Leave it to beaver season 3? - Page 7

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I've been calm and composed, and let my pal Gary do all the fretting over the lack of LITB announcements. But, good grief! A whole year now! Today we learn Paramount has the last season of "Hogan's Heroes" slated. Yet Universal and "Beaver" seem to be lost in the wilderness, after just two seasons. It's taking more and more effort not to be completely disheartened.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Even I am (slightly) disillusioned at this point in February 2007.

But....

http://hometheaterforum.com/htf/show...14&postcount=6

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Yes, it's true MTM stopped and then started again ... but now it's STOPPED again!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

The 50th anniversary of the debut (Season 1)? I can't see a real strong reason to wait until then to release Season 3...but who knows?

As long as it comes out...sometime soon!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

As if the general buying public gives a damn about the exact date that LITB first aired on CBS-TV on Friday, October 4, 1957, the same day that Sputnik 1 was launched by the Russians.

Not much of a selling point IMO (for the general masses anyway).

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Nope. I agree. It's only important to....say...David VP!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

It does seem strange, but Paramount, which released S1 of Perry Mason last year is releasing a 50th anniversary set this year which presumably will coincide with S2 or S3 since I can't imagine they'd switch to a best of right after a S1 release.

I wouldn't read too much into the fact that more news is coming out about the lack of NYPD Blue et al than LITB simply because different studios are involved. Fox, which handles NYPD, apparently has a pretty good dialog going with TVOD.com Other studios, like Universal, probably aren't as communicative even when responding to direct inquiries.

I would agree that Beaver fans probably have cause for concern. Universal properties that sell well, like Rockford and Murder She Wrote, seem to get fast tracked. If Beaver was a strong seller, there would be more news.

Steve

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Ex-act-tilly-oso!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...e=ReviewDetail

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

The fact that "Leave It to Beaver" is fifty years old this year indicates not that there will be more season sets, but that there probably won't be any more.

Do you know what fifty years sounds like to a kid? Or to your typical 30-something executive who makes the decisions over at Universal? They look upon LITB the way Beaver Cleaver looked at things from 1910. Like something from another planet.

I happen to be exactly Beaver's age -- he was in second grade in 1957-58, and so was I. It seems like yesterday to me. But to younger people, it's ancient history, and they couldn't care less about it.

So let's not bring up that 50th Anniversary thing too loudly -- don't remind the decision-makers just how OLD this thing is!

The real tragedy for us is that DVDs weren't invented somewhere around 1960. We'd have had all six seasons of "Beaver" sitting on our shelves for over forty years now.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I think that's a good point, Joe.

But working to the positive is that Beaver (along with family and friends) is so iconic. Here's hoping that prevails.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Joe if you really want to talk on the same level as today's kids, you have to say "they COULD care less about it". Hehehe, I'm afraid that sentence has gone the way of February being pronounced Febuary...anyway, as far as the Beav is concerned, I wouldn't give up hope just yet...Remember, for a long time we thought The Mary Tyler Moore Show was dead after the first season bombed on DVD, and sure enough, it's now released the first 4 seasons...so there's still hope!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I e-mail Universal again about season 3, asking for something other than a form-letter response. Here is the response I received this morning:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for contacting Universal Studios Home Entertainment. We strive to provide the highest standard in product quality and customer care.

No plans have been announced for the release of "Leave it to Beaver" Seasons 3. A multitude of factors, including contractual issues, contribute to the form and content of our releases, and unfortunately we have no further information about this series.

Again, thank you. We appreciate your interest and hope that you will continue to enjoy our releases.

Sincerely,

Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

At face value those responses always seem pleasant and innocent enough...until you look at them a little more closely.


But, then again, plans could be announced tomorrow.


A multitude of factors go into every decision made everyday by everybody. I think a lawyer would call this "non-responsive".


That IS unfortunate...since you are the only people who would have any information and we wish we did, too...which is why we're asking!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

That's the second time "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" has been mentioned as a beacon of hope --- and yet, it seems that show has also had the plug pulled on it, once again. Where's Season 5?

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I've got to say this just once more - the silence is deafening. Without calling anyone in particular out, I have to say this: There's no way that some people of influence, who frequent this site and have access to Universal contacts, have simply been missing our requests. I'm confident that certain guys here could give us some tidbit, but they aren't. And that's really frustrating. It's like we are being totally ignored. The tidbit might simply be that they haven't heard anything at all after asking. Or maybe the tidbit is that, yes, the first 2 sets sold poorly and Universal is backing off. But to hear nothing at all from guys on this board that are in a position to tell us something is really frustrating.

Gary "I've asked nicely for updates on this series for months and months now and gotten absolutely zip from the 'insiders' that frequent this site" O.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

C'mon, Gary. "Certain people" have been pretty busy (maybe preoccupied) the past couple of weeks.

If anywhere, emotions should be vented in the direction of Universal.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I'm not trying to be a jerk and I can understand that everyone wants to know about the status of their favorite shows but let's not forget that Gord provides a free service and doesn't owe anyone information.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

3 points:

1) I never mentioned anyone by name, so please don't assume I'm speaking about anyone in particular.

2) This thread is now over 8 months old, so whether or not someone - anyone - has been busy "recently" (whether that mean a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months) isn't really a legit reason when discussing this particular release. It's not like we've only recently started asking about it.

3) I personally have never said Gord or anyone else is obligated to look into this release or share anything with us. I'm well aware that the sites I look at for new release info are free, therefore no one "owes" LITB fans anything.

Gary "I'm not looking to place blame on any one person's shoulders - I just wish we could get a bone [i.e. info] tossed our way" O.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

No you didn't but it's obvious that that's who you meant.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

It may be obvious to you but I wasn't thinking about one person in particular. I was under the impression, perhaps mistakenly so, that folks from at least three different sites frequented these boards, so I absolutely was not thinking exclusively of Gord. I do admit that because I know Gord looks into these things a good bit that I was hoping he'd chime in on this thread at some point. But make no mistake - I was not specifically calling him out!

Gary "geesh guys, calm down - there's no need to engender ill will toward anyone here at HTF, and I resent having one of my posts being used as the catalyst for such ill will when that was not my intention" O.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Gary: This is easy. Everyone here is calm.

The whole misunderstanding could have been avoided if, in the first place, you just clearly said what you meant without "tip-toeing about". Then your intention would have been clear.

And I stand by what I said. Rather than depending on others, any disappointment or angst should be directed at Universal for delaying release rather than at anyone who might act as middlemen and report such information.

Maybe there are simply no "bones to be tossed" at this point in time. If not, again--it's really Universal's misstep.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

I appreciate that, Mike, I really do. But I'll also stand by my original statements and subsequent ones where I made it clear I wasn't "outing" any one person. Was I expressing frustration at a group of people whom I feel could have helped with some info after 8 months of asking? Absolutely. But kindly look at my original post again. I never mention an individual. I always speak in plural terms. Things like "some people" [not person], "certain guys" [not guy], "they" [not he], and "insiders" [not insider, singular]. I was thinking of at least 4 different people who I thought had inside connections and read these boards regularly. I'll say no more on the topic. People will believe what they will and try to stir the pot in one way or the other. I'm not playing that game. I just want some info on one of my favorite shows. A show we've been asking about for over 8 months now and have yet to get even one solid lead on.

Gary "for the record, I do place all the blame for a lack of Season 3 LITB on Universal" O.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Gary: Everything's cool. I'm not trying to stir the pot.

But here's the point I'm trying to make...and please let me know if I'm missing something...because I've run into this in other threads as well and have been mystified.

What we're all interested in is news on the release of Season 3 of LItB. And while we agree that the blame for the lack of any release should fall at the doorstep of Universal...you are frustrated that people who report on these issues have provided no insight here. Do you think they are holding back? Or that they aren't trying?

I see most of these guys as a clearinghouse for information gleaned from all the players (different studios, etc.). They gather up all the press releases...filter it...and spit it out in a way that organizes (edits) it for consumption by a niche audience.

I guess I could compare it...on a much smaller scale...to the Weekly RoundUp I compile in "Coupons & Bargains". I gather the information and spit it out as I see fit. I have to make editorial decisions each week on what titles to include and what titles I won't include. While I'd like to think that most of the time I include most of the titles people want to see I know there are weeks when I fail.

But I don't see why any of the websites that devote themselves to TV on DVD would withhold news on a LItB release...or not want to "break the news" with a scoop about its pending release. When Universal releases the news (like they did today with Coach: Season 2), the sites will report it. Or, if someone within Universal leaks news, it will get reported.

So that leads to my question: outside of an inability to spring a leak within Universal...what problem do you have with the group of people at whom you are venting your frustration?

That news about the release of Coach: S2 in May is terrific, BTW (both for fans of Coach and LItB)!

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the proverbial olive branch, because I definitely don't want to argue points that I'm not making or trying to make. And your questions are fair so I'll be glad to answer them with the understanding that I'm only speaking for myself (there is, of course, no LITB unibrain that I'm aware of).

I do not believe any of the guys that have regular contact with the studios are purposely holding back info about any future LITB release. That would be both silly and not in keeping with what I know about these websites. No way do I believe that's what is going on.

I also don't believe they are purposely ignoring the question. At least I have no reason to believe that would be the case.

My only gripe is simple: After 8 months of asking about a show that I think most of us would consider a fairly popular classic tv show we've not gotten one response at all. Nothing. Not even a "I haven't looked into it yet" or "the studio just isn't giving us any info on this one." I was simply looking for some news, even if it is considered non-news, on this thread. I was not expecting any of the people we look to for tv on dvd news to post any non-news announcement on their site(s). But I certainly thought, after 8 months, we'd get one of them to reply to this thread with something. Again, even if the only "news" they could give was something along the lines of "it looks like LITB didn't sell very well so don't look for another release for a while." Or, "we've asked Uni about this release but no one seems to know what the timetable is for season 3."

Those are my only frustrations. I wanted to hear something from someone that could speak authoritatively on this issue, even if the news is basically non-news. Hope that helps explain my personal frustration.

Gary "I do appreciate all the 'dvd news' sites and recognize they don't owe me anything - just venting a little frustration at hearing absolutely nothing for so long now" O.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

It does indeed. Thanks for taking the time to answer. I hear where you're coming from.

Maybe a direct e-mail to them would get you something by way of a response.

Keep the faith.

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

First off, let me say for the record that I am the last person to come to the defense of Universal. I was, after all, very VOCAL in my disdain for their DVD-18 approach to the first two seasons of Leave It to Beaver. But, no matter how lame I think the studio may be, even Universal must recognize the value and importance of their Beaver franchise. We are talking about a program that has been airing pretty much non-stop for the past fifty years. To this day, it remains a cash cow for Universal Television. And, the incredibly lucrative LITB merchandising rights alone will more than make up for the production costs associated with continuing to release season sets.

I think what we have here may be nothing more than a timing issue. Even perennially strong selling TV on DVD titles seem to be taking more time between releases. Seinfeld was cranking out two seasons a year, but we only got one in 2006. Even the pace of Simpsons releases appears to have slowed down. The market is clearly not as robust as it was two years ago.

And, let us not forget that for better or worse, there are now three different DVD formats (SD, BD & HD-DVD) all jockeying for the same amount of shelf space. One side of a rack at my local Best Buy that six months ago held TV on DVD sets, now houses BD & HD-DVD discs. I am guessing similar shelf realignments have taken place at other retailers.

Another possibility is that for some reason, the third season of LITB requires more extensive restoration or they had trouble locating certain elements and this has resulted in an unavoidable production delay.

I'm not saying (or even guessing) that is the case here, but there are plenty of GOOD reasons why a release gets delayed or sometimes is not even announced until it is ready to go.

Until Universal formally says "game over" for more Beaver, I guess we just have to sit tight and wait to see what happens.

I don't like it, mind you. But, sometimes, no news is good news. Let us all hope that this is one of those times...

Re: Leave it to beaver season 3?

That's certainly true at my local BB. Just as the TV section was starting to equal the size of the film section....now the TV section is starting to give way to high def discs.