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Any News On These Universal Shows Getting Released (1 Viewer)

Ethan Riley

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Most failed shows that get released are either Westerns from Timeless or other cult classic-type things. Maybe someday Timeless will run out of Westerns and get around to stuff from the 70s golden era of detective dramas.
 

Jack P

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Timeless's obsession with westerns I have to admit has been their one big flaw from my standpoint. The genre has never been my favorite, though I've been willing to branch out and sample some of them, but there comes a point where one has a limit (and in my case I did end up getting eight different western titles Timeless released) and would like to see something else.
 

Frank Soyke

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Ethan Riley said:
I know...I wish they'd try a few short-lived comedies.
I agree. I am happy for all the western fans out there but Timeless is definitely a "one trick pony." I wish another indie would surface who would give 50's, 60's, and 70's sitcoms the same treatment.
 

Silverking

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Leave Timeless alone ! I am perfectly happy for them to go releasing old westerns. Bear in mind they have also put out several detective series from the era no one else would touch - 'Arrest & Trial,' Johnny Staccato' 'Checkmate' 'Mr Lucky' the forthcoming 'Harbor Command.
Hardly a one trick pony !
 

Jack P

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I do appreciate the other shows they released. "Arrest And Trial" and "Checkmate" were most welcome along with "87th Precinct" but the overall imbalance I think has gotten too far in favor of westerns the last year and we haven't seen a single short-lived Universal sitcom from this era (like the McHale's Navy spinoff "Broadside" which I would have been glad to check out).
 

Gary OS

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Silverking said:
Leave Timeless alone ! I am perfectly happy for them to go releasing old westerns. Bear in mind they have also put out several detective series from the era no one else would touch - 'Arrest & Trial,' Johnny Staccato' 'Checkmate' 'Mr Lucky' the forthcoming 'Harbor Command.
Hardly a one trick pony !
A-M-E-N. The last thing any fan of vintage TV on DVD needs to do is start belittling Timeless. Geesh. They are one of the few good guys left on the block, and fading quickly into the sunset at that thanks to the Shout takeover (as best I can tell).


Gary "I don't find that I love everything they put out, but darned if I'll get on them for doing it" O.
 

Frank Soyke

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Gary OS said:
A-M-E-N. The last thing any fan of vintage TV on DVD needs to do is start belittling Timeless. Geesh. They are one of the few good guys left on the block, and fading quickly into the sunset at that thanks to the Shout takeover (as best I can tell).


Gary "I don't find that I love everything they put out, but darned if I'll get on them for doing it" O.
Here we go again Gary, You are much respected by me as far as your knowledge and insights go, but "the last thing any fan of Vintage TV needs to do is belittling Timeless." Are you kidding? Once again on this board, anyone who poses a differing opinion than the majority is chastised. My point was that for fans of Westerns (which I am not), I am happy, but most all of their output is Westerns. Sure, people gave a handful of exceptions, but they pale in comparison to the volume of westerns Timeless has released.
 

Gary OS

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Frank, I'm not looking to go tit for tat with you or anyone else. There were several people (not just you) who expressed the same opinion, so please don't assume I was singling you out. All I was doing was agreeing with Chris, aka Silverking. That's all. No offense was intended by my post.


Gary "as you just said, we can all have our own opinions - mine is to not belittle Timeless and its owner (or maybe previous owner at this point), who is a huge western fan, for focusing on that genre" O.
 

Frank Soyke

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Gary OS said:
Frank, I'm not looking to go tit for tat with you or anyone else. There were several people (not just you) who expressed the same opinion, so please don't assume I was singling you out. All I was doing was agreeing with Chris, aka Silverking. That's all. No offense was intended by my post.


Gary "as you just said, we can all have our own opinions - mine is to not belittle Timeless and its owner (or maybe previous owner at this point), who is a huge western fan, for focusing on that genre" O.
Hear ya Gary, Just to clarify on Timeless, I think they have done a wonderful job digging up some of the obscure (and not so obscure) westerns that they did. I also was glad about Checkmate/Arrest and Trial. My issue is more that Timeless(as well as some other distributors (save Warners) seem to focus more on westerns than any other genre when it comes to Pre 1970 releases. I personally would like to see more half hour sitcoms and one hour dramas from that period. I don't have time to do the research but I would be curious to the proportion of western releases compared to all other genres (save Sci-Fi) from the period 1950-1970.
 

Frank Soyke

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I always thought Timeless would seem like a good venue for some of the lesser known early 60's detective shows like Richard Diamond and Tightrope. Don't know why, but it just seems like a good fit.
 

Gary OS

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Timeless focused on westerns specifically because their owner was a huge fan of that genre. So it is what it is. Similar to how other studios will sometimes release something because an exec or someone with pull likes a certain show. It happens. Since I do enjoy the b/w western genre I've always been very grateful for the company. Sure, I'd love to see some sitcoms and other dramas from that era as well, but I'm looking at Timeless as doing us a great service releasing things that otherwise would have never seen the light of day.


Gary "just my two cents" O.
 

Frank Soyke

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On a same subject but different note, CBS was doing the same thing to a lesser degree the past year to year and a half. Until recently they were running a regular rotation. Every two to three months they would rotate Rawhide, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke, and Have Gun. I will admit that they did include Perry Mason in this rotation and they threw in singular releases of some other shows most months, but since Mannix ended, other than Mason, a lot of CBS's continuation releases have also been mostly westerns. So, it doesn't just stop with Timeless.
 

Jack P

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Gary, I'm not belittling them either, but I do think it couldn't have hurt for Timeless to have shown just a little more diversity when there were available titles they conceivably have put out that are from the same era. As it was, I did get ten different western titles Timeless put out (I short-counted by two when I said eight earlier) and for a general non-genre fan like myself, that means they did a good job selling themselves to me. But right now, my days of getting any new western titles period from this era are over because between those ten titles and "Gunsmoke", "Have Gun Will Travel" and about three others from other companies, my openness to the genre has hit the proverbial brick wall. Of course if Timeless were to miracle of miracles license out what's left of "The Big Valley" from Fox, then I'd be dancing a jig and snatching them up right away! :)
 

Ron1973

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Aren't we on the same team here? Everyone knows what my wants are by now but I'm still happy to see other classic TV make it to DVD even if it isn't my rural programming I love. Timeless gave us Grizzly Adams, a wonderful non-Western I've always loved. Even if it isn't THE series we were hoping for, can't we be glad classic TV on DVD isn't dead?
 

Jack P

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I think those of us who are a little less than enthused by the higher western quotient aren't suggesting those shows shouldn't have been released, we're only just speaking for ourselves regarding what our own purchasing preferences might have been. I'm happy others are finding each new one worth their time. For me, it's become more of a comment on how the level of classic releases that I'm interested in is drying up more and more. That will vary with all of us I'm sure from individual to individual and none of us are more "right" than the other because this is purely 100% a subjective feel of how things stand.
 

Frank Soyke

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Ron1973 said:
Aren't we on the same team here? Everyone knows what my wants are by now but I'm still happy to see other classic TV make it to DVD even if it isn't my rural programming I love. Timeless gave us Grizzly Adams, a wonderful non-Western I've always loved. Even if it isn't THE series we were hoping for, can't we be glad classic TV on DVD isn't dead?
I do agree. Right now classic TV DVD's being released are at a premium. It's great to see anything classic put out even if it's not my bag. I'm just hoping for something a little different soon for some of us non western afficiondado's (sp?).

PS - Ironically enough, of the bevy of westerns released, the only two I really want (The Rebel, Trackdown) have not seen a release.
 

smithbrad

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As Gary stated, it appears the owner of Timeless (before Shout!) was a big fan of Westerns. Being honest, if any one of us could be in that position we would probably do the same and pick titles of personal interest (at least as long as we could be profitable enough). And its not like westerns weren't a big player regarding what was being broadcast in the 50's, so it's not like he picked some obscure genre for the period. Unfortunately, few are in such a position so we have to just accept what we can get.

I've personally been thrilled with Timeless and their high focus on westerns, and I continue to email them to say they are doing a great job and to keep it up. Funny thing is the majority of these are first time viewing for me since I did not grow up when the majority of the westerns were originally broadcast. As was stated previously it is all subjective based on our own personal wants. As such, Timeless has been a big part of my collecting and I feel fortunate that many of my likes follows with what they release. I say bring on The Rebel and the rest of Tombstone Territory.

I have also picked up about 15 or so other titles from them that are not westerns, so it's not all about westerns for me. And I can understand if the selection by Timeless does not fulfill everyone's wish list, but if it was different and it did I'm sure they wouldn't like to see it change.
 

Silverking

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Well I'm glad everybody is agreeing.My earlier post was only taking issue with the point someone made that Timeless was 'a one trick pony'.Yes they have put out a lot of westerns but also a lot of crime shows. To those already mentioned add 'M Squad ' 'Lawless Years' Peter Gunn' as well things like 'Medic' 'Soldiers of Fortune' 'Going My Way'. They also have an extensive catalogue of documentaries & films.Shout, to my knowledge have never released a western but have put out numerous sitcoms. No one would suggest they were a one trick pony though.I hope everone gets the shows they want eventually but not at the expense of the one company who have shown a commitment to classic TV.
 

Gary OS

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Brad and Chris have read my mind and stated how I see it perfectly, so I'll add nothing else.


Gary "Timeless really has done a lot more than just westerns (as Chris illustrated)" O.
 

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