User Reviews

This is a rather exciting reality TV series featuring William Shatner as he hosts police-related stories. As he narrates, actors reenact true events of 911 rescues.

It's a very daring, heartfelt and intriguing TV show as it shows the courageous rescuers helping people in distress, sometimes in a heart-pounding race against time.

Shatner does a good job narrating, providing a serious and eloquent tone to his voice.

One of the better reality chop shows out there.

Grade B+

Rescue 911 was a very surreal and scary show when I was growing up. Oftentimes, events and situations occur without any sort of explanation and being sudden and serious. As a kid, I didn't quite understood exactly why that was and felt that emergencies can happen without warning and that there's nothing you can do about it.

As an adult, now I understand why a lot of episodes were so scary as a child. The show leaves out a very large chunk of details and I never noticed it as a child, but this show is rather political.

For example, nearly every gun related incident generally make it sound like gun shots are very serious and sudden and without warning. In one episode, victims were shown taken to a hospital, with no backstory other than they were shot, and somehow were talking and then suddenly died for no reason. Other times, a rapist enters a house where a woman with no firearm training, tried to learn to shoot in a few seconds where the criminal was able to overpower her. After the episode, she came on to say she gave her guns to the police and told people don't worry the police will help you more so than any gun would. Seems to be very political to me for the time.

Other episodes involve similar absent of information that would make more sense. For example, in one segment a man entered a woman's apartment and her child called 911. It was very obvious from the way it was explained that the woman was being actively assaulted but yet the way it was narrated was as if nothing was going on and things were very casual. As an adult I understood what was going on but as a kid, there's no way I would understand.

Some episodes leave out very critical details that involve things like seizures, bleeding, drug uses, etc that all leave out some very critical detail that would make a big impact in the presentation and understanding of the events unfolding.

From: "Brandon Michael Keys" This show may well have saved my own life and prevented me from dying cased by the drugs they putt me on for my ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER. I love Rescue 911 and in debt-ed to William Shatner for the rest of my life. "Thankyou" Rescue 911 and to William Shatner. I also remember being on stretchers in the ambulances at the times I had my seizures. I also wore head braces along with being loaded on to the ambulances. At the different times I had one of 2 of my seizures and the one grand Mal seizure cased by the Ritalin that I was taking for my A.D.D. ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER. This show helped prepared my family for these emergencies "ThankYou" "Rescue 911" I am 23 years old now butt it happened over 12 or 13 years ago.

Lucy 774, you have no idea what you are talking about. I am 22 years old. I watched the series premier back in 1989 when I was 3 years old, and I never missed a single episode until the show was canceled in 1996. It was and still is the best show that I have ever watched. This show is about real stories of people who have real life emergencies and the actions of the people who help to make sure the victims come through the ordeals with the best possible outcome. I am happy to say that I was able to save my own mother's life by implementing Cardio-Pulmonary Recesitation skills that I learned as a result of "Rescue 911". I thank God that this unbelievably spectacular show was created because had it not been, I would not have had the vital skills necessary to save the life of the most important person in my life. I still pray every night that CBS would bring back this show. To make my point on everything that I have said in this review, I would like you to go to www.youtube.com and click on the video clip entitled "Rescue 911 - 200 Lives - Segment 1, and watch the speech that William Shatner makes. Once you see that clip, you will understand why this show is so inspiring. I just started watching clips on youtube and they made me realize how much I enjoy helping other people. This afternoon, I went to my town's volunteer fire dept. Please CBS, bring back this show.

I was little when I used to watch this show, probably under 5 years old. I don't remember William Shatner, but I do remember certain episodes: the one where a boy locked himself in the trunk of a car, and one where a child licked a tray of ice cubes and got his/her tongue stuck to it. The ice cube one has always stuck in my memory, and any time after I saw that episode and got my tongue stuck on a Popsicle, I knew how to get it unstuck without freaking out.

This show showed real stories and helped families learn what to do in certain situations. It was both entertaining and educational - a great combination.

It's a known fact in life we all need help occasionally. This is another of my favorite documentary programs, it's also kind of a childhood gem which I saw when I was about eight years old. I'm usually I'm not into documentary programs depending on the subject matter but this show is one of the exceptions. This show was a hit at the time, and there really was nothing like it as this show was before we have the common place documentary shows on cable channels or streaming. Heck it was such a hit there was even a pinball game based on the show, which I played and is cool it's one of my favorite pinball games of all time, only disappointment William Shatner's vocals weren't in it.

Anyway, watching this now is interesting in a way makes this a history program as each of stories happened years ago. The reenactments are pretty good, I wouldn't say great as their not all too fanciful looking, but hey their reenactments what do you expect. But the fact they're not fanciful looking I feel adds to the realistic sensibility, a way of showing this isn't your typical TV show episode this is real life. Some would say there are a few stores that are a bit strange, and seem ridiculous, but we live in a strange world so it happens and as an old saying goes truth is stranger than fiction and who's to say it can't happen.

I really like William Shatner as a host, yes, I'm a "Star Trek" fan, but other than that I thought it was cool seeing him do something different, and it's fitting as he role of Captain Kirk is one of high authority. His voice just fits like a glove, here he really tells things at they are in all seriousness. I love the theme song which is one of my favorite themes, it's kind of an exciting them but with a touch of seriousness, but the theme felt right as it sang out how help is always on the way.

The show is suspenseful, thought it's true that you can easily predict the 911 rescuers will come through in the end, but the suspense is wondering how, and no one really comes out unscathed which once again shows how truly dangerous the situations are. It was also cool seeing the police and other emergency workers in action, it's also educational in seeing what these people in this line of work have to do to defuse the bad situation, but also makes you grateful that we have services like this around.

I remember the home break in situations I'll admit we're the ones that made me the most nervous and I'll admit scary the mere thought of burglars breaking into your house unannounced. I couldn't help but be on the edge of my seat hoping the police will arrive on time.

Or even the fire situations hoping everyone got out let alone an entrapment situation or two which made me hope I never got into that. Despite how scary those stories can be sometimes, the show taught me a couple of important lessons as a kid which is how the world can be a dangerous place and these dangerous situations can happen to anyone. But also, the importance of calling for help when absolutely needed.

I personally wouldn't mind a revival of this show, I'd like to hear some of the stories going on right now. For a host I wouldn't mind seeing William do it again or maybe some other sci-fi alumni "Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, Kate Mulgrew." Yeah, I know long shots but an interesting though none the less and who's to say it shouldn't be considered. Overall if your into vintage documentary shows, ones that have to do with emergency services then this is worth dialing up. Just remember help is just a phone call away.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to see a new version of the show. I like how the show explains real accidents that actually happened.

Is is the greatest tv show even even though it was taken off the air.it will and always be my favorite tv show.

This was the very first reality TV show I have watched in my entire life, discovering several reenactments of accidents, police chases, burglaries, robberies, standoffs, etc. for the very first time and how they really occurred. It is also an educational show where they teach viewers how to respond to certain situations, how to perform CPR, and how dispatchers react as soon as they receive those calls for help. I love reality shows, especially those that view realistic crime scenes and car chases. This is, of course, one of them. I used to watch this with my entire family when we were very young. As I watched a few of its episodes, it made me want to think of becoming either a police officer or dispatcher. I thank William Shatner and the others who contributed to this show. Great work! Forget fiction once and for all and let's get into the real world!

William Shatner wasn't the great host that Robert Stack was for Unsolved Mysteries or Leonard Nimoy for In Search Of.. or Peter Thomas for Forensic Files. He acted as if this whole thing was just a big bore to him. I used to enjoy watching this show though and it amazed and at times horrified me at how people got hurt thru their own foolishness. Like the two stories they had on there about boys who were badly burned playing with gas. The episodes of "emergencies" all had happy endings, save for one. This teenage boy was "huffing" a can of butane. He practically inhaled the entire can and went into cardiac arrest. He died that night in the hospital. It was heartbreaking to watch, but I think it provided a good lesson to kids.

I haven't really seen this show a very long time. I remember watching it on the Family channel which is now ABC Family, and then it moved on to CBS. I remember the part where a daughter and a father go on some picnic and when they were on the road. They were driving in some red two-door car, and then a dump truck fell on them! And all the sand covered the car. The next one I remembered is when the litte girl ask her mom if she could bathe her little brother and her mom said no but she did it anyway. The little girl said she was testing to see if the water was hot or cold. She felt the cold water and decided to turn it all the way to hot! Then her little brother said it was too hot and his skin started to melt. Her mother came in the bathroom and just completely freak out. And the next thing I remember is when those kids where in the basement with their father. Their father was looking at this heater and then light up a match, and then it just EXPLODES. The two children were badly burn that they had no hair and had to wear like protection on their bodies. I'm telling you. This is one scary show!

This show was what we in the industry term as Compelling TV. It was an addictive show that re-enacted all sorts of horrible and gruesome events that leaded up to an actual call to 911. The best part of the show was that it was broken up into segments that were, in effect, 15 minute scoldings for stupid behavior. For instance, a man mishandles a .357 magnum and shoots his friend through the back while they are out in the woods, away from all civilization (and hospitals). Or, 2 girls are playing in a drainage ditch (which is illegal and very dangerous) when it suddenly fills with water and they are swept away. How about the time that some youngsters decided to outrun a train and didn't quite make it. Who could forget the kid who stuck his tongue to the frozen peas. We learned that a cup of water would remedy that situation. (That kid denied the whole incident by saying he was licking his lips because he was so hungry and then his tongue got stuck. Yeah right! Just admit it-your predicament educated the entire country and the ensuing remedy was even referenced in Dumb and Dumber). Then there was the time that a man was cleaning his pool and hit the strainer against a power line, resulting in cardiac arrest. In effect, America learned that rules are made for a reason and that warning labels should always be read; if not, disastrous consequences might ensue. Also, America learned that if an accident did occur, brave men and women would drop everything and risk their lives to save you. It doesn't matter if you deserve it or if it is your fault-help is always on the way.

I started watching Rescue 911, when I was younger. Now that I am a mom, my kids (well my 11 yr old daughter, my 3 yr old son doesn't care too much) & I think it teaches what can happen if you do this, or how to prevent something from happening, to begin with. I even watched an episode where a boy gave CPR, to someone, he knew, and he had learned it from watching the show. It saves lives!! They show a variety of accidents, babies coming early, people getting sick and they quit breathing, police chases, and even break ins. I remember hearing only 3 stories of where someone died. One was the Guadalupe River story, where the teens drowned, when the bus was over consumed in flood water (some lived, but some did die sadly), 2 teens sniffed paint and one died, and a man tried to save a drowning victim, and he died (the man attempting the rescue). However, they are so many happy endings!! They should have kept it longer, but glad they show reruns!

I 've always enjoyed watching '' Rescue 911'' I was just wanting to know; How soon do you think ''Rescue 911'' will be available on DVD?. Whenever the series comes to DVD; I plan on buying myself a copy!!. Just by watching '' Rescue 911'' that program has been one of my reasons why I've decided to take a C.P.R. course ( which I've already completed 6 months of training!) I miss watching '' Rescue 911' so therefore, I really hope to see the DVD series on store shelves '' SOON!!'' I used to watch '' Emergency!'' ( I also once had the DVD) but, I sold my copy only because '' Emergency!'' wasn't hardly anything like '' Rescue 911''. Emergency! was just a TV program; I felt that Rescue 911 was more of a life-saving TV Program to watch; which is why I wish CBS would seriously consider re-broadcasting Rescue 911!.

This was the harbinger of reality "emergency" shows that were to follow it such as the multitude that the TLC/Discovery/Discovery Health trifecta show. Looking back at repeats shown on Discovery Health, it was fairly hokey. Nearly all the "emergencies" shown were re-enacted with usually little to no real actual footage, and you can't help but chuckle at reenacters that really hammed it up sometimes. Immensely popular show in its early-90's prime though. The real-footage shows nowadays really make Rescue 911 look very, very dated now, and the reenactments jokably hollow and unrepresentative, but it's still good for kicks. Also, you can see William Shatner in what had to be a very low point in his acting career, after the disaster of Star Trek V. Going from Star Trek legend to no-name generic hosting job? Eegah.

great show nice saw it on CBS every Tuesday 800pm taught me on calling 911 not to panic the show The police dog episode showed the bond between the cops and the dogs. The show has inspired me to be a 911 dispatcher.

it was nice when people lived it was sad when kids on the show got hurt like the show because i taught me about emergencies the host had good clothing good music to end the show

the people were good at what they did are there any DVD's of this show? I like this show because it taught me what to do in an emergency. It also taught me what not to do in an emergency. It taught me to stay calm with a dispatcher. The show had good documentaries. I like the happy stories. It taught me how to handle domestic violence.