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"I hear nothingk! I see nothingk! I know nothingk!" Between 1965 and 1971, a very popular TV sitcom was set in the most unlikely of places: a prisoner of war (P.O.W.) camp located somewhere in Germany during World War II. The show, entitled "Hogan's Heroes", had the equally unlikely plot that a group of prisoners within the P.O.W. camp, known as Stalag 13, were actually a group of guerilla fighters that would carry out clandestine espionage and sabotage missions against the German armed forces from the camp. To carry out their mission, the prisoners had dug an extensive set of tunnels beneath the camp, had bugged the office of the camp's commanding officer (the dimwitted Colonel Wilhelm Klink, as played by veteran actor Werner Klemperer, 1920-2000) and operated a clandestine short-wave radio by which they would communicate with allied personnel located in London. Of course, the Germans had no idea that the prisoners, lead by the highest-ranking prisoner named Colonel Robert E. Hogan (1928-1978), were actually carrying out guerilla attacks against them. What contributed to the show's success was due in large part to the wonderful acting of Bob Crane (who received Emmy nominations for his role as Col. Hogan in 1966 and 1967) and Werner Klemperer (who won two Emmy's for his role as Col. Klink in 1968 and 1969, and also received Emmy nominations in 1966, 1967 and 1970). Equally contributing were the excellent scripts, engaging stories and the humor that permeated each episode. Other wonderful characters included the head German guard Sgt. Hans Georg Schultz (John Banner, 1910-1973), Cpl. Louis LeBeau (Robert Clary), Cpl. Peter Newkirk (Richard Dawson, who is also remembered as the M.C. for the TV game show "Family Feud" between 1976-1985), Sgt. James 'Kinch' Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon, between 1965-1970), Sgt. Andrew Carter (Larry Hovis, 1936-2003), Sgt. Richard Baker (Kenneth Washington, between 1970-1971) and General der Infantrie Albert Burkhalter (Leon Askin), who was Col. Klink's commanding officer. Other characters include SS officer Maj. Wolfgang Hochstetter (Howard Caine, 1928-1993, who was on the show between 1967-1971), Col. Klink's secretary Helga (Cynthia Lynn, between 1965-1966) and his other secretary Hilda (Sigrid Valdis, between 1966-1970). Also, with a long list of guest actors, "Hogan's Heroes" never failed to entertain and make people laugh in what would otherwise be a very unpleasant situation. Billy Wilder's Oscar-award winning 1953 film "Stalag 17" is often attributed for being one of the main inspirations for "Hogan's Heroes". However, whereas "Stalag 17" was a very serious film about German-held P.O.W.'s during World War II, "Hogan's Heroes" transformed the brutality of the Nazis and their war by portraying them as being completely clueless and farcical. It also included Col. Hogan having his way with several ladies, including Helga, Hilda and a variety of other women beyond the bounds of Stalag 13. Other serious films that may have inspired the creation of "Hogan's Heroes" were the 1962 Oscar-award-winning "The Longest Day" and the 1963 "The Great Escape", as well as the serious TV shows "Combat" (1962-1967) and "Twelve O'Clock High" (1964-1967). Another probable inspiration for "Hogan's Heroes" was the TV sitcom "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966), that was set on a P.T. boat in the Pacific during World War II. (Then President John F. Kennedy who was a decorated PT boat commander from the war was no doubt an inspiration for "McHale's Navy".) Overall, I rate "Hogan's Heroes: The Complete First Season" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and am very glad to see it coming out on DVD. Certainly war should never be taken lightly, but "Hogan's Heroes" never showed any disrespect for those who fought Germany during World War II. On the contrary, "Hogan's Heroes" showed that many were willing to sacrifice themselves behind enemy lines; it just did so in a very funny & fictitious way. My favorite episodes from the first season include "The Informer" (the series pilot), "Hold the Tiger", "Kommandant of the Year", "Movies Are Your Best Escape", "Go Light on the Heavy Water", "Happiness is a Warm Sergeant", "Hogan's Hofbrau", "Oil for the Lamps of Hogan", "Happy Birthday, Adolf", "The Pizza Parlor", "Psychic Kommandant" and "Cupid Comes to Stalag 13".