Dog – The Bounty Hunter: The Best of Season Two
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: C+
Most “Reality TV” shows are awful and exploitive, but a
few are exceptions. As I watched Dog
– The Bounty Hunter: The Best of Season Two, it was the first time that I
ran into a show that was falling into the twilight zone between the majority of
awful shows and the few good ones. As
the title suggests, this is about a bounty hunter who goes after some very bad,
often dangerous people. The twist is
that it includes his family and that makes it a family business.
What is strange is that it comes across like an
unintentionally sentimental variant of the ever-problematic Cops. There is no doubt that this is a good,
sincere family doing the business they are certified to do and well,
fortunately for them. However, the
editing style and pace is far more aggressive and has the same “justified witch
hunt” fell of the now-clichéd Cops.
Too bad, because the family deserves better than this formula approach
and bounty hunting is still this strange, fascinating occupation that falls
between public and private service that by its very existence flies in the face
of the oversimplification of civil rights and their rolling back. A great story is here, but the form holds it
back. There are seven half-hour shows
on a single DVD.
The 1.33 X 1 image was shot on professional analog NTSC
equipment, but the image is slightly soft throughout, only offset by the
cleanness and color consistency otherwise.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no surrounds and is just fine for a
“Reality TV” show. Text extras include
a quiz and cast biographies.
- Nicholas Sheffo
