Scarecrow & Mrs. King: Season 4

It’s always a joy to see the final season of an older TV show hit DVD since sometimes it takes forever. Warner Brothers didn’t make us wait super long for the final season of Scarecrow & Mrs. King. They’ve released one a year for four years now.Romance is definitely in the air in season four since Lee “Scarecrow” Stetson (Bruce Boxleitner) and divorced mother of two Amanda King (Kate Jackson) have secretly started dating. They are keeping their relationship a secret since they both work for the Agency, a secretive spy branch that seems to track foreign agents in America but all over the world (think combining the FBI and CIA while running parallel to them). Among the people they aren’t telling are their boss Bill Melrose (Mel Stewart) and fellow agent Francine Desmond (Martha Smith). Amanda’s family doesn’t even know she’s a spy, so they definitely can’t tell her mother Dotty (Beverly Garland) or her two sons Phillip and Jamie (Paul Stout and Greg Morton).Of course, all this romance comes with danger as the two work cases that involve national security. Lee’s past comes back several times as a Soviet spy tries to get revenge in the two part opener. He also learns something about his parents who died when he was a boy. One of Lee’s contacts appears to die, only he might have faked his death. Amanda, meanwhile, is finally on her way to becoming a full blown agent – that is until a photo from her past threatens her status as an agent at all. The duo attempt to track down a man who has found a way to contaminate Washington DC’s water before terrorists get a hold of him. And even Amanda’s mother gets into the act in one episode when her new boyfriend is not who he claims to be.About two thirds of the way through the season, Lee and Amanda marry. I must admit I seriously don’t get their relationship at this point because they are still sneaking around, but Amanda’s family has met Lee as her boyfriend. Why the secrecy still? Frankly, this show has never been that good with continuity. Hey, it’s an 80’s show, which means that serious story arcs just don’t happen. You get some advancement, but it’s never seriously tracked from one episode to another.Speaking of the 80’s, that comes through in the clothes and hair, most noticeably Martha Smith’s as fashion conscious agent Francine. You can also see it in the assortment of Soviet villains who appear, although the occasional Middle Eastern terrorist does pop up.This show is often held up as an example of the Moonlighting curse – a show going downhill after the will they/won’t they tension is resolved. Based on the early part of the season, I don’t think it would have been a serious problem. Some of the scenes between them are great because they are finally together. Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson have great chemistry, and they play their relationship perfectly. And yet, the show does go dramatically downhill after they get married.Unfortunately, that’s not the fault of anyone on the show. From what I understand, Kate Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer about that time in the run of the show. Between surgery and treatment, she just couldn’t carry on like she needed to as the star of a show. The writers wrote around her, giving her only a couple scenes an episode and making Francine more of an active part of the show. But the result loses the charm of the show. After all, the heart of the show was always Lee and Amanda, and if they aren’t on screen together, it’s just not the same.Anything going on behind the scenes is never obvious on screen. The acting from everyone is always great. And I have to mention the recurring characters this season. There’s Dr. Smyth (Myron Natwick) the new head of the agency who often causes more trouble than anything else. Plus there’s Lee’s regular informant T.P. (Raleigh Bond) who even becomes the focus of one episode..Fans of the show pretty much know what to expect here. We’ve got all 22 episodes from the season on five discs in their native mono sound and full frame picture. Hey, this was the 80’s, remember? There are a few flaws with the picture, mostly with any stock footage used, but most fans of the show won’t find any horrid flaws with the picture or sound. Extras? We haven’t gotten any yet, why should we expect any now? Yes, I’d love to have one of the cast remembering their time working on the show, but I’m just happy to have these episodes period.Because Scarecrow and Mrs. King is a fun show in only the way that 80’s TV can be. It’s light, but it entertains with characters you come to care about. I’m thrilled to have season 4 so I can enjoy the entire series for years to come.

The complete fourth season of Scarecrow and Mrs. King beautifully wraps up the series, blending thrilling spy adventures with heartfelt character development. Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson's chemistry is as strong as ever, and the storylines delve deeper into their partnership and personal lives.The mix of action, humor, and romance makes this season a fitting finale for a beloved show. Highly recommend it for longtime fans and anyone who loves a classic mix of intrigue and charm!

I loved this series when it was being televised, and I don't get the channel on which it is currently syndicated. So, being able to purchase the series DVDs for my personal collection was great. These episodes were predictable and corny, but that was good TV to me. I didn't watch TV then or now for disturbing drama and stressful storylines. I wanted to relax and be entertained. I didn't have to cover my eyes or shriek in horror at what I heard when I watched two of my favorite actors on this show. I was a fan of Bruce Boxleitner since his days on the How the West Was Won mini-series (1977). Kate Jackson has been one of my favorites since her days on Charlies Angels in the 70's as well. I always felt like her role was under-appreciated on Charlies Angels, so when she got the co-starring role in Scarecrow and Mrs. King with Boxleitner, I was overjoyed. She had the talent to carry this role, and she got better and better as the seasons rolled on. I liked the development of the personal relationship between the two main characters and how Scarecrow matured as a result of their relationship, and Mrs. King's abilities were more and more appreciated as her responsibilities at "The Agency" grew. As Amanda King had two sons and lived with her mother, this was also a great family show. I bought all four seasons because I know I will watch these over and over again. I consider it Feel Good TV at its best.

I miss this show, and shows like it. Shows that were safe to watch with your kids (or your grandmother!) in the room. No gory plotlines, no vulgarity, no dark or disturbing themes. It's funny, sweet, light, and it doesn't hurt that the main characters are easy on the eyes ;) They treat each other with a respect you rarely see in real life these days, let alone in the degraded-fictional life presented to us by Hollywood today. (When was the last time you saw a man open a car door for a woman???) The whole show celebrates everything that was once great about America and makes me nostalgic for my childhood.If you are old enough to remember the 80's, get this show and relive the good ole days! If you are too young to remember the 80's, get this show anyway. Consider it a history lesson so you understand what older people are talking about when they complain about how crappy today's television has become.

There's only one thing missing from these season sets: some sort of bonus features. Cast bios/filmography, bloopers, etc. Anything from the making of the show to the behind the scenes events during the show's production would've been great. That being said, I still love the box set for each season, especially this one.After the 3rd season ended, so many questions needed to be answered. They were, & then some, but like all great shows, more questions cropped up in their place. I wasn't old enough to watch this show when it first aired, but saw one ep & fell in love with it. It wasn't until the series was released on DVD that I got to fully appreciate everything about it.I recommend this series, & this box set for any & all fans of Bruce Boxleitner, Kate Jackson, mysteries, spies, & romance.

Although this isn't my favorite of the four seasons of the show, it's still very enjoyable. As with the other seasons, the acting and stories are great, and it's entertaining for the entire family.