Baretta - Season One (1975)

It is a sordid fact of life that were it not for Robert Blake's newfound infamy as an accused wife murderer, Baretta, which lasted from 1975 to 1978, might have been relegated to late nights in TV land. But as they say in Hollywood, there's no such thing as bad publicity. So here is this three-disc set containing all 12 episodes of the offbeat cop series' first season. Created by Stephen A. Cannell (whose eclectic credits range from The A-Team and The Great American Hero to The Rockford Files and Wiseguy), Baretta was a tailor-made star vehicle for the pugnacious Blake. In light of his later situation, lines such as "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime," "You just pull the trigger and somebody dies," and "Husbands have been known to sometimes kill their wives for money" take on a grimly prophetic resonance. But as these episodes testify, Baretta is more than a newly minted sick joke.

Baretta is an undercover cop in the Serpico mode. Like your standard TV-issue rule-bending loner cop, he butts heads with his excitable superior (veteran character actor Dana Elcar of MacGuyver and Baa Baa Black Sheep fame). He lives in the run-down King Edwards Motel with his scene-stealing pet cockatoo. He adopts a variety of guises (including in one episode, an elderly woman who looks like Tweety's keeper, Granny, and whose voiced was dubbed by Granny herself, June Foray!). But he is much randier than your average Joe Friday. In one episode, he tries to convince his date to go back to his apartment so she can give him his "birthday present." She tells him "that will take until 4 in the morning." With its ersatz funky score, Baretta is time-capsule '70s television. And, as Baretta was fond of saying, you can take that to the bank. --Donald Liebenson Amazon.com

Release the rest on dvd

It's always the same, they release so many crap dvds and won't release the rest of this classic series. It's all about money, money, money with these companies. August 17, 2008

Keep your eye on...season one only

I was in my twenties when Baretta first aired on tv and I used to watch it with my dad. We both enjoyed the offbeat methods Tony used as a cop. He was tough-as-nails when he had to be; yet always fair, and ready to offer sound advice and help if he thought it would set some wayward kid straight. The other star of the show was the bird...which is interesting since it never really did anything other than act like a bird! Still, cockatoos are pretty cool and that fit Baretta's style perfectly.

When I first saw season one released I was excited! Here was my chance to buy the entire series on dvd...or so I thought. Now, I can see that it isn't likely to happen. Is it an issue of low sales? Or does the studio want to be our conscience and decide what the public should be allowed to see (because of the trial)? Either way there have been no further season releases. On the bright side, we do at least have one season to watch. Who knows...maybe someday reason will rule and the rest of the show will be made available. April 13, 2008

Great fun and greatly waiting for season 2 to be released!

My husband and I recently watched this in less than a week and enjoyed every episode. Robert Blake is absolutely excellent in this series and the supporting cast is as well. I would recommend this to everyone. I love the theme song! I wish they would hurry up and release seasons 2 and 3. August 1, 2007

Really fun 70s cop tv

Robert Blake plays a very believable edgy cop, Tony Baretta, in the city. He drives a beat up Chevy that never seems to quit and he always gets the bad guy. Supporting actors blend well, there's good plot, action and I enjoyed that silly Cockatoo, Freddy. Especially his rooster and chicken voices. Old tv reviews claimed Blake hated that bird but you'd never know it. Blake's disguises were fun. Some more wild than others. "Ragtime Billy Peaches" sub character for one. Sure there was some hokey Hollywood writing but it worked. Sometimes schlocky sometimes gritty, never dull. Lt Shiller (Dana Elcar) was the first boss but soon replaced by "Bossy-Boy" Lt. Hal Brubaker (Ed Grover)who was wonderful and under used, Billy Truman (Tom Ewell)the old guy character that hung out at the run down pad where Tony slept, Foley (John Ward) the square but likable and sometimes partner, and who could forget Rooster (Michael D. Roberts) who played the dolled up, platform shoe kinda "guy?" who drove a car with wall to wall fur on the count of he needed it for his "profession"? Rooster was some kind of informant who loved the term "jive turkey". All accented with great music from Dave Grusin and Tom Scott and you can take that to the bank! Indeed, when do we get season 2? April 1, 2007

John Pecore (Highland, NY)

No matter what year were in and how much modern technology that we have today, nothing beats a good 70's cop show. I never paid too much attention to Barretta because it was really never on reruns. Plus, I was a toddler when the show was out on prime-time. I saw this on amazon and immediately it was a must have. Even though Barretta was a ficticious character, we share some similarities that I found intresting.

Both of us are little rough exteriored guys who need to stand up for ourselves to be noticed. In my single days I lived out of pure minimalism like him and lived in a studio apartment much like his. It even had the pull down Murphy bed. Our taste in cars were similar too, his tarnished 66 Chevy Impala was very similar to my 75 Buick Regal that just wouldn't die.

But we all know that is just a role he played. But the point is that the show felt so real that he is someone that many everyday people could relate to. The second the show comes on with the theme music, I'm in a whole different world for a non-stop hour! That's a sign of a really good show! I cannot wait for Season 2 to come out on DVD!!!

March 5, 2007

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