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Rating: Country: USA Release Date: July 27, 2010 Distributor: A&E Home Video Grade: B-

My wife loves to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter. Me, I just like Duane "Dog" Chapman the man, because of his life story and how he basically powers a series based off his charisma alone. Let's face it, if you've seen three unique episodes of Dog the Bounty Hunter, you've seen the rest of them. He's either (a) hunting a bounty in Hawaii, (b) hunting a bounty in Colorado, (c) ... You know, I don't remember what the third episode is.

Here's how it usually breaks down: We see a thread of domesticity or office politics -- someone's birthday, or the kids want a puppy. Then we get the whiteboard session telling us how dangerous this week's fugitive (i.e. someone who missed his court date) is. This is followed by lots of driving around in black SUVs, making cell phone calls, and showing flyers. The chase is climaxed by the team running pell mell into someone's house or apartment, where the shirtless fugitive is smoking a cigarette and watching television, often giving a deer in the headlights look. Close out with a revisit of the opening thread to give the story some closure. Run credits.

Now, it's not that I wish Dog or his family any harm at all -- far from it. As I've said, I like the guy. But after three seasons, I'm seriously questioning how dangerous it is bringing in strung out junkies who don't put up much of a fight or flight. Wouldn't it be a more thrilling episode if the fugitive at least came out swinging? Or gave chase? Or barricaded himself in his apartment, shouting a Cagney-esque, "You'll never take me alive, Dog!" Maybe these takedown situations do happen. Maybe the fugitive even opens fire (Dog himself carries no gun, owing to a past felony conviction prior to becoming a white hat), and the cameras just aren't invited along on these hunts to protect the A&E crew.

The episode titles try to make each situation at least seem a little different. For instance, "Save the Dogs" focuses on a fugitive who had listed among his accusations "Animal Cruelty" (he was accused of torturing a kitten), and was in possession of a quite healthy pooch when quietly apprehended. "No Fly Zone" culminated in an arrest at the airport, beyond the security gate. This one had lots of dramatic surveillance and jogging past the gates, until finally the fugitive walks up to them.

"Crime is on the Run?" More like "Crime is on the Couch."