When are We going to see a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Blu-ray Release?! (1 Viewer)

[Harry-N]

Wonder how soon we'll see Fox outsourcing their tv shows dvd sets to Mill Creek. (Like what Sony and Universal has been doing).

I'm not sure you're getting what Alan is telling us in so many words: the days of physical media are dying. There soon will be no other option but streaming. The masses have spoken and it's what they want. They don't want shelf after shelf of clutter.

And it's really FINE with the studios. They were NEVER comfortable putting their bread & butter in the hands of the public to do with as they chose. They'd RATHER keep their stuff to themselves and let you pay to partake of it.

You want VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA in High-Def? Fine. You'll pay your monthly fee to the 20th Century Fox streaming classics service (I know that doesn't exist, but something like it surely will pop up one day.) Or you'll pay to binge-watch the series. Or you'll pay for each episode ala carte.

And of course you'll pay your Internet Provider handsomely for that extended bandwidth in order to view that high-def content.

The key word here is "pay." The millennials generation has evolved with the idea of owning nothing. They don't buy houses - they rent. They don't buy cars - they use Uber and Lyft. They don't buy music - they stream it (or steal it!). And they don't want to buy video entertainment. They're only watching it on their phones and pads, so high-def doesn't matter to them.

Solid, hard, physical media is fast becoming a dinosaur, so enjoy your CDs, your DVDs, your Blu-rays while you can, and don't expect too many more of the classic TV series to be upgraded to Blu. It's not going to happen.

Oh, you'll still be able to get your STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS on Tuesday - and probably the next few as well, along with the other pop movies that come out. But the vaults on classic stuff are, I fear, closing faster than we can buy what we might want in the future.

Bottom line for us dinosaur collectors: buy what you can while you can. Make sure you've got spare players around to last you as long as you need them.

Sorry to sound so "down", but the handwriting is on the wall.

Harry
...now I'm depressed too!...

 

[Tony Bensley]

As an added footnote, earlier this evening, I asked our visiting 22 year old son if he would like our old ET: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 2 DVD set that I recently purchased the newer Blu-ray/DVD combo of.

Kyle informed me that he doesn't have a DVD player, and has no need for one! Like it or don't, the under 30s are by and large, relying on the internet for the bulk of their viewing pleasure, these days. The way I see it, as more of the current youth grow into full fledged consumers, this will become ever more the norm.

Frankly, I don't like it either (I rather hate it, in fact!), but that's the way the wind's blowing!

Hopefully, some more quality titles, such as VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA can see Blu-ray release before this happens!

CHEERS!

 

[KarlB737]

Seaview On Alert Status !!

Courtesy: CNN - Video

Top Navy Official: Russian Sub Activity Expands To Cold War Level

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/15/polit...l-forces-europe-russian-submarines/index.html

 

[JeffT.]

That Admiral interviewed in the news feature isn't nearly as (impressively) good looking as "our" Seaview Admiral.

Even in the 21st Century nuclear powered submarines are as topical (and relevant) as ever. And so are the undersea exploits (in black-and-white or colour) on the classic VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA tv series.

It's (high) time for 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment to look at the "other" Irwin Allen produced 1960s SF tv series franchises and give them the blu-ray treatment as well.



Jeff T.

 

[UHFrog]

I noticed on an earlier page a mention of a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea book by Tim Colliver from 1992 which actually had all the series' ratings in it and it seemed like some here had that book. Anyone with that book can post the highest & lowest ratings for each season? It would be interesting to know which episodes those were. I also wonder how "The Brand of the Beast", "The Creature" (2nd one), "The Deadly Amphibians", "The Return of Blackbeard" did since they aired on Christmas & New Years Day, Christmas & New Year's Eve respectively vs. adjacent episodes. It's practically unheard of nowadays for 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, or 1/1 to air new episodes anymore.

 

[JeffT.]

You know what I would (further) like to see? The actual ratings for THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) tv series episode-by-episode.

It will always remain the enigma of the four Irwin Allen produced 1960s SF tv series because it was cancelled after just a single season. And yet it still remains just as popular today.

If anyone is able to furnish this data it would greatly be appreciated.

Jeff T.

 

[ScottRE]

I noticed on an earlier page a mention of a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea book by Tim Colliver from 1992 which actually had all the series' ratings in it and it seemed like some here had that book. Anyone with that book can post the highest & lowest ratings for each season? It would be interesting to know which episodes those were. I also wonder how "The Brand of the Beast", "The Creature" (2nd one), "The Deadly Amphibians", "The Return of Blackbeard" did since they aired on Christmas & New Years Day, Christmas & New Year's Eve respectively vs. adjacent episodes. It's practically unheard of nowadays for 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, or 1/1 to air new episodes anymore.

Tim Colliver's book only gave the season averages, not episode per episode. I can dig up some of the New York area numbers which were put in the press kit made for syndication, but those were just there to give an idea of how successful the run was at times.

 

[Harry-N]

I prepared this chart four years ago for our TIME TUNNEL FAN FORUM. I've forgotten where we got the information, but it is an episode by episode chart for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA's fourth season.

Harry

 

[Mark Collins]

Great Harry! do you still have the TT chart? I have many books on Voyage and do have the rating for 3rd season New Years Day 1967.

share 15.4 - 28

Christmas day no rating taken. Also Voyage 4th season ratings during the summer were beating competition and ABC was having second thoughts on the cancelation. Flaming Ice came in quite high in August of 68. To bad Giants had not come in as planned as a mid season replacement in the 67-68 season. As the Voyage cast said they were really shocked even Hedison and Basehart when Irwin told them the show was done. I always felt season 5 may have given us more just sub episodes. But I am a fan who loves all of Voyage Monsters and all.

 

[Harry-N]

I do not have any TT info. Only the above chart that was prepared for the TIME TUNNEL Fan Forum.

 

[UHFrog]

You know what I would (further) like to see? The actual ratings for THE TIME TUNNEL (ABC 1966-67) tv series episode-by-episode.

It will always remain the enigma of the four Irwin Allen produced 1960s SF tv series because it was cancelled after just a single season. And yet it still remains just as popular today.

If anyone is able to furnish this data it would greatly be appreciated.

Jeff T.

All I've seen is it wasn't in the top 70 of the 1966-67 Season, so wherever it finished, it was 71st or lower. I once unearthed the ad rates for the 1966-67 Season and The Time Tunnel had a rate of $32,000. Only Tarzan and Green Hornet were lower among scripted network series (news broadcasts in primetime were lower though). For comparison, Lost in Space was $32.5k, Star Trek $35k, Gilligan's Island $37k, Voyage $37.5k (yes, more than TOS), Batman $40k (both nights), The Invaders $44k, I Dream of Jeannie $46.5k. Highest shows were The Lucy Show ($65.5k), My Three Sons ($61k), Beverly Hillbillies ($57.9k). Andy Griffith, Bonanza, Gomer Pyle, Hogan's Heroes, Green Acres, The FBI, Bewitched, Petticoat Junction, Man from UNCLE all had ad rates over $50,000 per spot.

I did read that The Time Tunnel was considered one of the few successes of ABC's Fall 1966 lineup of new shows. That Girl had toss-up ratings and got renewed (it ran 5 seasons eventually). Word was ABC might've renewed it if not for wanting another series in its place, one that was cancelled after under 1 season. Green Hornet was a disaster, had an abysmal ad rate though much of the problems were the character's creator making production difficult for Dozier and not understanding the target demos and the times having changed from the 1940s, leading to a series where the villains/stories just weren't too appealing compared to the flashy villains or plots that were big in the mid-late '60s (still produced a cool car, decent looking hero and awesome sidekick though). Green Hornet & Time Tunnel aired in the same Friday night block on ABC. Presumably Time Tunnel had higher ratings than Green Hornet but unfortunately, full Nielsen ratings for decades old seasons aren't available. The data should be public, the basic numbers at least.

One thing to remember is context matters with ratings (note that ABC aired Time Tunnel, Voyage, Land of the Giants, CBS aired Lost in Space. NBC had Star Trek at the same time). ABC was the weak third network at the time, not quite on the same tier as CBS & NBC (though well above the position of the later upstart networks). This would lead it to renewing shows with ratings the other networks would cancel. It was much the same for series on UPN & WB (or CW now). Any series either of those networks aired would've been cancelled if they got the same ratings on CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, but due to those networks' lowly positions, a 3.0 season rating was considered great, for example. CBS cancelled Lost in Space when its season average for Season 3 was higher than the averages for Seasons 2, 3, 4 of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. CBS was the dominant network at the time. About 2/3rds of all the memorable, big name tv shows from the mid 50s to late 60s aired on CBS. They had a higher bar for cancellation than ABC. So, a sub 70th place wouldn't have been as bad for ABC as opposed to CBS, NBC. It's still not great though.

Tim Colliver's book only gave the season averages, not episode per episode. I can dig up some of the New York area numbers which were put in the press kit made for syndication, but those were just there to give an idea of how successful the run was at times.

Oh. I've seen the season averages elsewhere, just not individual episode ratings. I was curious about the individual rankings and what place Season 4 finished in, likewise Lost in Space Season 3, Land of the Giants' 2 seasons. I've found the numbers for the other seasons- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea finished 33rd, 67th, 63rd in Seasons 1-3. Lost in Space finished 32nd, 44th in Seasons 1-2. Voyage looks like it was on the bubble and might've been the lowest ranked show those seasons to be renewed (thankfully it did get 4 seasons).

 

[UHFrog]

I prepared this chart four years ago for our TIME TUNNEL FAN FORUM. I've forgotten where we got the information, but it is an episode by episode chart for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA's fourth season.

Harry

Excellent! Thank you! Even a single season gives some info to look at.

BTW, does anyone know why "Fires of Death" was pre-empted by 1 week? It was ABC's last show to premiere that season. Season premiere pre-emptions are rare and I was wondering what might happened 9/17/67 to pre-empt it.

Great Harry! do you still have the TT chart? I have many books on Voyage and do have the rating for 3rd season New Years Day 1967.

share 15.4 - 28

Christmas day no rating taken. Also Voyage 4th season ratings during the summer were beating competition and ABC was having second thoughts on the cancelation. Flaming Ice came in quite high in August of 68. To bad Giants had not come in as planned as a mid season replacement in the 67-68 season. As the Voyage cast said they were really shocked even Hedison and Basehart when Irwin told them the show was done. I always felt season 5 may have given us more just sub episodes. But I am a fan who loves all of Voyage Monsters and all.

Intriguing. From the ratings I've seen of some syndicated series, sometimes an episode that debuted in April/May could have a rerun in August get higher ratings than it had the first time around. Usually that's not the case with action/sci-fi network shows unless they are on the rise in the ratings (i.e. in the timeframe a series is taking off).

Season 4 was getting some intriguing episodes (like "The Death Clock"). Season 5 looks like it could've been interesting the direction the series was going in over Season 4.

 

[Mark Collins]

Chris, so glad you have brought these things up. TT was renewed and was to go head to head with LIS on Wednesday night after the now reduced one per episode Batman. Some top official came in and voted for Custer.

Voyage was also to give up it's coveted time slot in 1968 for Land of the Giants. The network and Irwin who did not want Voyage canceled gave in at that point.

TT went right after it's last episode in 1967 to WGN Chicago and I assume other major markets airing prime time once per week opposite I Dream of Jeannie. I loved watching all the shows again. I have said before it was like a second season for TT.

Voyage and LIS went straight to syndication around the country with much hype when they ended.

Voyage aired right before the news so that us kids could see those firs two seasons we were to young to remember. I have seen the video for local stations to buy the show. Before Star Trek caught on in syndication Voyage even made it to smaller stations in 1971.

Now the show has really caught on in METV along with LIS. I remember TT airing also every day and late night along with the Wild Wild West back in the early and even mid 70s

I would tape both shows on a new audio cassette recorder.

Voyage showed up once again in 1987 in Chicago and was a big hit on Channel 50. I taped with VHS certain episodes.

Voyage aired once again before the dinner hour. Then still around in the very early 90s Voyage was seen only late night.

Then as we all know SCFY picked up all the Irwin Shows with Dark Shadows as it's first signed on show with episode 1. The same with Peyton Place the first show for the Fox Romance channel. Each airing all their episodes.

Voyage was a favorite of my Grandma and I and we would watch when she got home from work. My Grandpa had a device that would turn the roof top antenna where ever I wanted it to go. That is how I was able to watch even DS twice a day.

Sorry for this long story

Mark

 

[Mark Collins]

Will be watching all the first season openers for Voyage this weekend as I do every fall and all 4 years of episodes which I watch through out the season ending in May. Last night the unaried pilot given to us by a devoted fan from his private collection. Thanks again to you. Love how it is a bit different from the first episode that aired.

I noticed last year how guest stars from season 3 Voyage would pop on Time Tunnel and Lost In Space. Was fun to see this in TT first and only season.

Will be glad to board the Seaview once more and see the great acting of Richard Basehart who made every story sound like it could happen.

Thanks to all who acted on that show and made it so much fun to watch.

Mark

 

[David Rain]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I'm not scolling through 100 pages to find out so ... Does anyone know if "Voyage" was filmed or was it recorded on videotape? That would likely dictate whether it's a candidate for blu-ray.

 

[TravisR]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I'm not scolling through 100 pages to find out so ... Does anyone know if "Voyage" was filmed or was it recorded on videotape? That would likely dictate whether it's a candidate for blu-ray.

It was shot on film and it was way too early to have been edited on tape.

 

[KarlB737]

Does anyone know if "Voyage" was filmed or was it recorded on videotape? That would likely dictate whether it's a candidate for blu-ray.

All shows at that time were shot on 35mm film and aired for network run on 35mm projectors. If a show later went to local stations as Voyage did a copy was made in 16mm for the local station run. I happened to work at one of those local stations in the early 1970s and I remember my excitement when I learned that we were going to air Voyage locally.

35mm gives you a nice sharp image. 16mm is not as desireable. When home videos came along the 35mm master was played and copied to tape and eventually as time passed to DVD.

I'm sure that many of the 35mm show masters have been copied to digital servers to retain the best possible video quality possible. The added advantage of a show such as Voyage and most (but not all) shows being filmed in 35mm gives us today the advantage of having a 16x9 aspect ratio as it is copied to a server and then to DVDs.

It has been five months since any postings on this forum. I figured that it was because of the article I posted which was titled "21st Century Fox To Looks To Cut $250 Million In Film, TV Staff".

I figured that everyone felt that "well thats it" regarding any possibility of a Voyage Blu-Ray DVD set release. What I really think is that if sales of the non-Blu-Ray are or have been up or down would a Blu-Ray release compete and kill the sales of the non-Blu-Ray stock on the shelves. Also as of today with several years of availability we don't know how well the Voyage DVD (Non-Blu-Ray) have sold.

Its been 50 years now and do any of us know the level of interest in this product. Look I'm all for a Blu-Ray release as I know all of you are but to Fox it is a numbers game. It will take a significant hard-hitting phone/and or mail campaign to Fox to actually get their attention for what we want.

 

[Mark Collins]

The truth is Voyage looks darn good on my 4k set. I watched Time Tunnel last Friday as I do each year it too still looks great. We can only hope for Blu-ray. Limited edition of the entire Irwin Allen series on BD would be costly but one way Fox might want to do it. As I recall on the LIS BD that it stated all the Irwin Allen series had been restored in HD.

 

[paul pisano]

i watched the first episode of time tunnel this past weekend on metv and was impressed. as to voyage i wish they would rerelease the episodes on single sided discs instead of flippers.

 

[Mark Collins]

Watched episode two of Time Tunnel and episode 3 of Voyage season 3. Both shows looked great! Fox did a nice job on the restoration. I am lucky my Voyage DVDs do not have problems.

I wish they would package all 4 series together as I believe they did in the UK sometime ago. I read that was the only way you could get Land of the Giants. I thought I saw it on Amazon. I would like to see all 4 on blu-ray packaged together in a limited edition.