'Bob''s Coming to DVD!

As reported on TV Shows on DVD yesterday.

Speaking as a fan of Bob Newhart, I obviously couldn’t have been more thrilled to read this. It’s actually funny because I was saying to myself just the other day that this was a pretty good show and that it’s too bad that we’ll probably never see it on DVD. Shows how much I know, right? Also, nice cover art.

This makes me wonder though. If CBS/Paramount Home Video is willing to release a short-lived show starring Bob, then what is Fox’s hold up with the final two seasons of The Bob Newhart Show and the rest of Newhart? Because I’m thinking with this release, and especially if Bob on DVD is a success in any shape or form, fans who pick this up will most likely want to see the remaining years of his other most famous and memorable characters, Dr. Robert Hartley and innkeeper Dick Loudon.

Siskel and Ebert: What’s Wrong With Home Video?

Granted, the show was obviously movie-oriented, but in seeing this particular episode of Siskel & Ebert, which was done back in 1988, it particularly got my attention enough to blog about it because the points brought up really do remind me an awful lot of the imperfections that have come from TV-on-DVD releases over the past several years. It’s really pretty parallel.

Movies presented in their original form are a big point of the episode. Reminds me of course of the syndication and musical cuts in some TV shows. This would include Rhoda, Roseanne, The Cosby Show, and A Different World, which saw the syndicated cuts of their first seasons on DVD; and shows like WKRP in Cincinnati which got both syndicated prints and heavy amounts of music removed from its first seasons set. Most TV fans of course prefer to see episodes in their original uncut form, especially on DVD; this was especially evident with Roseanne, Rhoda, and Cosby Show's releases. The fandom response was enough to garner the uncut masters for their remaining seasons.

Even as technology evolves, we’ve seen issues such as cropping still come up. For example; take How I Met Your Mother’s first season DVD set, which contains the episodes in full screen format instead of the original 16:9. About four episodes in the Golden Girls season 7 set are cropped to something that resembles a widescreen image even though they originally aired in full screen. It's also interesting that widescreen cropping was an issue then, but today we have instances where 4:3 images mess up and air wrong and we get them squashed on a 16:9 screen.

I loved Roger’s point about the issues of harder to find movies in stores, in his case he‘s referring to foreign movies; but it also reminds me so much of TV-on-DVD releases. These days, as I browse in stores, I find it harder and harder to find a really good selection of shows. Most stores just have recent hits and a few classics (if any). Walmart, well, at least the Walmart in my area, is the biggest example of this. Stores like Fry’s and Best Buy seem to do better jobs with selection. It gets frustrating when looking for a favorite show and honestly I just end up in many instances calling it a day just selecting and looking for certain shows online. It obviously had to be a good thing for fans of rarely sold movies of any kind in stores when the online shopping scene emerged; no more of being let down when perusing for a hard-to-find favorite.

More September Classic TV DVD News

2010 is continuing to turn out pretty well for news in regards to classic TV on DVD.

Night Court season 4 is now available at the WB shop. Artwork looks nice and blends in well with previous seasons. It's also worth noting that this is the first season with Marsha Warfield playing baliff Roz, coming after the passing of Florence Halop. It's nice that Warner decided to find a way to keep getting this show out to its fans. Hopefully something can happen with other abandoned Warner shows.

According to TVshowsonDVD.com; the final season of Dallas will be released January 2011. Also Shout! has also just announced that they've just acquired the rights to the '80's hit Webster. It'll be interesting seeing Webster again, it's been so many years since I personally have seen it. It's on that unwritten list of many shows that I thought would have easily been released and completed on DVD by now.

September Classic TV DVD News

September is going to mark more DVD releases for classic TV fans, as tvshowsondvd.com reports. Regarding the fourth seasons each of Night Court, Designing Women, and Rhoda. Night Court won't be released in stores though... but the good thing is that the show is still going to be released in some form and it's not going to be abandoned like other shows, and well, like this one between the releases of seasons one and two.

Rhoda will also be sold exclusively through Shout! Factory's website.

Shout's always been pretty dependable when it comes to releasing classic shows on DVD, so it's not surprising on their front, but it is (pleasantly) surprising to hear such news from Warner. They are often criticized for their treatment, or lack thereof, of classics, and in most cases, it's well-deserved criticism. It's nice to see that they're finally starting to realize that there are fans of these shows who want them on DVD, and they're trying to find some way to listen to these fans. It's a shame that the classics don't seem to be available in stores much anymore. Especially in a case with a show like Night Court, which ran for nine seasons and has a loyal fanbase who's waited patiently for more sets of the show to come out.

Golden Girls Complete Series Set Coming

Coming November 9th.

As happy as I am to see the show be acknowledged for the debut of its 25th anniversary, and complete sets are great for people who haven’t yet bought a certain show on DVD yet, I know I’m not the only one who can’t stand the idea of these weird style DVD storage cases that these companies put out for complete series sets. I mean, couldn’t they come up with something that will fit nicely on the shelf and not be flimsy, like say, the Friends complete set? The “handle” of that “purse” looks like it’d snap off at some point.

I guess it could be worse. It could be like the What’s Happening!! complete set, which is set on a spindle. In which all the discs would be touching each other.

Though personally, I’m still hoping for The Golden Palace or Empty Nest to come out on DVD myself.

DVD News: Mary Tyler Moore season 7 is coming!

From TVshowsonDVD: the seventh and final season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show will be released this October 5th! Being that this is my number one favorite show of all time I could not have been more happy to read this news.

What always stands out to me is that this is one of those series that was good in really all of its years on the air. There are a number of enjoyable episodes from the final season. Can’t wait to see them all in their glorious re-mastered form! Episodes such as “Mary’s Insomnia”, “Lou Dates Mary”, “Mary Midwife”, “Sue Ann’s Sister,” and of course, one can’t forget “The Last Show!”

Also finding out that the original final curtain call credit roll from the last episode will be included? The same credit call that has only aired once on television since March 19, 1977 that fans like myself have been hoping would see the light of day again on DVD if the show ever got this far in releases? Icing on the cake.

In other MTM-related news, season 4 of the spinoff Rhoda, will be released by Shout!, however, it will be a Shout! Select program, meaning that the set will sell exclusively on their website. Good thing this classic is in the hands of Shout!. It’ll get completed no matter what. Another reason why I favor them so much over many of the other DVD companies. Sure they’ve messed up a few times (unfortunately including season 1 of this particular show), but I love their commitment to finishing a show they start. There's no waiting for years like with other shows.

Ending this post with the Mary finale closing credits is only the best way to go:

More Greatness from Shout!

Bunker fans rejoice! Shout! Factory has done it again! 2010 continues to prove to be a great year for TV shows on DVD as it looks as though we’ll finally see the groundbreaking 1970's series All in the Family moving forward towards on DVD after all after three long years!

TVShowsonDVD.com reports that October 5th will be the date for release. I don’t know about anyone else, but this gives me good thoughts about not only the continuations of All in the Family, but possibly The Jeffersons and Maude too. Oh, and let’s not forget Archie Bunker’s Place as well. It could happen.

It's sad that Sony couldn't finish an iconic show like this. So glad for a company like Shout! Factory.

Facts of Life: Season 5 DVD News

According to this TVShowsonDVD article, Facts of Life fans will have much to be happy about as the fifth season of the show will be released before the end of the year, just months after season four’s release. And personally it really makes me happy because my personal favorite seasons are 5-8. I can't wait to revisit the Edna's Edibles era.

This is very nice. At this point, knowing Shout! Factory, the show will actually be completed on DVD in our lifetimes. I am so glad Sony leased the rights of the show to a company that will release it in a timely manner. Hopefully the same will happen with other classics.

More DVD Releases

To me this seems to be a better year for TV shows on DVD so far, especially compared to last year. Then it seemed pretty much mostly current shows were only coming out.

I was pretty happy to hear that season 3 of Everwood will be released this year. After that happens, only one more season until it’s completed. This is also great since ABC Family never even bothered to give the show one complete rerun cycle before pulling it off; so at least fans are going to have a source for the episodes if they want to see them badly enough.

Also, season 6 of Sabrina the Teenage Witch will be released next month. I have to say, as much as I love this show, hearing about the musical edits, replacements, and some syndicated episodes on the previous sets have been really turning me off when it comes to buying them, but I know some people were still wondering about the rest of the show anyway and it looks like it’s finally getting closer to being done in the DVD market.

Not that I care for it anymore, but I also saw the notice for season 1 of Family Matters. I know Urkel became to be the most popular character on the show, but I find it a little funny that his picture on the cover is the largest of the whole cast combined. It’s like they’ve forgotten that the series was originally a vehicle for Jo Marie Peyton. I don’t enjoy seeing this show anymore, but a lot of people have been looking forward to this release for years and it’s good the fans are getting it.

With those shows, along with another season each of Mr. Ed, Night Court, and The Facts of Life, it’s beginning to look like a pretty good year for a show that’s not currently on the air when it comes to a DVD release.

Facts of Life: Season 4 Artwork!

The artwork for the DVD cover is now being released for the season 4 DVD of The Facts of Life, which is set to come out in May. It’s pretty consistent with the previous DVD sets by Sony. Though the pictures of Kim Fields and Mindy Cohn are obviously from later on in the run and not from around the season time period. Kim still had the bowl cut in the fourth season. I’m still very excited though, only a few more months till this comes out! It’s so nice to see more of a true classic get out on DVD! Thanks again, Shout! Factory!

Facts of Life: Season 4 FINALLY Coming to DVD!

I could not have been more excited to hear this week that Shout! Factory has picked up the DVD rights to Diff’rent Strokes spin-off The Facts of Life and will be releasing season 4 this May!

What I really love about this is that they're really going to be getting into my absolute favorite years of the show if they keep releasing the seasons after 4. I love seasons 5-8. Knowing the Paris movie will be a part this release is another plus. I have the feeling it wouldn't have been included if Sony released it.

Knowing that they've picked up Designing Women and now this show, maybe it could mean good things in the future for many other abandoned Sony classics like Maude, Diff'rent Strokes, The Jeffersons and All in the Family. There are too many classic hits with still very large and supportive fan bases today that should have been completed by now, many of which belonging to Sony Pictures Television.

I've been waiting so long for this. Thank you Shout! Factory!

Online Pick of the Week (10/9): Mary Tyler Moore Show Bloopers

In honor of the fifth season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show being released this week, my pick is related to this show.

It is a two part clip of bloopers and outtakes, which are actually from the final season but they're fun to watch anytime. It is always such fun seeing behind the scenes and extra stuff like this. I love seeing the cast having such a good time.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show is my favorite show of all time. I discovered it on Nick at Nite (back when it was good) and I’ve enjoyed it ever since. The chemistry between the actors, the writing, the acting… it was all there and I can never get tired of seeing it.

Finally nice that Fox got off its duff and is releasing the rest of this show! There were only three seasons left, and season 5 has "Chuckles Bites The Dust," the most popular episode of the whole series, so I don't know why they were so reluctant. Mary Tyler Moore bloopers, my online pick of the week!

DVD News: The Norman Lear Collection

Coming June 19th. I wish I could figure out why a) it’s so hard for Sony to release remaining seasons of shows and b) these DVD companies add extra bonuses, but the only way to get them is to screw over the fans.

It’s fine and dandy that a “lost” All in the Family pilot was found. I can sort of understand it being found later, things resurface at later dates all the time. But why should someone have to re-buy the first season if they already have it in order to get it? How hard is it to have interviews and the like on separate discs or future season sets so that fans can just get those instead of buying a whole season of something they already have? Or better yet, how hard is it to have interviews on the first released original sets of the respective shows?

Actually, even if you don’t have the individual sets already you can still be screwed. What if someone doesn’t like Sanford & Son, but they do like Maude? Or they don’t like Maude but they do like All in the Family? They’d have to buy a season of a show they don’t like if they want to see interviews or a lost pilot that badly.

Where’s season 2 of Maude? Season 2 of One Day at a Time? Also where are seasons 4 and beyond of Facts of Life? Seasons 3 and beyond of Diff’rent Strokes? I’ll bet you more fans are interested in the aforementioned yet-to-be released seasons over a repackaged set like this one. And knowing that there are chopped up “minisodes” of later years of Facts of Life and other shows on DVD sets as “extras” while fans have been waiting years now for future releases is just insult to injury.

Seriously, Sony, get with the program.

DVD news: Designing Women season 1

Finally! Nearly 6 full years after Sony released a 5 episode best of set, Shout! Factory will be releasing season one of Designing Women on DVD!

I can only imagine the good that can come out of this. I’m sure a syndicated copy of an episode won’t manage to slink its way in this release. Any music clearances shouldn’t be an issue. And then there’s the extras; there’ll be more that I’m sure Sony would have never even thought of. That box art looks absolutely stunning. Also, let’s hope all the cast can get together for a reunion.

I don’t know why Sony never did this to begin with, and I can surely only hope they will do this with its other series, especially the ones that are already partly out but haven’t been continued in several years; i.e. Facts of Life, Diff‘rent Strokes, The Jeffersons, etc. It really is the best way to go if they don’t want to release more of these shows, or if they don‘t want to do it in a timely manner. I’m sure they’ll make a pretty penny continuing to lease out to companies like Shout! and fans will get their favorite shows released on DVD, complete and in a reasonable amount of time. Everyone wins.

I’ve always found seasons 3-5 to be the best years of the show, but I’ll definitely be adding season 1 to my want list.

DVD news: Mary Tyler Moore and Supernatural

Here’s news on the Mary Tyler Moore spring release. Now don’t get me wrong, Mary Tyler Moore is my favorite show ever and I am more than happy to see Fox be devoted to releasing the rest of the series and fulfilling the promise they made to us fans several months ago. But I REALLY hope they also release individual season sets as well as possibly releasing a complete series package. There are people who have already bought earlier seasons and shouldn’t have to re-buy seasons of the show they’ve already got in order to get the last three. Come on, Fox, please don’t piss off a bunch of people by not considering other ways to release the show besides one complete series set. And I hope the same doesn’t possibly happen with the final two seasons of The Bob Newhart Show and the rest of Newhart if they are ever released.

Meanwhile, I like the season 4 artwork for Supernatural, or what’s known as the possible artwork. If it is, I’m surprised it leaked so soon considering the latest season is not released until at least September. Castiel has been a big important part of this season so I’m not surprised to see Misha Collins on the cover. And Jensen and Jared are looking good, as usual.

MTM: Finally!

Special thanks to vnisanian2001 at the GSN boards for pointing this out to me Saturday afternoon.

Mary Tyler Moore fans rejoice because it’s about time! At long last, the last three seasons of the classic sitcom will be coming to DVD!

I don’t know why Fox was reluctant anyway with this show. There were only three seasons left. The remaining three seasons won Emmys for best writing and best series. Season 5 has what’s arguably known as the most popular episode of the entire series: “Chuckles Bites The Dust.” And season 7 has the final show which has made history as one of the best finales a show has ever done and was very well received by fans. It’s thanks to those fans that the rest of this show is coming. And speaking of things coming to an end, I hope this is the beginning of the end of shows on DVD being abandoned. If not everywhere else, at least with Fox.

Now bear in mind, I’m no expert on the subject by any means, but I’ve come to realize that there are certain things to understand with classic shows on DVD. And this goes for anything that’s not current. Anything not making fresh episodes as I’m writing this entry. Things like the price and popularity factors of certain seasons. I notice how the New York Times article mentions All in The Family, and they couldn’t be more correct when it comes to that show’s status on DVD and the company behind it. Come on Sony, where’s the rest of All in the Family, The Jeffersons, The Facts of Life, Who’s The Boss?, and Maude? I mean, it’s not like we’re talking about short-lived shows that had no audience. All of these shows at one time or another became major hits and had long, healthy runs originally and in syndication. If you ask me, they should be completed by now.

There have been reports in the past about season 1 of Mary Tyler Moore not selling well initially, which I am not surprised to hear in the least. Season 1 was a great release, and it had many extras, which probably led to it costing so much. Side note: I will never complain about extras being released with a DVD set, especially with companies like CBS/Paramount who hardly release any, and season 1’s release had some GREAT ones. But I’d bet money that the original price being $45-55 dollars had some fans, like myself, waiting for the price to come down. And this goes for any show on DVD as well in my opinion. I love Supernatural to death, but I am not paying $49.99 for any season of it when I can just wait for an eventual sale. If I EVER pay that much, the DVD’s better come with a date with Jared Padalecki or Jensen Ackles.

But all that aside, even though there are no release dates listed as of yet, I am so excited anyway! My favorite show ever is about to be completed on DVD! Yes!

Forgive me if I seem like I am squealing like a fanboi. Because I am a little inside.

More Details About The Best of The Price Is Right DVD Release

More details have arisen recently about the new Price Is Right DVD release coming March 25th.

We should be getting four Bill Cullen era shows, Bob Barker’s first show, several 1970’s episodes and Bob’s final week.

I have to say two things I was pleasantly surprised to hear about, one being that there would be any Cullen shows. I love that era so much and I’ll be buying this set for those episodes alone. I was also surprised to hear that the first show should be included, which considering the fact that Bob wishes that his earlier episodes that featured furs as prizes were to never be rerun, that was something to hear. The restriction didn’t really start to bother me until I realized that several pricing games debuted on episodes with furs, one example being Clock Game. I think most people realize that Bob didn’t become an animal activist until the 1980’s, so watching fur episodes from before that shouldn’t make people suddenly think he was some sort of hypocrite on that matter.

I was hoping that we’d see more episodes from the 1980’s or maybe some from the Tom Kennedy era. And I have to admit that while I had the inkling we’d see Bob’s last show, I didn’t think they’d put on the whole final week. But this set still looks promising and I love the 1970's era of the series.

Since there were no real problems reported with the All-Star Family Feud set, BCI seems to have fixed whatever disc problem they had with the Match Game set. I was so excited to get my best of Match Game DVD set only to test out disc 4 and realize that it didn’t work. The picture pixilated and the sound failed and so did the photo gallery. I was so furious since I had this problem with two new sets. A lot of other people had this issue too. I’m glad this problem was taken care of.

Here’s hoping to a good DVD set. Cheers to game shows being released on DVD! Whoo-hoo!