Lost In Space Season II RUMOR (1 Viewer)

[Carlos Garcia]

Really? I have a laserdisc of the first 3 episodes of Lost In Space that was mastered from the original 35mm interpositive. This was release about 6 yrs ago, and the quality of the laserdisc easily blows away the DVD image quality. Image quality issues I have with the season 1 Lost In Space DVD set range from picture darkness in many scenes (especially night scenes), video scanning lines that looks like you're watching a poorly mastered video onto DVD (instead of using the original 35mm interpositive), and a poor looking episode 2 (which looks like it was a 2nd or 3rd generation video dubbed to DVD). I don't have a giant projection screen TV, or anything really fancy, just a 32 inch Toshiba, but if I can notice these things, then I figured FOX must've simply rushed this set without really putting any effort in restoring the image to its original quality. If season 2 was done the same way it'll be a shame, because Lost In Space, when it originally aired, had the most beautiful colors of any TV show at the time (along with Batman)...Maybe one day the show will be restored to its proper glory.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

All of you bring up interesting points.

I agree that the first season could have
looked better. There are also snippets of
footage missing from the DVD releases that
were available on prior laserdisc and/or VHS
versions.

This is a real shame.

However...

I understand after the Mary Tyler Moore situation
that the studio would be very hesitant to invest
a lot of money in remastering LOST IN SPACE, a
series that sort of teeters on being a bad seller
or a mediocre seller. I am speculating that it
stands to reason that Fox had great concerns from
the onset about how well this series would sell.

I had heard that LOST IN SPACE actually sold above
expectations. However, if the studio is now
considering alternate means of releasing this
series to DVD just to get stores to stock it, then
perhaps I have been mistaken about how well this
series has been selling.

Look, the bottom line is....

We want Fox to release the entire 3 seasons on
DVD. If the studio feels the only way to sell
Season Two is to divide up the set into two parts
then so be it. I am not going to argue.

Fox could have just stopped putting any more seasons
on DVD. I look at this situation as a studio doing
whatever they can to increase sales in order to
get all the seasons out. Give them credit for that.

Let's just hope Season Two sells well enough that
we get Season Three. I agree that Season Three
(minus the last few episodes) was the best of the
entire series (or at least better than Season Two).

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Well I guess one Route they could take is releasing the st on DVD-18's. See my thread on my stand on this. But I hope they do not go this route or in releasing as two seperate packages. I frankly thought season one was a very good buy. $50-$60 for a set with that many eps I cannot complain.

 

[Mike K]

I am just happy to hear that Fox is going to such measures to get LIS to work.

If it needs to be in two sets to make it work for everyone , so be it then. They could just as easily scratched the entire effort.

I for one would like to say "Thanks" to Peter for stepping up and addressing this issue - it is most reassuring to hear their points of view behind their strategy.

Mike

 

[Peter Staddon]

I just wanted to add that we are committed to releasing both volumes of Season 2 this year. I believe volume 1 is in September and volume 2 is in November.

Thanks for your interest.

Peter Staddon.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I am grateful, as a huge fan of LIS, to be able to have the opportunity to own Season Two on DVD, even if I have to buy it in two halves. Like Ron, I think we should be happy that Peter Staddon bothered to check in with us on the matter. It may not be as ideal to us as owning one solid Entire Season Box, but it's better than a big fat ZERO. We all - and that includes myself - are becoming way too spoiled and picky these days, I think.

I'd like to add that Season 3 is my personal favorite of them all. It's true that the second one may be the weakest of the three to most diehards, so I really hope Mr. Staddon will take this into consideration when watching how well/not well Season Two does for FOX.

Oh - and I was more than happy with the first Season One Set, by the way. I really think fans are nitpicking. We're lucky to have this show on DVD at all.

Thanks

 

[david_slater]

if they dont release them ill be vary pissed off...
i already sold all my tapes of them.
they was talking like they was for sure going to release them after the first Season sold well.

 

[WillG]

Well, that should be no great hardship then.

Thanks to Mr. Staddon for the info.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

No need to tell you this Peter, but what the
heck....

We hope you'll fight on our behalf to see that
Season Three gets released as well.

It would mean a great deal to us.

Thanks for checking in on this thread and
keeping us updated.

 

[Deb Walsh]

Season 1 is actually my favorite, and when I was buying the Columbia House VHS tapes, I stopped after I got the last of the first season. But I would definitely purchase the second and third seasons on DVD - for one thing, they take up a lot less space than the VHS tapes, and I can be pretty confident they'll cost less than the $25+ I paid per two-episode tape for the CH tapes. I don't mind the two part release - I get those all the time from UK. In fact, if the price is kept reasonable, it's kind of nice to help pace the viewing - 12-15 episodes isn't so hard to fit in, where 22-26 or so can be a fit tougher.

So long as Fox commits to release the second half in a reasonable time, I'll be very happy to add the second season to my collection - and plan to add season three as well.

And I'll continue to live in hope that more of the Irwin Allen catalogue will make it to DVD.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

I wonder just how confused the average consumer will be by splitting season 2 into 2 parts? If someone sees a Lost In Space season 2 volume 1 set on the shelf, and a couple of months later they see season 2 volume 2, won't they assume they just bought that set? I mean, won't people who see season 2 volume 2 assume volume 2 simply means it's season 2? I know most of us who have read this thread know to expect season 2 in 2 parts, but what about the average person who hasn't read this thread? Also, I wonder how those who haven't heard the news will react when they see season 2 in 2 parts. Will they buy volume 1? I guess only time will tell. I just hope they buy volume 1 and 2 or my favorite season (3) may never come out :frowning:

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Years ago, when Fox put out individual episodes on VHS tape, I did not buy a single one of them. I'm a huge Lost In Space fan and for me it was either the entire run of the show (that's 83 episodes) or nothing.

I mention that past history because although studios may not always realize it, they're actually alienating more fans from purchasing their product than not. Back in those days, had they released ALL of the 83 shows, only then would I have taken the plunge and bought the tapes. Kind of like they shot themselves in the foot: "Let's put out about 7 or 8 individual shows and we'll see how they sell first..." (not aware, apparently, that fans want all or none!)

 

[Tony Scello]

Mr. Staddon...Thank you for clearing up the timing issue for the two volumes of season 2. It looks like we will not have to wait very long after volume 1 is released to complete the second season with volume 2. We all hope that sales are good enough to convince Fox to finish what they started by releasing season 3 next year (in 2 volumes or otherwise). Thanks again for your valuable insight.

P.S. Any comment on how sales of Lost in Space may or may not effect a possible DVD release of another Fox favorite, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea? (I'd love to have this complete series on my shelf as well).

 

[Mark To]

I would love to know what kind of numbers they are looking for. Season one was obviously put out as cheaply as possible with no quality control as evidenced by the 2nd episode, with the white line running down the screen for the entire episode. Also, the lines of dialogue missing, obviously made from tapes mastered from cut 16mm prints as opposed to going back to the 35mm fine grains. So they put these things out with as little work and care as possible and then complain that the sales aren't great? What about the old adage, you have to spend money to make money? If I had the VHS collection I would just transfer them to DVDR as the quality is the same as what's being offered. I don't so I purchased the set and will buy the next (hopefully) 2 seasons. But as this is going to be the definitive home version of the show, one would think Fox would have wanted to do it right and put out a quality, great-looking product. I don't mind them breaking up the seasons, that's fine. But no word as to how they are mastering the shows. Are they once again doing it on the cheap and going off the 1-inch tapes from 15 years ago? And if they are having so much angst over LIS, the most popular Irwin Allen show, I don't think it bodes well for us seeing VTTBOTS, LOTG or Time Tunnel. If their sales expectations are such that LIS barely does enough for them, I can't imagine the other 3 selling enough to make them happy.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

You can always buy up the complete Lost In Space Columbia House VHS set on Ebay. However, be warned that while these tapes may not look as dark, experience video scanning lines, or other such defects seen on the DVD set, the source is still on VHS, and no matter how good you try and copy them, they still won't look as good as the DVD set does. Plus, since the DVD set used the same video source to master, any missing dialogue or missing scenes on the DVD will also be missing on the VHS. Yes I too would've loved to have seen Lost In Space re-mastered to look as beautiful as it did originally, much like the old Star Trek was re-mastered, the sad fact is that FOX didn't have enough faith in the show in order to make such restorations. We should be happy the show is getting out at all!

 

[Jeff Harris]

Peter,

If dividing up Lost in Space gets you the sales results FOX is looking for, will the business model be continued with MTM and NYPD Blue?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Eric Paddon]

The one thing about LIS Season 1 that infuriated me was how on "The Derelict" they put the title credits in the wrong spot at the beginning of the show instead of after the opening scene as is the case for all other shows. This totally ruined the structural flow of the show for me and necessitated my holding onto the first six episodes that were done from the 35mm elements and released on VHS at the time of the movie's release. (Those six episodes also have the old 20th Century Fox Television logo tag at episode's end rather than the modern one used on the DVDs)

 

[Deb Walsh]

I had the Columbia House VHS set, at least the first season. I sold it. Comparing it to the DVDs, I'm happy with the DVDs. Personally, I was thrilled with the image quality over the VHS tapes, or pretty much anything I've seen since the show first debuted (yeah, I remember that).

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I doubt very much that the show looked "better" than the DVDs when it first premiered! I was only 3 at the time, but I saw LIS in reruns in the 1970s, and the quality never looked as acceptable then as it does on the Season One Set.
And the episodes were more butchered in syndication, too. I'm sorry, but I can't help thinking that some fans are expecting too much out of these releases.

 

[Deb Walsh]

Okay, I will admit the image quality could be iffy watching the series first-run with rabbit ears (imagine a world with no cable ...). I was 7 when it debuted, so my memories are probably a bit clearer, and I do remember watching the pilot episode with great excitement.

I agree that some folks have some pretty extreme expectations for a series as old as LIS. Sometimes I feel that it's that attitude that prevents old shows from ever seeing the light of a DVD laser - studios are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. There is no pleasing everyone, especially when there are folks with impossibly high standards on one side, and lower than feasible cost expectations on the other. "My way or the highway" ain't gonna get the old shows out on disc any more than "I want it free with rebates."

We've been spoiled in this country with single box season releases. Multiple part season releases are very common in the UK - it can take 6 months or more to collect all the boxes making up a season. Then again, both Andromeda and Farscape were released that way here (and Mutant X, I think). The fans of those shows may not have liked it, but they bought in sufficient numbers that Andromeda is actually about half a season ahead of the UK, where it was two seasons behind when the releases first started in the US.