David Von Pein
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THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW: SEASON THREE
No. of Episodes: 32.
No. of Discs: 5 (Single-Sided; All "Region Free").
Aspect Ratio: Full Frame OAR (1.33:1).
Audio: English only 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono.
Color/B&W: Black-and-White.
Subtitles: None.
Closed Captioned?: No.
MSRP: $69.99.
Release Date: February 24, 2004.
------------------------------------------------
Image Entertainment's third-season, multi-disc boxed set of CBS-TV's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966) replicates the outstanding quality and tender-loving-care of its two predecessors. It's yet another fine example of a high-quality TV program being given first-rate treatment via this marvel known as the DVD Format.
This Season 3 package consists of five digital discs, each receiving its own ThinPak case, with appropriate high-resolution (and very nice-looking!) artwork and accompanying episode information. The outer slipcase, in the tradition established by Image's first two "DVD-on-DVD" releases, features the "old-time TV" look, complete with an attractive "lenticular" (3-D style) image adorning the mock "TV screen". This time, the snappy-looking 3-D image offers up a "motion" picture of Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) falling out of a jury box (from the episode "One Angry Man", which actually was not a Season 3 episode, but rather a program from the first season of the show). But...no matter what season spawned the image, it's still another cool-looking hunk of cover art.
By the way, it's also worth mentioning here that these season-three discs are all "Region Free" (or "Region Zero") encoded. This is a change from the earlier two boxed sets of this series, which were only encoded for "Region 1" playback. This "Region 0" information isn't even mentioned on Image's own website. In fact, that site claims the discs are Region 1. But, unless all five covers are wrong, we have Region-Free material in this collection.
This third-season set gives us 32 top-notch episodes with Rob and Laura Petrie and associated friends and neighbors (even though the packaging says only 31), including the hysterical "That's My Boy??" episode, in which Rob is convinced he's brought the wrong baby home from the hospital. Also in Season 3: "October Eve", "Laura's Little Lie", "Big Max Calvada", and another of my all-time faves, "I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All".
All episodes have a running time of 25-plus minutes, meaning they are "uncut and unedited". The FULL shows, as filmed in 1963-1964, are presented here.
Picture quality is excellent throughout this set. These black-and-white shows have never looked so good! Good resolution, detail, and contrast. The original Mono sound is used, and it suffices just fine, thank you very much. The audio comes to us via robust Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtracks on each of the discs.
Menus .... The fairly simple and easy-to-use menus are the same as the earlier Image DVDs of the Van Dyke Show, with sub-menus presented for each of the episodes on each platter. The episode sub-menus break down the program chapter-by-chapter. Plus, there's an "Extras" sub-menu that branches off of each "Episode" menu (if applicable to that episode), which takes us to any special bonus features that apply to the episode we're navigating through.
The familiar Van Dyke Show theme music plays when you load up each disc for the first time. But you can bypass the music (and the FBI Warning) by immediately hitting your "Menu" or "Top Menu" buttons.
Another way to get to the material you want to see *faster* is to use your remote's "numbered" keys to access each episode, or to access ANY item on a sub-menu. Hitting "1" will take you right away to the first (very top) option shown on the screen you're viewing. And so on with number "2", "3", etc. This number-hitting method will work regardless of the type of menu screen you're looking at. Easter Eggs, too, can be accessed this way, using number "8" or "9" (if applicable). It's kind of a neat time-saving option (once you've memorized which episode is #1, #2, and so on). (Do other TV DVDs offer this "number key" option to access programming? I really don't know.)
A "Play All Episodes" option is also available (from the Main Menu). This feature
makes it nice for those non-stop DVD-on-DVD marathons that every self-respecting fan of "Great TV" everywhere should subject themselves to at least once every few weeks!
BONUS FEATURES .........................
Like the first two boxed seasons, this 3rd Dick Van Dyke Show set is jammed-packed with bonus material. Here's a rundown:
>> There are 2 audio commentary tracks, featuring Dick Van Dyke and show creator Carl Reiner (for "That's My Boy??" and "October Eve").
>> Two clips from the 1964 Emmy Awards (length = 2:30). TDVDS won 15 total Emmys during its five-year CBS-TV run, five of which came from this third season. Unfortunately, only two of the individual Emmy clips are shown here. One has Dick Van Dyke winning; the other shows a rather surprised-looking Mary Tyler Moore coming up on stage to accept the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy.
(NOTE: Interestingly, many fans of the series might have noticed (as I did) that there's a slight error by Image Entertainment in the distribution of these various Emmy Award video clips. In the S.2 boxed set, you can view a David Janssen-issued Emmy Award that, in reality, should have been included on this S.3 set. (We can tell, for certain, that this clip featuring Janssen is NOT from the second season of the Van Dyke series -- because Emmy host Joey Bishop makes a quip about Janssen's series, "The Fugitive", which wasn't even on the air until September 1963, months *after* any Emmys for TDVDS S.2 would have been passed out.)
>> Assorted "Cast & Crew Interviews", sprinkled amongst the various discs.
>> Photo Galleries for many episodes. (Although not quite as many photos are available here as in the previous boxed season sets. But the pictures we do get here are of very good quality.)
>> A complete, full-length episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" (originally aired on October 21, 1963), in which Morey Amsterdam appears as his Dick Van Dyke Show character, Buddy Sorrell! This Danny Thomas program bears a strong resemblance, story-wise, to the 2nd-season Dick Van Dyke Show episode, "Ray Murdock's X-Ray". Run time of this bonus program is 25:20, and the picture quality is quite good.
(NOTE: This "Danny Thomas Show" extra is really fun to watch. But, upon watching it, you will no doubt gain an even further respect and affection for "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Thomas' show (and few others of any ilk) had the kind of realism and genuine homespun humor and likeability that the Van Dyke Show possessed. No other screen couple in history had the chemistry that Rob & Laura Petrie had.)
>> "Rehearsal Footage" (2:28) --- This extra contains a clip from an Arthur Godfrey-hosted TV documentary program from May of 1966, "A Day In The Life Of Sheldon Leonard". We see some behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage for the season-five Van Dyke episode, "Talk To The Snail". We catch brief glimpses of Frank Sutton (Sergeant Carter of "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C."), Andy Griffith, Henry Gibson, Jerry Paris, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, and, of course, Sheldon. Interesting stuff.
>> An excerpt (3:14) from Mr. Van Dyke's 1975 variety program, "Van Dyke & Company", in which Dick's former co-star, Mary Tyler Moore, makes an appearance. It's not a song-and-dance clip; it's a scripted comedy spot featuring Dick and Mary chatting. Not exactly side-splittingly funny (far from it); but it's still fun to watch these two performers get together again, nine years after the Van Dyke Show ended. (I wonder if additional clips from this show might show up in future Van Dyke season sets. Because I have a hard time believing that Mary appeared for just a short 3-minute cameo. Maybe so; but it seems like there should be more here.)
>> Easter Eggs --- There are 5 hidden "Eggs" (one on each of the five discs). Each is a TV ad (circa 1990s) for "Nick At Nite", featuring "Chairman" Dick Van Dyke. Be sure not to miss the one on Disc #5, in which Carl Reiner pops up (alongside Dick). That one is very funny! There are no "Kent" cigarette ads hidden as Eggs on S.3.
These "Easter Eggs" are buried within the episode sub-menus, and can be accessed by pressing your remote's "Left Arrow" key while the "Opening Titles" chapter is highlighted. On two of the discs, you can get to the same hidden "Egg" by "left arrowing" from any of the other chapter choices as well. If there is an Easter Egg present, the highlighted area will move off of the Chapter Selection to an area in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. A "glow" or "lighted" area will appear surrounding the cranium of Mr. Dick Van Dyke's artist rendering in the corner. If you see this "glow", you've accessed an "Egg". Press "Enter" or "Play" now, and you'll see the "Nick @ Nite" promo spot.
>> Plus: There's also a four-page mini-booklet, featuring some season-three facts and trivia, plus an informative bio on Rose Marie (who played "Sally Rogers" on the show).
NOTE: The packaging indicates that this set contains "Original Commercials Featuring the Cast and Network Promotional Spots". However, I've yet to locate any commercials on this set. There is, though, one very short "Promo" (at the end of Part 1 of the Two-Parter, "Laura's Little Lie"), which features Mr. Van Dyke encouraging viewers to tune in next week to see the conclusion of the 2-parter.
Whew! What a dazzling package of extra features! Absolutely fantastic in every respect. These boxed sets of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" just keep getting better and better! In my opinion, they are worth literally twice the asking price.
Anyone that currently owns the other sets of The Dick Van Dyke Show from Image will, without question, want to snap up this third installment of this timeless TV classic. Image Entertainment, once again, proves it's a class act when it comes to providing consumers with superlative TV product on Digital Disc. With great video transfers, plentiful bonus features, complete uncut episodes, and smart-and-classy packaging -- this boxed set is another no-brainer for collectors. It's a "must" for the DVD Library.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a complete list of episodes you'll see in the stellar "Dick Van Dyke Season Three" 5-Disc Boxed Set (with original Air Dates):
Episode #: 64. That's My Boy?? (9/25/1963)
65. The Masterpiece (10/2/1963)
66. Laura's Little Lie (10/9/1963) **
67. Very Old Shoes, Very Old Rice (10/16/1963) **
68. Uncle George (11/13/1963)
69. Too Many Stars (10/30/1963)
70. Who And Where Was Antonio Stradivarius? (11/6/1963)
71. Big Max Calvada (11/20/1963)
72. The Ballad Of Betty Lou (11/27/1963)
73. Turtles, Ties And Toreadors (12/4/1963)
74. The Sound Of The Trumpets Of Conscience Falls Deafly
On A Brain That Holds Its Ears... (12/11/1963)
75. The Third One From The Left (1/1/1964)
76. The Alan Brady Show Presents (12/18/1963)
77. My Husband Is The Best One (1/8/1964)
78. Happy Birthday And Too Many More (2/5/1964)
79. The Lady And The Tiger And The Lawyer (1/15/1964)
80. The Life And Love Of Joe Coogan (1/22/1964)
81. A Nice, Friendly Game Of Cards (1/29/1964)
82. The Brave And The Backache (2/12/1964)
83. The Pen Is Mightier Than The Mouth (2/19/1964) **
84. My Part-Time Wife (2/26/1964) **
85. Honeymoons Are For The Lucky (3/4/1964)
86. How To Spank A Star (3/11/1964)
87. The Plots Thicken (3/18/1964)
88. Scratch My Car And Die (3/25/1964)
89. The Return Of Edwin Carp (4/1/1964)
90. October Eve (4/8/1964)
91. Dear Mrs. Petrie, Your Husband Is In Jail (4/15/1964)
92. My Neighbor's Husband's Other Life (4/22/1964)
93. I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All (4/29/1964)
94. Teacher's Petrie (5/13/1964)
95. My Two Show-Offs And Me (12/16/1964)
** = A "Two-Parter"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Close-up looks at the Season-Three Packaging......
CLICK --- CLICK --- CLICK
No. of Episodes: 32.
No. of Discs: 5 (Single-Sided; All "Region Free").
Aspect Ratio: Full Frame OAR (1.33:1).
Audio: English only 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono.
Color/B&W: Black-and-White.
Subtitles: None.
Closed Captioned?: No.
MSRP: $69.99.
Release Date: February 24, 2004.
------------------------------------------------
Image Entertainment's third-season, multi-disc boxed set of CBS-TV's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966) replicates the outstanding quality and tender-loving-care of its two predecessors. It's yet another fine example of a high-quality TV program being given first-rate treatment via this marvel known as the DVD Format.
This Season 3 package consists of five digital discs, each receiving its own ThinPak case, with appropriate high-resolution (and very nice-looking!) artwork and accompanying episode information. The outer slipcase, in the tradition established by Image's first two "DVD-on-DVD" releases, features the "old-time TV" look, complete with an attractive "lenticular" (3-D style) image adorning the mock "TV screen". This time, the snappy-looking 3-D image offers up a "motion" picture of Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) falling out of a jury box (from the episode "One Angry Man", which actually was not a Season 3 episode, but rather a program from the first season of the show). But...no matter what season spawned the image, it's still another cool-looking hunk of cover art.
By the way, it's also worth mentioning here that these season-three discs are all "Region Free" (or "Region Zero") encoded. This is a change from the earlier two boxed sets of this series, which were only encoded for "Region 1" playback. This "Region 0" information isn't even mentioned on Image's own website. In fact, that site claims the discs are Region 1. But, unless all five covers are wrong, we have Region-Free material in this collection.
This third-season set gives us 32 top-notch episodes with Rob and Laura Petrie and associated friends and neighbors (even though the packaging says only 31), including the hysterical "That's My Boy??" episode, in which Rob is convinced he's brought the wrong baby home from the hospital. Also in Season 3: "October Eve", "Laura's Little Lie", "Big Max Calvada", and another of my all-time faves, "I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All".
All episodes have a running time of 25-plus minutes, meaning they are "uncut and unedited". The FULL shows, as filmed in 1963-1964, are presented here.
Picture quality is excellent throughout this set. These black-and-white shows have never looked so good! Good resolution, detail, and contrast. The original Mono sound is used, and it suffices just fine, thank you very much. The audio comes to us via robust Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtracks on each of the discs.
Menus .... The fairly simple and easy-to-use menus are the same as the earlier Image DVDs of the Van Dyke Show, with sub-menus presented for each of the episodes on each platter. The episode sub-menus break down the program chapter-by-chapter. Plus, there's an "Extras" sub-menu that branches off of each "Episode" menu (if applicable to that episode), which takes us to any special bonus features that apply to the episode we're navigating through.
The familiar Van Dyke Show theme music plays when you load up each disc for the first time. But you can bypass the music (and the FBI Warning) by immediately hitting your "Menu" or "Top Menu" buttons.
Another way to get to the material you want to see *faster* is to use your remote's "numbered" keys to access each episode, or to access ANY item on a sub-menu. Hitting "1" will take you right away to the first (very top) option shown on the screen you're viewing. And so on with number "2", "3", etc. This number-hitting method will work regardless of the type of menu screen you're looking at. Easter Eggs, too, can be accessed this way, using number "8" or "9" (if applicable). It's kind of a neat time-saving option (once you've memorized which episode is #1, #2, and so on). (Do other TV DVDs offer this "number key" option to access programming? I really don't know.)
A "Play All Episodes" option is also available (from the Main Menu). This feature
makes it nice for those non-stop DVD-on-DVD marathons that every self-respecting fan of "Great TV" everywhere should subject themselves to at least once every few weeks!
BONUS FEATURES .........................
Like the first two boxed seasons, this 3rd Dick Van Dyke Show set is jammed-packed with bonus material. Here's a rundown:
>> There are 2 audio commentary tracks, featuring Dick Van Dyke and show creator Carl Reiner (for "That's My Boy??" and "October Eve").
>> Two clips from the 1964 Emmy Awards (length = 2:30). TDVDS won 15 total Emmys during its five-year CBS-TV run, five of which came from this third season. Unfortunately, only two of the individual Emmy clips are shown here. One has Dick Van Dyke winning; the other shows a rather surprised-looking Mary Tyler Moore coming up on stage to accept the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy.
(NOTE: Interestingly, many fans of the series might have noticed (as I did) that there's a slight error by Image Entertainment in the distribution of these various Emmy Award video clips. In the S.2 boxed set, you can view a David Janssen-issued Emmy Award that, in reality, should have been included on this S.3 set. (We can tell, for certain, that this clip featuring Janssen is NOT from the second season of the Van Dyke series -- because Emmy host Joey Bishop makes a quip about Janssen's series, "The Fugitive", which wasn't even on the air until September 1963, months *after* any Emmys for TDVDS S.2 would have been passed out.)
>> Assorted "Cast & Crew Interviews", sprinkled amongst the various discs.
>> Photo Galleries for many episodes. (Although not quite as many photos are available here as in the previous boxed season sets. But the pictures we do get here are of very good quality.)
>> A complete, full-length episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" (originally aired on October 21, 1963), in which Morey Amsterdam appears as his Dick Van Dyke Show character, Buddy Sorrell! This Danny Thomas program bears a strong resemblance, story-wise, to the 2nd-season Dick Van Dyke Show episode, "Ray Murdock's X-Ray". Run time of this bonus program is 25:20, and the picture quality is quite good.
(NOTE: This "Danny Thomas Show" extra is really fun to watch. But, upon watching it, you will no doubt gain an even further respect and affection for "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Thomas' show (and few others of any ilk) had the kind of realism and genuine homespun humor and likeability that the Van Dyke Show possessed. No other screen couple in history had the chemistry that Rob & Laura Petrie had.)
>> "Rehearsal Footage" (2:28) --- This extra contains a clip from an Arthur Godfrey-hosted TV documentary program from May of 1966, "A Day In The Life Of Sheldon Leonard". We see some behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage for the season-five Van Dyke episode, "Talk To The Snail". We catch brief glimpses of Frank Sutton (Sergeant Carter of "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C."), Andy Griffith, Henry Gibson, Jerry Paris, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, and, of course, Sheldon. Interesting stuff.
>> An excerpt (3:14) from Mr. Van Dyke's 1975 variety program, "Van Dyke & Company", in which Dick's former co-star, Mary Tyler Moore, makes an appearance. It's not a song-and-dance clip; it's a scripted comedy spot featuring Dick and Mary chatting. Not exactly side-splittingly funny (far from it); but it's still fun to watch these two performers get together again, nine years after the Van Dyke Show ended. (I wonder if additional clips from this show might show up in future Van Dyke season sets. Because I have a hard time believing that Mary appeared for just a short 3-minute cameo. Maybe so; but it seems like there should be more here.)
>> Easter Eggs --- There are 5 hidden "Eggs" (one on each of the five discs). Each is a TV ad (circa 1990s) for "Nick At Nite", featuring "Chairman" Dick Van Dyke. Be sure not to miss the one on Disc #5, in which Carl Reiner pops up (alongside Dick). That one is very funny! There are no "Kent" cigarette ads hidden as Eggs on S.3.
These "Easter Eggs" are buried within the episode sub-menus, and can be accessed by pressing your remote's "Left Arrow" key while the "Opening Titles" chapter is highlighted. On two of the discs, you can get to the same hidden "Egg" by "left arrowing" from any of the other chapter choices as well. If there is an Easter Egg present, the highlighted area will move off of the Chapter Selection to an area in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. A "glow" or "lighted" area will appear surrounding the cranium of Mr. Dick Van Dyke's artist rendering in the corner. If you see this "glow", you've accessed an "Egg". Press "Enter" or "Play" now, and you'll see the "Nick @ Nite" promo spot.
>> Plus: There's also a four-page mini-booklet, featuring some season-three facts and trivia, plus an informative bio on Rose Marie (who played "Sally Rogers" on the show).
NOTE: The packaging indicates that this set contains "Original Commercials Featuring the Cast and Network Promotional Spots". However, I've yet to locate any commercials on this set. There is, though, one very short "Promo" (at the end of Part 1 of the Two-Parter, "Laura's Little Lie"), which features Mr. Van Dyke encouraging viewers to tune in next week to see the conclusion of the 2-parter.
Whew! What a dazzling package of extra features! Absolutely fantastic in every respect. These boxed sets of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" just keep getting better and better! In my opinion, they are worth literally twice the asking price.
Anyone that currently owns the other sets of The Dick Van Dyke Show from Image will, without question, want to snap up this third installment of this timeless TV classic. Image Entertainment, once again, proves it's a class act when it comes to providing consumers with superlative TV product on Digital Disc. With great video transfers, plentiful bonus features, complete uncut episodes, and smart-and-classy packaging -- this boxed set is another no-brainer for collectors. It's a "must" for the DVD Library.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a complete list of episodes you'll see in the stellar "Dick Van Dyke Season Three" 5-Disc Boxed Set (with original Air Dates):
Episode #: 64. That's My Boy?? (9/25/1963)
65. The Masterpiece (10/2/1963)
66. Laura's Little Lie (10/9/1963) **
67. Very Old Shoes, Very Old Rice (10/16/1963) **
68. Uncle George (11/13/1963)
69. Too Many Stars (10/30/1963)
70. Who And Where Was Antonio Stradivarius? (11/6/1963)
71. Big Max Calvada (11/20/1963)
72. The Ballad Of Betty Lou (11/27/1963)
73. Turtles, Ties And Toreadors (12/4/1963)
74. The Sound Of The Trumpets Of Conscience Falls Deafly
On A Brain That Holds Its Ears... (12/11/1963)
75. The Third One From The Left (1/1/1964)
76. The Alan Brady Show Presents (12/18/1963)
77. My Husband Is The Best One (1/8/1964)
78. Happy Birthday And Too Many More (2/5/1964)
79. The Lady And The Tiger And The Lawyer (1/15/1964)
80. The Life And Love Of Joe Coogan (1/22/1964)
81. A Nice, Friendly Game Of Cards (1/29/1964)
82. The Brave And The Backache (2/12/1964)
83. The Pen Is Mightier Than The Mouth (2/19/1964) **
84. My Part-Time Wife (2/26/1964) **
85. Honeymoons Are For The Lucky (3/4/1964)
86. How To Spank A Star (3/11/1964)
87. The Plots Thicken (3/18/1964)
88. Scratch My Car And Die (3/25/1964)
89. The Return Of Edwin Carp (4/1/1964)
90. October Eve (4/8/1964)
91. Dear Mrs. Petrie, Your Husband Is In Jail (4/15/1964)
92. My Neighbor's Husband's Other Life (4/22/1964)
93. I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All (4/29/1964)
94. Teacher's Petrie (5/13/1964)
95. My Two Show-Offs And Me (12/16/1964)
** = A "Two-Parter"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Close-up looks at the Season-Three Packaging......
CLICK --- CLICK --- CLICK