Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (1 Viewer)

[JoeDoakes]

I was reading a review of the Third Season set of Medical Center and, in it, is this great take on the appeal of vintage television:

Besides...that's one of the strongest appeals of vintage TV: seeing how things used to be in TVland. You may call it ridiculous that not one episode here mentions a patient's bill or their ability or inability to pay it, or that even the most dire medical situation is 8 out of 10 times resolved, but I don't--that's just a mile marker for the "Big Three's" numero uno Commandment at that time: thou shalt not bum any viewer out. Of course, CBS's sitcom ground-breaker, All in the Family, was almost single-handedly abolishing that decades-long edict at the very moment Medical Center was glossily enforcing it, a fact that only makes something like Medical Center so endearing to watch today. It may have aimed to be "edgy" and "realistically modern" when it first aired (as it indeed it was compared to those earlier shows it followed), but it still had that early "Big Three" network patina of reassuring, illusory positiveness to it that marked so much of pre-70s television...the television history, not so coincidentally, that continues to have the most fervent, sustained fandom (a lesson today's networks have utterly failed to re-learn, to their continued smaller fraction of the audience pie: too much self-involved, self-satisfied bumming out, and not enough true entertainment).


http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/61408/medical-center-the-complete-third-season-warner-archive-collection/

 

[Richard V]

@ Silverking: Went back and looked at my Season 6 of Tales of WF, and 23 of 31 are in color.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I was reading a review of the Third Season set of Medical Center and, in it, is this great take on the appeal of vintage television: [snip]

So true. Vintage TV made life seem better than it really is; modern TV makes life seem worse than it really is. Of the two extremes, I'll take the first one any day. That's why I have on Me-TV and Antenna TV 95% of the time I have the television on at all. (The other 5% is to watch the news, which is too depressing to stand for very long.)

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Besides, he couldn't sing 'The Purple People Eater" like Sheb either.

I knew guitarist Billy Strange, who was a close friend of Sheb Wooley. He said that Sheb was one of his favorite people. I attended Billy's 75th birthday party in 2005 but unfortunately I didn't get to meet Sheb because he had died two years earlier. Billy appears as "Murphy" in the Season Three episode "Incident Before Black Pass."

 

[John Hermes]

I knew guitarist Billy Strange, who was a close friend of Sheb Wooley. He said that Sheb was one of his favorite people. I attended Billy's 75th birthday party in 2005 but unfortunately I didn't get to meet Sheb because he had died two years earlier. Billy appears as "Murphy" in the Season Three episode "Incident Before Black Pass."

Yeah, Rich, I remember you from Billy's forum. We meet again.

 

[Silverking]

@ Silverking: Went back and looked at my Season 6 of Tales of WF, and 23 of 31 are in color.

Thanks for checking that Richard. It seems the last few episodes therefore, no longer exist in colour.

 

[Neil Brock]

Unlikely to see further Wells Fargo as I think there is a problem with the prints S3 onwards which is why Timeless have not released them.

A couple of episodes haven't been located on 16mm and that's what the holdup is. So its either they have to release it incomplete, cough up big bucks to go to the 35mm or do nothing,

 

[Neil Brock]

Thanks for checking that Richard. It seems the last few episodes therefore, no longer exist in colour.

On 16mm.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

Yeah, Rich, I remember you from Billy's forum. We meet again.

It was sad when he passed away. He really appreciated all the nice things people said to him on his forum until his health issues caught up with him.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Let's keep this discussion on track without bringing up issues having nothing to do with this topic of discussion.

 

[davidHartzog]

I don't think the era of b&w tv iis over just yet. More of them, like Harbor Command, continue to be released. I would like to see Warner Archive put out some of those p.i. shows like 77 Sunset Strip.

 

[Rob_Ray]

I wish someone would release season sets of The Bob Cummings Show (aka Love That Bob).

 

[Robert Crawford]

Frankly, I'm done discussing at all in this thread as this thread just goes off the reservation too easily! I already deleted a bunch of posts, I hope that's all I have to do going forward to keep this thread on topic.

 

[maskedmala]

I'd like to see those Warners P.I. shows too

 

[Gary OS]

Frankly, I'm done discussing at all in this thread as this thread just goes off the reservation too easily! I already deleted a bunch of posts, I hope that's all I have to do going forward to keep this thread on topic.

I think it's a shame that anyone, much less a mod, has to feel the way Robert does about this thread. It's a shame because it's only been one or two repeat offenders that, every so often, decide to hijack the thread. Perhaps it's because I'm the thread starter and have a special interest in seeing this thread continue and thrive. But regardless, I do think it's a shame that this thread has that kind of reputation because overall I think it's been a fun topic. I just hate seeing one or two bad apples ruining it for everyone else.

Back to classic shows, I have watched several long time faves in the past week. Things like LITB, TAGS, and a few first season Fugitive episodes. All great stuff. I'm very happy with my personal collection as it stands even though there are a few more b/w series I'd love to add to it. But if it all dried up tomorrow (and it won't), I'd be content. I have enough to watch for the rest of my life without ever growing tired or bored of it.


Gary "long live b/w TV on DVD" O.

 

[Steve...O]

Back to classic shows, I have watched several long time faves in the past week. Things like LITB, TAGS, and a few first season Fugitive episodes. All great stuff. I'm very happy with my personal collection as it stands even though there are a few more b/w series I'd love to add to it. But if it all dried up tomorrow (and it won't), I'd be content. I have enough to watch for the rest of my life without ever growing tired or bored of it.

Amen to that! I've found that particular favorites in TV Land are like comfort food - just what the doctor ordered when you've had a stressful day/week. Additionally, the best of the best hold up after repeated viewings. TAGS is like that. I also routinely pull out the Dick Van Dyke episode where they all stage a variety show and Dick does his Stan Laurel routine with Henry Calvin's Oliver Hardy. That always puts me in a good mood.

It's amazing that one can amass a large collection of movies and TV shows but its a relatively small subset that I go back to over and over when I need to relax.

 

[Ron1973]

I simply think that it's possible the b&w shows were written better. Some shows, like Gunsmoke and The Lone Ranger, carried over from radio. These had to be at a high production value in order to continue the tradition. You had story-lines that captured people's attention.

Also, with the advent of TV on DVD, we're also able to see these shows in pristine condition with sharp detail many times, something we never got with standard-def television. When I received S2 of TBH several years ago, I was utterly astounded at how sharp the picture was.

Gary, when it's all said and done, I believe there still is and will continue to be a market for the old b&w shows. People are looking for simpler times again. I'm not old enough to have caught b&w shows in their first run but I caught many in syndication growing up. Even though that's the case, I find it therapeutic to turn on the DVD player or Netflix to some show I watched as a kid. I tend to believe there are others like us out there.

We're also helped by the fact we have networks springing up who are dedicated to the older shows. They may be edited and/or time compressed but it is entirely possible a whole new generation of people will discover these shows via these upstart classic TV networks. You also have Encore showing many of the b&w westerns on a daily basis and I would dare say a whole new generation of fans are there for the taking. My kids love Gunsmoke on Encore. One of them even told me the other day they wish The Rifleman was back on TV.

It also looks as if CBS HE is committed to seeing b&w released, at least to a point. I'm not a huge fan of The Honeymooners but I will say I'm excited to see it coming to Blu-Ray. Here's a show that was on when my parents were kids and it's not only being released, but it's being given the hi-def treatment for Blu-Ray!!!

Lastly, there are names like Lucille Ball and Andy Griffith that are associated with classic TV and will be remembered for a long time to come. With these shows still in syndication today, I think b&w will be around for a while longer.

 

[Steve...O]

TVShowsonDVD.com posted a story that included a rumor (that they could not confirm) that ILL would follow the Honeymooners and be the next classic B&W offering in Blu Ray. They referenced a couple of well known names (not identified) as being quoted on this. I assumed this had to be either Gregg Oppenheimer or Lucie Arnaz but couldn't find anything via google except an article about potentially releasing certain colorized ILL to BD. Ugh is all I have to say about that if it is true.

Has anyone here heard anything about this or know of these rumors that Dave alluded to in his article?

Ron, great post #1723 by the way - I love your positive enthusiasm! With Perry Mason now completed I can go back and catch up on some other B&W CBS/P product that I didn't get before. I'm thinking maybe the Untouchables to start with since it is only 4 seasons. I'd also consider HAVE GUN but the lack of remastering the first 3 seasons gives me hesitation. If CBS/P goes the complete series route on this perhaps those will be remastered.

 

[Ron1973]

TVShowsonDVD.com posted a story that included a rumor (that they could not confirm) that ILL would follow the Honeymooners and be the next classic B&W offering in Blu Ray. They referenced a couple of well known names (not identified) as being quoted on this. I assumed this had to be either Gregg Oppenheimer or Lucie Arnaz but couldn't find anything via google except an article about potentially releasing certain colorized ILL to BD. Ugh is all I have to say about that if it is true.

Has anyone here heard anything about this or know of these rumors that Dave alluded to in his article?

Ron, great post #1723 by the way - I love your positive enthusiasm! With Perry Mason now completed I can go back and catch up on some other B&W CBS/P product that I didn't get before. I'm thinking maybe the Untouchables to start with since it is only 4 seasons. I'd also consider HAVE GUN but the lack of remastering the first 3 seasons gives me hesitation. If CBS/P goes the complete series route on this perhaps those will be remastered.

I've figured on ILL for a while and I really wouldn't be shocked to see TAGS go Blu. I also wouldn't be TOO shocked to see Perry Mason go Blu-Ray.

As for colorization, I'm 50/50 on that. I've seen some awesome work on some of The Three Stooges shorts. If I were watching it as a new fan, I wouldn't know it was originally in b&w. It's A Wonderful Life was awesome colorized as well. On the other hand, I bought IDOJ's 1st season in color and it didn't look right. I haven't watched Bewitched colorized to know what it's like but I may wind up springing for the complete series soon, so maybe I'll find out.

 

[Rob_Ray]

I'm quite sure that most of the "heavy lifting" needed to bring "I Love Lucy" into the HD world was done with the mastering for DVD. I would be shocked if the cash cow that is "I Love Lucy" doesn't show up on BluRay sooner rather than later. They have to give people a reason to buy it all over again. It and Star Trek are TV's version of The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca.