Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date: March 7, 2006
MSRP: $19.94
Sometimes going back in time to a favorite show is a good idea, sometimes a very bad idea. Police Woman is one of those shows that falls somewhere in the middle.
Angie Dickinson as Sgt. Pepper Anderson is still both glorious and gorgeous. Earl Holliman As Sgt. Bill Crowley is still the strong cop and natural leader . Charles Dierkop and Ed Bernard round up the undercover team admirably. The chemistry between these four people is always strong.
There are an awful lot of really great guest stars too. The Bob Crane episode is a bit of eerie foreshadowing. David Birney portrays an abused husband with the appropriate 70’s emotion. Patty Duke portraying the hooker looking for a way out still gets to me after all these decades.
In perhaps the strongest episode of the season Ruby Dee guest stars as an American ex-pat . She and Pepper do not get along. But as Pepper and the team work to keep Dee’s character alive the two actresses portray two strong females sure of whom they are and able to gain a great respect for one another’s strengths without becoming friends.
The police procedure is weak. In certain episodes almost comical. One could argue it is the time period but shows like Hawaii 5-O and The Rookies were already gaining clout as showing “real” police work.
Still, Police Woman, Season 1 was a gas for me. The highlight perhaps just looking at the beautiful Dickinson, 42 when she started filming and absolutely stunning before the age of Botox.
No extras but the original Police Story episode featuring Sgt. Pepper is included. Bert Convoy as Crowley? That would have made for a different series.
Ruth Jordan