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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 4636
Released: October 12, 2004 |
| Our Price: $21.08 |
| Used Price: $16.99 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Set in New York City, TAXI follows a group of cab drivers of the Sunshine Cab Company through the daily but far from ordinary routine as cabbies. The sitcom features a multitude of extroverted persons such as a frustrated actor, strained boxer, ex-hippie and cynical dispatcher.
Description of Taxi - The Complete First Season:
Hail, Taxi. It's great to finally have one of the defining sitcoms of the 1970s available on DVD to take out for a spin. This character-driven humane comedy from the creators of The Mary Tyler Moore Show rolled out of the garage with a full tank of gas: a lightning-in-a-bottle ensemble, smart, witty, and compassionate writing, and extraordinary characters. The Sunshine Cab Company was a much grittier workplace than the sunny WJM newsroom. Its down, but never out employees--single mother Elaine (Marilu Henner), aspiring actor Bobby (Jeff Conaway), hapless boxer Tony (Tony Danza), reptilian dispatcher Louis (Danny DeVito), naive rube John (Randall Carver), and indeterminately foreign mechanic Latka (comic iconoclast Andy Kaufman)--struggled to keep rolling along. Judd Hirsch's salt-of-the-earth cabbie Alex Rieger solved everyone's problems but his own. Half hours don't get more moving than the Humanitas Prize-winning episode, "Blind Date," in which Alex tries to befriend an embittered overweight woman, or funnier than "High School Reunion," in which Bobby impersonates Louie at Louie's reunion to impress his mean former classmates.
Along for the ride in this Emmy-winning first season are a pre-MagnumTom Selleck and Mandy Patinkin ("Memories of Cab 804") and life force Ruth Gordon, who was honored with an Emmy for her performance as one of Alex's most memorable fares ("Sugar Mama"). The poignant episode "Paper Marriage" features Christopher Lloyd as burn-out Reverend Jim, who would join the ensemble in season 2. Regrettably, this three-disc set is a stripped down model, with no commentary or interviews. But there is nothing hack about Taxi itself. This is "must-own" television fare. --Donald Liebenson
Taxi - The Complete First Season Reviews:
Great comedy! 
2009-05-27 - This 3 disc set contains some of the funniest comedy episodes ever seen on TV. The cast members compliment each other so well, and the plots and writing are second to none. A great addition to any video collection where true comedy is enjoyed.
As great as I remember 
2009-05-20 - Taxi was one of my favorite things to watch growing up and I am reminded of that when I watch it now. It is just as brillant and funny as I remember. A must have.
Taxi 
2009-05-19 - Wonderful to relive a portion of your youth and discover that
in reality you haven't forgotten all that much. Relive, its
worth it
Good night, Mr. Walters 
2009-03-18 - What made this series excellent (in addition to the writing) was the cast of actors and the characters they played, Louie, Alex, Latka, Jim, Banta, Nardo, et al. "Taxi" was, in short, among the best sitcoms ever on TV. Happily it can all be seen again on DVD.
All the episodes in this first season are good, but the funniest to me was Class Reunion, when Wheeler goes as Louie. The finale was a real surprise and very funny.
I was never much of a fan of the family sitcoms, except "All in the Family." The really good ones were Barney Miller, Cheers, and, of course, "Taxi." If you've never seen the latter, get this now. Or if you saw them all, you don't need this recommendation.
Great "Comfort TV" 
2009-02-09 - Taxi was one of those "goldilocks" televisions shows from the 70's. Not too early, not too late, but jusssst right. Originally airing in 1978, Taxi wasn't overly influenced by too much Disco, and wasn't as boring as early 80's TV, nor as psychedelic or square as early 1970's TV (however, those periods have their great shows too).
Taxi is one of those shows you really find comfort in, and it seemed like they tackled some fairly serious topics. (women in the work place, single parenthood, etc.)
The acting, is decent from most of the cast, and laughing at Danny Devito is worth the price of admission all alone. Good video quality, and audio.
Highly recommended.