The Paper Chase: Season One |  | Director: Ralph Senensky
Actors: John Houseman, James Stephens, Tom Fitzsimmons, James Keane
Studio: Shout Factory
Category: DVD
List Price: $49.99
Buy New: $24.92
as of 11/23/2009 02:54 CST details
You Save: $25.07 (50%)
New (26) Used (10) from $18.98
Seller: overman2000
Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 5460
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 6
Running Time: 1080 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 1
MPN: 11214
UPC: 826663112146
EAN: 0826663112146
ASIN: B001O4KBMI
Theatrical Release Date: 1978
Release Date: April 7, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 04/07/2009
Amazon.com
The chase is finally over for this shining example of a television series that didn't treat its viewers as if they had skulls full of mush. Based on the acclaimed 1973 film that was adapted from John Jay Osborn, Jr.'s novel, this 1978 series is literally old school. It presents education in general and the study of law in particular as noble pursuits. The students for whom we develop a rooting interest are the best and the brightest, and in Professor Charles Kingsfield we have an addition to the pantheon of great movie/TV teachers. James Stephens anchors the series as Hart, an idealistic first-year law student. In the Grade-A pilot episode, as in the film, he gets on the wrong side of the intimidating Kingsfield, his role model and inspiration, on the first day of class. How Hart gets back in his good graces sets the stage for episodes in which classroom drama proves to be just as compelling as the courtroom variety. Hart's study-group classmates include third generation lawyer Ford (Tom Fitzsimmons), genius Anderson (Robert Ginty), activist Logan (Francine Tacker), newly-married Brooks (Jonathan Sagall), and slob Bell (James Keane). The Paper Chase got the prestige treatment. James Brooks, who directed the feature film, developed the series for television, Osborn wrote several of the episodes, and the venerable John Houseman recreated his Oscar-winning role as Kingsfield, a TV first. While Kingsfield was a monolithic character in the film, he is more accessible in the series. There is much more interaction between him and the idolizing Hart. Familiar faces in Season One include Marilu Henner as a sympathetic waitress in the pilot episode, Don Porter (Gidget) as Ford's demanding father in "The Man Who Would Be King," Robert Reed as a professor who sexually harasses Logan in "Once More with Feeling," and Kim Cattrall as a struggling law student's wife in "Da Da." The Paper Chase was a critics' darling, but just as bad grades could sink Kingsfield's students, so did bad ratings result in The Paper Chase's cancellation after one year. Following reruns on PBS, the Showtime network picked up the series for three more CableAce Award-winning seasons. The Paper Chase was no doubt to aspiring lawyers what All the President's Men was to fledgling investigative reporters. Rarely syndicated, the series is just as gripping as when it first aired, its intensity and intelligence are undimmed. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
 Timeless November 21, 2009
Julian Hunte (Barbados, West Indies)
This series started when I was about 2 years old. I feel as if I have missed some part of the Paper Chase experience, but I have now recaptured.
This is the series that made me want to be a lawyer,law lecturer. And to date, Contract Law is still my favourite subject.
It is just remarkable how such characters can input on a young mind.
 A television series for those that don't have "a skull full of mush" November 15, 2009
Stephen Pletko (London, Ontario, Canada)
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"The study of law is something new and unfamiliar to most of you, unlike any other schooling you have ever known before. You teach yourselves the law, but I train your minds. You come in here with a skull full of mush and if you survive, you leave thinking like a lawyer."
The above is found at the beginning of each episode of this television series. This series is based on the novel by John Jay Osborn, Jr. as well as the 1973 movie (directed by James Bridges) of the same name.
It follows the lives of first-year law student Hart (James Stephens) at an unnamed, elite law school and the other members of his study group. Hart's nemesis is Professor Kingsfield (John Houseman who reprised his Oscar-winning performance from the movie), the world's leading authority on contract law. (The above opening narrative is uttered by Kingsfield).
Besides Hart, the other members of the study group are Ford (Tom Fitzsimmons), Anderson (Robert Ginty), Bell (James Keane), Logan (Francine Tacker), and Brooks (Jonathan Segal). (Note that in the pilot episode, there was O'Conner instead of Logan and this part was played by a different actress. Also note that J. Segal who played Brooks eventually left the series thus reducing the number of study group members to five.)
This show tackled a number of big issues such as sexual harassment, affirmative action, equal rights for women, and what it's like to be a law student and disabled while also devoting time to other subjects such as cheating, the demands of academia, and romantic entanglements.
On top of this, there is strong acting (especially by Housemen who was aged 76), well-rounded characterizations, and many guest stars who are given memorable roles and an opportunity to really shine in their episodes. The writing and the story telling are simply great. (Note that James Bridges, who developed this series for television, wrote two episodes while John Jay Osborn, who was technical advisor, wrote four episodes and co-wrote one episode.)
One thing the series lacks is continuity meaning that new characters have to be introduced and written out in one episode and, as well, all the story lines have to draw to a conclusion before the end credits roll. This was not the show's fault but how episodic television was written during this time period.
Of all the episodes, there was only two I did not care for. (In one of these episodes, Houseman does not even appear!)
For show quality alone, this series deserves a solid 5 stars.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the picture quality which is variable. Some episodes are clear, other not so clear. The colours are a bit faded and there are occasional scratches and spots. However, the series is still quite viewable.
For picture quality alone, this series deserves, in my opinion, 3 stars.
The audio is better but there are some distortions in a few episodes. You have to turn up the volume when watching all episodes. Despite this, the dialog is easy to make out.
For audio quality alone, this series perhaps should be given 4 stars.
My final rating is an average of the above three ratings.
One thing I should mention is each shows length. It says on the cardboard storage case that each episode is "one hour long." Yes, this was with the commercials. But in this set, there are no commercials (thank goodness!). It turns out, when rounding to the nearest minute, that the majority of the episodes are (48 minutes) long with some being either (46 or 47 minutes) long. (Note that the opening and closing credits combined take between (2 minutes) and (2 minutes, 30 seconds).)
Another thing I would do before watching this series is to watch the excellent movie the series is based on. The series uses many of the elements found in the movie. You'll also notice some interesting differences.
There are no extras, no subtitles, and no closed captioning.
Finally, some say this series is only for wannabe lawyers or lawyers. UNTRUE. This series is for anybody with intelligence.
In conclusion, in my opinion this is an intelligent, warm, top-notch television series. In fact, it was hailed by critics as the best new series of that season! As you can imagine, a show of this calibre was cancelled but fortunately was picked up by a pay-cable network years later. I'm looking forward to seeing season two!!
(1978-1979; about 1050 minutes or 17.5 hours; 6 discs; 22 episodes; full screen)
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Just as good as the frist time November 14, 2009
R. Mohn (mn)
This is a TV show that has held up in time. I enjoyed these episodes probably as much as when I first watched them on regular TV. I looked up the actors on the internet as was surprised those playing the students didn't seem to have the success as I would have predicted and that two of the later got married.
Well done classic television series November 4, 2009
A. Winegarden (Minnesota)
Well done classic television drama. Interesting plots with challenges for the characters. Musical settings are dated but are typical of the time period. Some useful episodes for teaching group communication as well as interpersonal relationships. A little law, too.
Paper Chase Season 1 September 13, 2009
D. Lobo (Singapore)
We would very much like to order this series. However, the reviews are a bit unsettling in that quality suffers!
Could you endeavour to improve the quality like digitally remastered to be able to enjoy on HD TV etc. ASAP so that we can place order and 'get into the courtroom.'
Daphne n Kumar, Singapore
Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
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