I’m not big on ‘reality’ TV, but decided to give Dog a try anyway. I was pleasantly surprised that the show lacked the train wreck quality that other ‘shows’ are hampered with. Is Dog ‘unique’? Yes. Is his family a little unusual? Yes. But, what exactly is unusual in this day and age? How is a family of bounty hunters supposed to behave? They seem to be defining that as they go along. The show is fun to watch and therefore entertaining, and that’s supposed to be the point.
Recently Dog and his family came under fire due to an arrest they made while in Mexico (where bounty hunting is deemed illegal) and faced extradition charges. The case has not been settled as of yet, but the show must go on. The first episode I got a chance to watch (episode 74) caught up with the group as they went on their first case since the extradition incident. The cast splits their time between going into action, and giving the camera man an update on what’s going on. Each family member gets an opportunity to weigh in on what’s happening. This time around the family is trying to get back into the swing of things after being under house arrest. They hunt down a bail jumper who is trying to kick the habit, but not having much luck. After a lengthy search they finally catch their man. The show has a flare for the dramatic as Dog spends time counseling his quarry for the cameras before dropping him off to jail. It’s hard to determine how much of these scenes exist just for the camera’s benefit. But being from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks himself, he does offer a unique perspective on life that probably does help some of the people he tracks down. No matter what the reasons, maybe in this case, the ends justify the means.
The next story I caught was his chase of a girl named Monalisa who had the exact same birthday as his daughter who died in a high speed accident on Dog’s wedding day. A devout Christian, the irony was not lost on the family as they made a commitment to apprehending this drug dealing bail jumper. With a little help from another fugitive they picked up along the way, they finally managed to rein Mona in, after she led them on a merry chase. This time it was Dog’s wife Beth’s turn to impart some words of wisdom. This time the topic was motherhood (Monalisa had two kids), and about setting a positive example for ones children.
A little heavy handed at times, and more than a few times it feels like things are being done just because the cameras are rolling, like the obligatory ‘gearing up’ moments, and some of the arguments the couple have seem a little contrived. But all in all the show is as exciting as it is interesting. It has that ‘Cops’ feel, with a little background into the crime fighters. Though I don’t cater to ‘reality’ normally, this show has earned one more fan.
The only thing Dante Maddox ever hunts down is the remote.
