Description

Episodes: "There Was a Little Girl" - Assigned to guard the teenage daughter of a U.S. Cabinet Member, Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott discover that "baby-sitting" can be a very hazardous operation. Co-Starring Mary-Jane Saunders. "Sparrowhawk" - The youthful ruler of a foreign country visits Las Vegas on a vacation but it is no holiday for agents Robinson and Scott when they are entrusted with the safety of the boy, who becomes an assassin's target. Co-Starring Clive Clerk "Its All Done With Mirrors" - Brainwashed by a hostile power until he believes his friend Alexander Scott is a traitor to the U.S., Kelly Robinson sets out to murder his fellow agent. Co-Starring Fay Spain and Carroll O'Connor. "Lori" - Nancy Wilson is a guest star as a Las Vegas singer embroiled in the violence of international intrigue when her would-be agent brother is marked for death. Co-Starring Malachi Throne and Greg Morris. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Bridge of Spies" - On assignment in Italy, agents Robinson and Scott meet a beautiful Italian guide who takes them on a tour of baffling murders. Co-Starring Barbara Steele. "A Gift from Alexander" - Agents Robinson and Scott do some moonlighting between assignments to help locate a priceless manuscript in Venice, Italy. Co-Starring Anna Karina and Michael Constantine. "To Florence with Love, Part I" - Katie, an innocent New England girl, attempts to return a priceless painting to a gallery in Italy. She is thwarted by a band of bumbling but dedicated Italian thieves. Co-Starring Joey Heatherton. "To Florence with Love, Part II" - Stunned to learn that the Madonna portrait they have delivered is a fake, Robinson, Scott and Katie concoct a desperate scheme to correct their goof before the news gets out in the conclusion part of "To Florence with Love." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good collections of episodes
I was introduce to this series by the move I Spy Retrun.

The only episode I didn't like the first time is the "A Gift from Alexander", all other three episodes is very well done.

That is why I give it 4/5.

A great series ill served
From one of the greatest TV-series ever made, these episodes are wonderful. But...these are, without a doubt, the worst DVD transfers you will ever see. No attention was paid to the quality of the transfer - they continually go in and out of focus. I have both #13 and this one and they are both dreadful quality. I'd love to buy all of them but I won't buy another. I have a state of the art gaming computer and every DVD I own plays perfectly except for these I-Spy DVDs. Image Entertainment and Peter Rodgers Organization should be ashamed to be foisting these off on the public. Disgraceful.

Good for fans of the series
If you like I Spy then get this DVD. It has the only two part episode (To Florence With Love) and a good spy episode with Bridge of Spies. The best of the lot, on this DVD, is A Gift From Alexander. It's an engaging, humorous tale with good plot and twists. In the end, Robinson and Scott get decorated by the USSR. A hoot, considering this was filmed/aired during the mid-60s. The color and quality of the episodes are good. But there are no extras that many DVDs now-a-days have. It has chapter selections that are basically the same places where the comercials would have went. Still, if you are an I Spy fan, or spy show fan, this is a good one. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Blackout" - When Kelly Robinson is implicated in the murder of a beautiful Russian ballerina and suspected agent, he and his partner Alexander Scott are given eight hours to disprove the charges. Co-Starring Zohra Lampert and Alan Oppenheimer. "Room with a Rack" - Obviously troubled over his slow physical and emotional recovery from a severe beating that imperils his career and a normal life, Kelly Robinson takes desperate measures to prove his worth. "Get Thee to a Nunnery" - American and British intelligence agents attempt to outfox each other while seeking a reputed fortune in World War II contraband. Co-Starring Peter Lawford. "Mainly on the Plains" - A fun-loving old man whose formula for a missile device places him in constant jeopardy refuses to take the threats seriously. Co-Starring Boris Karloff. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Three Out Of Four Ain't Bad
Out of the four episodes presented on this disc, two are outstanding, and one is pretty darned good, especially if you're a Boris Karloff fan (you know who you are). Despite the fact that the episode entitled "Get Thee To A Nunnery" would have been better left on the cutting room floor, the disc is worth having, especially at the nice price. "Blackout" is superb, and is a showcase for Robert Culp's excellent acting skills. No other actor during the '60's spy craze gave such credibility to his character than Bob Culp, and his work here proves why audiences then (and now) preferred to spend their Thursday nights with the NBC Peacock. "Room With A Rack," is also a fine episode, although the writer(s) do, at times, ask the audience to suspend their groundings in reality just a tad too far and too long(just why would a highly trained undercover CIA agent allow himself to be persuaded--in public--to fight a bull in a ring? Criminey!). Ah, but such is the nature of television, and it sure the hell beat out anything else out there in the genre at that time. Which brings us to "Mainly On The Plains," a light-hearted look at an eccentric rocket scientist (Boris Karloff), whose belief that he is Cervantes's Don Quixote is due to the burdens of carring around a secret anti-missile missle formula. That Culp and Cosby had a great time filming the story is patently obvious, and their repartee transcends the flaws in the script (a guard strums a guitar to the chords of a Rodrigo guitar sonata, rather than holding Scott, Robinson and Don Silvando at bay with a machine gun, which is propped up against a wall. Double-criminey!!). I suspect that working with Mr. Karloff was a treat for the two principles, as their light-heartedness pervades through the entire episode and is downright infectious. Of particular note is Earle Hagen's delightful score, which rounds out the episode quite nicely. Three out of four episodes ain't too bad, and I Spy-lovers should be pleased. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "The Medarra Block" - Robinson and Scott race against time in their effort to thwart a plot to overthrow the Moroccan government. Co-Starring Norman Fell. "Let's Kill Karlovassi" - Arriving at a resort community on the Greek coast, Robinson and ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Episodes
In addition to the Medarra Block (Morocco,)in which Kelly and Scott try to stop a plot to overthrow the Moroccan government,

this DVD has:

Let's Kill Karlovassi (Greece)Kelly and Scott are on an assassination assignment.

Laya (Greece)Scotty falls in love with a foreign embassy clerk who gets caught between sides

The Beautiful Children (Greece) Kelly ans Scott are assigned to bring an foreign agent, who doesn't want to be rescued) across the Greek border.

I think the episodes in Greece are especially good. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "The Lotus Eater" - The mysterious disappearance of Kelly Robinson somewhere in the Greek Islands sends Alexander Scott on a week-long search for his partner, who announces he has quit the service when he is finally found. Co-Starring Sheldon Leonard. "The Seventh Captain" - Baffled by the ease with which enemy anti-submarine experts have eluded detection in the waters off the Greek coast, the state department assigns Robinson and Scott, who not only lose their man but nearly their lives. Co-Starring Harold J. Stone and Nick Dennis. "Apollo" - Scott and Robinson thwart an attempt to sabatoge the United States moon shot project. Co-Starring Nancy Kovacs and Stewart Bradley. "Oedipus at Colonus" - Robinson and Scott must seek out Jahhad, the only man capable of averting a religious holy war from igniting in Morocco. Co-Starring Maurice Evans and Marne Maitland. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Mission: Find Volume 14
After James Bond and "The Avengers," "I Spy" just beats out "Mission: Impossible" as my all-time favorite espionage series. The stories are believable, with good action and light, non-campy humor, but the driving force of the show is its strong main characters. Robert Culp is an utterly charming leading man; Bill Cosby, playing it straight and only subtly humorous, comes off extremely cool and charismatic. Prior to watching "I Spy," I thought William H. Cosby, PhD., was nothing more than a boring, cutesy, "family-entertainment" comedian. Now I think the Cos kicks major booty and I'm one of his biggest fans. The wonderful friendship and chemistry he shared with Culp, on and off-screen, during an era when racism was en vogue, is something that truly touches me. Just one problem, though. After purchasing Volume 15, "The Lotus Eater," I looked at my video collection, and to my horror - I only have Volumes 1-13!!! Can someone throw me freakin' bone here and tell me if there's a Volume 14 out there, and if so, what's the title so I can look it up and buy it on Amazon.com?!

TV Star to American Diplomat
Bill Cosby is the Mark Twain of our times. As an entertainer and a writer he has infiltrated and influenced our national outlook for the better. His observances of the human condition will continue to inspire for generations to come. This series continues to elude most, but has a fervent following. At this point, there is nothing that can stop Mr. Cosby. Catch him here at an early peak in his career. I hope that he gets an Embassaborship. God Bless You Bill Cosby, you made my childhood a better time.

Best American TV Series Ever
With its combination of exterior location shots from all over the world and intelligent storytelling, this series stands at the apex of American TV. The stories on this DVD center around Hong Kong and probe deeply into Culp's and Cosby's characters and the nature of loyalty. If you haven't discovered the secret of I Spy, buy this DVD. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Vendetta" - A 16-year-old grudge has agent Kelly Robinson facing a death sentence in a kangaroo court when an embittered Italian family decides to settle an old score. Co-Starring Victor Francen. "Father Abraham" - Agents Robinson and Scott, entrusted with the life of a fellow agent being used as bait in a plot to foil enemy spies, are foiled themselves by their colleague's well-meaning, but meddling father. Co-Starring Tony Bill and Austin Willis. "Child Out of Time" - Because of her amazing retentive powers, the ten-year-old daughter of a former German collaborator becomes a pawn in her vengeful mother's plot to sell World War II secrets to the highest bidder. Co-Starring Nina Foch. "The Trouble with Temple" - Accused of being a spy, a movie producer in Spain uses his beautiful and unsuspecting girlfriend as a pawn in a death plot against agents Robinson and Scott. Co-Starring Jack Cassidy and Carol Wayne. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Little Boy Lost" - A teen-aged boy, reacting to the cold indifference of his father, a busy scientist, becomes the object of a frantic search by friendly and enemy agents when he disappears with a piece of classified equipment. Co-Starring Ronnie Howard. "Casanova from Canarsie" - A meek ex-government file clerk with knowledge of the U.S. nuclear program goes on vacation in Spain and becomes the target of a modern Mata Hari. Co-Starring Wally Cox and Leticin Roman. "Night Train to Madrid" - A troupe of USO entertainers is headed by a self-centered comedian who becomes an enemy propaganda target. Co-Starring Don Rickles and Barbara McNair. "Cops and Robbers" - Tommy, an enemy agent who exploits his friendship with Alexander Scott, attempts to steal top-secret data. Co-Starring Jim Brown and Beah Richards. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Winner--Even With Rickles
OK, so Rickles has a limited appeal (at best)--so what! While it's pretty ponderous (I wish I wouldn't spit when I say that), "Night Train To Madrid" is interesting, if for no other reason than to see Don Rickles play a character, rather than himself. Rickles started out as an actor, and while he's no slouch, the episode does drag. It appears evident that Culp and Cosby weren't too thrilled about the script; they lack their customary energy, and the whole thing seems like a collective shrug of the shoulder.

Now then, onto the good stuff. "Little Boy Lost" is a swell episode, even though the bad guys are wearing suits in a Santa Monica amusement park (!), and you can spot 'em a mile away. Welllll, it's 1966 entertainment, folks, so deal with it and look beyond the small stuff. In this episode, Kelly is less a womanizer than he is an idealist (he argues the virtues of "The Federalist" over "Das Kapital," thereby blowing his carnal chances with a shapely blonde spy), but loses none of his appeal as a charmer in the face of danger ("Hi there! How're things on your side??"). All in all it's not bad, and the Chayefsky-esque ending is a scream.

"Casanova From Canarsie" is fluff, pure and simple, but it's pretty funny, and allows Culp to stretch out his comedic talents. Cosby maintains an air of mock dignity a la Oliver Hardy throughout, perfectly consistent with the character of Alexander Scott. On the whole, a nice offering.

Ah, but "Cops and Robbers"--the best is saved for last. This episode marks one of Bill Cosby's finest performances, and with an intelligient subtlety explores the depth of his friendship with Kelly. Clearly, by the end of 1966, Cosby had perfected the character of a man who is both cool and complex. True, Jim Brown and his henchman are casted as the stereotypical badman and his psychotic assistant, but I will presume that this was done to illustrate the stark contrasts between the villains and the controlled intelligience of Robinson and Scott. After all, there's alot of ground to cover 51 minutes, and the "I Spy" team pulls it off quite well. I'd give this disc 4 1/2 stars.

Oh, by the way, the video image is superb throughout this disc, although I did notice that the soundtrack seemed muted, particularly on "Cops and Robbers." Still, this is a superb disc, and well worth the pittance it costs to experience a fine television series at the peak of its powers.

Episodes
This is not so much a review as to tell which episodes are on this DVD. Little Boy Lost (of course) with Ron Howard as a misunderstood boy who steals a piece of equiptment to get noticed by his too-busy Dad.

Casanova From Canarsie with Wally Cox as a government file clerk who becomes the target of a spy because of what he knows about the U.S. nuclear program.

Night Train to Madrid with Don Rickles as an obnoxious entertainer in a USO show.

Cops and Robbers (a boyhood friend of Scott's tries to use the relationship to get top-secret data). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Waging the Cold War with maximum cool, Robert Culp and Bill Cosby played offbeat secret agents for the U.S. Department of Defense in the classic mid-1960s TV program I Spy. Using the cover of "tennis bums on the circuit," the two roamed the world on unusual and very dangerous assignments that inevitably brought them into contact with plenty of action, romance, and tongue-in-cheek humor. The program was novel at the time for casting an African American in a lead role, but for the most part the show wasn't meant to be terribly serious. In the episodes in this collection the agents do clandestine battle with various bad guys and even face a dangerous international villain played to the hilt by the show's producer, Sheldon Leonard. The individual plots hardly matter, of course, as the point is that the dashing undercover agents get into fistfights that are accompanied by jazzy soundtracks, meet up with dangerous ladies in evening gowns, and manage to make sardonic comments no matter the danger. Yet one surprising episode does inject a bit of dark reality into program, as it begins in an office in the Pentagon, and involves Culp parachuting into jungles somewhere in Southeast Asia. Films of B-52s flying in formation may bring some seriousness to the proceedings, but for the most part these I Spy episodes are classics of escapist television. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Description

Episodes:
Pinwheel - Melanie, a somewhat scatterbrained but highly effective agent, becomes an unwelcome third member of the Robinson and Scott team on an Acapulco assignment. Co-Starring Arlene Galonka.
Name of the Game - A deranged former Army officer uses Robinson and Scott as quarries in a macabre version of a big game hunt. Co-Starring Lloyd Nolan.
Suitable for Framing - A routine assignment to accompany a government VIP on a trip through Mexico erupts into an international incident. Co-Starring Dan Tobin and John Fiedler.
The Spy Business - Robinson and Scott investigate the actions of a fellow agent and close friend suspected of being a traitor. Co-Starring Dane Clark and Paul Richards. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: " Lisa" - Wedding plans of a pretty mail-order bride from Greece are marred soon after her arrival in the United States when she is suspected of being an enemy courier. Co-Starring Linda Marsh. "So Coldly Sweet" - A beautiful enemy agent's alleged defection to the United States becomes a cause celebre assignment. Co-Starring Diana Hyland. "Trial by Treehouse" - Agents Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott participate in a desparate masquerade in an attempt to thwart the sabotaging of a Stateside hydroelectric plant. Co-Starring Cicely Tyson and Douglas Leonard. "Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up" - Two enemy agents assume the identities of Robinson and Scott in a deadly plot to kidnap a United States rocket scientist. Co-Starring Anna Capri and Lee Phillips. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: "Sophia" - While vacationing in Rome with co-agent Kelly Robinson, Alexander Scott gets involved and jailed over the impending marriage of his Italian foster-daughter. Co-Starring Caterina Borato and Gordon Mitchell. "Rome Take Away Three" - Investigating a serious security leak in Italy, agents Robinson and Scott encounter a blackmail plot involving a U.S. embassy employee who is threatened with scandal. Co-Starring Ulf Kjellin and Nehemiah Persoff. "Tonia" - Tonia is used as a pawn in a plot by Italian revolutionaries to turn agents Robinson and Scott against each other. Co-Starring Leslie Uggams. "One of Our Bombs is Missing" - An unmanned American plane goes down somewhere in Italy and agents Robinson and Scott are assigned to retrieve its cargo--an atomic bomb. Co-Starring David Mauro and Dewey Martin. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sights and sounds of Italy in the 60s
This DVD for I Spy marks one of the better episodes -- Sophia. Scotty's visiting his adoptive daughter, and finds she has a lout for a boyfriend. There's some humorous moments in Rome. In Rome Take Away Three, Culp showcases his talents in transforming Kelly Robinson from a happy go lucky tennis player to a hard agent. There's little humor and some good drama here. Real spy stuff. In Tonia, Cosby gets to play the spy pawn with a girl who is being used by the Italian Communists. Good drama, and mix of humor for this episode. In One of Our Bombs is Missing, the episode mirrors a real life event that had happened in 1966. The agents are looking for an Atom Bomb that had been swiped by Italian villagers after a USAF bomber crashed in the mountains. There's too much humor for this episode. It seems to be modeled after Italian "over the top" acting, too. The U.S. Air Force really did have a B-52 that went down off the coast of Spain, in 1966, and lost something like four H-bombs that had to be recovered. If you are a fan of the show, this is a good DVD. If not, there are others that showcase the I Spy TV show better. Namely I Spy - So Coldly Sweet or I Spy Sparrowhawk. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

DON"T BUY THIS IF---
Don't buy this dvd set if you already have the first Dick Van Dyke Show DVD, as this set has the EXACT 6 same shows on it--"The Night The Roof Fell In", "Never Name A Duck", "Show Me Your Walls", "A Man's Teeth Are Not His Own", "Hustling The Hustler", and "Bank Book". They mislead you by saying there are 10 episodes, but only 6 are The Dick Van Dyke Show. The other 4 are The Lucy Show-- "Lucy Meets John Wayne", "Lucy The Fight Manager", "Lucy Meets Tennessee Ernie Ford", and "Lucy Gets Caught In The Draft". I already had ALL these SAME episodes!!

Nothing New
This is NOT more Dick Van Dyke. It's the same as the previously offered DVD, but plus a second disc with the Lucy Show. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

RIGHT ON MAUDE!!!!!!
GOD! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! I can remember when TV Land did a Maude-a-thon a few years ago, and I practically broke my neck to tape every episode. Unfortunately, the sound was'nt very good on some of the episodes, considering I was recording from an old tv at the time.
Since the technology of DVDS and the release of Norman Lear's other classic sitcoms, All in the Family, The Jefferson's, ect., I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Maude!!!!
Beatrice Arthur is one of my all-time favorite funny ladies and she was just darling as Maude!!! I loved her on the Golden Girls, but she really shined as the acid tongued Maude!!!
She had it all, controversy, quick wit,that great 70's hairstyle,those awesome pantsuits, and a husband like Walter!!!
In one episode she said the name Walter so much I lost count!!!
Anyways, I could go on and on about the greatness of Maude, and I hope to see her immortalized on DVD where she belongs!!!! It would also be nice to feature an on-camera interview with Beatrice Arthur discussing her most unforgettable character!!!
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! DVD GODS IF YOU ARE LISTENING RELEASE MAUDE PRONTO!!!

...and then there's Maude
Quite possibly the funniest TV sitcom ever, it is about time this incredible show hit the home video market. Having actually NEVER been available before (not even on Beta!), this is a must-own collection, with a superb cast headed by the one-and-only Beatrice Arthur, with marvelous support by Bill Macy, Adrienne Barbeau, Conrad Bain, Rue McClannahan, and others. Get this for a great trip back to the sensational, daring 1970s.

"Gawd'll get ya for that, Walter!"
This was one of the loudest, funniest, gutsiest comedies on the tube thirty years ago.And now that I think of it, Maude Findlay might be the only woman on a comedy series to ever get an abortion.Pretty astonishing that it happened at all, given that in 1972 the Rowe vs. Wade case hadn't even fully played out yet.Hey, whoever owns this baby nowadays [is it still Norman Lear?] needs to get it onto digital disc format ASAP.I'd love to hear Bea Arthur's commentary on the abortion episode -- a two parter if I recall!!

... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby were the hippest cold warriors on 1960s TV, swinging spies who joshed, joked, and goofed like old chums between tight situations and cloak-and-dagger cases. They didn't merely make the world safe for democracy; they effectively broke the color barrier by giving us black and white partners as both friends and equals. The first DVD collection of episodes includes a pair of unrelated stories from late in the series. "A Few Miles West of Nowhere," directed by Arthur Marks (Detroit 9000), pits the boys against rural small-town godfather Andrew Duggan, a bully who turns the town into club-wielding vigilantes poisoned against all outsiders, especially government officials. Richard Kiel (Jaws from the James Bond films) costars as a giant half-wit who Duggan turns into a hateful henchman. "The Trouble with Temple," directed by Tom Gries (Helter Skelter), brings the boys to Spain where they investigate actor Jack Cassidy, who is suspected of smuggling state secrets, and meet not-so-dumb blonde Carol Wayne, Cassidy's sweet, smart, neglected girlfriend. "Temple" brims over with character at the expense of its espionage plot but delightfully breaks genre expectations, while "Nowhere" rather lazily falls into cliché. Ultimately, it's Culp's charm, Cosby's comic understatement, and the duo's loose patter and easy camaraderie that make these both thoroughly enjoyable episodes. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Two Hip Spies
Younger audiences may only know Bill Cosby from "The Cosby Show" and Robert Culp from "The Greatest American Hero", but this is the show that set them on their way. This series had the distinction of not only being the first action/drama series one to have an African-American in a prominent starring role, but it also was one of the most expensive shows to produce. Why? They filmed on location around the world. One of the coolest spy shows from the 1960s.

Great series, but only a good choice of stories
As a big fan of the series, there are much better episodes which could be released. However, the two episodes here are not exactly bad - and "A Few Miles West of Nowhere" is socially conscious in ways that Star Trek could never hope to accomplish (Trek is phony fiction, I Spy is real life by comparison).

Classic TV
It's good to see this groundbreaking tv series on DVD but I would have preferred to see the first two episodes rather than two arbitrary episodes from the middle of the shows run- especially since these seem to be the only two episodes available. Cosby and Culp are at the top of thier game. ... Read more