Bewitched Season 4? (1 Viewer)

[David*P]

I know of a few people who bought the Japanese sets and they say that the transfers used on those sets are the same as what is on the US sets with the exception of the Ben Franklin episodes being complete on the Japanese sets. They say the picture quality is the same on the US as it is on the Japenese set.

I would've bought them myself but they were much too expensive, though I agree that the art work is better, but only in the fact that the correct photos are shown.

 

[David*P]

Someone has listed one of Erin Murphy's high school yearbooks on eBay and in it there is a picture of her as Home Coming Queen...which reminded me very much of when her TV mother was crowned Queen of the Witches in the premiere episode of the Fourth Season (which we will be receiving in less than three weeks!!).

I made up this quicky graphic to show the both of them. It's fun to imagine if BW had gone on another 10 or so years or if there had been a reunion movie where Tabitha is made the new Queen of the Witches.

Erin Murphy saw that this yearbook was up for sale and said she was embarassed by the photo cause she hates her hair and thinks she has chubby cheeks! I must disagree...I think she is quite beautiful and her hair was very much the style at the time!

 

[JohnMor]

Aw, there's absolutely nothin' for Erin to be embarrased about. She's adorable in that pic, and it's quite something to compare it to the one of Sam. Thanks David!

 

[David*P]

You're welcome!

BTW, Erin has recently started her own Blog at http://www.starwebsitescomerinmurphy.blogspot.com/.

It also has a link to her official website which has various photos, some of them rare, and video clips and such. Here is a photo of her and her sister Diane who also played Tabatha in the early years. In fact Diane solely played Tabitha in the 5th Season episode "Samantha Fights City Hall".

 

[David*P]

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!



Too bad S.4 isn't all ready here so all our northern friends could watch it as part of their celebrations.

Speaking of Canada, tomorrow the BW-themed episode of "FANatical" is going to air on TVTropolis...wish I could watch it but I will later on when I get a copy. I've only seen the Batman-themed episode and it was really good.

 

[Pavan_P]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/bewitch...dvdreview.html

 

[David*P]

Pavan, thank you for posting your review.

I'm absolutely THRILLED that the episodes appear to be unedited! Thank heaven! After the fiasco with Season Three it's good to hear.

I still HATE that picture of Samantha on the cover but what can you do?

I'm really REALLY hoping that Sony includes extras such as commercials, promos, etc on the Dick Sargent years as an incentive for all the DS haters to buy Seasons 6, 7 and 8 so completists like myself will get the satisfaction of having the entire series.

 

[MatthewA]

As for the editing, Sony only seems to have this problem with its videotaped series. You can look at a film reel and tell if something is missing by its length. Videotaped shows have black space for commercial breaks recorded into them whether network length or syndicated, so you would actually have to watch the tape to telll a difference.

 

[Jeff Willis]

David, that's a good point. Although I'm not a "DS hater" I preferred DY in the role. I also preferred the earlier seasons of this series than the later ones, but with Dr Bombay around for the later ones, it may be worth it to me to finish the series on DVD. Any Extras might get me off the buying fence for the later seasons.

Am I correct in that the only "cut" eps in S3 were the Ben Franklin eps?

I haven't read Pavan's review but I plan on getting there. Thanks in advance, Pavan!

 

[David*P]

You have excellent taste in characters! Dr. Bombay is my favorite of the male characters on the show. And Bernard Fox is one of the kindest celebrities I know.

The only other cut I can think of on S.3 is from "Nobody But a Frog Knows How to Live". It's a scene towards the end when Samantha goes to look out the window. The screen goes black for a couple seconds. On the home video release of that episode if you watch it you barely notice that there is a jump in the film but not a big black section like they did, so I assume that that part of the film was really messed up or something. On the DVD they should've kept it like it was on the Home Video release.

 

[David*P]

So............BW is freaking awesome in terms of uncut episodes!!! I watched "Long Live the Queen", "Toys in Babeland", "Double, Double Toil and Trouble", "Cheap, Cheap" and "The Safe and Sane Halloween". It was cool seeing some scenes I hadn't seen before.

Now about the packaging..............Sony REALLY needs to be shot and boiled in their own pudding twice over!!! I mean, we knew it was gonna be awful based on that horrible paste and cut job they did with Samantha on the cover BUT the slipcase pictures are the stake of holly through the heart. First of all, it looks like an elementary student designed this, but I'd wager there are probably some elementary students that could do a better job. Some of the photos look like they found them online, enlarged them thus highlighting the pixalation more and called it good!! The photo of hippie Serena is simply HORRIBLE!! Then when you open up the slip cases and there are the small stills from various episodes (or at least that's how it used to be) the case for discs 1 & 2 has photos from Season Three, Five AND Seven!!! The discs themselves have a photo of Samantha from I believe Season Five and the other has Durwood. Discs 3 & 4 have a picture of Endora from Season Two that is colorized ALL wrong! They have her whole flying suit being pink???!!! The last disc has SG when they really should've had ML. In the slip case they have photos from Season Three for the most part, one from Season EIGHT and then they have one of EM's modeling photos from right before BW!!! I can't handle it!!!

Sony has us because if we don't buy them simply based on packaging then they won't release anymore. But in buying them it's like giving approval for the SHODDY job!!

But I suppose, as before, it's all about the episodes and I'm pleased to say they have the original credits for "Hippie, Hippie, Hooray" where EM is singing the 'Iffin' song.

 

[JohnMor]

Yes, the eps are the thing. And they seem to be done right on this set.

Here's hoping in Season Five that we get the teaser for part 2 of "Serena Strikes Again" intact!

 

[David*P]

In watching these episodes I've really seen how it IS the eps that are the thing!

I have seen so many instances of "new" scenes!! Such as in "Toys in Babeland"...it seems they never show Tabatha making the rest of her toys come to life, just the Barbie doll. And in "Tabatha's Cranky Spell" there is a whole new scene with Samantha and Endora where Samantha discusses what she can do to get the client back.

And might I add that the clarity on these episodes is phenomenal?? All this makes the injustice with the covers less insulting...

 

[JohnMor]

Watching this season again, I really feel like this might be Elizabeth's best year in terms of her performances. She seems to be having so much fun, and really in the moment. (Even though I don't think she really nailed the Serena characterization until toward the end of Season 5.)

And speaking of "Toys in Babeland," it's really nice to see one of my favorite lines in the show restored:

DARRIN: Larry, I'm trying to tell you, he's a doll!!
LARRY: Well, make up your mind, Darrin. Either you like him, or you don't!

 

[Michael Rogers]

I don't care if they come in a brown wrapper, I just care about having the episodes.

Of course, it is nice when an extra effort is made on packaging

 

[Brian W.]

I picked up both Seasons Two (Black & White) and Season Four at Costco Sunday for $20.24 each! (It was a coupon special.) Glad I waited. Of course the first episode I watched from Season Four was the Serena episode. Surprised to see her with blonde hair -- I didn't remember that, though I did remember the "Rock-a-Bye Baby" song. I agree with JohnMor -- Liz didn't really have the character down yet.

I look forward to Season Five where I can see some more Serena episodes. Which season has the Boyce & Hart episode?

 

[Charles Ellis]

I believe it's Season 6 (the first Sargent season). It'll be interesting to see what the DVD sales will be like after Season 5, as York leaves the show. Sony must be approaching this with apprehension, like Seasons 4-5 of Charlie's Angels (the post-Kate Jackson era).

 

[David*P]

It is Season 6 in Episode #192: "Serena Stops the Show". That is one of my all time favorite episodes! I'm sure it is a favorite with a lot of people.

I really hope Sony wisens up and includes the missing extras from these first five season sets on the Dick Sargent years so that there is a little incentive for those who do not like him to buy those years so the rest of us that want the whole series can have that.

 

[JohnMor]

I hope so too. But they won't.

I'm beginning to wonder if we can't convince Image to release a disc of all the extras: promos, cast commercials, etc., like they did with The Munsters. That would be awesome.

 

[David*P]

I sent Image an email a couple weeks ago asking this very thing but I haven't received a response. I suppose I should send them a reminder email.

I also wanted to mention another beauteous thing about having these unedited episodes available...one of my favorite Fourth Season episodes is "Once in a Vial". One thing that has always bugged me about it is the fact that Bill Walters and his wife just show up at the dinner pary for Bo Callahan but their presence there isn't unexplained...unless you see the entire unedited episode! It turns out Bill is the art director at McMann and Tate and his presence was requested to discuss the ad campaign for Mr. Callahan's perfume.

This is one reason I'm so excited for the Dick Sargent years to arrive. Aside from the two Christmas episodes, the rest of his episodes have never been released in their entirety so there are definitely going to be tons of "never-before-seen" scenes!