Complete Series Sets of KATE & ALLIE and GIMME A BREAK Coming (Again) on May 29, 2023 (1 Viewer)

[Ron Lee Green]

I got an email from VEI that these two series are coming May 29. I assume these are re-releases., since the original sets have been out of print for years. I checked ebay's past sales. I feel bad for some people who paid 300-500 dollars for the older set unaware that they're being rereleased for $30 bucks. So if you missed buying them the first time around, here's your second chance!
Links:
https://www.visualentertainment.tv/...mplete-series-dvd-7213?variant=40605703077993

https://www.visualentertainment.tv/...mplete-series-dvd-7214?variant=40605744169065

 

[Dan McW]

For those who have the original sets, how were these episodes as far as full running times and music replacement were concerned?

 

[moviebuff75]

I know the Canadian release of Gimme A Break was uncut.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

"I know the Canadian release of Gimme A Break was uncut."

Except for the Season 4 episode, Who Dunnit?, which was a syndicated edit.

 

[jcroy]

(More generally).

Wonder if VEI is planning to re-release more of their older titles, from before 2013. Before 2013 it was the "calm before the storm", where it appears VEI previously did not have an extensive release schedule. After late-2012, VEI was releasing tons more complete series sets (such as Cagney & Lacey, etc ....).

For context, here's some old internet wayback machine captures of VEI's released title lists from 2012.


- January 30, 2012

TVShowsOnDVD.com - Listing of Shows with Releases

- September 10, 2012

TVShowsOnDVD.com - Listing of Shows with Releases

- November 10, 2012

TVShowsOnDVD.com - Listing of Shows with Releases

With VEI releasing many Stephen J Cannell series over the past year or so, it would be great if they re-released some of the older Cannell series they released back in 2006 -> 2008, such as: Hardcastle and McCormick, Riptide, Stingray, Street Justice, etc ... (The Gimme a Break and Kate & Allie complete series sets were first released back in mid 2010, while some of the earlier individual season sets were released by VEI back in 2006-2007).

 

[jcroy]

Looking more closely at the pics of the packaging, one notices it has the name "Fremantle". Digging more deeply, it appears Fremantle now owns the old Reeves Entertainment and (previously) Alan Landsburg Production catalog, of which Kate & Allie and Gimme a Break are from.

Alan Landsburg Productions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

List of Fremantle productions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I don't think this will happen, but it would be great if VEI licenses some of the old Reeves / Alan Landsburg tv shows such as Doctor Doctor (1989-1991) and Covington Cross (1992).

 

[dietcola]

got the GIMME A BREAK re-release as a gift today. interesting packaging -- inside, you "page through" the discs in a little stitched padded wallet. it's a step up from those cardboard PD sets in loose paper sleeves.

 

[BobO'Link]

For those who have the original sets, how were these episodes as far as full running times and music replacement were concerned?

I purchased the earlier Kate & Allie set years ago (paid ~$50). I found my set and did some random episode length checks. Most S1 episodes are ~22 1/2 minutes. S2 varies from 22 1/2 to 24 1/2 (my sample had more of the longer length). S3 seems to be mostly (all?) 24 1/2. S4 looks to be 24 minutes even (and they added intrusive, overly loud, theme music over the menu here). I didn't check any S5/S6 episodes. Based on that I'm calling them edited versions. Episodes look mostly OK but really could use a new transfer as these look like early video tape transfers, but with it having been produced on video tape it may not get much better without major restorative work. It's quite watchable but you *will* notice lesser video quality on larger screens. I'd bet they're using the same masters/files for the new releases as the disc count is identical to the earlier set.

 

[dietcola]

i didn't own the original GAB set. this new one has the same # of discs. five bonus eps (KATE AND ALLIE, STOCKARD CHANNING SHOW...) were dropped, so the layout diverges slightly until season three. all season one eps look like they run a little short, as do the first few eps in season 4 ("who dunnit?" comes in even lighter at 23:04, same as the first VEI release). although the source files are probably identical, _none_ of the running times match those listed in the 2010 sitcomsonline review (nothing major, but still off by 3-10 seconds each). sorry i can't be more definitive right now, i've only had the set a few hours...

 

[Robert13]

i didn't own the original GAB set. this new one has the same # of discs. five bonus eps (KATE AND ALLIE, STOCKARD CHANNING SHOW...) were dropped, so the layout diverges slightly until season three. all season one eps look like they run a little short, as do the first few eps in season 4 ("who dunnit?" comes in even lighter at 23:04, same as the first VEI release). although the source files are probably identical, _none_ of the running times match those listed in the 2010 sitcomsonline review (nothing major, but still off by 3-10 seconds each). sorry i can't be more definitive right now, i've only had the set a few hours...

I have both the old set and the new set. I haven't seen much of the new set except for the new menus. I don't know why they would run short though as they are using the same amount of episodes per disc. So it's not like they would try to fit more episodes on a disc. I'll have to take a look soon.

 

[dietcola]

that would be useful, thanks! the majority of the eps on the new set come in at 25 minutes, but the first season & some of the fourth are around 24-24 1/2, which seems strange.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

got the GIMME A BREAK re-release as a gift today. interesting packaging -- inside, you "page through" the discs in a little stitched padded wallet. it's a step up from those cardboard PD sets in loose paper sleeves.

My Barnaby Jones set has the wallets, too, inside a big, fat black case. I don't mind them. Its easy and convenient to flip through and find the disc you're looking for. I wouldn't be surprised if their new Three's Company complete series set uses them, too.

 

[Robert13]

that would be useful, thanks! the majority of the eps on the new set come in at 25 minutes, but the first season & some of the fourth are around 24-24 1/2, which seems strange.

So I just compared the first two episodes of Season 1 from the original Universal set against the new VEI set...

UNIVERSAL FIRST SEASON SET
1. Katie the Crook (10/29/81) (24:00)
2. A Good Man is Hard to Find (11/05/81) (24:10)

VEI FIRST SEASON FROM THE NEW COMPLETE SERIES RE-ISSUE
1. Katie the Crook (10/29/81) (24:02)
2. A Good Man is Hard to Find (11/05/81) (24:13)

Only a few seconds difference. But not sure why the VEI set runs a little longer. I have actually always used the original Universal set just because I really like the menu design and photo. Nothing ever jumped out at me as "edited" or "compressed".

The episode of "Who Dunnit?" however IS missing a tag scene. I can confirm that! In the version on the VEI dvd set, the scene ends abruptly but strangely has a freeze frame with a closing credit. In the "unedited" version, the scene runs longer with Nell walking away and making a joke about Ray Parker Jr. before the scene fades out. I have that version as it was burned for me by another fan. You can also find it on YouTube, I believe in its complete form.

 

[dietcola]

Only a few seconds difference. But not sure why the VEI set runs a little longer.

possible they ran off another set of copies rather than use the same files, and there's a few seconds more leading/trailing black screen here and there.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

The episode of "Who Dunnit?" however IS missing a tag scene. I can confirm that! In the version on the VEI dvd set, the scene ends abruptly but strangely has a freeze frame with a closing credit. In the "unedited" version, the scene runs longer with Nell walking away and making a joke about Ray Parker Jr. before the scene fades out. I have that version as it was burned for me by another fan. You can also find it on YouTube, I believe in its complete form.

Courtesy of.. me!


I put back every trim and scene I could scrape together, boosted the color to make the faded Tubi footage livelier and 80's-looking, and had to re-color some of the footage at the end to make Nell's dress color match between the different sources. The framing was off on the inserts, too, so I had to make adjustments to the frame to keep things from jumping around when footage was flown in, and the whole show was upscaled to 1080i to retain as much detail as possible.

The original broadcast was in stereo, but no one was willing to provide an off-air copy to sync up the audio. Also, there mayyy be a bit of Simpson's dialogue still missing, but that is unconfirmed. Something like: "Oh, yeahhhh! It's on official stationery and, see? It even has the coroner's official signature and everything!"

 

[dietcola]

^
amazing work! i'll keep your version with my set for when i finally go through it. if this one's more-or-less complete at 24:09, maybe my fears about eps running short are unfounded. just looked weird that certain early episodes would be up to a full minute shorter than those much later in the run.

 

[Robert13]

Courtesy of.. me!


I put back every trim and scene I could scrape together, boosted the color to make the faded Tubi footage livelier and 80's-looking, and had to re-color some of the footage at the end to make Nell's dress color match between the different sources. The framing was off on the inserts, too, so I had to make adjustments to the frame to keep things from jumping around when footage was flown in, and the whole show was upscaled to 1080i to retain as much detail as possible.

The original broadcast was in stereo, but no one was willing to provide an off-air copy to sync up the audio. Also, there mayyy be a bit of Simpson's dialogue still missing, but that is unconfirmed. Something like: "Oh, yeahhhh! It's on official stationery and, see? It even has the coroner's official signature and everything!"

Grateful you did this! It is truly one of my all-time favorite series. So having everything "complete" now makes me feel so happy.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Grateful you did this! It is truly one of my all-time favorite series. So having everything "complete" now makes me feel so happy.

It's an absolute pleasure. Glad to do the "fan service", one might say!

Looking back on it, I think I did crank the saturation about 6 points too high, but I wanted all the blushing hues of the set lighting, the makeup and especially Nell's sparkly dress (which looked grey to me on the official dvd with its muted color!) to look like what I think I remembered seeing on my VHS copy (TDK, Super Avilyn) from back in the day.

Ray's shirt had to "pop", too! No way it couldn't, right?!