View source for Dog the Bounty Hunter

{{short description|American reality television series}}
{{about|the original television show|the person|Duane Chapman|the spin-off series|Dog and Beth: On the Hunt|and|Dog's Most Wanted}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox television 
| image                    = Dog the Bounty Hunter logo.png
| genre                    = [[Reality television|Reality]]
| starring                 = {{Plainlist|
* [[Duane Chapman|Duane "Dog" Chapman]]
* [[Beth Chapman (bounty hunter)|Beth Chapman]]
* [[Leland Chapman]]
* Duane Lee Chapman Jr.
* [[Lyssa Chapman]]
}}
| theme_music_composer     = [[Ozzy Osbourne]]
| opentheme                = "Dog the Bounty Hunter"
| country                  = United States
| language                 = English
| num_seasons              = 9
| num_episodes             = 246
| executive_producer       = {{Plainlist|
* Daniel Elias
* David Houts
* David McKillop
* Neil A. Cohen
}}
| camera                   = [[Multiple-camera setup|Multiple]]
| runtime                  = 21 minutes<br/>{{small|(Seasons 1–5;8)}}<br />42 minutes<br/>{{small|(Season 6; 7)}}
| company                  = Hybrid Films
| first_aired              = {{Start date|2004|8|31}}
| last_aired               = {{End date|2012|6|23}}
| related                  = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Dog and Beth: On the Hunt]]'' (2013–2015)<br />''Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives'' (2017)<br />''[[Dog's Most Wanted]]'' (2019)
}}
| channel                  = [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]]
}}
[[File:Dog-Chapman (cropped).jpg|thumb|Duane "Dog" Chapman]]
'''''Dog the Bounty Hunter''''' is<!-- should be "is" as per [[WP:TVNOW]] --> an American [[reality television]] series which aired on [[A&E (TV network)|A&E]] and chronicled [[Duane Chapman|Duane "Dog" Chapman]]'s experiences as a [[bounty hunter]]. With a few exceptions, the series took place in [[Hawaii]] or Dog's home state of [[Colorado]].

On May 21, 2012, A&E canceled the series after eight seasons.<ref name=cancellation>{{cite web|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|title=A&E Cancels 'Dog the Bounty Hunter'|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ae-cancels-dog-bounty-hunter-327333|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=November 27, 2013|date=May 21, 2012}}</ref> The series began airing in syndication on September 16, 2013.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Deluxe Syndication page for ''Dog the Bounty Hunter''|publisher=Rohrs Media Group|url=http://www.deluxesyndication.com/programs/Dog-The-Bounty-Hunter.aspx|access-date=November 27, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131127190900/http://www.deluxesyndication.com/programs/Dog-The-Bounty-Hunter.aspx|archive-date=November 27, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Dog and his wife, [[Beth Chapman (bounty hunter)|Beth Chapman]], then starred in a [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] series, ''[[Dog and Beth: On the Hunt]]'' on [[Country Music Television|CMT]], before that series ended in August 2015. On November 14, 2017, A&E announced that they  would be airing a two-hour special called ''Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives''. The special aired two weeks later, on November 27, documenting Beth Chapman and her family as she was fighting Stage 4 throat cancer. At the age of 51, she died on June 26, 2019, about a week after having lost consciousness and subsequently being placed in a medically induced coma.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2019/06/26/beth-chapman-dog-bounty-hunter-star-dead-51/1571157001/|title='Dog the Bounty Hunter' star Beth Chapman dies at 51, husband Duane announces|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=2019-06-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/26/entertainment/beth-chapman-obit/index.html|title=Beth Chapman, 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' star, has died|author=Lisa Respers France|website=CNN|date=June 26, 2019 |access-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>

A second spin-off series, entitled ''[[Dog's Most Wanted]]'', premiered in September 2019 on [[WGN America]]. A third spin-off series entitled ''Dog's Unleashed'', was  in production and was set to premiere sometime in 2022 on the streaming service ''Unleashed,'' but it was canceled due to a breach of contract.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitaker |first=Sterling|date=2021-03-27 |title=Duane 'Dog' Chapman's 'Dog Unleashed' Series Canceled Before It Airs |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/duane-chapman-dog-unleashed-canceled-contract-breach/ |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Taste of Country |language=en}}</ref>

==Cast==

* [[Duane Chapman|Duane "Dog" Chapman]]
* [[Beth Chapman (bounty hunter)|Beth Chapman]], Dog's wife
* [[Leland Chapman]], Dog's son
* [[Tim Chapman|Tim "Youngblood" Chapman]], Dog's "brother" (not related) 
* "Baby" [[Lyssa Chapman|Lyssa Rae Chapman]], Dog's daughter (seasons 2–8)
* Duane Lee Chapman Jr., Dog's son (season 2–8)
* Cecily Barmore-Chapman, Beth's daughter
* Justin Bihag (seasons 1–6), Dog's "nephew" (not related)
* Garry Chapman, Beth and Dog's son 
* Bonnie Chapman, Beth and Dog's daughter

===Supporting cast===
*Sonny, bounty hunter
*Wesley, office manager
*Moon, Beth's best friend, Justin's mother
*Richie, bounty hunter
*Kaleo, bounty hunter
*T, office worker

==Production==
The program spun off from Chapman's appearance on the show ''Take This Job'', a program about people with unusual occupations.<ref name=cancellation/> ''Dog the Bounty Hunter'' captured an audience immediately by drawing viewers into the interaction of Chapman and his family/team, mixing street smarts, romance, arguments, teamwork, adrenaline-laced arrests and a philosophy of hope and second chances.<ref name=cancellation/>

Viewers are taken along as Chapman and his family/team locate and arrest people who have broken the terms of their bail agreements. Bounty hunts and arrests segue into the rides to jail, during which Chapman and his team show compassion and strongly counsel the fugitives to start over, leaving behind drugs and/or crime to become dependable members of their families and society. Rounding out most episodes are scenes featuring Dog, Beth and their large family of children, grandchildren and friends.

As the show progressed, viewers were taken further behind the scenes during Baby Lyssa's training as a licensed bail bondswoman and bounty hunter; Dog's capture of [[Andrew Luster]] and the ensuing arrests of Chapman, Tim and Leland in Mexico; the deaths of Beth's father (Garry Smith) and Dog's oldest daughter (Barbara Katie Chapman); Chapman and Beth's 2006 wedding; Baby Lyssa's wedding and the birth of her second child; and the shock and fear of the family after Dog, Tim and Leland were arrested by federal marshals in [[Hawaii]] to await possible extradition to Mexico.

Chapman and Beth freely invited viewers into their lives, sharing personal stories about Chapman's 1976 imprisonment; his ex-wives and custody battles; While Chapman was serving his sentence, his first wife LaFonda filed for divorce, and married his best friend. Chapman did field work for the prison, in addition to serving as the warden’s barber. When an inmate was attempting to escape, Chapman tackled him, which prevented the escapee from being shot at by guards. This, in addition to Chapman’s overall good behavior, led to him being paroled after only 18 months. Inspired by his tackle, Chapman decided to pursue becoming a bounty hunter once released.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://gazettereview.com/2016/04/what-happened-to-dog-the-bounty-hunter-updates/|title=What Happened to Dog the Bounty Hunter - 2017 Updates - The Gazette Review|last=Sennhauser|first=Morgan|date=2016-04-28|work=The Gazette Review|access-date=2017-09-14|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Season 4 hiatus===
Production and airing of the show was halted by A&E on November 2, 2007, after the release of an audio tape that featured Duane Chapman using the word "[[nigger]]" repeatedly in a discussion about the word itself with son Tucker regarding Tucker's black girlfriend's probable sensitivity to the word. Tucker had sold the tape to the ''[[National Enquirer]]'', and it quickly was picked up by numerous print and broadcast media outlets. Chapman apologised and said he would make amends. On February 19, 2008, A&E announced that the show would return.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bounty Hunter "Dog" still loves son who sold him out |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bountyhunter-idUSN0821287320071108 |work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSSP8436520080220 | work=Reuters | title=Bounty Hunter "Dog" to return to the air | date=February 20, 2008}}</ref>  Reruns of ''Dog the Bounty Hunter,'' along with never-before-seen episodes from season 4, began airing on June 25, 2008, and the show continued, along with special episodes about the arrest and fallout from the Luster situation.

===Season 6 shooting===
{{update|date=June 2019}}
On April 21, 2009, during filming of Season 6, Chapman was allegedly shot at with a handgun while his crew, along with bail bondsman Bobby Brown, were attempting to arrest a fugitive named Hoang Nguyen in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The suspect escaped on a motorcycle and was captured by Chapman about six hours later. This is contrary to evidence shown in the A&E airing of the episode titled "Easy Rider", on December 16, 2009. According to Chapman's website and [[TMZ on TV|TMZ]], Nguyen was arrested and charged with attempted murder related to the shooting attempt of Chapman and the Chapman family. On May 15, 2009, the [[El Paso County, Colorado]] Assistant [[District attorney]] dropped the attempted murder charge against the alleged shooter due to lack of evidence and conflicting statements by Chapman, his son Leland, and bail bondsman Bobby Brown. The prosecutors also state that they have not received the requested video footage from the incident, which was allegedly filmed by the television crew.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} In March 2011, Nguyen filed a lawsuit against Chapman, Brown, and Chapman's sons Duane Chapman II and Leland Chapman. In the lawsuit, Nguyen claims he lost his job as a result of the incident and had to relocate. He also says he was injured by [[Pepper-spray projectile|pepper pellets]] that were allegedly fired at him. Chapman's attorney, James A. Quadra, told ''Celebrity Crime Reporter'' the lawsuit has no basis "in law or fact".<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.celebritycrimereporter.com/2011/03/dog-bounty-hunters-attorney-on-lawsuit.html | work=Celebrity Crime Reporter | title=Dog the Bounty Hunter's Attorney on Lawsuit: "The Chapmans Acted Properly" | date=March 4, 2011 | access-date=March 4, 2011 | archive-date=July 8, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708130904/http://www.celebritycrimereporter.com/2011/03/dog-bounty-hunters-attorney-on-lawsuit.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> The lawsuit was in [[mediation]] the first week of March 2011 with a trial date on November 28, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/27052111/detail.html|title=Lawsuit Against 'Dog' The Bounty Hunter Goes To Mediation|last=Stanley|first=Deb|date=March 2, 2011|work=[[KMGH-TV]]|access-date=May 23, 2012}}</ref>

===Lawsuit and sons quit===
In 2011, Leland and Duane Lee quit working with their father and stepmother and severed ties with their family.<ref name="entertainment.gather.com">{{cite web |url=http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981071574 |title='Dog the Bounty Hunter'- his sons sever ties jeopardizing next season? |last=Larkin |first=Chloe |publisher=[[Gather.com]] |date=January 29, 2012 |access-date=February 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410220649/http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981071574 |archive-date=April 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The March 21, 2012 episode showed Duane Lee telling Beth "You want me fired, you gotta fire me," and then Leland weighed in, saying "I quit too."<ref name="QuitFired">{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/22/dog-the-bounty-hunter-premiere-video_n_1371934.html| title='Dog The Bounty Hunter': Did Leland And Duane Lee Quit The Business, Or Were They Fired?|publisher=[[Huffington Post]] |date=March 22, 2012| access-date = March 24, 2012}}</ref> In January 2012, the two brothers confirmed leaving the show.<ref name="QuitFired"/> As of 2015 Leland now operates his own bail bond company in Alabama and heads Bounty Hunter Tactical Supply Co.<ref name="LEFT">{{cite news |url=http://news.lalate.com/2012/03/21/duane-lee-chapman-leland-chapman-leave-dog-the-bounty-hunter-exclusive-details/ |title=Duane Lee Chapman, Leland Chapman, Leave Dog the Bounty Hunter |publisher=LALate.com |date=March 21, 2012 |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324183354/http://news.lalate.com/2012/03/21/duane-lee-chapman-leland-chapman-leave-dog-the-bounty-hunter-exclusive-details/ |archive-date=March 24, 2012 |df=mdy }}</ref> while Duane Lee moved to Florida.<ref name="LEFT"/> Beth tweeted, "It will take 6 weeks to get through the whole thing tonight's jus {{sic}} the beginning."<ref name="QuitFired"/>

In September 2011 Bobby Brown, who appeared in 30 episodes, sued A&E Television Networks, Hybrid Films, and D&D Television Productions in Colorado federal court, claiming he was promised to be a full cast member, but received only $6,000 for his contributions.<ref name="Brownlawsuit">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/dog-bounty-hunter-ae-sued-237119 | title='Dog the Bounty Hunter,' A&E Sued by Bail Bondsman |last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=September 19, 2011| access-date = March 24, 2012}}</ref> The lawsuit is for "the misappropriation of his publicity rights as well as claims of breach of contract and promises.<ref name="Brownlawsuit"/>  In February 2012 Brown and A&E agreed to settle the lawsuit on undisclosed terms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CM/ECF - U.S. District Court:cod |url=https://ecf.cod.uscourts.gov/doc1/03903863933?caseid=128389 |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=ecf.cod.uscourts.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bio: Jeff Vail {{!}} Vail Law LLC |url=https://www.vail-law.com/team |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=Mysite |language=en}}</ref>

===Music===
The show's theme song, "Dog the Bounty Hunter", is sung by [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] artist [[Ozzy Osbourne]]. The song can be heard on Osbourne's ''[[Prince of Darkness (Ozzy Osbourne album)|Prince of Darkness]]'' box set. Many episodes feature at least one song from a band that is either unsigned or with an independent label, usually played during an action scene. These songs are plugged at the end of each episode, following the closing credits. Several episodes in season three and four have music from New York City-based dub reggae group [[Subatomic Sound System]]'s ''On All Frequencies'' album. Featured songs include "Criminal", "Doin' It", and "Ghetto Champion". [[Soulja Boy]]'s music video for "[[Yahhh!]]" includes an impersonation of "Dog Woof Woof"{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==Series overview==
The following summarizes the original broadcast presentation:
{{Series overview

| episodes1 = 17
| start1    = {{Start date|2004|8|31}}
| end1      = {{End date|2005|1|25}}

| episodes2 = 23
| start2    = {{Start date|2005|4|5}}
| end2      = {{End date|2006|1|31}}

| episodes3 = 27
| start3    = {{Start date|2006|3|21}}
| end3      = {{End date|2006|11|28}}

| episodes4 = 20
| start4    = {{Start date|2007|4|10}}
| end4      = {{End date|2008|10|29}}

| episodes5 = 38
| start5    = {{Start date|2009|2|4}}
| end5      = {{End date|2009|9|9}}

| episodes6 = 24
| start6    = {{Start date|2009|12|2}}
| end6      = {{End date|2010|8|11}}

| episodes7 = 21
| start7    = {{Start date|2010|10|6}}
| end7      = {{End date|2011|4|6}}

| episodes8 = 23
| start8    = {{Start date|2012|1|4}}
| end8      = {{End date|2012|6|23}}

}}

All the hour-long episodes were split into two parts for broadcast syndication. Full episodes are shown on streaming sites and DVD releases.

==Home media==
Note that not all episodes have been released on DVD.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!DVD name
!No.
!Release date
!Additional information
|-
| The Best of Season 1
| 7
| January 25, 2005
| Features Dog's episode of ''Take This Job'', cast biographies and promos
|-
| The Best of Season 2
| 7
| March 29, 2006
| Features cast biographies and a pop-up dog hunting quiz
|-
| The Wedding Special
| 1
| December 12, 2006
| Features 5 featurettes titled:
* The Drama of Dog's Wedding Ring
* Dance Lessons
* Shopping with Beth
* The Bow Wow Vow
* A Tribute to Dog & Beth
|-
| The Best of Season 3
| 8
| February 27, 2007
| Features a photo gallery
|-
|The Arrest
|1
|September 25, 2007
|
* Features additional scenes.
* Also Features The Special Double Episode Year of the Dog
|-
| The Best of Season 4
| 8
| August 26, 2008
|
|-
|To Seize and Protect (The Best of Season 5)
|8
|September 8, 2009
|
|-
|Crime is on the Run (The Best of Season 6)
|8
|July 27, 2010
|
|-
|The Wild Ride Megaset
|48
|January 11, 2011
|8-disc collection of previous releases: The Best of Seasons 1-6, The Wedding Special and The Arrest
|-
|This Family Means Business (The Best of Season 7, Part 1)
|6
|June 28, 2011
|
|-
|Christmas Has Gone to the Dog
|2
|October 18, 2011
|Contains two Christmas-themed episodes, one from Season 3 and the other from Season 6
|-
|Taking It to the Streets (The Best of Season 7, Part 2)
|4
|June 12, 2012
|
|}

==Books==
The television series led to a 2007 autobiographical book, ''You Can Run But You Can't Hide'', which chronicles Chapman's years before becoming a [[bounty hunter]] and some of his more infamous hunts, including the controversial hunt that took him and his team to [[Mexico]] to capture serial [[rape|rapist]] [[Andrew Luster]]. It also delves into his criminal past as well as his family background, imprisonment in Texas, marriages and children.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dogthebountyhunterbook.com/ |title=Duane "Dog" Chapman Book On SALE! |publisher=Dog The Bounty Hunter Book |access-date=May 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321082350/http://www.dogthebountyhunterbook.com/ |archive-date=March 21, 2012 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/TV_Guide/Interviews/Features/Articles/070410_dogthebountyhunter_MH|access-date=May 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012153929/http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/TV_Guide/Interviews/Features/Articles/070410_dogthebountyhunter_MH|title=Dog: The Bounty Hunter, unleashed|last=Hank|first=Melissa|publisher=[[TV Guide]]|date=July 10, 2004|archive-date = October 12, 2007}}</ref> A second book, ''Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given'', was published in 2009. Its title reflects Chapman's overriding philosophy of second chances, which he writes about at length as he asks the public for a second chance of his own. The book largely deals with the fallout from two factors: the federal marshals' arrest and the scandal over his use of the word "nigger".

==In popular culture==
Chapman has been referenced in live action productions:
*In Season 3, Episode 13 of ''[[Boston Legal]]'', "Dumping Bella", Chapman is referred to by Alan as one of the only two people he truly admires and as such the only candidate besides Shirley herself to be his costume for the party.
*In Season 3, Episode 9 of ''[[30 Rock]]'', Jenna says "Now Dog the Bounty Hunter is the second grossest guy I've been with."
*In Season 2, Episode 4 of ''[[The Eric Andre Show]]'', a lookalike of Dog is featured in the episode with an impersonator of [[George Clooney]].

Chapman has also been parodied in both animation and print:
*In the ''[[American Dad!]]'' episode "[[Joint Custody (American Dad!)|Joint Custody]]", [[Roger (American Dad!)|Roger]] dresses up as Chapman and tries to hunt down Jeff Fischer.
*In the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Something, Something, Something, Dark Side]]", Stewie calls a bounty hunter meeting and Chapman is briefly seen.
*In the ''[[South Park]]'' episode "[[Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy]]", [[Eric Cartman]] dressed up as Chapman and had a TV show filmed of himself, Beth and Chapman's familiar crew after he was made a school [[hall monitor]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thethings.com/what-did-dog-the-bounty-hunter-think-of-south-park-celebrity-parody/ | title=What Dog the Bounty Hunter Really Thought About Being Parodied on South Park | date=January 22, 2023 }}</ref>
*In the Nickelodeon TV series ''[[The Mighty B!]]'', Bessie's dog Happy dressed up as Chapman and tried to find the person who pulled the fire alarm at the Bee scouts' troop-house.
*Chapman and the TV show were both parodied on [[Cartoon Network]]'s television program, ''[[Mad (TV series)|Mad]]'', as "Frog the Bounty Hunter", showing events of the show as the video game ''[[Frogger]]''.{{Episode needed|date=March 2012}}
*The song "Dog Catchers" on [[Insane Clown Posse]]'s ''[[The Mighty Death Pop!]]'' is disparaging to ''Dog the Bounty Hunter''.
*The series was parodied in the June 2007 issue of [[Mad (magazine)|''Mad'' magazine]] as ''[[List of television show spoofs in Mad#2000s|Dud the Lousy Hunter]]''.
*In the ''[[Squidbillies]]'' episode "Fatal Distraction", Early Cuyler acquires a [[GPS]] system for his truck, which he attempts to use to hunt down [[Osama bin Laden]]. Cuyler briefly dresses as Chapman to pursue bin Laden before "calling it a night" and going to a strip club.
*There's also an obvious parody to the "Dog" character in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode named "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" where a character named "Wolf, the Bounty Hunter" is hired by Lucky Jim to hunt down Gil Gunderson.
*Dog and his show were referred to in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS5mwymTIJU 2015 episode] of ''[[Last Week Tonight with John Oliver]]'' which was satirically critical of the American bail system.
*In Season 2, Episode 44 of ''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]'', Vector the Crocodile is the host of a reality TV show similarly to Dog.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=907660300576481280|user=ItsGregHahn|title=B/c this version was the host of a...|date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>
*In an episode of ''[[Reno 911!]]'', Tommy Hawk (a character inspired from Dog and his TV show) works with the characters from Reno 911 to apprehend a criminal who jumped bail.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.dogthebountyhunter.com Official website]
* {{IMDb title|0424627}}

{{Dog the Bounty Hunter}}
{{A&ENetwork Shows}}

[[Category:2000s American reality television series]]
[[Category:2004 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2010s American reality television series]]
[[Category:2012 American television series endings]]
[[Category:A&E (TV network) original programming]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Colorado]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Television series about bounty hunters]]