Murder One - The Complete First Season | 
 enlarge | Directors: Lesli Linka Glatter, James Hayman, Nancy Savoca, Joe Ann Fogle, Elodie Keene
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $22.98
You Save: $17.00 (43%)
New (35) Used (18) from $14.97
Rating:  44 reviews
Sales Rank: 17271
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 6
Running Time: 1035 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 1
MPN: FOXD2224302D
UPC: 024543143017
EAN: 0024543143017
ASIN: B0006GAO36
Theatrical Release Date: September 19, 1995
Release Date: February 8, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 08/05/2008 Run time: 1012 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com
The best network drama to debut in 1995 was Murder One, and the first season still packs a wallop. By sustaining a compelling mystery through 23 brilliantly written episodes (or "Chapters"), creators Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee, and Channing Gibson brought their stellar talents to a format that clearly inspired later shows like 24. Bearing no resemblance to Bochco's L.A. Law, the series presents Los Angeles as "a bucket of crabs," where superstar defense attorney Ted Hoffman (Daniel Benzali) tackles the high-profile case of Neil Avedon (Jason Gedrick), a bad-boy actor accused of strangling his 15-year-old girlfriend. As Hoffman and his savvy associates pursue the truth, it becomes obvious that wealthy entrepreneur Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci at his oily best) is manipulating the case, confounding Hoffman and the LAPD detective (Dylan Baker) who's sleuthing all the clues. Every episode is crucial, and there's not a weak link in the entire supporting cast. Benzali bleeds charisma with his sotto voce dialogue and subtle moral conviction, holding forth in a sleazy den of Hollywood iniquity. It's a unique marriage of actor and character, and with so many talents on impressive display, Murder One rests squarely on Benzali's riveting performance. Subplots illustrate the heavy toll paid for Hoffman's legal passion; his wife (played to perfection by Patricia Clarkson) bears a taxing emotional burden. Barbara Bosson (then Bochco's wife) earned an Emmy nomination as the case's dogged prosecutor, and in addition to superb cast members Mary McCormack, J.C. MacKenzie, Michael Hayden, John Fleck, and Kevin Tighe, notable guest stars include Joe Spano, Brittany Murphy, Jena Elfman, Donna Murphy, and especially Bobbie Phillips as the murder victim's sister. Thanks to award-winning cinematography and high-class production design, Murder One remains one of the best-looking shows of its kind, a modern film noir with hidden truths in every shadow and threat-laden close-up. DVD extras are minimal but worthwhile: Two commentaries (by Gedrick on "Chapter 8" and director Randy Zisk on "Chapter 15"), and a 10-year retrospective featurette including most of the primary cast. What's never mentioned is that Murder One suffered poor ratings against ER on Thursday nights, changed most of its cast and format in season 2, and was inevitably cancelled. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 39 more reviews...
...and another thing March 13, 2008
madman (San Francisco, CA USA)
Wow, normally I blather on and on about something this fabulous, but the other reviewers have said it all. What a remarkable little jewel of a show, possessed of a depth and quality almost unknown to American television, most especially network television. The world is fortunate to have it on DVD, especially since apparently so few people watched it on broadcast.
I knew this was something different when the makers devoted an entire hour-long episode to the process of voir dire (jury selection). Cerebral, leisurely, and far from the traditional frenetic pace of modern TV. No gun battles, no car chases, no eating of worms, no unspeakable caterwauling by amateur "singers" whose ambition exceeds their talent, or snarky "judges" so informing them. In short, not exactly in line with the mass television market, then or now.
Even the music put this in a class by itself. Let other shows use sentimental themes, or popular-at-the-moment hit songs, already dated by rerun time, and cringeworthy or retro after that. Not on Murder One, thank you very much. The theme, the score, the whole shootin' match is done on a HARPSICHORD. The badminton of instruments, the croquet of keyboards.
So there we are, wallowing in a fetid bath of late 20th century Los Angeles decadence--amoral, scheming, manipulative, self-indulgent, greedy, even murderous people (and those are just the lawyers, ha ha). Then a cascade of plinking notes from this archaic, charming instrument whisks us off to an elegant Viennese salon of two or three centuries past, where we sip coffee from china cups and saucers, smiling and chatting softly with genteel and impeccable manners.
Just another touch of class that sets this production far above the herd.
"Citizen Kane" was a flop when it was released. Without elevating Murder One to that lofty pedestal, I can hope that it too will be recognized in the fullness of time as something very special.
Outstanding December 15, 2007
JimX67 (France)
High quality.
The french soundtrack IS available on both seasons and the translation is very good.
Murder One Is Simply Riveting November 24, 2007
Broken (Albany, NY)
When I purchased this TV series I had planned on watching one or two episodes per week, hoping it would last for a while. Little did I know it would be as riveting now as it was when it first aired in 1995 and I watched all 23 episodes within 2 weeks. Daniel Benzali and Jason Gedrick are phenomenal and their performances alone are worth the price of the DVD set. The plot, characters, writing, filming, directing, acting... everything is just top shelf. If you loved the series when it first aired, you'll love it as much now, if not more.
 Great TV and affordable, too June 26, 2007
Louis Hemmi (Houston, TX USA)
I missed most of the episodes of "Murder One" when it aired, and am so happy to catch up affordably.
Highly recommended June 20, 2007
Maria Marcoux
Whether you buy this to watch it for the first time, or to view it again as I did, this is a terrific DVD set. I had fogotten bits and pieces of it, so it was fun to see it again.
Stanley Tucci as the "evil incarnate" Richard Cross (his words, not mine) was superb.
I'm ordering Season Two, although Anthony LaPaglia replaces Daniel Benzali.
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