appears to be missing. This is a class act of a set! I highly recommend it. I'm going back to watch the rest! Can't wait for Season 2.***************After writing this, I watched one of the "special features." It was fabulous--it was an entire episode, with a running audio commentary by Angie Dickinson and Earl Holliman as they sat and watched it together! It was so neat to listen to them chat and comment!! Wow--what a great bonus!!
W**R
The first, best year of an influential show
In 1975, this became the hottest show in the United States and many other countries, and ALSO became the first successful drama series in TV history to feature a woman in the title role.And although this may sound like faint praise, in an era where Emma Peel had regrettably become a faded memory, if it hadn't been for "Police Woman", there literally would have been no (albeit more-fanciful) "Charlies Angels", "Wonder Woman", "Bionic Woman" or, a few years later, muscular "Cagney & Lacey".But suffice it to say that Season 1 of "Police Woman" is easily its best year: the show was, for the period, edgy and focused, with Angie Dickinson (then) chewing the scenery with a mesmerizing blend of toughness and effervesence; and her chemistry with co-star and onscreen boss Earl Holliman is very good as well... In this freshman season, "Police Woman" often felt like a taut, foreboding movie, both dark and sun-streaked... No wonder it went to Number One for a few months that summer.Subsequent seasons weren't quite the same... There was pressure to tone down Miss Dickinson's almost effortless sex-appeal, and in so caving to pressure, the series wound-up squelching her personal power and strength as well, and so the show went off-track a bit: as a result, only about 50% of the episodes of seasons 2 and 3 are really up to par, and season 4 contained just a small handful of good installments.Perhaps all that's why the show seems to have disappeared from view for quite a while...Regardless, season 1 is an absolutely great '70s cop show classic-- funny, dramatic, a bit shocking for TV (at the time) in places, with a moody and often-cinematic '70s flavor--- and Angie Dickinson and Earl Holliman NEVER had such a good vehicle.4/17/06: Unfortunately, no one seems to know it's on DVD, and the mediocre sales reflect that. Plus, it hasn't been available much for a while, so the kids haven't seen it.
R**.
Policewoman Rocks!!!!!!!!!
I completely missed this show when it was on TV (I was only about 3 years old), but I have to say, it was worth the wait! True to the 1970s, this show is edgy (on par & sometimes edgier than current cop shows)--since it's not saddled with political correctness, the issues the show deals with are direct & raw, yet, because it was the 1970s, the show isn't visually gruesome like so many shows are now. The show is amusing at times--watching the actors jump around with their guns acutally reminded me of 6 year olds pretending to be cops on TV during recess--not very convincing as cops, but did the job for a 1970s adventure show. Angie Dickeson is really fun to watch, she's tough, and feminine, and fun, and when put in context for a groundbreaking female-led show, it's really fabulous to see where shows like Charlie's Angels & Alias began. The main cast has a fun cameraderie, which is a pleasure to watch from show to show. I am thrilled with the series and am so glad I took the risk to purchase it, since I had no idea what it would be like. What I love the most, though, is the theme song. Even after watching the full season, I still found myself grooving to it. Policewoman rocks!
J**Y
It's rare not alot of copies available missed $13 buy but hey
I used it to reference a project I am working on. At 74 am enrolled in radio and television broadcasting program and this was a study in early shows that reflet what I am working on. So it was helpful. Once done I will probably put it back up for sale.
C**Y
Great Deal
Very satisfied
Y**R
classic tv
an exellent program thoroughly enjoyable last remember watching it as a twelve year old child so to be able to watch it again over forty years later in wonderful clear smooth colour is almost a dream come true definatley worth aa watch if you enjoy seventies tv
P**R
best usa police dreamer
10 out of 10they should bring back all the police woman serionsi hope they doi love watching it
D**E
very good, recommend
currently watching these episodes, very good, recommend.
B**L
Good Crime Drama reflecting Womens' Lib of the times.
Police Woman owes a lot to its' inspiration " Decoy " , a Black & White series from the 1950s , which was way ahead of its' time having a female police woman as the star. ( See my review elsewhere ) . The first episode of Police Woman is actually an episode of " Police Story " but must have been so well received that this series followed. A fine series , with good stories , and very watchable , even after all these years. Some episodes reflect the times in a need to please the powers that be and Hollywood censors , as the " bad guys " are prostitutes and drug dealers in schools ( that one with William Shatner ) . Many other guest stars of that period appear.
D**Y
Good news for brits this plays in region 2 players.
Did this inspire Charlie's Angels? Angie Dickinson plays as Sue "Pepper" Anderson,an undercover cop.So a good excuse for her to dress up in our favourite fantasy uniforms,nurse/stewardess/girl school gym teacher etc.What's better than one girl in uniform?I know three,thought Charlie's Angels producers(perhaps).Good extra having Angie doing a commentary track on a few episodes.And bonus acting class from William Shatner in one episode,where he goes through his full range of acting skills from drunk through to remorseful to redemption.Will watch these 23 episodes when our t.v.schedules are filled with celebrity/wannabe's talent/reality shows on I.e.most nights.
Trustpilot
1 month ago
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