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Complete First Season...Almost

HOGAN'S HEROES has had its share of critics over the years, but in my opinion it stands as one of the best TV comedies of all time. The entire cast was outstanding, and I was always amazed at how much story material the writers were able to pack into a half-hour program.

The new DVD set of the first season is quite impressive. I've only sampled the first three episodes so far, but judging from what I've seen, the picture quality is excellent and there are some nice little added touches here and there, such as original network announcements before the episodes letting you know that the following program is in COLOR. Each of the five discs comes in its own individual slim-line plastic case, which is a definite plus.

The only disappointment in the set is the pilot episode. The DVD version of "The Informer" is longer than the one shown in syndication, but it's still quite a bit shorter than the original program shown to CBS execs. A few years ago, a 3-volume set of HOGAN'S HEROES was released on VHS, and it included an unedited version of the pilot that ran a full 30 minutes (even without commercials). The complete episode features different music during the opening credits and contains several minutes of additional scenes not shown on the DVD. Most notably missing is the entire ending sequence with Klink and Hogan making a bet on how long it will take for the kommandant to become GENERAL Klink. It seems odd that the complete version of the pilot would not be included here, since a good print of it obviously still exists.

Nonetheless, it's great to see the series finally out on DVD. It's a must-have for any TV comedy collection.