It seems incredible that so much of vintage television product remains MIA on home video in HD. There's too much good stuff to choose from, but at the top of my list of 'must haves' is the hospital drama - St. Elsewhere, which, apart from Season One, has NEVER been given even a proper home video release on DVD!!!
Before there was ER, or Grey's Anatomy or Chicago Hope, there was St. Elsewhere; with a killer cast to include Denzel Washington, Howie Mandel, Norman Lloyd, Mark Harmon, Bruce Greenwood and Ronny Cox - among its ever revolving cast, and irreverent writing that kept multiple storylines in play, often for seasons at a time. In many ways, this played more like a soap opera than a hospital drama. Produced by Bruce Paltrow and Grant Tinker (a winning team by any creative stretch), the show remains a masterpiece. Presently, only thoroughly shoddy internet bootlegs exist of this series. It deserves far better and far more exposure than this.
Others on the horizon: Murder She Wrote. The first 6 years of this long-running series are available on Blu via Elephant Films in France under its French title, Arabesque and the quality of the transfers is superb and - even better - region free. Why Universal has hesitated on a North American release of the entire series thus far continues to baffle - especially with the recent passing of the legendary Angela Lansbury.
Dynasty and Dynasty II: The Colbys - Nolan Miller's costuming alone would shimmer in HD given half the opportunity. For the first 5 seasons Dynasty dazzled audiences with its audacious catfights and sumptuous production values. Can't we get it on Blu-ray. I mean, can't we?!?
Crazy Like a Fox - Jack Warden and John Rubenstein played father/son, San Franciscan P.I. and button-down attorney at law respectively, in this charmingly original crime solving series that only lasted for a couple of seasons. Great stuff here.
The Golden Girls - photographed on tape instead of film, this 'golden' series will never look stellar on Blu. But if Fraggle Rock can get an upgrade, and actually look far better than it ever did on TV broadcast, then this perennial fav from the Disney stables deserves as much consideration. The current DVD masters are an atrocity with boosted contrast and all sorts of tape-based anomalies that can be corrected in the HD format given a little TLC and more than a modicum of cash to do right by the four golden goddesses who graced us with their audacious spirit and sass.
Bewitched - a seminal comedy series with a unique slant on the growing pains of married life - particularly when one of the mates happens to be a practicing witch.
The Love Boat - it was, in its time, one of the longest running anthology 'rom/coms' with its spectacularly loveable ensemble and an ever-evolving roster of classic stars and up-and-comers mingling aboard the Pacific Princess. Only the first 5 seasons have found their way to DVD. Nothing on Blu. For shame!
Remington Steele - the series that simultaneously made a star out of Pierce Brosnan and hampered his abilities to slip into the role of James Bond for at least a decade thereafter, this one was typified by great performances from Brosnan and co-stars, Stephanie Zimbalist and Doris Roberts. Comedy and drama intermingled as Steele and his 'associate' Laura Holt solved their capers in style. Pretty please. A Blu for 2023.
Moonlighting - Cybill Shepherd and a then unknown Bruce Willis made magic by moonlight in this irreverently funny, saucy and throughout fun-loving crime-solving series. The first two seasons of Moonlighting are among the greatest television ever produced. That the series devolved thereafter is a bit of a tragedy. Not having any of it on Blu is the worst tragedy of them all.
Ally McBeal - the irrepressibly insecure Ally and her cohorts made us care about the law, love and life on the rocks in a Bostonian firm that had its own cohort of loonies to contend with. Vonda Shepard's iconic revamping of legendary rock/pop tunes advanced the series into an entirely new stratosphere. And the dancing baby became our heroine's Achilles heel. Wonderful stuff here, strikingly on point and poignant in the present as well.
Falcon Crest - oft considered by the critics as just another prime time soap, it sported a killer cast front-lined by Jane Wyman and some truly compelling espionage from an underground consortium threatening to take over California wine country. Great writing and an ever revolving line up of stars made this must see TV in its day. Should be seen again on Blu.
Hart to Hart - Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers made for one hell of a great hubby and wife sleuthing team in this champagne cocktail of a whodunit franchise. We mustn't forget Lionel Stander - who took care of them both as their protective chauffeur - Max.
Before there was ER, or Grey's Anatomy or Chicago Hope, there was St. Elsewhere; with a killer cast to include Denzel Washington, Howie Mandel, Norman Lloyd, Mark Harmon, Bruce Greenwood and Ronny Cox - among its ever revolving cast, and irreverent writing that kept multiple storylines in play, often for seasons at a time. In many ways, this played more like a soap opera than a hospital drama. Produced by Bruce Paltrow and Grant Tinker (a winning team by any creative stretch), the show remains a masterpiece. Presently, only thoroughly shoddy internet bootlegs exist of this series. It deserves far better and far more exposure than this.
Others on the horizon: Murder She Wrote. The first 6 years of this long-running series are available on Blu via Elephant Films in France under its French title, Arabesque and the quality of the transfers is superb and - even better - region free. Why Universal has hesitated on a North American release of the entire series thus far continues to baffle - especially with the recent passing of the legendary Angela Lansbury.
Dynasty and Dynasty II: The Colbys - Nolan Miller's costuming alone would shimmer in HD given half the opportunity. For the first 5 seasons Dynasty dazzled audiences with its audacious catfights and sumptuous production values. Can't we get it on Blu-ray. I mean, can't we?!?
Crazy Like a Fox - Jack Warden and John Rubenstein played father/son, San Franciscan P.I. and button-down attorney at law respectively, in this charmingly original crime solving series that only lasted for a couple of seasons. Great stuff here.
The Golden Girls - photographed on tape instead of film, this 'golden' series will never look stellar on Blu. But if Fraggle Rock can get an upgrade, and actually look far better than it ever did on TV broadcast, then this perennial fav from the Disney stables deserves as much consideration. The current DVD masters are an atrocity with boosted contrast and all sorts of tape-based anomalies that can be corrected in the HD format given a little TLC and more than a modicum of cash to do right by the four golden goddesses who graced us with their audacious spirit and sass.
Bewitched - a seminal comedy series with a unique slant on the growing pains of married life - particularly when one of the mates happens to be a practicing witch.
The Love Boat - it was, in its time, one of the longest running anthology 'rom/coms' with its spectacularly loveable ensemble and an ever-evolving roster of classic stars and up-and-comers mingling aboard the Pacific Princess. Only the first 5 seasons have found their way to DVD. Nothing on Blu. For shame!
Remington Steele - the series that simultaneously made a star out of Pierce Brosnan and hampered his abilities to slip into the role of James Bond for at least a decade thereafter, this one was typified by great performances from Brosnan and co-stars, Stephanie Zimbalist and Doris Roberts. Comedy and drama intermingled as Steele and his 'associate' Laura Holt solved their capers in style. Pretty please. A Blu for 2023.
Moonlighting - Cybill Shepherd and a then unknown Bruce Willis made magic by moonlight in this irreverently funny, saucy and throughout fun-loving crime-solving series. The first two seasons of Moonlighting are among the greatest television ever produced. That the series devolved thereafter is a bit of a tragedy. Not having any of it on Blu is the worst tragedy of them all.
Ally McBeal - the irrepressibly insecure Ally and her cohorts made us care about the law, love and life on the rocks in a Bostonian firm that had its own cohort of loonies to contend with. Vonda Shepard's iconic revamping of legendary rock/pop tunes advanced the series into an entirely new stratosphere. And the dancing baby became our heroine's Achilles heel. Wonderful stuff here, strikingly on point and poignant in the present as well.
Falcon Crest - oft considered by the critics as just another prime time soap, it sported a killer cast front-lined by Jane Wyman and some truly compelling espionage from an underground consortium threatening to take over California wine country. Great writing and an ever revolving line up of stars made this must see TV in its day. Should be seen again on Blu.
Hart to Hart - Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers made for one hell of a great hubby and wife sleuthing team in this champagne cocktail of a whodunit franchise. We mustn't forget Lionel Stander - who took care of them both as their protective chauffeur - Max.
