Bewitched Season 5? - Page 4

Jeff Willis · 06-23-2007, 04:44 PM

Gary, thanks for the review link. Todd brings up a point about going R2 for this one. I night decide to do that but I'll wait for some review comments here before getting the R2 set. Just a couple of weeks to wait (R1). I didn't see a pre-order page for BW S5 at Amazon U.K. or EZDVD (Australia).

David*P · 06-23-2007, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry.P

I managed to get an early look at season 5 and Sony has really topped themselves this time. Not only did they continue the tradition of a pitiful lack of extras, but they tried something new and different this time! No new transfers! That's right. After 4 seasons of glorious new transfers we get to enjoy Bewitched the way a TV audience saw it in 1998. While most of the transfers are certainly adequate, the difference in quality is immediately noticeable to anyone who has seen the earlier releases. And if you want to see what the Stephens' would look like if they fell asleep in the sun with no sunscreen, you will enjoy the hideous transfer of 'Cousin Serena Strikes Again Pt. 1'. By the way, the recap at the beginning of pt 2 is intact. Hurray for Sony. Ironically, the only positive thing I can say about this set was an error on Sony's part. One of the closing credits has the cartoon of Sam and Darrin riding the Chevy logo.

That sucks about the transfers but I'm glad they kept the recap for the two-parter and I'm WAY excited about seeing the Chevy logo...too bad they couldn't have given us ALL the episodes with their sponsor openings and closings.

Jeff Willis · 06-23-2007, 04:54 PM

DavidP, any idea about the xfrs? Seems strange to us that S5's would have a drop-off from the previous sets.

David*P · 06-23-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Willis

DavidP, any idea about the xfrs? Seems strange to us that S5's would have a drop-off from the previous sets.

Nope, cause I haven't seen them yet. Who knows what goes on in the minds of Sony...it's strange that S.3 had so many problems with missing footage even though that footage is found on previous video releases.

MatthewA · 06-23-2007, 05:19 PM

If you dislike PAL speedup and don't have the ability or interest to convert them to 24p, there are Japanese region 2 discs but they are expensive. I have seen no reviews of them but they have all 8 seasons available.

David*P · 06-23-2007, 05:21 PM

I just found another review of the set at http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/bewit...th-season/4830 and this reviewer doesn't mention much about the video quality, so maybe it's all in the eye of the beholder...

cherisland · 06-23-2007, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewA

If you dislike PAL speedup and don't have the ability or interest to convert them to 24p, there are Japanese region 2 discs but they are expensive. I have seen no reviews of them but they have all 8 seasons available.

Yes, these are the sets that I have seasons 7 and 8 of. Its true they are pricier and come in two volumes per season. Got mine thru Amazon.co.jp. Worked out to about $80 per season which is definitely more costly, but I was impatient in waiting for these final two seasons to be released here in R1 (still need to get season 6). It would be good if there were reviews somewhere for all of these seasons.

JohnMor · 06-23-2007, 08:54 PM

It's funny, they just started showing BW again here in LA on a local channel, and I caught a couple minutes of an episode: it was a S5 ep, "Mrs. Stephens, Where Are You?" and it was poor transfer of a poor print (IMHO, anyway) and I thought to myself, how great that I'll have this ep all remastered and looking great soon. Oh well. It'll probably be the same transfer of the same print. The logo in the corner said "Screen Gems Network" so if Sony felt it was good enough for broadcast in 2007, that's probably what they'll use on the dvds. I hope not, though.

MatthewA · 06-23-2007, 11:23 PM

They're probably picking up the same tapes they used for that syndicated package of Sony-owned shows called "Screen Gems Network."

I don't know why they stopped doing any clean-up work with this season. One would think it would be S6, the first Dick Sargent season, that bore the brunt of corner-cutting.

Garysb · 06-24-2007, 11:42 AM

Could be just the expectation of lower sales for later seasons. I think it has been mentioned that the first season of any show generally sells more than later seasons . The higher the season the fewer the sales.
However in this case the work has already been done for the Japan set.
So you are right this makes no sense.

MatthewA · 06-24-2007, 01:43 PM

They set these shows up for failure by being penny wise and pound foolish in every aspect of presentation and promotion, and act surprised when sales reflect that lack of confidence in their own product. Bewitched is probably one of the five most popular shows Sony owns, and I have had at least one reservation about every release so far. Don't think it's going to get better. It is only going to get worse unless we stand up to the studios and tell them that we expect more from them, not less. That phone number someone posted, I think it's time you called them.

Edited to ADD:

And if the first season does better there are reasons why. While some people simply don't like a certain show anymore because they've become more cynical or jaded (often confused with sophistication), or some are satisfied with just one set, part of it is because even in the rare event that advertising is done on the first season, it is never done for follow-up seasons. And now we see CBS/Paramount giving the red carpet treatment to the first seasons of Odd Couple and Gomer Pyle while the second seasons get treated shabbily (and priced higher for some reason). A tacky little insert in every Sony TV DVD doesn't cut it anymore.

I apologize if you think I'm trying too hard to hammer this point home but it really angers me.

Corey3rd · 06-24-2007, 08:03 PM

weren't all the bonus features on the Odd Couple first season created for their release on Time-Life? And both Odd Couple and Gomer Pyle season 1 & 2 have the same SRP.

When it comes to Bewitched, I end up waiting for the 2 for 1 boxset sales that crop up online. Maybe I'm a slacker, but I like to save a buck or two. Consumers by now understand that if they wait, they'll get it cheaper.