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SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

post #1 of 30
4/3/08 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
HEY, HEY, HEY!
Raj, Rerun, Dwayne and the Gang are Back … One Last Time!

WHAT’S HAPPENING!!:
THE COMPLETE SERIES

All 65 Episodes of the ‘70s Sitcom Classic Arrive in
One Brand New Space-Saver Set

AVAILABLE ON DVD JUNE 10


New Economical Packaging Saves Fans Shelf Space and Money Too!!

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (April 7, 2008) –What’s Happening!! fans will be able to complete their TV DVD collections when the funky ‘70s urban TV comedy What’s Happening!!: The Complete Series comes to DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series, arriving June 10, is one of the first two titles slated to arrive in Sony’s brand new exclusive space-saver packaging, designed to save space and provide excellent value. The compact box is jam-packed with 9 discs and includes every one of the series’ 65 laugh-filled episodes. What’s Happening!!: The Complete Series will be available for $59.95 SRP.

Starring Ernest Thomas as Raj, Fred Berry as Rerun, Haywood Nelson as Dwayne, Danielle Spencer as Dee, and Shirley Hemphill as Shirley, What’s Happening!! was created by Eric Monte (TV’s “Good Times”) and executive produced by Bud Yorkin (TV’s “Sanford and Son”). What’s Happening!! is set in urban Los Angeles and centers around Raj, Dwayne and Rerun, three best friends whose numerous get-rich-quick schemes never fail to land them in trouble. Based on Monte’s critically acclaimed movie, Cooley High, the show debuted in 1976 for a limited four-week run on ABC. It instantly won over viewers with its talented cast and signature phrases like Rerun’s “Hey Hey Hey!” and Dee’s “Oooh, I’m gonna tell Mamma” and became a solid top-ten hit that lasted for three seasons.

DVD Special Features Include:
•Digitally Remastered Audio and Video
•Full-Screen Presentations
•Audio: English
•Bonus Previews
•Closed Captioned

Broadcast Year:1976 – 1979 (ABC)

What’s Happening!!: The Complete Series has a run time of approximately 1605 minutes and is not rated. Artwork is available at Welcome to SPHE Connect. Visit Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on the Web at Sony Pictures.

DVD Catalog # 25955
UPC Code: 0-43396-25955-3
Order Date: 5/8/08
SLP: $59.95
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post #2 of 30
4/3/08 at 5:33pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

I'm gonna tell Momma!

Figures...I just ordered the indicidual seasons literally the day before this was announced!- S'alright, thougth...I got 'em really cheap. (I was probably the only white kid in the 70's to have a crush on Dee!)
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post #3 of 30
4/4/08 at 1:04am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

How about more What's Happening Now!! ?
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post #4 of 30
4/4/08 at 3:06am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

It's a fun show, but it makes me sick that this repackaging stuff is the type of thing Sony is concentrating on instead of getting the rest of ALL IN THE FAMILY out there.
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post #5 of 30
4/4/08 at 6:33am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawn_Sm
How about more What's Happening Now!! ?
Exactly! There are some great Shirley episodes on Season 2. They need to release more of this show first...OR release "What's Happening Now!! The Complete Series". I'd buy it on the day of release!
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post #6 of 30
4/4/08 at 2:49pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

I'm only going to buy it if they correct the missing recap on part 2 of the Doobie Brothers episode and reinstate the missing tags in some season 3 episodes. Otherwise no sale.
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post #7 of 30
4/4/08 at 10:57pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Hey ! Hey ! Hey !
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post #8 of 30
4/5/08 at 5:40am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

What does everyone think of this new hub packaging? From the picture, it looks like the kind of hub with a spindle you get when you buy blank dvds, so you just stack them on top of each other. Should it be stored flat or vertically?
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post #9 of 30
4/5/08 at 11:13am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

That packaging makes me glad that I have the individual seasons instead! Nice way to ensure that the discs will get scratched...and if you want to watch disc 9, ya have to take out all the other discs? What bonehead came up with this idea?
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post #10 of 30
4/5/08 at 12:24pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi
It's a fun show, but it makes me sick that this repackaging stuff is the type of thing Sony is concentrating on instead of getting the rest of ALL IN THE FAMILY out there.

Easy money and a way to get rid of excess inventory. It's a total win/win for the studios to do these sets.
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post #11 of 30
4/5/08 at 6:09pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

I like the space-saving ideas for this and Soap, but truth be told, give me more Jeffersons and Facts Of Life
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post #12 of 30
4/6/08 at 6:00am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Levine
Easy money and a way to get rid of excess inventory. It's a total win/win for the studios to do these sets.

If I were a studio chief, I'd be thrilled. But as a fan awaiting other seasons of other shows for the first time, that doesn't help me.
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post #13 of 30
4/6/08 at 8:55am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi
If I were a studio chief, I'd be thrilled. But as a fan awaiting other seasons of other shows for the first time, that doesn't help me.

Right, but it really shouldn't affect the release of other shows as it won't take much time or budget to put together. It's not a case of "we could put out What's Happening!! or we could put out a different show".

The discs are already authored and replicated. All the legal work is done - there is nothing to clear. All that needs to be done is 1 new piece of (pretty simple) artwork and the discs need to be inserted into the new packaging.
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post #14 of 30
4/7/08 at 7:31pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

This has to be a new low in crappy packaging by a major studio. I can't believe they're actually going to release discs stacked on a spindle. I expect it with public domain titles, but not from Sony.
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post #15 of 30
4/7/08 at 10:14pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Why don't I just leave my existing discs on the floor, then?
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post #16 of 30
6/3/08 at 12:18pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

I just received this set, and I have to tell you it's a piece of s**t. The tray is a flimsy black plastic thing that slides out of the case like the picture above. The discs are stacked upon each other, so hope that you don't get some dust in there and the discs slide around because you'll have a nice circle scratch. The best part - the discs only take up HALF the spindle, so the "compact package" could actually be half the size it is. And to think Sony actually issued a press release touting this packaging. Barf.

Gord
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post #17 of 30
6/3/08 at 12:51pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Are the disc contents the same?
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post #18 of 30
6/3/08 at 3:44pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

It appears to be the same. Three seasons (65 episodes) spread over 9 discs. As noted previously, the discs are stacked on a spindle in a plastic case. There is a cardboard cutout which is inserted on top of the spindles, so the set can be stored upright without having to worry about the discs falling out.

The outer box measures 7.5" tall x 5 3/8" wide x 1.5" deep, so the height and width are the same as a standard DVD keepcase. The main attraction is the price -- $14/season at Deep Discount's price of $42.89.

The packaging of the complete series of SOAP is the same size.
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post #19 of 30
6/3/08 at 3:59pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Richard, don't you feel that this is one of the cheapest packages you've seen? The quality just reeks of cheapness. Unfortunately you can't even substitute the plastic guts for double-slim cases; they don't fit inside.

Gord
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post #20 of 30
6/3/08 at 5:05pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gord Lacey
Richard, don't you feel that this is one of the cheapest packages you've seen? The quality just reeks of cheapness. Unfortunately you can't even substitute the plastic guts for double-slim cases; they don't fit inside.

Gord

I told you that Sony held its TV properties in contempt. Some people were upset about Fox, Paramount, and Warner releasing complete series sets, but at least they had decent packaging (I haven't heard that they were as bad as this).
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post #21 of 30
6/3/08 at 6:08pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gord Lacey
Richard, don't you feel that this is one of the cheapest packages you've seen? The quality just reeks of cheapness. Unfortunately you can't even substitute the plastic guts for double-slim cases; they don't fit inside.

Gord,

Absolutely. Even the plastic is flimsy.

I don't have it in front of me, but if I'm not mistaken it doesn't even have a listing of the episodes.

The only thing it has going for it is the price.
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post #22 of 30
6/3/08 at 6:25pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by MatthewA
I told you that Sony held its TV properties in contempt. Some people were upset about Fox, Paramount, and Warner releasing complete series sets, but at least they had decent packaging (I haven't heard that they were as bad as this).

I would say that Sony has been a mixed bag when it comes to their TV sets. SEINFELD and DAMAGES, for example, are first-rate.

Let's keep in mind that this set, and the similar SOAP set, are intended to be bargain sets. If you want better packaging, you have the option of buying the three individual seasons for about $65.
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post #23 of 30
6/3/08 at 8:32pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

I have mixed feelings about this What's Happening complete series set.

Since I supported the individual season set releases by buying them as they first came out, I don't feel like I'm missing out on this complete series set because it looks cheap and it doesn't have any extras or bonus discs, but at least it targets the consumers who didn't want to pay full price for the first releases in the first place.

However, I would have been extremely upset if they came out with a sturdier boxed set with extras not found on the individual releases, like Paramount did with I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch, and Andy Griffith. Each of those sets had a bonus disc and, although the packaging was gimmicky, it was more practical than stacking the discs on top of each other.

I had to sell all my I Love Lucy and Brady Bunch season sets in order to get the complete series sets. At least I don't feel compelled to upgrade my What's Happening sets, and that's a relief. I don't feel like I'm getting shafted on this one.
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post #24 of 30
6/4/08 at 7:16am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Wow! I didn't think it would be that bad. Just what are they thinking? Like Gord said, the "compact packaging" actually takes up more space than it could. Really weird. They should just have gone ahead with more What's Happening Now!! sets and completed the history of the show. Plus, tag on some bonus episodes of Shirley's series One in a Million they would make ace sets.
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post #25 of 30
6/4/08 at 9:13am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Gallagher
Gord,

Absolutely. Even the plastic is flimsy.

I don't have it in front of me, but if I'm naat mistaken it doesn't even have a listing of the episodes.

The only thing it has going for it is the price.

How much would it cost to make packaging that will not damage the discs? Maybe a few cents extra. You might as well make custom boxes yourself.

Sony hits a new low.
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post #26 of 30
6/4/08 at 6:01pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by MatthewA
How much would it cost to make packaging that will not damage the discs? Maybe a few cents extra. You might as well make custom boxes yourself.

Sony hits a new low.

The packaging is cheap, but I'm not sure that it will damage the discs. The cardboard cutout that fits over the spindle seems to hold the discs securely in place. The SOAP set has a dozen discs, and I've examined them and they were not damaged in any way during transit.

That said, I handle my DVDs with care. If I had kids around, I might be more concerned.
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post #27 of 30
6/8/08 at 9:13pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

The packaging is indeed awful...

Sitcoms Online - What's Happening!! - The Complete Series DVD Review
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post #28 of 30
6/8/08 at 10:11pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Gallagher
The packaging is cheap, but I'm not sure that it will damage the discs. The cardboard cutout that fits over the spindle seems to hold the discs securely in place. The SOAP set has a dozen discs, and I've examined them and they were damaged in any way during transit.

That said, I handle my DVDs with care. If I had kids around, I might be more concerned.

Were the Soap discs damaged?
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post #29 of 30
6/9/08 at 9:21pm

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Corey3rd
Were the Soap discs damaged?

No, that was a typo. I meant to say that they weren't damaged. i have corrected the post.
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post #30 of 30
6/11/08 at 10:06am

Re: SPHE Press Release: What's Happening!!: The Complete Series

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Gallagher
The packaging is cheap, but I'm not sure that it will damage the discs. The cardboard cutout that fits over the spindle seems to hold the discs securely in place. The SOAP set has a dozen discs, and I've examined them and they were not damaged in any way during transit.

That said, I handle my DVDs with care. If I had kids around, I might be more concerned.


I'm wondering if this is what I have to look forward to if and when "I Dream of Jeannie" gets a season set.

I may have to look into getting a DVD folder for this show.
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