Television Obscurities » DVD Releases

DVD Tuesday: Wagon Train

RGJ — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:28:39 +0000

The only release of note today is Wagon Train – The Complete First Season – Special Limited Edition from Timeless Media Group. Included are all 39 black and white episodes from the 1957-1958 season. A variety of episodes have been released in the past in both VHS and DVD and last November Timeless issued the 1963-1964 color season (the show’s seventh). Whether additional seasons will see the light of day remains to be seen.

Update on Alternative Version of Star Trek Pilot on Blu-ray

RGJ — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:02:51 +0000

I wrote in September about how Star Trek’s third season on Blu-ray will include an alternate, unaired version of the second pilot (”Where No Man Has Gone Before”). Now, thanks to TrekMovie.com has a press release with full details about the pilot. Apparently, an original print of the pilot was uncovered in Germany, transferred to HD video and then brought to the Digital Restoration Department at CBS where it was color-corrected and cleaned up.

The Blu-ray set will be released on December 15th with a suggested retail price of $118.99.

DVD Tuesday: The Untouchables, Sesame Street

RGJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:58:42 +0000

It’s a slow week for fans of classic television. You can pick up The Untouchables – Season Three, Vol. 2 from Paramount Home Video, with the final 12 episodes of the 1961-1962 season. Also out today, from Genius Products, is Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days, containing more than five hours of footage celebrating the show’s 40th anniversary.

DVD On-Demand or Internet Streaming the Answer for Obscure Television?

RGJ — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:35:02 +0000

All of the obscure television programs I’ve written about here at Television Obscurities have their fans ready and willing to purchase DVD sets. But the likelihood of any of them coming to DVD is slim. There is simply not enough widespread consumer demand. However, the recent introduction of so-called “manufacture-on-demand” DVDs offers, at least in theory, a way for some of these shows to find their way to DVD. Warner Brothers has released the first pilot telefilm to NBC’s Man from Atlantis on DVD as well as two of Gene Rodddenberry’s unsold 1970s pilot telefilms through the Warner Archive website. I think it is safe to say none of these would have seen the light of day through the traditional DVD route.

How many people would happily pay to get even a few episodes of The New People, The Young Rebels, SEARCH or It’s a Man’s World through a manufacture-on-demand program like the Warner Archive? I know I would, even if the price was a little extravagant. There are some drawbacks to manufacture-on-demand; the discs are DVD-Rs, the quality of the transfers may not be all that great, and there likely won’t be fancy cover art. But if these shows are never going to be available in any other way and a small but vocal group of fans will pay a premium it might just be an avenue that should be explored.

Another avenue is Internet streaming. Based solely on my own experience, the 2006-2007 television season was when the networks began offering unaired episodes of cancelled programs online for fans to watch for free with the occasional advertisement. Today, of course, you can watch new episodes of just about every current television show online, both broadcast and cable. And you can even watch all 31 episodes of My Mother, The Car at Hulu.com. When I wrote about the unexpected availability of the Jerry Van Dyke sitcom in August I opined that in lieu of an actual DVD release, putting episodes online — even if they include advertisements — is at the very least a step in the right direction.

Of course, viewers outside the United States cannot use Hulu.com and that can be frustrating. But then again, there are some shows that have been released in other regions but not in the United States. DVD sets of The Bionic Woman, for example, is available in Region Two (the United Kingdom and Germany, to be specific) but not in the States. Thanks to Hulu, fans can watch all fourteen episodes from the first season.

Is it possible that My Mother, The Car will eventually be released in DVD? Certainly. But like The New People it is incredibly unlikely. For those who don’t mind watching television on their computer the episodes are available right now. And I would even be willing to pay to watch The New People online, although of course I would prefer a DVD set. What if the episodes were available for download through iTunes or Amazon.com? That would be even better.

(As an aside, the Museum of Broadcast Communications has digitized some 7,000 hours of radio and television programs and makes them available, for free, to anyone willing to register. And there are some relatively obscure titles included. You can watch the premiere episode of ABC’s Breakfast Club With Don McNeill from 1948 or an episode of Panhandle Pete and Jennifer thought to be from 1949.

The main sticking point for both manufacture-on-demand and Internet streaming is, of course, the cost of digitizing episodes with legal considerations running a close second. I don’t know the finances involved or how many lawyers it would take to clear any copyright concerns. But if My Mother, The Car can be made available at Hulu.com and two of Gene Roddenberry’s unsold 1970s pilot telefilms at Warner Archives via manufacture-on-demand, there may be hope for dozens of other somewhat obscure television shows.

DVD Tuesday: Here’s Lucy, Mission: Impossible

RGJ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:23:12 +0000

The first Tuesday of November sees several season collections released for fans of classic television. You can pick up Here’s Lucy: Season Two from MPI Home Video. Included are all 24 episodes from the 1969-1970 season. Bonus features, according to MPI’s website, include new introductions from Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr., a featurette titled “Here’s Lucy on Location,” production files, CBS network promotional spots and syndication promotional spots, and a “lost interview” with Carol Burnett. The episodes are said to be uncut and digitally remastered.

Also out today, from Paramount Home Video, is Mission: Impossible – The Final TV Season. It includes all 22 episodes from the 1972-1973 season. There are no extras that I am aware of. Available from Universal Home Video is The Rockford Files: Movie Collection, Vol. 1, a 2-disc collection with four telefilms originally broadcast between 1994 and 1996, more than a decade after the series went off the air.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is releasing both seasons of Zorro in exclusive “Disney Treasures” tins. All 82 episodes have been remastered and are hosted by Leonard Maltin. Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete First Season also includes a two-part special titled “Zorro: El Bandido” (originally broadcast in 1960); Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete Second Season has two one-hour specials: “Zorro: The Postponed Wedding” and “Zorro: Auld Acquaintance” (both originally broadcast in 1961).

Finally, Shout! Factory releases Merry Sitcom! Christmas Classics from TV’s Golden Age, with seven Christmas episodes of classic television sitcoms, including Window On Main Street, That Girl, The Donna Reed Show and McHale’s Navy.

DVD Tuesday: The Barbara Stanwyck Show, The Fugitive

RGJ — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:28:47 +0000

Out today is The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Vol. 1 from E1 Entertainment and The Archive of American Television. The anthology series was only on the air for one season from 1960 to 1961 and produced 36 episodes. Fifteen are included in this volume; whether they’re the first fifteen or not remains to be seen. Bonus features include original, unaired pilot episode (titled “The Sponsor’s Theatre”) and Stanwyck’s acceptance speech for her 1961 Emmy award.

Also out today, from Paramount Home Video, is The Fugitive: Season Three, Vol. 1, with the first 15 episodes of the 1965-1966 season. Volume 2 comes out 8th. Also from Paramount Home Video is Mannix: The Third Season, with all 25 episodes from the 1969-1970 season. No bonus features for either release that I’m aware of. As I understand it, fans of The Fugitive are anxious to see how much of the original soundtrack is intact for this release.

Warner Brothers is releasing two new collections today. Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Vol. 2 contains 13 episodes from shows like Quick Draw McGraw, The Road Runner Show and The Jetsons. And Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 2 includes 12 episodes from shows like Valley of the Dinosaurs, Sea Lab 2020 and New Adventures of Gilligan. Finally, Alpha Video has two new four-episode releases: Judge Roy Bean, Volume 4 and Meet Corliss Archer, Volume 4.

DVD Tuesday: Hawaii Five-O, The Judy Garland Show

RGJ — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:01 +0000

Quite a few classic and/or somewhat obscure programs have DVD releases out today. You can pick up The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season 2 from Time Life, a 3-DVD set containing 715 minutes from the 1967-1968 season. According to the Time Life website, guests include Mickey Rooney, The Who, The Byrds, Bette Davis, Patty Duke, The Association and Don Rickles (and many more). Whether there will be full episodes or just excerpts is unknown (I’ve read that the Best of Season 3 release had shortened episodes). Plus, more than two hours of bonus features (backstage footage, interviews, etc.). While perhaps not as desirable as complete season sets, best of sets for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour are more than many ever expected to see.

Also out today, from Timeless Media Group, is Tales of Wells Fargo – The Best of the Color Season – 22 episodes, containing 22 episodes from the 1961-1962 season, the show’s last, which consisted of 34 episodes. And from Infinity Resources, Route 66: Season 3, Vol. 2, with the remaining 15 episodes of the 1962-1963 season. There were issues with the Season 3, Vol. 1 release but they were quickly worked out.

Infinity Resources is also releasing The Judy Garland Holiday Show, broadcast on December 22nd, 1963 as part of The Judy Garland Show on CBS. And from Paramount comes Hawaii Five-O: The Seventh Season, with all 24 episodes from the 1974-1975 season. And from Warner Brothers comes Peanuts: 1970’s Collection, Vol. 1, containing six television specials featuring the whole Peanuts gang (It’s a Mystery Charlie Brown / Play It Again / A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving / It’s the Easter Beagle / There’s No Time for Love / You’re Not Elected).

Finally, Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered is out today from BBC Video. Hardly obscure but what a classic comedy. And, it can quite easily be connected to obscure television. There have been three attempts to remake the show for audiences in the United States. The first never made it past the pilot stage in the late 1970s but the second resulted in a sitcom called Amanda’s starring Bea Arthur. It ran for ten episodes on ABC in early 1983 (a total of thirteen were produced). That’s a show that will never make it to DVD. As for the third attempt, it was called Payne and starred John Larroquette. Eight of the nine produced episodes aired on CBS in the spring of 1999.

DVD Tuesday: The Pat Paulsen Half A Comedy Hour

RGJ — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:59 +0000

After last week’s impressive array of releases, this week has very little to offer fans of classic television. There is one rather obscure show available, however, from MPI Video: Pat Paulsen’s Half a Comedy Hour. The half-hour series premiered on Thursday, January 22nd, 1970 as a mid-season replacement for ABC and ran for thirteen weeks; the final episode aired on April 16th. Guest stars included Debbie Reynolds, Don Adams, Mike Connors, Daffy Duck and Don Rickles, among others. Also, Universal Home Video is rereleasing all three seasons of Land of the Lost, originally issued by Rhino between 2004 and 2005.

First Man from Atlantis Telefilm Available on DVD

RGJ — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:54:38 +0000

The Warner Archives, which just recently made two of Gene Roddenberry’s 1970s pilot movies available on DVD, now has the first of four pilot movies for NBC’s Man from Atlantis for sale at its website. According to TVShowsOnDVD.com, this came with no advance notice and could potentially mean the other three telefilms and the 13 hour-long episodes will eventually be available as well. This first telefilm, simply titled Man from Atlantis, aired on March 4th, 1977. Patrick Duffy starred as a mysterious man with webbed feet and hands (not to mention gills) who washes up on a beach. He’s given the name Mark Harris and helps a group of scientists combat the evil Mr. Schubert (played by Victor Buono).

Three additional made-for-TV movies aired in April, May and June of 1977. A weekly series premiered in September of 1977 but was soon pulled, with the final episodes airing during the spring of 1978. A lot of people have expressed interest in the series and, personally, I’m shocked to see this available. It costs $19.95 and will be pressed on a DVD-R just for you (that’s how Warner Archives works, it manufactures DVD-Rs as they’re ordered).

DVD Tuesday: Mr. Ed, The Lola Falana Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show

RGJ — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:16 +0000

It’s the first Tuesday of October and what a day for classic fans of television it is. Everybody’s favorite sitcom about a talking horse is finally arriving on DVD, courtesy of Shout! Factory. You can pick up Mister Ed: The Complete First Season with all 26 black and white episodes from the 1960-1961 season. Mr. Ed debuted in syndication on January 5th, 1961; it moved to CBS in October of 1961 for its second season. Unfortunately, according to reviews at DVD Talk and Sitcoms Online, eight of the episodes appear to be syndicated versions, running roughly 22 minutes rather than 25 or 26. Extras include commentary on the premiere episode from stars Alan Young and Connie Hines as well as a documentary that runs a little over half an hour. The original, unaired pilot episode, however, is nowhere to be found.

Also out today is The Mary Tyler Moore Show – The Complete Fifth Season from 20th Century Fox. This is the first release for the show since July of 2006 and for a while it looked as if the last three seasons would never make it to DVD. Then there was apparently going to be a complete series box set rather than individual releases for the remaining seasons. So if you’re a fan of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, be sure to pick up this one up and let 20th Century Fox know you’ll be buying the last two seasons as well. The set includes all 24 episodes from the 1974-1975 season but no bonus features.

If you didn’t buy Get Smart – The Complete Series when Time Life released it exclusively in November of 2006 (or later, in 2008, when it was sold all over the place), you’ve probably been buying each season individually. Get Smart: Season 4 is out today from HBO Home Video. No bonus features (those are apparently only available through the complete sets) but you get all 26 episodes from the 1968-1969 season. And Season Five comes out on December 12th.

This is a bit of a rarity: Video Service Corp is releasing The Lola Falana Show. It wasn’t really a show per se but rather a series of four variety specials broadcast during the 1976-1977 season on ABC. No bonus features but the specials themselves should be enough for fans. DVD Talk has a review available, which suggests the DVD set “remains an archival curiosity, and little more. It’s entertaining at times, but mostly in a jaw-dropping, ‘did we ever think that was funny’ kind of way.”

Finally, as I wrote about on Saturday, two of Gene Roddenberry’s made-for-TV movies from the 1970s are now available through Warner Archive, an online service that presses DVD-Rs on demand. You can buy Genesis II and Planet Earth individually for $19.95 each or together for $29.95. Having never purchased anything from Warner Archive, I can’t say what the quality will be like, but do note the following: “This film has been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD and Digital Download release.” I’m also not sure why the telefilms are said to be available for pre-order yet have today as a release date.