Emmy Award winner
Michael Chiklis stars
as Tony Scali, a
former Brooklyn cop now the Police Commissioner of a small upstate
city. But for Scali, this is no desk job. He's a tough yet
compassionate boss, a loving husband and father, and a hands-on
law enforcer with an unorthodox style of bending the rules. From
parenthood to politics, from sex crimes to murder cases, one man
takes it day-to-day with offbeat humor and street-smart skill.
Features the 4 best episodes from Season One chosen by series
creator Stephen J. Cannell.
CRITIQUE
The Commish
is not just one those cop shows. It's not about the murders or how
grisly they are, but instead the show focuses on the characters
and how they deal with certain cases. There's some pretty
decent-sized comedy in the episodes below, which is refreshing.
The acting is very good with the standout being Michael Chiklis,
he's quite terrific, actually. The characters are realistic and
seem interesting.
In the
Best of Families
Tony is
threatened
with criminal negligence after the son of a prominent lawyer hangs
himself in his cell. Also, Rachel's brother "helps" Tony and
Rachel look for a larger house; and Tony devises a strategy for
capturing a gang of convenience store stick-up artists and outwits
a "jumper" determined to leap off the police department roof.
Do You See What I See
The commissioner sets out to trap a serial rapist in a Santa Claus
mask who's been terrorizing the city. And when a cop who's caught
sleeping on duty implies that Commissioner Scale has forgotten how
rough midnight tours can be, Tony takes the graveyard shift and
gets paired with a tough-talking female officer.
Sex, Lies
and
Kerosene
Tony and Paulie investigate a puzzling arson case in which the
husband of a beautiful woman appears to have been murdered.
The Puck Stops Here
Mike Cermak - star high school hockey player, recovering addict,
and good friend of the Scali Family - becomes
a prime drug
ring suspect. Meanwhile, Tony and
Rachel must
make a
momentous decision: when or not
to terminate her
pregnancy.
THE VIDEO
Anchor Bay
Entertainment presents
The Commish in 1.33:1 fullscreen format. The video looks
a bit soft here and there while detail and sharpness are presented
just decent enough. The opening credits look the worst it seems,
but the episodes themselves come off alright with a decent
presentation.
THE AUDIO
Anchor Bay
Entertainment presents
The Commish in English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. Dialogue
is presented clearly most of the time as are the sound effects and
music. The front speakers do a fine job and that's all there is.
THE EXTRAS
There are no
supplements included with this release.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I am recommending
this DVD to newcomers of the show only. Fans probably
already own the Season sets.
