Rating: 
Summary: It's Aged Well
Review: I haven't seen these episodes in about 15 years, so it took me one or two hours to get re-accustomed to the mid-80s style of TV. Once the story gets rolling, however, I found that I enjoyed it as much as I remembered. Ray Sharkey's performance is extraordinary.Like other reviewers here, I was waiting for "Nights in White Satin" in the last episode, and until I checked here, I was wondering if perhaps I remembered it wrong. Well, it's a relief to find out my memory hasn't deteroriated yet. However, it's a shame that music rights issues still cause so many problems. I wouldn't be too quick to blame the Moody Blues, or any other artist. Very often the artists have nothing to do with these decisions. Also, the producers very likely wanted to include the original songs, but the licensing demands may have made the cost of production prohibitive...yes? In the last few years, especially since DVD was introduced, film and TV productions routinely negotiate the music rights at the time of production, so that it doesn't become an issue in future video releases. Since this wasn't a practice in earlier days, we unfortunately get stuck with compromises like this one. Frankly, I always thought the use of "Nights in White Satin" was somewhat bizarre and incongruous, since it's such a romantic piece... but that's doubtless why I remember the original scene so well. I guess I'm lucky that's the only change that I notice (it is pretty glaring). From what I've read it's not the creative people (like Stephen Cannell or the Moody Blues) who put up these roadblocks. There are plenty of greedy "suits" who control the rights, and a director or producer may not be able to say "boo" to them. (They're probably the kind of people Sonny Steelgrave hangs out with...) For me it's worth it to have these shows in my collection. It's fun to revisit the days when a story "arc" was something new (it's become the rule today). The writing and acting are first-rate, and as for the music... well, the original theme is still catchy!
Rating: 
Summary: NOT SURE HOW TO FEEL
Review: I loved this show and have awaited the DVD release impatiently for years. Now that it is here, I have mixed feelings. It's great to watch the shows at will, but I must agree with the other disappointed fans that the missing music REALLY has a negative impact on the final product. The most obvious is the missing Moody Blues song. The scene loses much of its emotional resonance. This scene is the culmination of the entire story arc and has lasting repercussions in the following stories. The new placeholder music just does not work. I wish I could state otherwise. The other missing music is also annoying. The scenes with Aldo Baglia singing along with the radio in the final episode were much more ironic & just plain funnier as originally presented. One would think that it's obvious how important soundtrack music can be. I believe the success of "The Sopranos" and even Martin Scorcese's "Goodfellas" is largely due to the soundtrack score. Both of these examples--and Wiseguy--benefit from the use of popular music. Perhaps because mob movies have become part of the fabric of American folklore and pop music places it in that context. I have read online that it was a choice between changing the music and not putting out the DVD. The music rights were so expensive as to make the DVD production cost prohibitive. If that is the case, I'm glad the DVD exists, but I'm saddened that it must exist in this castrated form. I hope the money savings is worth the loss of artistic integrity. Maybe someone who's never seen Wiseguy before can be a more objective commentator. I hope there will not be compromises like this in the future Wiseguy DVD releases, because I'd still like to own them all.
Rating: 
Summary: My favorite TV show of the eighties
Review: I nearly jumped for joy when I saw that this great series was going to be released in DVD format--all I can say is "It's about time!" This was the show which pioneered "story arcs" where a plot line ran through a limited number of episodes of a series. In the first season of "Wiseguy", there were not one but two fabulous story arcs. The first arc featured the late, great Ray Sharkey in a searing performance as the crime lord Sonny Steelgrave--anyone who saw the last episode of this arc must wonder to this day why Sharkey didn't get an Emmy nomination for his performance. The second arc (which I actually saw before I saw the Steelgrave arc) featured a then-unknown actor named Kevin Spacey who was as memorable as in his performance as Ray Sharkey was in his. Which is not to slight the regulars in the series--they were all wonderful. If the thought of another so-called reality series makes you violently ill, do check out this DVD set when it comes out--this is truly imaginative and creative television art!
Rating:
Summary: Not just for *Mobster* Fans
Review: I was excited to see this series come out on DVD. I know many of my friends are hesitant to order it because they think you have to belong to the "cult of mob" movies to enjoy it. You don't. This is an excellent series dealing with the themes of family, betrayal, and morality all told within the confines of an undercover FBI agent. In this day and age when TV is all excited about "for love or money" or other lame reality fare, do yourself a favor and pick up this wonderfully complex series from the 1980's. You will be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as you remember
Review: I was really excited a couple years ago when Court TV starting rebroadcasing this series. I planned to tape every episode for my permenant collection. Then something wierd happened: after four or five episodes I had to admit to myself it just wasn't as good as I remembered. In it's time, it was certainly cutting edge and I never missed an episode. Now it feels like I've seen all this too many times. (Not the series fault, of course.) Also, watching several episodes together, you begin to get that "dragged out" feeling that all series have. You're led right to the edge of a climax, then by some quirk of fate, Vinnie is not unmasked as an FBI agent or Sonny somehow slips the clutches of the law...again. After this happens three or four times, you start to say "C'mon, give me a break here." Same thing with Vinnie's romances. I don't think they ever last more than one episode, because it just wouldn't be interesting for him to have the same girlfriend too long. Ken Wahl was certainly an inspired choice for the lead, but there are times he's so "down-to-earth", so "common", he's downright neanderthal, and you wonder how this guy ever graduated from grade school, much less became an FBI agent. Funny, when I first read that the original soundtrack was missing from the DVD, I immediately thought of Nights in White Satin. I can't imagine the final scene between Vinnie and Sonny without that music. Anyway, you may want to think about renting a few of the discs before you spend all this money on outdated memories.
Rating:
Summary: The best TV show - finally on DVD.
Review: I'm delighted to find out that part one of the first season of Wiseguy is due to be released on DVD. It's almost certain that we're dealing here with the Sonny Steelgrave arc alone, on account of the set's total time of 600 minutes that suffices to include 10-11 episodes only. General background -
------------------------ Wiseguy tells the story of Vincent Terranova (played by Ken Wahl), a.k.a Vinnie, who had been originally assigned to the Undercover Agents plan of the O.C.B (Organized Crime Bureau), and was sent to prison for a year and a half to substantiate his cover as a criminal, in the eyes of the under world. The story starts as he gets out of jail, and it becomes clear that his purpose in life is to bring down the crime barons of the U.S. The figures that help and support him are Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks), his supervising officer and the lifeguard 'Uncle Mike Terranova' also known as Daniel Benjamin Burroughs (Jim Byrnes). This program is divided into story arcs of varying lengths with regulars and new characters appearing in each arc. The uniqueness of Wiseguy is embedded in its rare treatment of the negative characters; a common person could earn a rare glimpse into the world in which people are so different from himself - yet so much alike - and sometimes understand and identify with their problems and actions. The Steelgrave Arc -
---------------------- All the above is told primarily in regard to this arc, which is the best of the series; the arc's remarkable cast and its outstanding performance, superb storyline and multidimensional characters, sadness and, ultimately, striking significance make it unmatched compared to all the arcs that followed it. Masterfully orchestrated action scenes are also an important factor that adds a lot to the appeal of this arc. And, yes, Ray Sharkey - without him it couldn't be the same. Ray Sharkey probably gives the roll of his lifetime with the portrayal of Sonny Steelgrave - the crime boss of New Jersey - as one of the most humane characters ever to be seen on television. His actions and motives, for good or ill, are understood and almost justified in the eyes of the viewer. The battle between right and wrong was never so strong, confusing and challenging. It is clear, after a few chapters, that the major issue is actually the decline of the Steelgrave empire. The weakness and vulnerability of Sonny become the center of the series, as the viewer sees how everybody in the underworld wants to get a piece of his crumbling realm. His racketeering enterprises, relatively small time crimes and drug distribution become minor as he has to face his formidable enemies with the help of Vinnie, that becomes his right hand, and that is also doomed to be his Brutus. Episode overview:
--------------------- Pilot (episodes 1 & 2) - this is the classic opening of the series. Right in the beginning you'll witness the release of Vinnie from the Newark State Penitentiary, a scene to be shown from that point on in the monumental opening theme by Mike Post. In a remembered early scene Vinnie initiates first contact with Sonny - and the rest is history; most of the major characters are presented and from that point on things start rolling pretty fast. In all, the foundations of the story are put in place, not without puberty hardships that would be amended later on. New Blood - an unforgettable episode, in which the characters of Sonny and of Vinnie are engaged in one of the zeniths of their relationship's development process. From that point on you'll be captured by the charm of this arc to the end. Originally, I'd seen this episode first (and saw the pilot after quite sometime) and it left an unfading impact on me - definitely not for the last time. The loose canon - in my money, one of the weakest in this arc, though quite interesting. We're starting to see how the lies affect Vinnie's life, but there were better episodes to illustrate this angle. The action scene in which Vinnie is shooting some bad guys while standing in a limousine is one of the most memorable of the series. The birthday surprise - a redundant episode that presents two formidable villains - The Zhoratso's. You might also remember the funny name Kiki Vanno after watching this one. One on one - a memorable episode with Annette bening. It has an especially thrilling scene in which Sonny almost reveals Vinnie's cover, and a hard scene about the tortures and then rescue of Frank McPike from captivity. Prodigal son - a strong episode in which Vinnie tells his mother, that has been in the dark regarding his true occupation, that he is a Fed. Another aspect of Sonny's weakness, humanity and compassion is revealed. A deal's a deal - one of the best episodes ever, originally it was made after the arc was finished, when the producers had decided to add a little more to the overall scheme of things; the three major points of interest here are the astounding attempt made by corrupt police officers to expose Vinnie's cover, the setting of the stage for the final conclusion and the introduction of Joey Romanauski, the real life singer Billy Vera. The song he sings, "Ronnie's song", is one of the best I've ever heard, partly, I guess, because of the emotions this episode generated in me. Evidently - top notch performances of all the players involved. The lesson learned in this episode (which is embedded in its name) is one not to be forgotten. The marriage of heaven and hell - the name refers to the upcoming wedding of Sonny with Teresa Baglia, the daughter of a has-been crime boss, mostly in order to strengthen Sonny's position in the eyes of the underworld. There is a complicated and messy betrayal triangle in the story, that leads to the arc's climax in the next episode. I remember being totally shocked and confused seeing the developments in this episode. However, it is nothing compared to the occurrences of the next episode. No one gets out of here alive - this is one of the most significant episodes - and probably the saddest - in the history of television. The most ill-fated finale of all times will always be a sad monument to everything this story is about: friendship, trust, loyalty and betrayal, choices, the different points of view people have and of how confusing the distinction between right and wrong, good and bad, true and false can be. The interweaving of the song "Nights in white satin" right before the horrific end will forever remind me of the true sadness and loss I felt during and after the heartbreaking and devastating conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: great entertainment
Review: it's 2004, and i rented the box set, and this is the 1st time
ever seeing the series, I work 3 pm to 11 pm for the last 20 yr's, so i missed out on a lotta tv series.
ken wahl and i went to the same high school, he graduated
3 yrs ahead of me, good to see a hometown guy do good.
law enforcement practices were a little short changed.
seems like showing i.d. cards, yr supposed to believed as a cop, and dealing with mobsters, working 1 man un marked car's
when ya know yr a thorn in the side of a local capo.
it was entertaining, and the arch storey line went well.
Rating:
Summary: great entertainment
Review: it's 2004, and i rented the box set, and this is the 1st time
ever seeing the series, I work 3 pm to 11 pm for the last 20 yr's, so i missed out on a lotta tv series.
ken wahl and i went to the same high school, he graduated
3 yrs ahead of me, good to see a hometown guy do good.
law enforcement practices were a little short changed.
seems like showing i.d. cards, yr supposed to believed as a cop, and dealing with mobsters, working 1 man un marked car's
when ya know yr a thorn in the side of a local capo.
it was entertaining, and the arch storey line went well.
Rating:
Summary: I'd like to pop a cap into somebody for this atrocity!
Review: K, this rates as one of TV's greatest moments and, in particular, Sharkey's Steelgrave is aces to anyone else's mobster, Tony Soprano inclusive. The grit was ahead of its time and belongs in the same era as, say, a Bochco show, David E. Kelley, "Oz", or "24". But it also had the trademark humor of Cannell that was in his other shows such as "Rockford Files" and the otherwise banal "A-Team." I am pleased as punch to know that all the arcs will see the laser light of day, BUT!!!!, I am in agreement with much of the rancor here: 1) The denouement of this debut arc was perfect as aired, IMHO. It needs that tandem of Young Rascals then Moodys to fit the mood flux of that scene. That dubbed song is an insult! Further the box set shoulda had a caveat, let the seasoned Wiseguy buyer beware, I mean they altered THE crucial moment, fer cryin' out loud!!!! And to you who sez listen to the "Days of Future Passed" while watching it? Aww c'mon! It ain't JUST the song. As Wahl says on the bizarre taciturn commentary (often sounds like he's answering questions from a film class...and making odd wise cracks, to boot), the long dramatic camera angles were truncated alongside the song, as well, drastically lobotomizing the mood and feel of the scene. In an uncharacteristic PC moment, Wahl sez it works, too. Bull hockey. I feel cheated. 2) So, releasing WG in arcs seems a no-brainer, which must mean that someone didn't, like, USE they brains to price the product. It should have been commensurate with other sets out there. Say, in the upper 20s, low 30s. I bought the whole season 1 of "24" at the same time as WG and paid the same for both, even tho list for the latter is 10 simoleons less. 3) Chintzy on the extras, I thought and yes, basics like no subtitles, no indexing. 4) No explanation in the booklet as to what happened to the principals (Sharkey died of AIDS, Wahl broke his neck in a bike wreck, etc.) 5) Anyone notice that www.kenwahl.com is a ghost and has 404'd? To think, I was given The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" which is only 4 episodes long itself. What IS going on in DVD-land folks? Shaft the loyal consumers?
Rating: 
Summary: Captioning??
Review: Love the series. Why no Closed-captioning for the hearing impaired????
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