Is classiv tv-dvd back?

MARC1 · 07-05-2008, 12:30 PM

I think most people would agree that the last couple of years for classic tv-dvd has been slim pickens.But in the coming months of September through November we have a number of classic releases coming including The Donna Reed Show Season 1,My Three Sons Season 1 vol 1,Father Knows Best Season 2,Adam 12 Season 2 and The Beverly Hillbillies Season 2.
Perhaps this is the beginning of things to come and getting some of those classics that have already had a release or two back on track.Like Leave It To Beaver,Hazel and Dragnet 1960's.
These shows along with other classics such as Dennis The Menace and The Patty Duke Show which have had no releases to date still have a following of fans that will buy these shoows I think thats why you see some smaller companies such as shout factory following through on the releases that they have put out and they must be making a profit on them.
After all would they release seasons 2 and beyond if they were losing money?
So perhaps us classic tv-dvd fans have some good days to look forward too when it comes to the great days of tv past,We can only hope speaking only for myself the studios can keep the garbage that;s on these days.

Jay_B! · 07-05-2008, 03:13 PM

just barely. When Sony, Fox and Universal get back in the game, then maybe it'll be back

RichieMagoo · 07-05-2008, 04:26 PM

When you see Taxi season 4 and All In The Family season 7 announced...THEN maybe things'll be back on track. I can't believe they are coming oujt with these more obscure shows, which I'm sure have less of a following... (Although it is good that they are coming out with them- the more, the merrier!)- But I just hate it that seriers which have been out for some time, were abandonned......

Mark Talmadge · 07-05-2008, 04:42 PM

I seriously doubt that. The announcement of a few titles by a large number of studios does not constitute 'back on track.' There are a lot of television shows that will never see the light of day and that's not because of music licensing issues either.

With the blu ray format, more and more studios are wanting to convert their libraries over to that format and the whole mess starts all over again. Then, in another ten years another format will be released and that process will start all over again.

Unfortunately, what we're going to witness is that an entire generation of television shows are going to disappear forever, just like what has happened with the Doctor Who television series ...

Just look at shows like Baywatch, Sentinel, Murphy Brown, Happy Days, Dr. Quincy, McCloud and many others that have long abandoned by the studios after the initial sets were released ...

Gary OS · 07-05-2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichieMagoo

I can't believe they are coming out with these more obscure shows...

Which of the shows mentioned in the first post qualify as "obscure"? Every one of the series that Marc mentioned are well known, bona fide classics.

As to the original question, "Is Classic TV-DVD back?" - I don't know. There's no question that we are going to see some great, great releases between now and the end of the year. But there are two things that could make me answer NO to the question:

1) The recent CBS/Paramount issue with subbed music. Hopefully it's only a blip on the radar and the studio will take measures to insure it never happens again. But if not, and this becomes a bigger issue, I think we will see sales drop and that will of course impact how studios feel about continuing to release classics.

2) The economy in general. A few years ago I was crying out for the studios to keep striking while the iron was hot, so to speak. People had a lot more discretionary income and classic TV on DVD was in a great spot. We saw some studios releasing season sets quarterly, and that was fabulous. Now things are slowing down and I fear that if we don't see a quick turn it will impact sales and that in turn will cause studios to lean on recent series and maybe pull back on their classic releases. And the price tag on the split-season sets seems to be creeping higher, instead of lower. That may hurt sales too.

I hope neither of the issues above become real problems. I want to see classic TV on DVD continue to flurish. But I'm not quite ready to say things are on the upswing yet. I'm going to wait until the first quarter of 2009, and see what kind of releases we get. If we see as many vintage dvds at that point that we are looking for in the remainder of 2008, then I'll feel classic TV on DVD is in great, great shape. Right now I think things are good, but nowhere close to great. Let's see how things shake out after the first of the year.

Gary "just my two cents" O.

**HTF Ads**

jdee28 · 07-05-2008, 08:32 PM

Classic tv on dvd took a big step back with CBS/Paramount's The Fugitive Season 2, Volume 1. CBS/Paramount was the only major studio releasing great, classic shows with awesome picture quality. Now, it seems as if every future classic release from them might be suspect. Hope that doesn't slow their sales to the point that they curtail these future classic releases. But if so, they have only themselves to blame.

BobSchneider · 07-06-2008, 05:45 AM

Actually I think with the so so economy could possiblely help set sales of new/classic tv shows could go up. Because 22 or possible 25 or more episodes of classic tv for 40.00 new or as low 25.00 used the repeat "watchablity" of a season of tv show is better than a feature film. With insane gas prices people are becoming more of home bodies looking for in home entertainment (major reason why medium to large screen hdtv's are still selling well). With some decently advertising of season set releases, with un molested (ie fugitive) decent quality tv season sets are a great value. Its the stealth release/hard to find dvd set business model has got to change and maybe download to burn to dvd maybe be another channel to newer tech savvy consumers. Personally I think the recession and gas prices dont necessary spell doom for tv series dvd sets, the studios have to get more creative/innovative in getting there product out.

RichieMagoo · 07-06-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary OS

Which of the shows mentioned in the first post qualify as "obscure"? Every one of the series that Marc mentioned are well known, bona fide classics.

Oh, I agree- they are all well-known bona-fied classics- and I am a fan of Father Knows Best and The Beverly Hillbillies myself- but I don't think those shows have the broad appeal, or repeat watchability of say All In The Family or the Honeymooners.

While I am glad that they are releasing these other shows (Although I don't foresee myself buying any of the ones mentioned) I just question how it is that studios which are ultimately concerned with sales numbers, let the more popular languish incomplete, while coming out with shows which I believe will have lesser appeal to the general public and collectors.

I don't foresee the shows mentioned by Marc going much past the first season or two. I'm not trying to disparage those shows- and as I've said, I think it is great that they are being released....I just fear that we are going to end up with more stalled series, and think that if I were running the studios, I'd want to release some of the already-begun stalled series, rather than starting new ones.

Dan*T · 07-07-2008, 07:44 PM

Unfortunately for me, with the exception of the Incredible Hulk sets and the release of Jake & The Fatman (still getting screwed by only getting half season) I am just about ready to wash my hands of this hobby. I'm past the point of rushing home everyday in hopes of finding out news for one of my favorite abandoned series, only to be dissapointed in the end.
I have about 15 stalled classic series, and I no longer expect to see any future releases..

Ethan Riley · 07-08-2008, 11:56 AM

Guys...guys...relax! Has it NOT occurred to any of you that perhaps Sony is holding back on its releases because it wants to save them all for BluRay???

TravisR · 07-08-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan Riley

Has it NOT occurred to any of you that perhaps Sony is holding back on its releases because it wants to save them all for BluRay???

No. Considering they haven't released all the seasons of many shows on DVD, I see little to no chance of those shows having a Blu Ray release for many years (if ever).

Some classic shows like Star Trek and The Twilight Zone are guaranteed Blu-Ray releases at some point but any show that didn't get completely released on DVD will probably never come out on Blu-Ray.

Corey3rd · 07-08-2008, 12:22 PM

seemed like a lot of Sony's shows were shot on video. the only advantage of "going Blu-Ray" is to stuff more episodes onto a single disc. How many Mary Hartman episodes can fit on a single Blu-Ray? Couldn't they fit the entire series on 3 Blu-Ray discs?