The Littlest Hobo: Season 1

To the strains of one of the most memorable (not to mention hummable) theme tunes in television history, The Littlest Hobo trots on to DVD at last.

It's quite surprising to think that this actually represents the Hobo's third incarnation, following a feature film in the late 1950's and a brief lived 1960's TV show, but to any child of the 80's, there will be only one dog helping others in distress series and that ain't Lassie.

The blissfully simple premise of each episode is that a stray German Shepherd wanders into town and looks for people to help. The Hobo can’t be tied down and though many try to adopt him along the way, the life of a traveling dog is one of solitude and consistent trekking, so once the bad guys are taken care of, or little Timmy is retrieved from the well, this nomad shall wander.

The first series of what is typically termed "The New Littlest Hobo" by aficionados is entertaining if only for the pulling power of a Canadian show, shot on video with a miniscule budget. Guests in this round of 24 episodes include Vic Morrow, John Carradine, Patrick Macnee and Leslie Nielsen (as the irascible Mayor Chester Montgomery) and if you look quick in the episode 'Boy On Wheels' you'll even catch a young Mike Myers!

As a show it was hardly groundbreaking, if anything it was quite derivative, but the general tone is well balanced with a mystery plot here, a drug smuggling ring to break there and with the muted mystery of the lead character (what with him being a dog) makes for a clean slate every episode. Maybe tomorrow, he’ll want to settle down, until tomorrow he’ll just keep moving on (ba-ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba!).



Released on DVD on 26th April 2010 by Mediumrare.

Written by Simon Cole.