Universal Studios Is The Pits

FrancisP · 08-02-2004, 06:32 PM

I have to say that Universal is currently the worst company in the home video market. The things I would like to do to the so-called brain trust and none of them are legal. Their products are overpriced and shoddy.

First exhibit is Night Gallery. First of all there are only
7 episodes maybe 8 if they throw in the movie. The list price is $59.98(I know it can be had for less). What do you get for that? Shows whose picture quality is questionable and several episodes that have mismatched elements like music cues. And then you get no extras even though there are items out there that could be added without being done from scratch. Some of those items include documentaries and scene specific recordings commentaries of edisodes from Rod Serling's college tours.

On the Munsters, for the same list price at least you get
38 episodes. Other than that there are no guarantees on the quality of the pictures. There are also no extras and apparently Universal even objects to customers going out and purchasing extras.

Columbo has the same problem. High list price, no extras,
and a limited number of episodes(I believe 10 with the movies).

Then of course of upcoming Buck Rogers set. They added the
awful second season which means we are going to pay through the nose for something a lot of us don't want. I
hate to see the list price on that. Bottom line is there
doesn't look to be any extras there.

I know a lot of tv product aren't remastered or have extras, but a lot of them list for less than $30. Even the Star Trek sets which cost more have some extras and at least 22 episodes.

What is Universal's respone to all of this? Maybe they'll do something later if these sets sell. Talk about legalized blackmail.

Boy how I hate Universal. I give them a Golden Rasberry as
the hands down winner.

Eric Paddon · 08-02-2004, 06:43 PM

I don't care for the lack of extras on Columbo Season 1 either, but since those are 8 90 minute movies and 2 two hour movies, the price is still no more than $5 per hour of programming all told if I get a deal at Best Buy.

And for outrageous prices, nothing will top A+E Video because those prices are why I will never get the Honor Blackman/Linda Thorson Avengers episodes, or ever take a chance on "The Prisoner."

Rob Gardiner · 08-02-2004, 06:51 PM

Eric,

THE PRISONER is worth every penny.

Travis W. · 08-02-2004, 09:43 PM

Universal and Columbia just suck. Period. Nothing we can do about it (boycotting their titles won't do a thing since there's always someone out there who will buy it anyway).

Greg_S_H · 08-02-2004, 09:53 PM

The Quantum Leap and A-Team sets are both excellent. I can't wait for future seasons of those shows, along with the Munsters and Magnum.

**HTF Ads**

Malcolm R · 08-02-2004, 10:00 PM

Quote:

along with the Munsters

Rob T · 08-02-2004, 10:02 PM

and both Universal and Columbia won't talk to the fans which sucks even more.

Greg_S_H · 08-02-2004, 11:10 PM

No, the Munsters extras disc from Image has been canceled. The season set is still due.

http://homevideo.universalstudios.co...?childId=34879

Paul_Scott · 08-03-2004, 12:32 AM

i'll waiti until i have the Night gallery set in hand before i complain.
and if it is the complete first season it has a lot more than just 7 or 8 episodes.
think it is more like 16 plus the pilot.

that would be close to 17 hours of content.
and i paid $55 thru Columbia House (including shipping and NYS tax) which fulfilled my agreement all by itself- so if i figured out a per movie average of about $7 for the other discs i picked up, it would mean that i paid less than $35 for this set.
i could easily live with that.

as for Buck Rogers, i enjoy the second season more than the first for the most part, so i'm really happy i will be getting that right off the bat (unless they change their mind).

there are definitely dvd release worthy of bitching about, but i'm not sure these are.
extras are nice, but they are not entitlements and the show itself is what i am buying this for.
After Mary Tyler Moore, i take nothing for granted anymore.

i'm just happy to have the show, as complete as possible, in (much) better than VHS quality.

everything else after that is gravy as far as i'm concerned

Travis W. · 08-03-2004, 01:13 AM

Universal just announced Northern Exposure Season 2 on 11/2 for $59.98! It's only two discs but I guess that hokey parka packaaging makes up for it

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