Walking Tall - The Complete TV Series

Actors: Bo Svenson, Rad Daly, Heather Mcadam, Walter Barnes, Harold Sylvester
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD

Buy New: $49.95

New (10) Used (7) from $34.88

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

10 reviews
Sales Rank: 44050

Format: Color, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 340
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

UPC: 043396129627
EAN: 0043396129627
ASIN: B000E1EHQ8

Theatrical Release Date: January 17, 1981
Release Date: March 7, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: new, factory-sealed

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Not to be confused with the popular movies of the same name, Walking Tall - The Complete Series is a two-disc set containing seven episodes made for NBC television in 1981. Bo Svenson, who replaced Joe Don Baker as Sheriff Buford Pusser for the 1975 sequel to the original 1973 film (the 2004 remake featured Chris "the Rock" Vaughan), stars again as the no-nonsense rural lawman who uses a high-falutin' moral sensibility and a large club to keep order. Svenson is no Olivier (or Baker, for that matter), but pretty much anyone would have a tough time lifting this show above its level of mediocrity. What we have here is cornpone with a conscience, The Dukes of Hazzard with principles, tackling big issues (teen drug use in "The Killing of McNeal Country's Children," racism in "The Protectors of the People," industrial pollution in "Deadly Impact") with all the subtlety and nuance of Pusser's two-by-four, featuring villains who are beady-eyed, white trash lowlifes, mealy-mouthed corporate liars, or other stereotypes. And while Pusser freely delivers sententious pronouncements like "the law is this county's gotta stand for something other than just right or wrong" and lectures the townspeople about what's best for them and his families ("I'd think about that if I were you"), when things go too far he's only too ready to take matters into his own hands and bust a few heads, the law be damned. On the other hand, it's fun to see pre-stardom guest turns by actors like Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street films) and Eric Stoltz, along with former NFL star Merlin Olsen, who does a decent job as a former friend-turned-bad guy in "The Hitman." Although there is plenty of violence, none of it's particularly grisly by new millennium standards, and Walking Tall's touting of traditional family values will certainly have its adherents. The DVD set incudes no bonus features. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Svenson's best turn as Pusser November 28, 2008
After reading the Buford Pusser biography by W.R. Morris, the fiction of the walking tall movies started with the first film not the television series. Liberties were taken while pusser was present during the first film and because of that it opened the door for more and more fiction. How accurate was "tombstone" not very much. As far as entertainment level the WT television series is better than the sequels and is probably just behind the original w/Joe Don Baker. Bo Svenson plays the sherrif without political correctness, treats everyone equally and tells it like it is. No cop on television today does that or has the presence that svenson had, they are too hip, cool and hiding behind shades. There is more action in these episodes than in WT 2,3 and the drama is very good with Svenson giving a great performance.

5 out of 5 stars

DVD August 8, 2007
Loved thismovie now I can watch when ever I want & believe me I've watched it several times, My son has borrowed it more than once. Everything it was stated. A++++++

3 out of 5 stars

Mediocre TV Sheriff Show from the 70s July 9, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The original WALKING TALL movie shocked people of the time with its violence and straight forward, no-nonsense route to justice. To a lesser degree, the sequels tried to do the same thing. In the case of this series, an attempt was made to commercialize the idea. The attempt was not all that successful.

The movie worked because of a desire to see justice and because of a frustration with the system. In that context, Sheriff Buford Pusser's violence made sense. In the TV series, however, it is another matter. The violence and disregard of the system is present just for the sake of excitement.

The acting is a mixed bag as are the plots. There has been much worse which has lasted longer on TV. This show, only lasted for 7 episodes. That was enough.

Episode synopses follow:

The Killing of McNeal County's Children - Someone is selling PCP cigarettes in the local school and Sheriff Pusser is on the warpath trying to shut down sales. He wants action and will let the law catch up as best it can.

The Protectors of the People - Tensions flare when some white supremacists try to incite racial violence and blame the black community for crimes they committed themselves. It comes to a head when a black deputy is framed for raping a white woman.

Kidnapped - A bank robbery goes wrong and the head robber gets shot and arrested. That leaves his sons looking for a way to spring him. They decide to stage a kidnapping to get their dad back.

The Hitman - A big time vice operator is trying to get set up again in McNeal County and the Sheriff is making things difficult. To get around those difficulties, a hit man is hired. This hit man is an old friend of the Sheriff.

Company Town- Sheriff Pusser investigates a missing man from a mining town. His wife is convinced that he has been killed because he was speaking out for better working questions. The more the sheriff looks around, the more crooked the setup seems.

Deadly Impact - The sheriff gets suspicious when a lady is run off the road. She is a pollution whistleblower and that raises eyebrows.

The Fire Within - A man with a gunshot wound runs the sheriff of the road. It turns out he is involved in a dangerous gun running operation. Before the accident, the victim made a confession to a priest but the priest refuses to divulge any information which might help the case.

4 out of 5 stars

These episodes/stories are all fictional. July 30, 2006
These episodes/stories are all fictional.

I saw all of the Walking tall movies as a child and recently bought them all on DVD.

I don't even remember knowing of the series when it was on TV.

I bought the series on DVD hoping that it was somewhat based on true life events from the life Buford Pusser.

I was very disappointed to find out that the series had nothing to do with the true life, events of the legendary hero of a Sheriff, Buford Pusser.

There is a disclaimer at the end of each episode that is barely readable due to the small print and blurriness that says something to the effect of the stories are fictional events based on the career of Buford Pusser and that all characters except for Buford Pusser and his family are fictious.

You should also be aware that this series is supposed to take place in the early eighties and Buford Pusser actually died in the mid seventies.

One interesting fact that I found while reading about Buford Pusser and the movies Walking tall on the Internet, is that Bo Svenson was the second highest paid person on TV at that time, second only to Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show.

One other interesting thing that I found while reading about Buford Pusser and the movies Walking tall and the TV series, was that in the TV series episode where Buford Pusser burns down the bar, footage from the movie is reused, notice that the car he is driving reverts back to the Chevrolet Impala as he arrives at the bar and when he leaves, but in the rest of the series the police cars are not Chevrolets.

4 out of 5 stars

Forgotten part of the 'Walking Tall Saga' March 27, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

For me, Bo Svenson IS Buford Pusser. Of course Joe Don Baker played the role in the first (And many say the BEST) film.
But growing up in the late 70's and early 80's, it was Svenson's version that I saw the most. Svenson played the part on film, in Part II:Walking Tall, and Final Chapter:Walking Tall.
And in 1981, Svenson picked up the club again for this short lived TV show.
I was 12 when the show came out and I loved it. I had seen the 2nd and 1st film (in that order) and the story hooked me. I watched every show.(Which is not a big deal, since only 7 were made, but still.)
When I found out the DVD set of the show was coming out, I jumped at it. But I knew that what I loved at age 12 might seem silly now.
That is not the case. If you are a fan of the film series, and not a hardcore "Joe Don is Buford" fan, then you should enjoy this try at a TV show.
I don't think there is a 'clunker' in the set. Sure, some of the plots have been done before, and you may figure out the 'twists' early on, but they are great fun to watch.
Svenson makes a great Buford. Some say he looked more like him then Joe Don did.
The theme song stayed with me all these years, and it was a joy to hear it once again.
And some posters have already mentioned the great guest stars-here's one they missed: Chuck Conners. Though he doesn't go 'one on one' with Svenson's Buford, he is good in his role.
if you are a 'Walking Tall' fan, this is a must buy!

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