Harry O (TV Series) Hostage (1976) User Reviews

Dog Day Afternoon

[MissClassicTV · 8/10 · 31 March 2016]

Using pretty much the same premise as Dog Day Afternoon, this hour of Harry O is pretty entertaining. All the essential elements are there. Instead of a bank robbery gone wrong, it's a liquor store robbery. Instead of needing money for an operation, the burglar needs the money for his girlfriend to get into a detox program. There's a hostage situation with a cop who's been shot and needs a doctor. A team tries to bust in through the back door. Media is camped out front broadcasting the situation live.

The burglar (actor John Rubinstein) exchanges two of the hostages for Lt. Trench, so Trench is inside the store negotiating with the burglar while Harry's on the outside doing all the legwork. Harry spends most of his time looking for the burglar's junkie girlfriend. But the bad guys are looking for her too. Harry's got two hours to find her or Trench dies.

A NICE LITTLE LIQUOR STORE TO BE ROBBED

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 22 August 2022]

The opening credits of HARRY O always reminded me of a combination of MANNIX and CANNON, with a lot of action shots and all those 70s colors! Yes, the colors! This one hits the target.

HOSTAGE is very well written, directed and moves fast, all about a robbery at a liquor store that becomes increasingly complicated. John Rubenstein, who in his early years always played a young and desperate character, continues tradition as the gun-toting holdup man who needs money for his druggie gal pal. There's a hostage situation and Lt. Trench (Anthony Zerbe) offers to trade himself for one of the hostages and this is where things go awry. This is classic 70s tv. Feisty George Murdock (from BARNEY MILLER) is especially good as the police captain. For all of us movie buffs, check out the Warner Brothers backlot where the robbery and stakeout take place and note all the classic old buildings. Recommended from SEASON 2.

Not your typical Harry O episode....

[ttimgents · 6/10 · 14 September 2022]

Very strange episode... From music to David Jansen's relatively limited screen time... And the filming on the backlot rather than on location... One gets the feeling that "Harry O" series days are limited... Very strange episode... From music to David Jansen's relatively limited screen time... And the filming on the backlot rather than on location... One gets the feeling that "Harry O" series days are limited. Very strange episode... From music to David Jansen's relatively limited screen time... And the filming on the backlot rather than on location... One gets the feeling that "Harry O" series days are limited.(TJN - 09/15/2022)