Renegade (TV series)

Not to be confused with The Renegades, a TV show that ran from 1982 to 1983 starring Patrick Swayze

Renegade
Intertitle
Format	Action / Drama
Created by	Stephen J. Cannell
Starring	Lorenzo Lamas Branscombe Richmond Kathleen Kinmont (seasons 1–4) Stephen J. Cannell Sandra Ferguson (Season 5)
Country of origin	United States of America
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	110 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	46 minutes
Production company(s)	Stu Segall Productions Cannell Entertainment New World Entertainment (1995-1997)
Distributor	Cannell Entertainment Distribution (1992-1995) New World Entertainment Distribution (1995-1997)
Broadcast
Original channel	Syndication (seasons 1–3) USA Network (seasons 4 and 5)
Original run	September 19, 1992 (1992-09-19) – April 4, 1997 (1997-04-04)

Renegade is an American television series that ran for 110 episodes spanning 5 seasons, first broadcast between September 19, 1992 and April 4, 1997. The series was created by Stephen J. Cannell. Executive Producers included Cannell, Stu Segall, Bill Nuss and Richard C. Okie.

The series stars Lorenzo Lamas as Reno Raines, a police officer who is framed for a murder he had not committed. Raines goes on the run and joins forces with Native American bounty hunter Bobby Sixkiller, played by Branscombe Richmond. Stephen J. Cannell also had a recurring role as the main villain, crooked police officer Donald 'Dutch' Dixon.

Introduction

The show had the following voiceover before every episode, provided by Don LaFontaine, summarizing the plot of the series:

“

He was a cop, and good at his job. But he committed the ultimate sin--and testified against other cops gone bad. Cops that tried to kill him, but got the woman he loved instead. Framed for murder, now he prowls the badlands...an outlaw hunting outlaws...a bounty hunter...a RENEGADE.

”

The Renegade theme that followed was composed by Mike Post.

Plot

Renegade is the story of San Diego police officer Reno Raines. Reno was called to Bay City, California by his good friend District Attorney Harry Wells. Harry hired Reno to work undercover, exposing corrupt police officers. In a meeting with Harry Wells and Bay City Police Lieutenant Donald 'Dutch' Dixon, Reno explains he has enough evidence to press charges of murder and robbery against Dixon's partner Buzzy Burrell. Not wanting to be implicated in any crimes, Burrell and Dixon break convicted murderer Hogg Adams from prison in order to kill Raines. Later that night, Hogg busts into Reno's hotel room, aiming for Reno, but shooting his fiance Valerie Prentice, instead. Hogg flees the hotel and Burrell is seen rushing in to make sure Reno is dead. Dixon arrives moments afterwards and kills Burrell with Reno's weapon.

Framed for the murder of Officer Burrell, Reno Raines goes on the run. Dixon sends professional bounty hunter Bobby Sixkiller after him, but Reno instead saves his life and gains his trust. Bobby realized that some things were not right with Dixon. Reno then works as a bounty hunter alongside Sixkiller and his sister Cheyenne (Kathleen Kinmont), while searching for Hogg's brother Hound Adams, the one person who can clear his name and bring down Dixon — a witness who, fearing for his own life, will only come forward if Reno kills Dixon, something which he is unwilling to do.

Reno travels to look for bounties, which Bobby turns in for a percentage of the reward money (knowing that Reno would be arrested if he attempts to turn the criminals in himself). He also helps people at the same time and proves the innocence of those he believes to be innocent. On many occasions, law-enforcement officers (and other people) learn who Reno really is, but never turn him in once they trust and believe him. Eventually, Dixon becomes a US Federal Marshal, giving him the ability to chase Reno with federal assistance.

As the series is coming to an end in Season 5, Dutch kills his own wife Melissa, and she dies right in Reno's arms. She knew what Dixon was doing and was ready to help turn him in. Their adult son, Donald Dixon Jr, believes the newspaper articles (from Dixon Sr's testimony) and also goes for Reno. In the final episode, Reno, Bobby, Donald Jr, and Dixon's boss Marshal Jack Hendricks, go after Dixon successfully. In the process Dixon shoots and wounds Hendricks and goes on the run. The Marshals then put out a reward for his capture. The last scene showed Reno and Bobby discussing whether to go for him now or let him see what it's like to be a wanted fugitive. They choose the former.

Cast

• Lorenzo Lamas as Reno Raines
• Branscombe Richmond as Bobby Sixkiller
• Stephen J. Cannell as Donald "Dutch" Dixon
• Kathleen Kinmont as Cheyenne Phillips (Seasons 1–4)
• Sandra Ferguson as Sandy Caruthers (Season 5)

Reception

At the peak of its syndication run Renegade was broadcast in nearly 100 countries and a dozen languages.

Filming Locations

The series was primarily filmed in San Diego, California and surrounding suburbs.

DVD releases

Anchor Bay Entertainment released the first three seasons of Renegade on DVD in Region 1 in 2005–2006. Due to poor sales, no further seasons were released. In 2010, these releases were discontinued and fell out of print.

On October 14, 2009, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to several Stephen J. Cannell series, including Renegade. They subsequently re-released the first two seasons as individual boxed sets.

On October 12, 2010, Mill Creek released Renegade: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1. The 20-disc set features all 110 episodes of the series on DVD for the very first time.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The Complete First Season	22	January 19, 2010
The Complete Second Season	22	September 14, 2010
The Complete Series (1–5)	110	October 12, 2010

See also

• List of Renegade episodes

External links

• Renegade at the Internet Movie Database
• Renegade at TV.com
• "The Renegade Fansite". renoraines.net. Retrieved 2009-05-30.