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The Virginian - Page 2

post #31 of 152
1/12/10 at 4:31pm
Often an older show is suddenly broad-casted again when it's put on DVD and/or BD. I suspect that this is caused by two mechanisms: (1) the producing studio wanting to raise (new) interests and (2) the show being available on a handy format for the broadcasting studio.


Cees
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post #32 of 152
1/12/10 at 10:07pm
I caught a bit of the Virginian, I'm not a fan of the 90 minute format it draws out the stories a bit too much. I prefer 30 minute westers max 1 hour...
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post #33 of 152
1/13/10 at 9:33am
That's interesting.

Back then, the 90 min. duration was seen as one of the great advantages of this series. Stories were better drawn out, we used to say (  ) and characters got a chance to be painted with more depth, detail and nuance. Each episode was almost a whole movie.


Cees
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post #34 of 152
1/13/10 at 9:47am
Well may because today 30 min shows are about 19 min sans commercials and don't have time to present coherant storylines, that I can appreciate a show like HGWT and the Rifleman, that were able to have fantastic stories albeit with a bit more running time 26 minutes.
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post #35 of 152
1/13/10 at 11:29am

I remember reading something once regarding which were better the 30 minute Gunsmoke episodes or the 60 minute episodes. It insinuated that when Gunsmoke went to a 60 minute format it suffered initially because the writers were used to the 30 minute timeslot and just stretched their stories out to fit the additional time.

This made me think differently about the whole question of what is the better structure for a show. In the end, I concluded that neither is actually better but that it all depends on the writing.  So while a longer show has an opportunity to delve farther into the story and characters, it doesn't automatically mean it will be better if they don't use the extra time wisely.

I find the 60 minute format works well for Rawhide and Wagon Train, but I also find that the 30 minute format for the early Gunsmoke and the HGWT shows works equally well. While I recorded several Virginian episodes I haven't watched any yet to know how well I like the 90 minute format. I like westerns so hopefully I will find that the stories fit the time made available.

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post #36 of 152
1/13/10 at 4:49pm
I must add, that when I saw the series on TV, here in Europe, back in the sixties, commercials weren't there. So we used to see it just like on the DVD-to-come as 75-minutes long episodes (sometimes even a "double" episode, if I remember well).


Cees
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post #37 of 152
1/13/10 at 5:23pm
They are also currently being televised on Encore Western as 75 minutes. While they have plenty of filler before and after to fill the 90 minute time slot, the episodes themselves are uncut.
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post #38 of 152
1/13/10 at 5:56pm
 So, The Virginian is on DVD now?
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post #39 of 152
1/13/10 at 7:28pm
Not yet. We're just discussing it.
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post #40 of 152
1/13/10 at 7:57pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by gardnerp View Post

 So, The Virginian is on DVD now?

Both halves of Season One will be available on March 9, 2010.

But...hmm...I was just thinking: is this thing gonna fly? Because I just looked at the amazon listings; both halves list at $69.98 each. And amazon's discount seems less generous than usual; they're offering them for $62.99, which is still way too much for a half season of anything. I can't imagine a series flying off the shelves at $140 per season, regardless of the fact the episodes were 90 minutes.

So let's see...9 seasons, cut in half, that's 18 dvd releases at $70 each...hmmm...well, whoever really wants "The Viriginian" is going to have to shell over $1200 for the series, even with amazon's discount. Add this to the fact that Timeless is notorious for its cheesy-looking packaging. No matter what they do, their boxes always looks like cheapola PD junk. Now amazon has yet to produce the artwork for these sets, but if past is precedent, the sets will look like they're from the bargain aisle at Target. And yet they want people to spend $70 on them. Hmm...I dunno, guys, I hope I'm wrong, but taking all this into account, I don't think season one is going to sell all that well... :(
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post #41 of 152
1/13/10 at 8:15pm

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Tucker View Post

I also expect that when these sets arrive at Sam's Club, the price will be considerably less. 

For example, Timeless lists Wagon Train S1 for $79.98.  Sam's sold it for $39.88.  Also, the two Tales of Wells Fargo sets have the same number of DVDs and the same price as The Virginian -- $69.98.  Sam's sells those for $29.97.

Ethan,

Those were my thoughts as well initially, but as I quoted above from Tim the Timeless prices do tend to get pretty heavily discounted later. For example, Amazon had Wagon Train Season 1 on preorder during the period of time it was exclusive to Sam's Club for around $72 with a list price of $80, and now that it is available by them (Amazon) it has been reduced to $47. So I wouldn't put much stock in the early Amazon pricing of this.  I'm hoping Tim is right and it ends up around $30 for each half of season 1 shortly after release.
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post #42 of 152
1/14/10 at 1:31am
Yes, we shortly discussed that before, a few posts ago. We're hoping the price will come down alright.
But some of us really want to give the proper signal at the moment (I am).


Cees
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post #43 of 152
1/22/10 at 12:48pm
My pricing information may be even more useful now. 

According to David Lambert, looks like Timeless is repeating the marketing strategy they used for Wagon Train and Tales of Wells Fargo -- an exclusive window for Sam's Club before general release.

The Virginian - Package Art and Change of Release Date Plans for Season 1, Part 1 and Part 2

The cover art is the standard Timeless western template, but not bad at all. 
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post #44 of 152
1/22/10 at 1:40pm
TV Shows on DVD have announced the first season release:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Virginian-Season-1/13245 
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post #45 of 152
1/25/10 at 7:38am
Since this release is coming up, I watched an episode of The Virginian I recorded off of my local RTN affiliate.

My interest in this just kicked up a notch.  From what I saw, the show was a very well-written drama.

What confused me though is that the episode timed out around 65 minutes.  Shouldn't it be closer to 75 minutes?  Did The Virginian have a pre-credits sequence that's being lopped off of these prints?
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post #46 of 152
1/25/10 at 8:15am
They probably hacked off ten minutes of show so they could place more Commercials in it.
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post #47 of 152
1/25/10 at 10:50am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Tucker View Post

Since this release is coming up, I watched an episode of The Virginian I recorded off of my local RTN affiliate.

My interest in this just kicked up a notch.  From what I saw, the show was a very well-written drama.

What confused me though is that the episode timed out around 65 minutes.  Shouldn't it be closer to 75 minutes?  Did The Virginian have a pre-credits sequence that's being lopped off of these prints?

It should be 75 minutes.  That is the length of the program on Encore Westerns which is currently broadcasting it.
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post #48 of 152
1/25/10 at 11:04am
But does the program have a pre-credit sequence?  Because, despite the running time, I didn't notice any gaps in the story.
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post #49 of 152
1/25/10 at 12:41pm
Tim, no there is no pre-credit sequence. It is likely that the episode was time-sped and possibly trimmed.
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post #50 of 152
2/2/10 at 4:40pm
Now they must have changed plans to release the half season sets. They are going to release a full season 10 disc collection in a collector's tin ala Wagon Train. This idea is okay except for the fact that the Wagon Train set had a cardboard holder for the dvd's which made scratches/damage very likely. They are very hard to remove from the holder. I presume they are planning the same holder this time.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Virginian-Season-1/13289

I contacted Timeless Media to say I won't buy if they use the same cardboard holder they used with Wagon Train and urge other interested parties to do the same. Here is their email address
info@timelessmusic.com
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post #51 of 152
2/2/10 at 5:26pm
Bummer about the change in design. When I received my Wagon Train set I immediately removed all the disks, put then in standard sized DVD cases that hold 4 disks a piece, and created new cover art. The nice tin and cardboard artwork went directly into storage.

I just don't understand the need for trying to over specialize the packaging when disk protection is put at risk. Take the nice cover art, put it on standard cases that protect the disks and wrap it in a nice sturdy box.

BTW, my email has been sent.
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post #52 of 152
2/2/10 at 5:43pm
Given the shape of the tin, it's just as likely to get double thinpaks as a cardboard holder.  Still, I hope they don't go the board book route again.

What I find more disturbing is that instead of two 6 DVD sets, this new set is a 10 DVD set.  However, given that the first season had 30 episodes, a 10 disc set with three episodes a DVD would be appropriate.

But I wonder what would have been on those extra two DVDs.
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post #53 of 152
2/3/10 at 2:56am
Yes, Amazon made me re-order as well. The price is better too, of course.

I don't think (but without any proof) that the content has changed. They must have been monitoring the pre-orders and decided that is is a feasible release.

I second (or third) that hope for the absence of a cardboard holder. As someone living overseas, they will not get impressed by my e-mail, I'm afraid, but every e-mail is a help to our cause!

It looks good to me, and my hope for releases of more seasons has increased.


Cees 
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post #54 of 152
2/3/10 at 6:16am
If you do not care for the Packaging the disks come in (A good example was Season 11 of The Simpsons), you can always order a Disk Case for somewhere. (I've ordered some from shop4tech.com) and used them. Replacing the cases has it benefits as well. I nearly DOUBLED my shelf space by doing this with my older sets!
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post #55 of 152
2/3/10 at 6:25am
Like you "Regulus" it has become common for me at this point to replace certain type cases. Enough, in fact, that I'm half way through my second pack of 50 cases. Not only to better protect disks but to also save space. I use clear standard size cases that hold 4 disks a piece. I get mine from here:

SuperMediaStore.com
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post #56 of 152
2/3/10 at 10:17am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Cees Alons View Post


It looks good to me, and my hope for releases of more seasons has increased.
 
Why am I saying that? Well, because I'm still waiting for the second season of the "related" series
 "Alias Smith and Jones". 


Cees
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post #57 of 152
2/6/10 at 5:23am
Excellent, tin set it is then!
 
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post #58 of 152
2/28/10 at 7:58am
Things may have changed. I just saw a thread on DVDTalk saying that the Virginian 1&2 are now available at Sam's club for $20 a piece. It could be they got too much bad feedback on the Tin idea or just changed their minds from a cost standpoint.

I did not see them at Costco yesterday so hopefully the early word that they would be released early at both warehouse stores is still true. Otherwise, I might have to get a friend to pick these up for me. I used my free trial pass the last time to get the Wagon Train set.
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post #59 of 152
2/28/10 at 7:25pm
Brad, what you describe sounds in line with what I reported ago would happen, based on TMG's info to me:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Virginian-Season-1/13245

That was IN ADDITION to the tin release for May:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Virginian-Season-1/13289
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post #60 of 152
2/28/10 at 10:10pm
David,

I had read those announcements before, but I guess I had always interpreted them to mean that the switch from a two volume release to a Tin was going to impact both the earlier and later releases. Not that one would contain split volumes and the other a Tin. That sounds a little odd, especially if the later release contains two less disks. But I guess there is nothing to really say it couldn't be interpreted either way.

In any case, I was never a fan of the Tin and would much prefer the standard DVD case design of the independent volumes. So hopefully it will still show up at Costco. Early releases were usually found at Costco and that is where I first found out about TMG. However, the Wagon Train release was only at Sam's. So that has me a little bit worried.
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