Entertainment Weekly slams Paramount Love Boat DVD release (2 Viewers)

[Jeff Willis]

Ain't it the truth. Joe, your example series (Fugitive) nailed it for me as well. I don't like split-season releases but for that series, I'm not going to wait either several years for a complete-series pack or withhold my purchase for the s/s sets. While it's true that one consumer's buy is only a grain of sand on the beach, it's hopefully one of many for that show.

Another example of a series-buy regardless of the s/s sets, was the Combat! series. Yes, I know the Worldvision tapes used for the xfrs were the "time-sped" versions, and the xfrs aren't "A" xfrs, but they're, to me, watchable and they're the uncut versions. The choice for that series was: Buy what's officially available or do without one of my top 5 all-time shows on DVD.

As most here, we usually have a "grail" list of these older shows. If I don't have a library of VHS tapes of the show, the DVD release is the only alternative.

I also look at another side of the issue of "to buy or not to buy" a s/s release or a known-to-be-edited release. There is, to me, an entertainment factor that can't be priced, and that is the availability of a 40-yr old series that I'd never have predicted would see a complete-series DVD release. I'm still going through that Combat! set and it's been an incredible "memory-lane" journey with a show (IM0) that's stood the test of time.

Regarding the Fugitive, Paramout could "name a price" and I'll buy that series regardless. I hope the "suits" aren't reading this There's just no way I can put a price tag on the enjoyment I'm getting from this show on DVD. I also get a bonus by watching it with Mom.

As for the Love Boat, this one falls in my "I like the show but can't justify buying it at this time/price". I'll get this set sometime down the road at either the June DD sale or on my birthday list.

Bottom Line is that I'm most likely in the same camp as most here in that I don't like the s/s release concept and I've questioned the reason for this in other related threads here. We can speculate on the reasons, but unless someone here is in a position to know for certain about the studio's various marketing strategies, we're offering our guesses and opinions here.

While the s/s issue is an important one to discuss IMO, I'm of the belief that xfr quality and edited episodes are the 2 main factors that determine my purchases. It's true that some of the studio's releases have been sub-par in these catagories (the Route 66 S1V2 matted issue, for one). However, there have also been, IMO, some excellent TV/DVD releases since the early days of TV shows' DVD's.....Dick Van Dyke Complete Series, Get Smart C.S., Time Tunnel, Danger Man ("Secret Agent"), The Saint Complete B/W set, etc. There are, to me, several in-process shows that appear to be on track for complete-series releases, Mission:Impossible, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Rockford Files, Perry Mason.

Although it (TV/DVD is far from perfect, I've enjoyed several shows that are real "blast from the past" releases.

Jeff "That's enough editorializing" W.

 

[Jon Martin]

At $24.99 at Amazon, I don't think the price is going to stop anyone from buying it. It is only a few dollars more than most DVDs of single movies. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN sells for $18.99. That isn't a big difference.

 

[Corey3rd]

The Fugitive airs at 2 p.m. on my local RTN station. They've already cycled through the 120 episodes so if you could have taped them all. Paramount is not hiding this series in the vault and only releasing it on expensive DVD half sets. Not everyone in America is getting shafted by the studios.

There seem to be plenty of stations that are using RTN to program their subchannels. So maybe you should contact your local TV stations to find out if any of them are going to be carrying the channel.

List of Retro Television Network affiliates - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sure it's not the pristine non-bug video found on the DVD - but seeing how people aren't willing to pay for quality transfers, why should it matter?

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff Willis:
What is a BD'er? Anyway, your post got me thinking which shows I do have in their entirety on VHS tape that have yet to make the transition to DVD. Some of these include:

Batman (1960s series)
Insight (I loved this one as a child--there were some powerful episodes included in the series)
Justice League
The Patty Duke Show

I also have Charmed and Walker, Texas Ranger on VHS, but those have since come out on DVD.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Scott, apologies for that abbreviation. It meant "Boarder's", HTF Board members.

That's a good list of complete series.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Bingo.

 

[Ockeghem]

Jeff,

Thanks for the explanation. I tried to figure it (BD'ers) out, but couldn't.

 

[Gary OS]

Not sure why you are responding to me, but let me answer you:

1) I have Direct TV, and they don't have RTN. If they don't have it, it's not national as far as I'm concerned. So I wouldn't use that station as an example.

2) You're right, even if the show is on the air right now we have to deal with bugs, commercials, and cuts. No thanks. Those things aren't worth it to me to tape.

3) I'm not griping about the price. I was kidding with Joe. I'll buy THE FUGITIVE even if it's released episode by episode.

Gary "I think you misinterpreted my post - I wasn't complaining" O.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Isn't the only way to get the digital subchannel of a station by getting it's off the Air signal? I have an outside antenna for my HD feeds but all the digital subchannels are being used for weather or some such, I'd love to have the retro channel just to watch never mind record.

 

[GlennH]

WPXI's RTN subchannel (Pittsburgh) is on my Comcast cable system. I haven't really watched much. The picture quality seems poor to me and having that godawful multi-color bug on screen with a b/w show is very distracting.

Does anybody know: Are the shows on RTN syndication cuts (edited)? That's a downer there if they are. I haven't brought myself to buy the Twilight Zone DVD sets and thought I would start recording them off Sci-Fi Channel. But then I realized that they are edited versions (I believe) and decided not to bother.

 

[Gary OS]

See, that alone would make it unbearable for me. There's nothing worse than a color bug plastered on the screen while a beautiful b&w episode or film is being shown.

Gary "the FCC should make that illegal" O.

 

[TravisR]

The Sci-Fi Channel episodes look absolutely terrible compared to the DVDs too. Amazon has the series set on sale for great price of $170 right now (which is just over a buck an episode).

 

[Corey3rd]

You should be able to get it off your antenna. My cable system runs the extra channels as part of their digital package. The local CBS station gets a lot of action this time of the year since they use the sub-channels to run the other NCAA early tourney games.

shows like the Fugitive, Cannon and Mannix are getting new syndication life through these sub-channels.

It is frustrating when CBS splits up the season since if they had put out full sets, the odds would be that The Untouchables and The Fugitive would be wrapped by the end of the year.

 

[John_S]

Ten hours of the show for $24.99 at Amazon really doesn't seem that expensive to me. As Jon said, a single movie is often near that price.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Yeah, but a majority of DVD consumers buy their purchases at a local Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, Borders or Barnes and Noble. Amazon has the habit of offering huge discounts because of the kind of volume they do and while they have overhead, it's not by much. Most consumers like the thrill of engaging in the so-called "scavenger hunt' for DVD sets ... loking for the best price and don't trust mail order.

For me, the only time I resort to mail order is if a local retailer cannot order or stock a certain title.

 

[Ockeghem]

I used to buy items at those places until I realized that the return policy at Amazon.com is (IMO) much better. And since I have to return so many DVDs, I'd rather go through them. It's just personal choice, I suppose. The money isn't really a factor for me.

 

[brett tolino]

I'm a big fan of Dynasty but will definately be passing on that release. I just don't want to pay the price Paramount is charging for 1/2 season. 'Maybe' I might change my mind later if I can find it for under $20 but even then, I'm hesitant.

Paramount used to release I Love Lucy in season volume sets -- and that sold spectacular. I supported the volume releases and a) It was costly and b)it took up a ton of unnecessary space. Eventually, they re-released Season One complete and I replaced all the volume sets just for space saving reasons... but I was stuck with all the volume releases. No one wanted them, couldn't unload them on ebay so I donated them.

Not going through that again with Paramount product and they're the only studio that really does this.

Yes, HBO did it with Sex and The City but the other half of the season wasn't aired by the time they released the 1st half. If I recall, Sopranos and OZ were quite costly for a tiny amount of product -- I didn't buy those either.

So as much as I may like the show, I won't support the release if it's not economically feasable or if its done in a volume set anymore -- I felt burned after supporting Lucy through her volume set faze.

I do realize that a lack of support may hinder future releases but as I've said before, it's not my responsibility to support this stuff just so they can release a complete season set or a complete show later on -- for all the people who passed on it when it was released piece meal. I can live with that on the season sets but I draw the line with volume releaes.

If they release it complete seasonally later on like I Love Lucy, I'll buy it. If not, I'll survive without it.

 

[brett tolino]

Hey, I did it for Knots Landing back in the day -- and boy am I glad I did. I have every single episode on VHS from the first episode to the last plus the reunions. It's over 53 VHS tapes which I'm now in the process of transferring to dvd but hey, a consumer can't count on studios anymore.

 

[brett tolino]

He's right and the dvd set is worth the purchase. I have the show complete on dvd and they did an amazing job.

 

[Gary Seven]

Can someone define for me the word "skeeziest" (from the article)? EW definitely does not hire very prolific writers.