You might be a big fan of Harrison Ford’s classic thriller The Fugitive, but did you know that film was actually based on a TV show from the 1960s? That’s right, the original show, also titled The Fugitive, ran from 1963 to 1967 and was one of the most popular shows of its time. It would go on to be remade multiple times, once for film and a couple of times for television, but the main two that ring out as a success are the 60s show and Ford’s film. Unlike The Fugitive adaptations that came later, they both perfectly encapsulate paranoia and dread, waiting for Dr. Richard Kimble to be arrested at any moment, but also have a heart in their main character that many other thrillers do not. Everyone gives the Fugitive movie a ton of acclaim, but its time that modern audiences gave the original show the respect that it deserves.
Although it’s been re-adapted across several decades, the general story of The Fugitive runs consistent with each new version. They all tell the story of Dr. Richard Kimble, a man who is wrongfully accused of murdering his wife, and after a train carrying him and a number of fellow prisoners derails, he escapes the wreckage. From there, Lt. Philip Gerard, a determined and driven figure of authority, makes it his sole mission in life to find Kimble and bring him to justice. In the midst of Kimble’s journeys, he also seeks out “The One-Armed Man”, the person who killed his wife. Through it all, our protagonist travels great distances in an effort to avoid the authorities, remain a free man, prove his innocence, and find the man responsible for his wife’s death.
The Original Fugitive
Image via ABC
Between the two titular fugitives, the original series’ Dr. Richard Kimble, David Janssen, acts as the quieter and sweeter version of the character between the show and movie. Janssen approaches the character as a humble, patient one. He’s rare to rush into any circumstances or think too fast to figure out the situations he’s in. Being that this version of the character was for a TV series, there was way more room for time to be taken, and way less of a budget for big thrills and grand set pieces. Kimble could spend large parts of episodes having long conversations with folks that he meets in new towns, only to have to break off these relationships at the end of an episode because of his on-the-run lifestyle. His character ends up more damaged and tragic, if only because of the fact that he has over a hundred episodes where he has to repeatedly abandon any sense of things getting better.
The Show Keeps Things Fresh
Image via ABC
Speaking of which, the show also has the fun plot device of setting each episode in a new city. A lot of the fun of watching The Fugitive isn’t just wondering how Kimble will outrun Gerard this time, it’s wondering which city the show will be set in this episode. Rarely ever do two back-to-back episodes take place in the same city. Occasionally Kimble will circle back to places like Los Angeles or Chicago and is definitely prone to revisiting states like Oklahoma and Nebraska, but he never stays in one place long. How will he handle keeping a low profile in a big city, or a town with a small population? There’s also wondering who the guest star or stars of each episode will be. Being that it was one of the biggest shows around at the time, it seems like actors were lining up around the block to be on The Fugitive. Folks like Robert Duvall, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Charles Bronson, and Ossie Davis have appeared on the original show, just to name a few. Sometimes they come in as friends, other times as foes, but either way, these new faces each installment are a surefire way of keeping things fresh.
The Fugitive doesn’t just have a great story, main cast, fun guests, and interesting settings, it’s also just a technically fantastic show. For the 60s, there are a surprising amount of bits that are shot handheld, particularly when Kimble is walking through a new or crowded setting, or when fists are being thrown. It really has a life that most other TV shows at its time didn’t have. The beautiful, stark black-and-white cinematography gives the series a more dramatic edge than its eventual film adaptation, as do the obvious budgetary limitations. The 1993 film has a number of great stunts and set pieces piled on top of an already fantastic script, enhancing the thrilling atmosphere tenfold. It’s not an action movie or anything, but in comparison to its source material, it might as well have been directed by Michael Bay. The original show was almost exclusively conversationally based, giving it a cozier and less stressful feeling than future adaptations, but still riveting and full of engaging drama.
Paving the Way for a Franchise
Image via Warner Bros
The David Janssen show might have been canceled in 1967, but the Fugitive name would end up living on to this day. Of course, the 1993 film is likely the most well-known title in the franchise. It’s a bottlenecked, focused version of the original show, has a fast pace, incredible script, killer direction, and two dynamite performances from Ford and Tommy Lee Jones (who actually went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work). The film would be nominated for multiple Oscars, including Best Picture. The Fugitive name would be drug back out a few more times since the original movie. In 2000, a one-season show hit the tube and flopped hard, going out on an unresolved cliffhanger. Yikes. There was another attempt at a television show in 2020 that was essentially The Fugitive in name only, dropping Richard Kimble, a story based around being falsely accused of killing his wife, and everything. I’m good. Let me stick with the original show and the Harrison Ford movie, please, and thank you. The Fugitive has even inspired releases outside the US! 1995 saw the release of India’s Nirnayam, as well as 2020’s Japanese, Ken Watanabe starring TV miniseries Tôbôsha. Now we’re talking!
If you love 1993’s The Fugitive, you really should do yourself the favor of watching the show that started it all. The 60s series is an engaging, cozy, drama-thriller that matches up to the strengths of many other great shows of its time. Each episode is fresh, reinventing itself with a constantly updating cast of characters and bringing audiences into new settings on a regular basis. Ford’s movie might be the best version of Richard Kimble’s story, but it owes everything to what came before. If you’re looking for a long-form, drawn-out version of the movie, this series will be the perfect match for you.
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Keywords: The Fugitive, TV show, thriller
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