Cosby Show complete series

AnthonyC · 07-11-2008, 07:12 PM

I stopped buying after season 4 so I'm definitely looking forward to this--but what I really wanna know is if we're finally going to get season 1 unedited. There isn't a single dud episode in that first season and I'd love to get a chance to see them in their original versions.

Ethan Riley · 07-11-2008, 07:34 PM

I always thought Season One was the best--an unedited version is the only reason to buy this huge set. I wonder if they can do the same with Roseanne and 3rd Rock from the Sun someday, too...all 3 series had butchered first seasons on dvd.

David Rain · 07-12-2008, 03:30 AM

I don't think anyone will be the least bit shocked if series such as Cosby & Roseanne end up releasing the proper unedited first seasons only in the complete series box sets. Another huge "screw you" to customers.

MatthewA · 07-12-2008, 07:00 PM

The Best of Disc had a season 1 episode that was definitely not at syndicated length.

I think the bigger screw-you would not be redoing season 1.

MatthewA · 08-07-2008, 06:34 PM

TV Shows on DVD reports great news, if it's true:

tvshowsondvd.com/news/Cosby-25th-Anniversary-Commecmorative-Edition/10251

They say point blank that every episode is "original, uncut broadcast versions." There is nothing vague about that statement. But I'll still be waiting for someone to actually review the set before I take the plunge. If so, then as someone who didn't buy individual season sets I will be buying.

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WhitneyG · 08-07-2008, 07:57 PM

I have mixed feelings on this:

As someone who appreciates quality TV-on-DVD releases, I am happy for consumers of this complete series that they will be getting it uncut.

As someone who bought the Cosby Show, and actually having been promised uncut episodes I might add, I am very mad that the studio has decided to screw over purchasers of the season sets. The fair thing to do would be to give us the option to upgrade our first season discs, giving us what we were promised when we bought them. This is not just a case of series sets including extras unavailable to season set holders, this is also a case of season set holders having been cheated in the first place. They have wounded us and are now putting salt in that wound.

Would I have preferred they screw over series set purchasers as well? Absolutely not. They did not chose the most despicable option, but they certainly didn't choose the most just one either.

Victor Wright · 08-07-2008, 08:44 PM

I don't usually buy 'Complete Series' sets, preferring to buy the individual seasons, but for this I will make the exception...

David Rain · 08-08-2008, 11:03 AM

Gee, how many times has a press release promised uncut eps when it turned out they "accidentally" used the syndies. Like no one can count running times.

John Stell · 08-08-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Rain

Gee, how many times has a press release promised uncut eps when it turned out they "accidentally" used the syndies. Like no one can count running times.

Exactly. I will wait for reviews on this to confirm an uncut presentation of Season 1. I believe the original packaging for S1 said they were the original broadcast versions, which they were not. The press release may just be repeating the same incorrect info. I've become such a cynic when it comes to TV shows on DVD.

MatthewA · 08-08-2008, 01:09 PM

I'm a bigger cynic than you, John, but I don't remember the season 1 disc set saying it was uncut. It was only after the outcry over that botched release (which was Carsey-Werner's fault, as it happened on their other shows, too) that they started presenting uncut episodes and declaring so on the box.

WhitneyG · 08-08-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewA

I'm a bigger cynic than you, John, but I don't remember the season 1 disc set saying it was uncut. It was only after the outcry over that botched release (which was Carsey-Werner's fault, as it happened on their other shows, too) that they started presenting uncut episodes and declaring so on the box.

They didn't put it on the box, but they did promise us uncut episodes. Here's a quote from a review (Sitcoms Online - The Cosby Show - Season 1 DVD Review):

Quote:

I’d like to quote a line from the press release in my hand right now. Had I a scanner, I would scan a copy of this and place an image for your viewing, however, that’s not possible. Anyway, it states: "The discs will feature all original NBC network versions, including the pilot episode, which are approximately two minutes longer than the syndicated versions."

Also, the runtime listed on the box itself is the runtime that it would have been if uncut episodes were used.

MatthewA · 08-08-2008, 03:44 PM

Okay, thanks for reminding me.

If they do not repair the broken season 1 discs (there's no better way to describe them), they are guilty of fraud in my opinion. The semantics leave no wiggle room to excuse it otherwise.