Stalled series? There's Hope! (1 Viewer)

[DeWilson]

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea DVD news: 4th Season DVDs planned | TVShowsOnDVD.com

 

[Aryn Leroux]

I am not sure FOX saying we have not stopped with Voyage and plan to release the rest in 2009 is what alot of folks were looking for. But you take what you can get and that certainly beats the alternative. I would be very greatful if they came out and let it be known they were not done with "The Fall Guy", "Picket Fences" amongst others.

 

[Aryn Leroux]

Yikes.. Nash Bridges was just announced as in the works. Is that the big one?..

... I am happy for those waiting for that. I never watched it much. I don't remember caring for it all to much. But i am always open to giving thing's another chance. So who knows.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

Well, as far as DRAGNET (the 1960s color version) is concerned here's what would make a fan like me happy--

First and foremost, episodes on single-sided discs; using Universal's bare-bones ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (Seasons 2 and 3) sets as a guide, that would mean an average of 7 or 8 episodes per disc. Thus, the three remaining DRAGNET seasons, barring lengthy bonus material, would each be 4-disc sets.

For me, TV series DVD extras, though welcome, aren't make-or-break, but there are some that would be ideal for this series:

* The 1966 DRAGNET made-for-TV movie (though initially shelved in 1966, probably because the revival series was quickly green-lit, it aired in 1969) --this really should've been in the DRAGNET: SEASON 1 set, as there was easily room for it on the second disc.

* The 1954 color DRAGNET feature film (originally distributed to theaters by Warner Brothers, it long ago became Universal property)

* The Jack Webb/Johnny Carson "Copper Clappers" sketch from THE TONIGHT SHOW. Here it is on Youtube:

YouTube - Johnny Carson and Jack Webb

* An interview and/or audio commentary with Harry Morgan and/or author Michael Hayde (or, if it can be procured, an excerpt from Morgan's ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION interview --here it is on YouTube, the DRAGNET talk begins at 10:10-- YouTube - Archive of American Television Interview with Harry... )

* A non-"public domain" episode or two of the 1950s DRAGNET tv series

* Network promos... here's one:

YouTube - Dragnet Jack Webb Promo (Long Version)

* Jack Webb PSAs, like these:

YouTube - Dragnet Jack Webb Medicare PSA Spot
YouTube - Dragnet Jack Webb Christmas Seals Movie Trailer
YouTube - Seat belt PSA (Ad Council) - Early '70s

 

[Bob Hug]

Pete, I got a good chuckle out of your post. The "Dragnet 1967" release was one of the most bizzare DVD releases that I've ever seen in terms of utilizing disc space effectively . . . . seven episodes on side one of disc one, seven episodes on side two of disc one, three episodes on side one of disc two and NOTHING on side two of disc two. Yes, either of the "Dragnet" movies could have been pressed to that second blank side, or maybe even a few episodes from the original 1950s version that are still under copyright. Universal could have, perhaps, gauged some interest in the release of the older version of the show had they included some of these episodes. I view the "Dragnet 1967" release as a classic example of missed opportunities. To be fair, I did enjoy the audio CD with the radio episode (but even there, there was "room" for two half-hour radio episodes).

 

[Cowboy]

I wish they would do more of:

Paramount: Mod Squad and Streets Of Sf
Universal- Baretta,Hardy Boys,Alias Smith and Jones
Sony-Partridge Family and Police Woman
Warner-Welcome Back Kotter

 

[Katherine_K]

My stalled list that I'd run out and watch on the first day... and probably seeing a release would give me a heart attack (in the good way)

Picket Fences
The Practice
NYPD Blue
seaQuest (we only need one season, I know it's bad, but I'm a completist)
the Original Law & Order

 

[Aryn Leroux]

I thought of a show that i have written off and removed off my want list. This show would qualify for heart-attack for me and that is "China Beach".

 

[LCD22]

That would do it for me. Even more so if they were able to secure all of the Motown music.

I thought of "Dark Skies" the other day. I e-mailed Shout! awhile back suggesting this one, but that was before I knew that Sony doesn't license their shows out. Hey, maybe that's the big announcement?

Or "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" that Shout! was hoping to release? I'm not a fan of this series, but that will definitely give people's hearts pumping.

 

[Aryn Leroux]

How sweet would that be.... It is probably a pipedream to get this out though.

 

[LCD22]

I thought I would post this link since we're talking about this. I read about a year ago on Amazon.com that someone asked Robert Picardo the status on "China Beach".

Amazon.com: Mary W. Moura "Marlton"'s review of China Beach

 

[Aryn Leroux]

Chris: thanks for posting that..

If this review is accurate, I like what Robert Picardo was saying there. Basically everytime they think they have it set to get released another issue arises. Which if anything, it atleast sounds like they are trying and one of these days it could happen. That gives me some hope atleast, that it may not be such the lost cause that i thought it was. I have added it back to my want list on TvshowsonDVD.com

 

[Charles Ellis]

Well, I'd love continuations of-

From SONY:
Here Come The Brides
The Nanny
The Flying Nun
The Partridge Family
Hart To Hart
Fantasy Island
Hazel- Season 2 and following are in color

From UNIVERSAL:
McMillan & Wife
Dragnet
McCloud
Night Gallery

 

[Joe Tor1]

For me, the best news to come from this thread is the indication – from FOX itself, no less – that VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA will continue… even if we must wait until 2009 for it to happen.

I wish the same for fans of other stalled series discussed in this thread.

Over in the VOYAGE thread, I drew parallels between the slowed release schedule of VOYAGE with what also appeared to be a slowed release schedule for THE SIMPSONS. My feeling was that if the schedule for THE SIMPSONS was slowing, there must have been a general TV DVD slowdown at FOX, in light of the bad economy, product glut, and other factors. I’m pleased that my (admittedly complete and total) conjecture that FOX was slowing their TV DVD release schedule in general appears to have been accurate. For all we know, this could be a factor for other stalled series as well.

Far more important than that is that HUGE thanks are due to Gord Lacey of tvshowsondvd.com – as it appears that it was he (or David Lambert) who posed the VOYAGE question to FOX. I’ve said in previous posts that it might be meaningful if someone at FOX were to SEE the “eight-hundred-and-something” posts that the VOYAGE thread has amassed, as an indicator of our interest in bring the series to completion.

Well, Gord appears to have made FOX aware of our interest… and maybe that’s why we’ll be having a brighter 2009! Thanks, Gord. Thanks, David! Keep up the great work!

Please forgive any duplication in my posts here and in the VOYAGE thread. But, I want to be certain that Gord and David are aware of my appreciation for the good they do!

 

[MatthewA]

There wasn't a slowdown with the Simpsons. They just held off season 11 to avoid it competing with the movie, which was released on DVD and BD last December.

 

[WhitneyG]

If that was all, then why have we still not heard anything about season 11? If they skipped December just because of the movie, then the next place in their regular rotation (Aug & Dec) would be August. Season ten news broke 13 months ago, so if they were to release it in August as we had expected, then they should have announced it by now (all we got was a rumor so far). Not saying it's not being release in August or that it is a stalled series, just that it appears unlikely to make it out in the usual Simpsons summer release pattern.

 

[TravisR]

Yep.

 

[Jay_B!]

considering Dana Delaney's recent comeback thanks to joining Desperate Housewives, there might be a shot for China Beach to come out

 

[Rob P S]

You mean like Mr. Belvedere? That would give me a heart attack, and would give everyone else acid reflux.

 

[Joe Tor1]

Regarding the matter of THE SIMPSONS:

When posting on the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA thread, I compared the slowdown of VOYAGE releases to what appears to be a similar slowdown for THE SIMPSONS – and theorized a general slowdown at FOX. After all, if THE SIMPSONS releases were being reined in, it would be part of a larger issue and not anything specific to VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

I reasoned it as follows:

The last regular Season Set release for THE SIMPSONS was Season 10 – on AUGUST 07, 2007, with no announcement of Season 11 until very recently. Even this is not as certain as we would like it to be.

The last regular Season Set release for VOYAGE was Season 3, Volume 2 – on OCTOBER 23, 2007 (over two months later), with no announcement of Season 4, until this week when FOX said Season Four should be coming our way in 2009. Again, not as certain as we would like it to be – but better by far than abandonment.

Yes, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE was released by FOX on December 18, 2007… but I do not count that as part of the regular TV season run. It appeared in relation to its box office premiere as any film would.

So, a survey of release dates for THE SIMPSONS reveals TWO RELEASES EACH in 2004 (S4 and S5), 2005 (S6 and S7), and 2006 (S8 and S9 – I should know, I got ‘em all!) …BUT only ONE Season release (S10) in 2007!

…And no release YET in 2008 – making the possibility of TWO RELEASES for 2008 less likely by the day.

Surely, THE SIMPSONS, as a DVD release, is more profitable than VOYAGE will ever be… yet there has been only one Season Set released in 2007, and there are at least eight (and counting) more seasons to go -- so there’s no reason for FOX to hold back on them if they can cash in on another release in the first half of 2008. Especially, considering their “two-release-per-year” schedule of 2004-2006.

Given this, I can only imagine that the reason I don’t already have THE SIMPSONS Season 11 is because FOX has slowed its release schedule IN GENERAL in response to the glut of product and other national economic factors. And, I’d like to think that this applies to VOYAGE as well.

I collect both THE SIMPSONS and VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA and, like most of you, would like to have them all released as quickly as possible.

But, given the alternative, I’m pleased enough to work through a general slowdown in FOX’s release schedule… if, indeed, that IS the case!