TIME TUNNEL! - Where Are You? - Page 2

Does anyone know whether the TT episodes that have been airing on Starz and Encore Action channels are edited, or are they the original broadcast versions? I'd think that since these are "movie" channels, and don't air commercials during the episodes, there would be no reason for them to air shortened or edited episodes. I suppose one never knows which version they purchased or was supplied to them though.

Awhile back, I made my own (I think) very nice set of TT DVDs, by digitally recording the episodes from the Starz/Encore broadcast on DirecTV onto a TIVO, which is connected to my computer. I've added menus and such and burned them onto DVDs. I think they look fantastic, but that could be just me. So, I'm wondering whether I need to bother to buy the official DVD release when it comes out? If I already have the unedited versions of the shows, in digital broadcast quality (although not HD), I'm thinking why bother. I probably wouldn't buy the official set just for extras, unless they were just incredible. So, does anyone know for sure whether these are the uncut original broadcast versions?

Thanks,
Dan

Forum member JeffT. indicates that the current syndicated episodes are indeed edited.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...67#post2752867

Many episodes are sped up for time, some have missing cliffhangers, some have edited cliffhangers, some have missing scenes or shortened scenes, and some have missing 'in color' bumpers at the start.

I too have completed a transfer to DVD of the entire series, though mine are sourced from VHS tapes of a syndicated run on SciFi from back in the late '90s. The only advantage my set would currently have over a digitally copied set from Encore, would be that back in 1999, SciFi wasn't doing weird logo bugs or promos on the screen, so the shows are fairly 'all there' picture wise.

Harry

Thanks for the info, I checked out Jeff's post. I'll have to check my DVDs, but it definitely sounds like he knows what he's talking about. Time compression I just can't understand on Starz, where they're not under any constraint to fit in a certain amount of commercials or anything. I'll probably wait on purchasing the official DVD release until I read some reviews, and perhaps I'll get it. I ended up buying the official DVD release of Star Trek TOS, even though I'd made my own DVD's from Columbia House tapes, because I wanted to have the extras. However, I did not buy the official Lost in Space DVD release, because I'd already made my own DVDs from the Columbia House VHS set and I read that the prints were the same and there were no extras on the DVD set. Have to see how things turn out with the Time Tunnel I guess. Thanks again.

Dan

I've not seen the Starz/Action broadcasts since I no longer have cable, but from what I understand, they are the same prints that have been around since the '90s. I believe the speeded up episodes are that way on those tapes that were prepared for broadcast syndication. If your episodes time out to around 52 minutes, then you've got a full episode. Anythnig shorter than that has been tampered with in some way, either through editing or time compression.

It seems inconceivable today that episodes would be that long, but they were. There was originally a one minute break after the opening credits, a one minute break after the first act, then a two minute break at the half hour (one minute to the local station for an ID), a minute break at the :45 mark, another minute after the "See this fantastic adventure next week in THE TIME TUNNEL", and a minute or two after the final credits and before the next show.

There was also time allocated to sponsor "billboards". Following the opening credits, you'd hear, "The Time Tunnel - brought to you by:" and then a 10-second blurb of who the sponsor was and what product they were hawking. A similar event could have happened at the end of the show as well, depending on the sponsoring. Along those lines were at the halfway point, an announcer urging viewers to stay tuned through the local break, that the TIME TUNNEL would return.

Most DVD's these days though aren't including those little bumpers. I've heard that they might be included in the newest TWILIGHT ZONE sets, but really I think most fans would find those little interruptions annoying. As a purist, I'd like to at least have them as either extras or with seamless branching, an option.

But I'm dreaming here - just give me the episodes, all of it, at the correct speed, and with great picture and sound, and I'll be a happy camper.

Harry

Time Tunnel now has an official release date of January 24th according to TVshowsondvd:

Time Tunnel release date article

This is great news. January 24th - only 110 days from now!

And, as mentioned before, it'll contain the un-aired pilot. My copy of that one is in awful shape on VHS and virtually unwatchable by today's standards.

4 DVDs - Four episodes per disc.

I can't wait!

Harry

That Jeff T guy is going to cream himself

Great news! The only thing I'd change if I could would be the release of the entire season instead of VOL 1 only. I wonder how long it'll be before VOL 2 is released?

Jeff Willis wrote:


I hear you. I'd like it all at once too, but I'm not looking this long-awaited gift horse in the mouth.

Look at it this way, too: The series never had a conclusion, and most of the really great episodes fall in that first half-year. (Episode 18 starts the silliness with the silver aliens.)

1.01 Rendezvous With Yesterday
1.02 One Way To The Moon
1.03 End Of The World
1.04 The Day The Sky Fell In
1.05 The Last Patrol
1.06 Crack Of Doom
1.07 Revenge Of The Gods
1.08 Massacre
1.09 Devil's Island
1.10 Reign Of Terror
1.11 Secret Weapon
1.12 The Death Trap
1.13 The Alamo
1.14 Night Of The Long Knives
1.15 Invasion

and we'll be getting the pilot version of "Rendezvous With Yesterday" as well.

Harry

Harry-N,

Thanks for the listing. Believe me, I sure ain't looking this "gift horse" in the mouth The only thing I wonder about is, if sales #'s for VOL 1 aren't up to expectations, will they release VOL 2? "JeffT" assured me that they will. "Sure hope he's right"

"The big question" How will this series sell with the "youngsters" (the ones that didn't grow up with this series)? That'll be interesting to see...

(my definition of a "youngster" is anyone born after us "'Boomers" 1946-1960)

It all sounds to me as if the Irwin Allen properties will all be out, come hell or high water, so that's a good thing.

The staggering of the other Volume 1's could be an attempt to get the "waiters" to splurge on the other series as well. You and I will surely buy TIME TUNNEL Volume 1, and a few months(?) down the road, while waiting for Volume 2, might be tempted by the VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA Volume 1 set. Not a bad strategy, really...

As for whether the young whippersnappers will be investingating these, who knows? I suspect those interested in science fiction/time travel might be tempted, particularly if the hypnotic tunnel itself is prominently displayed on the cover.

Harry

Well thanks fox I guess. I mean I can understand splitting a Multi year series like LIS, but godssake it only lasted one year. I guess Voyage to the Bottom of the seas will be like this as well... but you gotta figure what this is saying. First off Fox is releasing Hill Street Blues in a Full season. They must be confident it will sell as a complete season set. Releasing Irwin Allen's shows split tells me they are not as confident. It also tells me if it does'nt sell then they won't produce a vol 2. If they were then they would'nt hedge their bets like this.

Hey Jeff,

I'm a youngster (1973) and I will be buying it. I've never seen Time Tunnel before, but I love Sci-fi, so it should be right up my alley.

Troy

I was born in 1965 so I'm sort of a Youngster I guess and I love all the Irwin Allen Shows and will be getting all of them.

There was discussion and explanation from our Fox Rep here as to why the split seasons when they started doing it with Lost in Space. Remember these shows had 30-32 episodes per season, quite a bit more then the normal 22 episodes of more recent shows like Hill Street Blues. So instead of a more price friendly list of $49.95-$59.95 per season they had to go with $89.95 for LIS Season One and while Fox didn't loose confidence in the release they thought the price hurt sales. They must have been right because they continued with the rest of LIS and now other Irwin Allen Shows. So I wouldn't read anything into the split season decision. It appears they are ready to release them all.

And I would'nt mind them charging me $89 for S1 of LIS if they remastered the show but they just whole sale dumped it on Disk with absolutely no effort, S3 of LIS looked awful and I can expect the same might be true with the rest of these series using old VHS Masters

The "young whippersnappers" who like "Quantum Leap" and "Sliders" would do well to check out "The Time Tunnel."

I agree that $89.95 was overpriced when you consider that
they did little or no work on any restoration of the episodes nor were there any extras to speak of. Unless there were rights issues, I don't see why Fox 'had to'
price it at $89.95 I also think the poor quality of the episodes probably cost them some sales. Word of mouth can
help and hurt a movie so it is logical that word of mouth can affect dvd sales as well.

There is another reason why Fox broke the seasons into
volumes. Wal-mart was not happy with what Fox did with the first season. They probably realized it was overpriced as well. Fox came up with this scheme to mollify Wal-mart
without dropping prices.

I want VOYAGE!!

btw way-how does the pilot differ from the original ist episode?

ill probably pick it up-at least V1-it got silly after ep 10 imho;

now as for VOYAGE-since it is "only" in BW, like LIS Season 1, FOX may choose to also release it as one box as an incentive for folks who think BW is 'primitive'

A pretty good description of the differences between the TIME TUNNEL pilot, aired and un-aired, can be found here:

http://www.uncleodiescollectibles.co...tt_rendezvous/

I also agree that it's the lower half-season price points that makes these sets more attractive to a good portion of the public. Paying $30-$40 for a half-season of something you're not sure of is better than forking out $80 for an unknown.

Hey, as long as they're all remastered (and that's what we're hearing), and they're intact, I'm on board. I've waited so long for this series that paying $400+ for half a season of Japanese LaserDiscs was starting to look good to me. Thankfully I never went that route.

Harry

I'm also a 1973-model Youngster, never saw Time Tunnel, but I plan to check it out. James Darren is pretty cool.

I'm very excited about Time Tunnel coming to DVD. My interest in that one pales considerably to my interest in getting Voyage on DVD. That is the Holy Grail of shows that remains for me to see released on DVD.

I was born 1979, and I watched all the Irwin Allen shows when they were airing regularly on the Sci Fi Channel. This is a definite buy.

I believe Fox released Season 1 of Remington Steele in both half season and full season sets. The full season set
sold for under $30 most places. I believe second season will be full season only. I guess half season didn't sell well.

Amazon has Time Tunnel Vol 1 listed for $27.99 with a list price of $39.98

The below is from,
http://www.TVShowsOnDVD.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4247



Time Tunnel, The - Irwin Allen's Classic TV Series Comes To DVD!
Posted by David Lambert10/06/2005
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Sharp-eyed readers remember the August news about Fox Home Entertainment's upcoming releases, and how The Time Tunnel was listed among those shows headed our way in 2006. How long into the new year will you have to wait? Just a few weeks, in fact!

January 24, 2006 sees the 4-DVD release of The Time Tunnel - Volume 1. In it you'll get half of the show's run: the first 15 episodes, in airdate order. On top of that you'll get the unaired pilot for this classic Irwin Allen series, plus the original syndicated TV promo, supplements about "Stills, Comic Books, & Scrap Books", and even an Irwin Allen Home Movie!

For those of you who may not recall, this show - the shortest-lived of the Irwin Allen science fiction shows on television - was about a seven billion dollar project by the government to build a time travel device. As a visiting senator decides whether the project should continue, James Darren as "Dr. Tony Newman" goes into the Tunnel to prove that it works. It does...too well! Newman finds himself on a sinking Titanic, and it's up to Robert Colbert as "Dr. Douglas Phillips" to go after him and save both their necks. Now, week after week, they go on different adventures through time with the assistance of the team in charge of the tunnel, including the lovely Lee Meriwether as Dr. Ann MacGregor.

The format of the show allowed for some great guest stars, and the first episode "Rendezvous with Yesterday" offers a couple of doozies! Michael Rennie, well known for The Day The Earth Stood Still, is on board the Titanic as Captain Smith. And the Internet Movie DataBase (IMDB.com) says to keep an eye out for a young Dennis Hopper as one of the passengers of the ill-fated vessel. The other episodes on the first DVD set will bring you Carroll O'Connor, Ellen Burstyn, Kevin Hagen, Joe E. Tata, Michael Ansara, Tom Skerritt, and others, including someone perhaps only a Star Trek fan may recognize: John "Commander Kyle" Winston.

The DVDs run 645 minutes, and will sell for $39.98 SRP. But don't pay full price; you can already pre-order this title from DVDPlanet.com for just $27.97! We'll have artwork for you on this long-awaited release just as soon as we can, so stay tuned.
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Link to this page:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4247
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All news for this show:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/shownews.cfm?ShowID=4288
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More info on this show:
Time Tunnel, The

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I believe Paramount/Viacom is currently in control of the Quinn Martin series: THE FUGITIVE, THE INVADERS, THE FBI, CANNON, TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH, etc.

Many of them would make fine DVD sets, and natural purchases for me.

Go Paramount!

Harry

Well, it's now less than three weeks away from the TIME TUNNEL DVD release - only 20 days.

The advance artwork has been posted in the VOYAGE thread, but we really should have it here, too.



While I would have preferred the original logo-type, I'm warming up to this artwork. As I mentioned in the other thread, at least this isn't another "floating heads" design.

The sales rank on Amazon has had the series at anywhere from the 200s to the 400s - not too bad for a generally forgotten, old sixties series!

Harry
...counting the days, online...

I hope it looks better than Season 3 of LIS, I've begun watching that set and it is by far the worst TV Transfers in my collection.