shows that surprised you when they failed on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Bob Hug]

Still hard for me to believe that BARNEY MILLER never got past season 1 . . . it's one of the great comedies of the 1970s. I really wish that Sony would license this series to an independent.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Having too much TV on DVD is a valid point, Movies are a two hour commitment, TV Box Sets are a 20 hour commitment. I own too much and I even lament the time I spend watching them , I really should be out getting some more exercise and not plopped in front of the TV. Now the one thing that has energized TV on DVD for me is the Video Ipod. But of course just fill in your favorite Media Player or PDA. These devices have opened up TV On DVD and allowed me to watch in places I otherwise could'nt. In Dentist Waiting rooms, Service Centers, and on my lunch Break. If it was'nt for the Ipod I would be much more behind than where I am now.

That being said I tend to skew more for classic series from the 50's and 60's then i do for anything from 70's forward. I'd love to have 6 million dollar Man thou !

 

[Marko Berg]

NYPD Blue.

Maybe it's not a total failure but Fox has been taking its time releasing the seasons. I also understand they are taking a more cost-conscious approach to the series, using double-sided discs for future seasons.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Dave, I knew there were more 6M$M fans out there somewhere I'm also far more of an older-series TV/DVD collector but my favorite "era" of series is roughly between the late 50's and mid-late 80's. I have a couple of '90's series, but nothing past '96 in my collection.

 

[MatthewA]

I often think it's not necessarily the show that is the failure, but the disc of the show.

I never watched Mad About You, but I read the reviews which stated they put 11 episodes onto a disc, and the quality was inferior to the original broadcasts.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

I have been pretty lucky when it comes to ths.

Shows I tend to want (I Love Lucy, Angel, 24, Alias, Three's Company, The Cosby Show, The Golden Girls (quiet now), All in the Family, Batman: The Animated Series, Ninja Turtles (80's/90's), etc.) all seem to have high enough fan bases to continue. Some are even completed.

But, like Shawn I was surprised Diff'rent Strokes hasn't done better. At least until I watched the episodes again. They are still ok one time, but they really don't have any replay value for me anymore. At least the two seasons out so far. Plus they haven't even gotten into the memorable seasons yet. I think this is the problem. All the memorable episodes (Kimberly's Green hair, Blair from Facts of Life showing up with her makeup bag, the cheesy music group with Kimberly, Willis, & Janet Jackson, etc.) haven't happened yet.

Mary Tyler Moore was given new life with a price reduction and a time out. So, it being out of the loop for a couple years was probably a good thing in the long run.

Shows I would like to see on DVD? Batman (60's) as do many others. Also The Addams Family (60's).

I am pretty well ranged when it comes to decades. If you throw me any decade from the 50's to the 2000's, I can name a hand full of shows I like.

I despise sitcom comedy nowadays (sans maybe Arrested Development), but drama/action has a lot to offer.

It really just depends. Even older shows are hit or miss with me. "Sanford and Son" for example. I used to love this show. Now I can't even get through one episode fully. Yet, I Love Lucy & All in the Family hold the same good appeal for me and I can watch whole seasons. So, I really don't get it myself.

 

[Stephen Lilley]

I was just thinking about picking this show up on DVD yesterday and was shocked when I found out that only two seasons and a "Best Of" were available on DVD. I used to love this show back in the day - I believe I caught it regularly when it aired during the later half of its run, as well as the reruns on... whatever cable channel aired them in the afternoons, I believe it was Lifetime or something.

 

[Chris Wall]

I am also surprised Happy Days didn't do as well too. Kind of interesting how Three's Company which ran Tuesdays on ABC as well and was also a huge hit is a few weeks away from a season 6 and should be all finished by year's end. I suppose with Happy Days having all the billboard music in its early years and Thre's Company had parctically none, altjough some people think season 3 through 6 or so of Happy Days was better. At this point I'd be willing to take a season two without the music if all episodes were complete and possibly I'd even settle for a best of as it is looking to be the show with the lowest percentage of episodes released at 13 of 255 not including shows that have aero percent out.

 

[Walter C]

There are some shows that I would not mind watching again, but I would only rent them, not buy them. Plus, I've bought movies before, and would stop watching them after a while.

 

[Jay_B!]

well, regarding Three's Company vs. Happy Days.

Anchor Bay is a much better company at being dedicated to a series. They will stick with shows until the end as opposed to "this sold how much next to Seinfeld/Chappelle's Show?"

Do you think a show like Silk Stalkings would have four seasons out on DVD already if it was a Sony property? more than likely not

 

[David Rain]

I think if you're a devoted fan of a show you might want to own every episode. I certainly do. The fact that so many shows do well in rerun syndication proves that people do want to see their favorite shows over and over again. Although I'm sure some people avoid buying box sets because they assume what they're seeing on TV is the same thing, except with commercials. I don't think the general public knows about the editing that goes on.

 

[JonathanBB]

Night Court - I have no idea.

Dallas (Seasons 1 & 2) - What was the big wait for Season Three?

Murphy Brown - I have no idea.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Releases - Let's face it, these shows probably did sell well, Sony is just too lazy to release them.

Boy Meets World - We waited almost a year for the thid season.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The price was just too high. Thank you 20th Century Fox for giving this show a second chance.

Happy Days - I'm very, very suprised this show didn't sell well. Well, I think it did sell well, they just don't want to release Season Two because of music rights.

Laverne & Shirley - I have no idea.

Mork & Mindy - I have no idea.

Dynasty - I have no idea.

 

[John*P]

I totally agree with you there. I'm currently buying and enjoying the early seasons of Diff'rent Strokes, but I'm really looking forward to the middle/later years of the show. I'm interested in the controversial "very special" episodes more than anything. (and I know when I visit certain DS boards online, those are sometimes the most talked-about episodes that people want to see again.) There could be people out there waiting for the more memorable seasons of DS to be released before they start buying DVDs...who knows?

 

[Jay_B!]

I am curious to see how Facts Of Life will perform as opposed to Diff'rent Strokes. While DS was a bigger hit in its initial run and was the parent, I think FOL has more of what you'd consider a "cult" following. FOL has a pretty rabid and devoted cult following for a 1980's series, people who absolutely must have the show on DVD. I like DS and have both seasons out so far, but it seems like a different type of fandom between DS and FOL fans. FOL's fans regard it in the same league alongside Golden Girls fans, DS fans usually are more nostalgic type people who grew up with the show and like it because it takes them back. Plus, I have noticed younger generations being embracive of Facts, when it aired on Nick At Nite several years ago, it won over the adoration of another generation who don't remember it being on NBC (just go to Sitcoms Online or various Facts message boards and look at the number of 14-19 year olds who post there, who got into the show from Nick or Hallmark), whereas a lot of younger viewers are afraid of giving Strokes a chance because of the stigma attached to the careers of the three young stars.

Does anyone else think Facts will be more successful than Strokes on DVD? I like both shows, but just stating the observation I've made between fans of the two shows.

 

[Stephen Lilley]

Is Kids in the Hall not doing well? Is that why the distance is so great between releases? Or am I completely off base, here?

I mean, I know that it is very much a show with a cult following, but it seemed to me like the kind of show that would thrive on DVD.

 

[Dan*T]

Very interesting thread!!

Add to that:
Mary Tyler Moore
The Incredible Hulk
Mad About You

Those are my top two dissapointments. Like it has been
mentioned, I'm in a big rush to get out my favorites, becasue eventually this market will slow down. When it does, the studios will be more cautious as to what gets released, and eventually lead to less releases.

 

[ElijahS]

I'd take out Mary Tyler Moore, since it's now speeding up (with the fourth season likely going for a July release).

 

[Bill>Moore]

I would have said Mary Tyler Moore before it's return recently.

Otherwise, I'd mention Night Court and Dallas. Though neither holds much interest for me.

 

[Erik_H]

About "Murphy Brown." Although I was a fan of the series (the early seasons anyway), the disappointing DVD sales did not come as a surprise.

"Murphy Brown" never performed well outside of its initial run on CBS. When the series launched in syndication in the early/mid 1990s, many stations paid premium prices to air the series, only to quickly move it to undesirable time slots once the ratings came in---quite a few stations lost money on "Murphy" reruns. Few high profile sitcoms performed as poorly as "Murphy" did in syndication.

A classy series in many respects, but the series' reliance on topical humor has made it a difficult sell in ancillary markets. Jokes about Iran contra, Dan Quayle, etc., don't have the same resonance as they did when the episodes first aired on CBS.

 

[Ollie]

It was mentioned above that July is a likely release date for Mary Tyler Moore S4. This is thrilling for me if true, as I despearately want to continue collecting this series. Has Fox announced plans to go forward with future seasons?

Also, in regards to Mary Tyler Moore, does anyone know why Fox decided to give the series a second chance after almost 3 years? I'm VERY glad they did, but am just curious as to why this series in particular was chosen to get a second chance when so many other series have seemingly been dumped (not by Fox in particular).