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The Beverly Hillbillies Season 1? (1 Viewer)

Frank Soyke

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Frankly, as much as I love Hillbillies, this release kind of annoys me a little. Why not proceed to Season 5 instead of retread something that has already been released? I am just so sick of reading the news releases hoping for some of this stalled or unreleased stuff to come out and seeing CBS/Shout/Mill Creek just keep repackaging or re-releasing the SAME shows and/or seasons of shows over and over again. C'mon guys, give us something new. Not the 30th repackage of I Love Lucy or I Dream Of Jeannie. And it's not like all these retreads are just chock loaded with extras that weren't on previous releases. its the exact same s***.
Hey CBS, there are 5 seasons of BH left that have NEVER been released. How about you make an effort to get them out there instead of a season that was already adequately released several years ago!
 

jim_falconer

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Frankly, as much as I love Hillbillies, this release kind of annoys me a little. Why not proceed to Season 5 instead of retread something that has already been released? I am just so sick of reading the news releases hoping for some of this stalled or unreleased stuff to come out and seeing CBS/Shout/Mill Creek just keep repackaging or re-releasing the SAME shows and/or seasons of shows over and over again. C'mon guys, give us something new. Not the 30th repackage of I Love Lucy or I Dream Of Jeannie. And it's not like all these retreads are just chock loaded with extras that weren't on previous releases. its the exact same s***.
Hey CBS, there are 5 seasons of BH left that have NEVER been released. How about you make an effort to get them out there instead of a season that was already adequately released several years ago!

Sorry, can't agree with this. I'm thrilled CBS is finally releasing season 1. Are you happy with the crap MPI releases? So far CBS has given us splendid transfers of TBH. Can't imagine why your upset about an official release of season 1. And there has been nothing posted saying season 5 is not coming.
 

JoeDoakes

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Sorry, can't agree with this. I'm thrilled CBS is finally releasing season 1. Are you happy with the crap MPI releases? So far CBS has given us splendid transfers of TBH. Can't imagine why your upset about an official release of season 1. And there has been nothing posted saying season 5 is not coming.
I generally agree with this. I have wanted a remastered season 1 for some time. I think that the lack of a season 1 is one reason season 2 sold below expectations. Hopefully, season 5 will be close behind. Now, if CBS only would do something about those generic looking DVD covers . . .
 

LouA

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It would seem that CBS plans to continue issuing further seasons of TBH. Why would they bother to releases season one ( which has plenty of PD competition) , if they didn't think it was feasible economically to release seasons 5 and beyond ?
 

Ron1973

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Sorry, can't agree with this. I'm thrilled CBS is finally releasing season 1. Are you happy with the crap MPI releases? So far CBS has given us splendid transfers of TBH. Can't imagine why your upset about an official release of season 1. And there has been nothing posted saying season 5 is not coming.
At one point, I thought the MPI releases were "good enough." My son and I started rewatching the series in earnest toward the end of last year, starting with S2 ending up with S4. We then started with the first MPI release. Ouch! It made me wish I would've hung on to my VHS copies from Columbia House that were S1 episodes.

If anything, this is a positive sign that Constantly Being Stalled is going to continue the series. If you do a remastered (here's for hoping) S1, you are almost guaranteed that S5-9 will follow. It would be very hard to market a partially restored series to syndicators with some episodes HD while others are SD. There is also the issue that the newly restored HD episodes are only available in Network versions, no edited for syndication versions exist in those to my knowledge.They also have the CBS All Access streaming service; they're not going to stream only certain seasons.They could conceivably even license the series out to Netflix.

That they're going what appears to be all-in for a PD season, they certainly have to have plans for a full series release. Why otherwise would you invest money to release it? They are also not apparently going with a WalMart only ploy this time, but apparently opting for a general retail release.

Now for the concerning part. S4 had some jarring musical substitutes in the incidental music; I also noticed what appeared to be a musical change, though not as startling, in S2 in one of the Chickadee Laverne episodes. This irritates me. I have some of the episodes from Columbia House and the music is not changed, so why did CBS get so crazy as to replace incidental music? Grrr!!! As the show goes on, musical numbers were a part of the show with appearances by Roy Clark, Pat Boone, Mike Minor on one of the Petticoat Junction crossovers (RIP, Mike), as well as more appearances by Flatt and Scruggs. You are going to ruin the entire point of certain episodes by not including the musical appearances.
 

PianoPlayer

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There was talk, not too long ago, about Season One getting a Blu-ray release by Paramount. Not sure what's happened with that.

Season One is (IMHO) the best season of the show, by a mile. Whether it's DVD or Blu-ray, I have to think Paramount will use good elements on it.
 

Ron1973

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There was talk, not too long ago, about Season One getting a Blu-ray release by Paramount. Not sure what's happened with that.

Season One is (IMHO) the best season of the show, by a mile. Whether it's DVD or Blu-ray, I have to think Paramount will use good elements on it.
Not to be rude, but I haven't once saw anyone discussing S1 on blu-ray. As a matter of fact, it appears that the CBS blu-ray for classic TV has gone DOA. I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show appear to be stalled; the only thing I would think of getting the blu treatment at this point would be anything within the Star Trek franchise.
 

classictvfan40

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Not to be rude, but I haven't once saw anyone discussing S1 on blu-ray. As a matter of fact, it appears that the CBS blu-ray for classic TV has gone DOA. I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show appear to be stalled; the only thing I would think of getting the blu treatment at this point would be anything within the Star Trek franchise.

And the Blu rays for both ILL and TAGS were horrible. The blu ray for both shows looks nothing like the stellar job done for the Dick Van Dyke Show.
 

PianoPlayer

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Not to be rude, but I haven't once saw anyone discussing S1 on blu-ray. As a matter of fact, it appears that the CBS blu-ray for classic TV has gone DOA. I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show appear to be stalled; the only thing I would think of getting the blu treatment at this point would be anything within the Star Trek franchise.

Nearly two years ago. HERE. Second paragraph. From CBS employee.
 

Carabimero

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And the Blu rays for both ILL and TAGS were horrible. The blu ray for both shows looks nothing like the stellar job done for the Dick Van Dyke Show.
Not only that, but they priced the sets so astronomically high that poor sales were almost inevitable. To say nothing of the quality, which would not inspire me to buy a second season of either show.
 

LeoA

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I remember a fair bit of discussion around here about several shows like the two Henning sitcoms getting some attention on Blu-Ray. Never panned out in the end, obviously.

I'm pleasantly surprised that we at least got the 2nd season of I Love Lucy and hope to see that luck somehow hold out. But with the crazy pricing, few other series would ever stand a chance.

And the Blu rays for both ILL and TAGS were horrible. The blu ray for both shows looks nothing like the stellar job done for the Dick Van Dyke Show.

To me, I Love Lucy on Blu-Ray is less about picture quality than something like The Dick Van Dyke Show and is all about the extras. While it looks better than any of us have ever seen it, the exciting aspect of these two releases is the ability to finally view these episodes as they first aired.

And The Andy Griffith Show release includes the two extras that were only available with the complete series DVD release or bundled with 20 or so regular episodes in the Best of Mayberry release. So for anyone that didn't want to double dip just to get Return to Mayberry and the pilot from Make Room for Daddy, the Blu-Ray release was a nice avenue.

You get a nicer picture even if it's perhaps not all that it could be, both of these extras are included and are in HD (And Make Room for Daddy is complete here and not the heavily cut syndicated version seen on the DVD's), and the ability to view each episode with the original product openings and closings.

So while it deserves some criticism for the small upgrade compared to expectations and the high price, it was still a worthy release in my eyes once it was discounted.
 
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AndyMcKinney

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Now for the concerning part. S4 had some jarring musical substitutes in the incidental music; I also noticed what appeared to be a musical change, though not as startling, in S2 in one of the Chickadee Laverne episodes. This irritates me. I have some of the episodes from Columbia House and the music is not changed, so why did CBS get so crazy as to replace incidental music? Grrr!!!

Music rights/royalties laws changed dramatically (in the US) in the late '90s, as I recall, and definitely changed for the worse in regards to home video releases. The Columbia House ones you speak of were likely licenced before that change, as I'm sure those were probably on VHS, weren't they?
 

Randy Korstick

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People questioned the accuracy of that report and no proof to back it up was ever discovered. They listed so many shows and some of the shows listed had very long runs like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, neither of which have been completed on DVD 2 years later. It made the whole story sound like complete fantasy. If they were actually planned all of those would have been cancelled after the poor sales of I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith Show on blu.
And for me personally Season 1 and Season 9 are my least favorites of the show. After a great start to season one the show like many first season shows plodded a little while trying to establish itself and the biggest fault with season 1 is Jethrine as much as I love Jethro the Jethrine character did not work and was extremely annoying and overused. Luckily the producers caught on and the character was abandoned after season 1. Beginning with Season 2 the show hit its stride and remained very strong through Season 5.

Nearly two years ago. HERE. Second paragraph. From CBS employee.
 
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Ron1973

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I still think it could have gone one more season, even if it was a shortened one, to close up the storylines and have Ellie Mae finally married to the Navy frogman and that would have ended the series on a high note.
I remember reading somewhere that was the plan is to wrap it up in S10, a season that we obviously never got. I believe it was mentioned in the extras on the MPI set that Paul Henning wanted a 10th season. CBS killed anything remotely rural in 1971, and that killed any hopes on that front.

I understand The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies was a disaster, but if it had been written properly while not in the midst of a writer's strike, it could have tied up many of the loose ends. You obviously had Raymond Bailey and Irene Ryan gone; Colonel Klink and Imogene Coca were fine for their roles I guess, but they didn't replace Mr. Drysdale or Granny. No Max Baer, Jr. also spelled disaster. Again, it could have went a ways in tying up the story line, but it didn't.

CBS again had an opportunity with The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies, an opportunity they badly messed up on. I felt it was an insult to the show, even if many of the original actors appeared. It totally ignored the movie, putting Miss Jane in the witness protection program with Drysdale in jail. Seriously? I have to admit that G. Gordon Liddy saying Jethro helped with Watergate as a double naught spy was hilarious!!!
 

David Rain

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Let me remind everyone how far the quality of the show had fallen by the end of the series. I have little to no interest in the last few seasons because of this. Blech!

Also, I find it odd that anyone is even discussing the idea of the show being released on Blu-ray. I've never seen any release of the show that had picture quality anywhere approaching HD.

Was the show recorded on film or videotape?
 

Mr. Handley

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I went back and watched a couple of episodes on the original MPI set last night. I'd forgotten how bad those episodes look. Hopefully CBS will at least give us better prints.
 

Ron1973

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Let me remind everyone how far the quality of the show had fallen by the end of the series. I have little to no interest in the last few seasons because of this. Blech!

Also, I find it odd that anyone is even discussing the idea of the show being released on Blu-ray. I've never seen any release of the show that had picture quality anywhere approaching HD.

Was the show recorded on film or videotape?
And you're missing out on appearances by Phil Silvers and Sammy Davis, Jr. It really didn't fall off the cliff until the last season with the frogman stuff.

Have you watched S4? My player upgrades to 1080, and you absolutely cannot beat the quality. I'm almost certain it would beat night of broadcast quality.
 

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