All Rise...

Judge Franck Tabouring doesn't like dogs too much. He prefers cats and crocodiles.

Editor's Note

Our reviews of Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Best Of Season Two (published April 19th, 2006), Dog the Bounty Hunter: Taking it to the Streets (published June 5th, 2012), Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Arrest (published September 26th, 2007), Dog The Bounty Hunter: The Best Of Season Four (published September 5th, 2008), Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Best Of Season One (published March 16th, 2005), Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Best Of Season Three (published March 14th, 2007), Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Wedding Special (published January 3rd, 2007), Dog The Bounty Hunter: This Family Means Business (published June 9th, 2011), and Dog The Bounty Hunter: Wild Ride (published December 6th, 2010) are also available.

The Charge

The Dog is coming for you!

The Case

Dog Chapman and his family of bounty hunters are back fighting crime on DVD, and Dog the Bounty Hunter: Crime is on the Run includes eight episodes from the 2009-2010 season, which followed the Chapmans back to their home state of Colorado. Here's what's on the menu:

• "Nice Guys Finish Last"
• "No Fly Zone"
• "Save the Dogs"
• "All in the Family"
• "Call Waiting"
• "Kid Stuff"
• "Easy Does It"
• "Ghost Rider"

Even if you've never watched the show, I'm sure you have at least heard of Duane "Dog" Chapman, the popular TV bounty hunter who chases all kinds of criminals and fugitives trying to escape the law. Dog and his loyal posse also usually throw in some free advice on how to stay out of trouble in the future. If there's some time left, viewers get a closer look into the personal life of the man with the crazy blonde hair. The episodes on this disc follow the Chapmans as they do their thing in both Hawaii and Colorado.

I've always enjoyed watching Dog chasing fugitives because of his approach to the job, but these eight episodes on Crime is on the Run are not as suspenseful and fast-paced as those from earlier seasons. They're not boring, but they lack the thrilling pursuits and rough arrests we're normally used to. Only a few of these cases pose a real challenge for Dog and his team, which limits the suspense and action.

That said, the disc includes some solid episodes. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go with "No Fly Zone," in which Dog has to catch a man wanted for sexual assault before he boards a plane. This is definitely one of the more entertaining chases, leading Dog into the middle of a crowded airport terminal, a place that makes it hard to single out a specific person. Dog the Bounty Hunter is an intriguing reality TV series when the pressure is on, and this episode delivers. It's a shame the others are much weaker in terms of action.

Nonetheless, these episodes are well-balanced. Half of them follow the Chapmans as they battle crime in Hawaii, while the others follow them home to Colorado. The criminals they're chasing couldn't be more diverse, either. From those with bail revocations to folks who have been charged with sexual assaults, animal cruelty, possession of weapons, or selling drugs, the Dog goes after all of them. It's still interesting to see how all these individuals behave both before and after their arrest.

The content on the disc is presented in full frame, and the quality is fair enough. This is rough reality TV, so both picture quality and sound do the job. Don't expect any special features, though. All you find on this DVD are the eight episodes, and, unfortunately, that's it.

Dog the Bounty Hunter: Crime is on the Run may not be as intense and action-packed as previous releases, but most of these episodes are still fairly enjoyable. A&E has been packing them with a lot of entertaining content, but I admit I prefer older episodes.

The Verdict

Not guilty, but Dog almost misses the hit.

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