Gimmie a Break (1 Viewer)

[Antonio_G]

This announcement made my monday so great that I was screaming and jumping up and down in joy so I'm will be buying two box sets on Valentine's Day which is this dvd and Living Single. I know if I'll wait that I will heard something soon and today I did. Thank You

 

[MatthewA]

It's about f'in time! And just in time for the 25th anniversary.

And please God let these be uncut. The horrors of the butchered USA Network versions still haunt me to this day. And no music replacements, either! They did a lot of musical numbers to take advantage of Nell Carter's musical theatre background, so that could be an issue.

 

[Jay_B!]

even if I'm single at the time, Valentine's Day will be good to Jay for sure

Gimme A Break has been near the top of my DVD wish list but I never thought I'd see it. This definately ranks up there with my faves from the 80's.

 

[Jay_B!]

the second best news to the fact the show is coming is... Universal's going to be using SINGLE SIDED DISCS!!!! Have they heard us finally?

 

[Barbara.G]

FINALLY!!! I have prayed this show would be on DVD,my prayers have been answered. I feel the same as the first poster!

 

[David Rain]

"Gimme a break, now I know what it takes.
I'm putting a new face on the old one
Ready for anything.


Playing with fate, not a moment too late.
I'm showing the whole world
Nothing can get me down."

 

[John*P]

Definitely excited about this series coming to DVD, especially since I wasn't expecting to see it released anytime soon. I'll be getting this and "Charles in Charge" for sure.

 

[MatthewA]

David, that theme was not used until season 3. Nonetheless, this is going to be an expensive Valentine's Day (Golden Girls S4 also coming out).

 

[Jay_B!]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who far prefers the mid-1980's r&b/pop theme song more than the gospelish first theme

 

[David Rain]

Everyone's probably already seen this but here's the link to the full-sized cover art. Quite nice. I'm not expecting any extras.

http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4551

Fierce, feisty Nell Carter, how I miss her so. For those of you who don't know that she was also a singer be sure to check out the first season episode "Nell Goes Home" where she sings Amazing Grace at the end. Stunning. You'll notice that Nell's mother is played by Hilda Haynes in this ep and not by Rosetta LeNoire who played the character later to great effect and who later became best known as Grandma Winslow on Family Matters.

Here's to you, Nell Carter. These lyrics are from "Back In The High Life Again" which Nell sometimes sang live.

"We'll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again
We'll be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in
And we'll drink and dance with one hand free
And have the world so easily
And oh we'll be a sight to see
Back in the high life again"

 

[Jay_B!]

considering it's Universal, keep your fingers crossed the music makes it to the DVD, Universal is pretty well-known as one of the cheapest companies in terms of music clearence.

 

[Stephen Wight]

I haven't seen this since it's original run,so I don't know how it'll hold up,after all these years.I'll buy season one,though,and judge from that.If I buy any more seasons,I'll stop when the Lawrence brothers became cast members.That was the "jump the shark" moment for Gimme A Break,right there.

 

[Jay_B!]

I have this sad premonition that we won't see seasons 2-6 of the show (the last season was awful anyhoo) but regardless, I will buy and cherish season 1.

If Diff'rent Strokes just barely broke enough to merit a season 2, and Who's The Boss still hasn't sold enough for more seasons, and The Facts Of Life is still in a "will it/won't it come out" rut, I don't think the future looks very bright for Gimme A Break, especially since Universal has shown that they don't necessarily stick to titles, I mean, whatever happened to Baretta and Dream On?

 

[David Lambert]

All those other shows you mention are Sony, not Uni.

 

[Jay_B!]

yes, but Uni tends to be even worse than Sony at times. Baretta and Dream On have both been totally abandoned, I am prerty sure that we'll get season 1 of GAB and never hear another peep from the studio about that show ever again judging on their past merit when it comes to shows from the past that aren't necessarily as famous as Knight Rider or The A-Team. I think if Sony (which is better than Uni usually) hasn't found it in their heart to release a season 2 for 227 or Who's The Boss, hoping Universal will release seasons 2-6 of Gimme A Break is about as likely as Jerry Seinfeld doing another sitcom.

 

[David Rain]

Anything is better than the terribly-edited syndicated versions that USA aired a few years ago. ICK !

My memory might be a bit fuzzy but Amazing Grace is the only major song that I can remember from Season One. Does anyone know if it's public domain ? If it is then I would think that would eliminate any real problem with music rights issues.

 

[MatthewA]

Amazing Grace is PD, but not Tonight (from "West Side Story") sang by Nell at the end of the second episode, Just the Way You Are, Do You Think I'm Sexy, and some other song I can't remember in one of the episode (where Katie is in a girl group). Other songs I recall being sung by the cast in the show (either snippets or performances):

Season 1:
The PORKO song, to the tune of "Give my Regards to Broadway" (PD)

Season 2:
Happy Birthday to You
some songs in an episode with the Pointer Sisters
the Amaze-O-Vac anthem, to the tune of "America the Beautiful" (PD)

Season 3 (the entrance of Telma Hopkins, and the beginning of the huge use of music):
Show Me a Man That's Got a Good Woman
Up Where We Belong (Nell and Andy Gibb)
The Battle Hymn of the Republic (PD)
On Broadway
The Boy From Ipanema
I Don't Know How to Love Him (from "Jesus Christ Superstar")
It Might as Well Be Spring (from "State Fair
Swanee (PD)

Season 4:
At the Fair
When the Saints Go Marching In (PD)
Heaven Knows (Nell and Ray Parker, Jr.)
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Let's Hear it For the Boy
A girl group medley with Nell, Addy and Nell's sister Loretta (played by the late Lynne Thigpen) incorporating many classic early 60's songs (7 or 8 of them)
That's Amore (integral to the plot of the season finale)
Hello, Young Lovers (also integral to the plot of the season finale)

Season 5:
The Mickey Mouse Club March
Am I Blue
Ain't Misbehavin' (naturally)
What the World Needs Now Is Love

Season 6:
Sing
Fly Me to the Moon

I believe there are more

That's all I can remember now. There is some licensing to contend with, but not nearly as much as "WKRP in Cincinnati."

IMO, seasons 1 and 2 are the best. Seasons 3 and 4 are good, but not as good, because the show starts to lose its footing. When the show came on, there were complaints about the whole idea of a black woman taking care of a white family in the post-Civil Rights era, and the writers were conscious about this, so they tried to tone down some of the race humor. The addition of Telma Hopkins is a plus, but Joey is a draw. He has his moments, but he never seemed to blend into the Kanisky family per se. However, he is nowhere near as awful as Sam from "Diff'rent Strokes".

In season 4 the Chief is seen less and less obviously because of Dolph Sweet's illness. In the episodes he is in, he looks gaunt and pale compared to the stout, rounded man in the early years.

The Chief's (and Dolph Sweet's) death is the beginning of the end. Not only do they lose a pivotal character in Season 5, but they piddle away an opportunity to use
Only for shows that don't have the words "Miami" or "Vice" in its title. :frowning: Apparently England doesn't have such a music rights issue with these shows. That's why "Quantum Leap" is available with music intact, and all of "Ally McBeal" too, in R2.

 

[David Rain]

If they come out, I'll gladly get all the seasons except perhaps for the last one. The idea of focusing on mainly Nell & Telma was a good one. But it was too little, too late. Telma Hopkins is a terrific comedic actress who has never been given the credit she deserves for livening up GAB, Family Matters, etc.

I do also remember the problems some people had with Nell taking care of a white family. But I know some of those people must have never bothered watching the show. Nell was the deceased mother's best friend and moved into the house to care for the father and the kids. A nice idea for a sitcom, I think. In fact I think the people who dismissed the character of Nell as "just a maid" are in fact the ones who are racist.