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Dick Van Dyke Show Collection - All 5 seasons together - May 24th! (1 Viewer)

Scott_J

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From TSoD:


http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=2894

Figuring an average pre-order discount of 30%, that's $175 or $35/season. Not a bad deal for people (myself included) who never bought the individual season releases.



FYI on a side note, any of you on the fence about buying the TZ season sets may want to wait till they're all out for the eventual "complete series" box of that (for the second time).
 

Jeff Willis

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Hi, all...

From one who bought only the S1 pack I'm waiting for this one with a :) I'll have to find someone that wants the S1 pack for a present or something :D Turns out that I found out my nephew likes this "old folks" series (boy, was I surprised when he said that!).

Thanks, TSoD (I got it right that time, Dave :D ) Dave L/Gord for the great post and info on the COMBAT! S4 release (that's probably my favorite 60's series :emoji_thumbsup:
 

AnnaMaria

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I'm wondering if this set will have everything that buying them individually will have, or if it will be missing something, or if it will have more.

Will it be the five seasons as is put together?

It looks like it will be cheaper to buy it this way. I haven't got any of the seasons yet but this show is extremely high on my list. I just might wait and save my money.
 

Steve...O

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Yes. It's a packaging of the existing titles put together.
It'll be well worth the money. In my opinion, TV comedy was rarely this good and never better.

Steve
 

Casey Trowbridg

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Well, as someone that owns all 5 seasons already I'd encourage anyone on the fence to go ahead and take the plunge this one has been an award winner for good reasons, and you're getting a real good deal buying it all at once.

Myself, I got good prices on all 5 sets anyway and didn't want to wait for them, so I'm not miffed at all by this announcement.
 

David Von Pein

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I agree with both Steve and Casey (above) -- wholeheartedly.

At a take-home cost of approx. $175 ($35 per set), after a 30% discount which lots of places offer on pre-orders, this is a great price for all the stuff you'll be getting. (I paid about $48 per set, which I still think was a darn good price for these sets too. :))

Just look at all the stuff you get with these Image Entertainment sets. Plus, on top of the items that I'll mention below, I assume the "Complete Series" set will also contain a large "Slipcase" type of package to house all five of the individual boxed sets, which will have yet another 3D "Lenticular" image on the package -- with Rob, Buddy, and Sally singing in the office (please note Mel's bald head near the door in the background -- that's taken directly from a scene during the series).



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

I've written up a little blurb that will serve as my Amazon.com review for the upcoming DVD release of "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW: THE COMPLETE SERIES", to be released on May 24th, 2005. When looking up the various bonus features for all 5 boxed sets, I was amazed (yet again) at how much stuff has been jammed into the DVD-On-DVD sets. And keep in mind, I haven't even listed all of the special features below in this review. There are still other snippets and video clips that I didn't elaborate on -- such as the "Van Dyke & Company" clip, the excellent video snippet from the 1969 "DvD & The Other Woman" TV Special, Dick singing the Theme Song at the Hollywood Bowl, the promo for "The New Dick Van Dyke Show", and still lots more.

When reflecting back now, eight months after all 158 episodes have been released to the public, I sometimes forget about (quantity-wise) the vast amount of extra features that Mr. Brownstein/Image have packed into these products. Kudos, again, to them for their marvelous efforts.

And, of course, this is to say nothing about THE BEST part of these DVD sets --- that being: the shows themselves! :)

Anyway, I rambled (again).

Here's what my Amazon review will contain (pretty much) :) ..........

"If you're looking for a super-sensational, tantalizingly-terrific, and spectacularly-massive DVD set containing some of the greatest comedy moments in TV history, then look no further than this colossal 25-Disc DVD set containing every last episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show", the multiple Emmy Award-winning CBS-TV comedy series which ran from 1961 to 1966.

This Complete-Series mega DVD collection houses all five seasons of the very funny and perpetually-entertaining Van Dyke Show, encompassing 158 total episodes, all restored and remastered by Image Entertainment and Paul Brownstein Productions, with each episode exhibiting darn-near perfect video and audio quality. And every single episode is complete and unedited. Not a single second of any show has been cut out. Average running time per episode is a shade more than 25 minutes.

Many, many supplemental bonus features are also included on these twenty-five Digital Discs, including: Audio Commentary tracks for many episodes, along with cast interviews, original TV commercials, Emmy Award snippets, documentaries, featurettes, photo galleries, behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, Easter Eggs, trivia games, CBS-TV promos, and gobs of other little interesting extra tidbits besides! A nice 12-page booklet (insert) also comes in this Van Dyke bonanza too.

There are even full-length TV-show bonuses included on selected discs, including a complete episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" (which has Van Dyke Show character "Buddy Sorrell" popping up). .... Other complete TV-show extras include the original "Pilot" episode for "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (called "Head Of The Family"), plus an absolutely-outstanding and ultra-fun-to-watch TV game show called "Stump The Stars" (aka: "Mike Stokey's Pantomime Quiz"), which has several Van Dyke Show cast members playing a lively charades game. Great, great fun!

Pull out any one of these 25 discs and you'll have some great shows, including all of Rob Petrie's (Dick Van Dyke) inimitable physical comedy bits -- not to mention Dick's unsurpassed abilty to act out a "one-way telephone conversation" (which always amazes me when I see him do this -- and there are many such "telephone" moments during the series). Then, too, via this amazing boxed set, you'll also get every one of Laura Petrie's (Mary Tyler Moore) "crying jags", plus all the standout "Rob & Laura dancing and singing" scenes. And don't forget about all those "Buddy insults Mel" gags (which must number in the hundreds over the course of the series).

Just suffice it to say that I love this television program. .... Its humor is timeless. .... The characters seem "real" and "non-phony". .... And the writing is remarkable. .... And you'll be able to see why when you pop in any of these wonderfully-restored Digital Versatile Discs."
 

Jeffrey Nelson

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I may be speaking heresy here, but I only agree with that up to a point, namely the point when Jerry and Millie enter the picture. They're a little bit off, especially Millie, and seem much more like standard exaggerated sitcom characters. Now don't get me wrong, I love this show passionately, and have gone on record as saying that it's my crack cocaine, but as much as I love it, I can still point out its (extremely few) flaws.
 

David Von Pein

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I feel the need to interject my disagreement with Jeffrey in this Millie/Jerry regard. I think that the Helpers were as well-written and "real" as Rob & Laura, et al. (Just IMO, that is.)

I always liked very much the way that Millie could "play against" Laura in various scenes; and the same way with Jerry and Rob.

The Jerry/Rob scene in "That's My Boy??" is a great example....when both men fumble around attempting to get a footprint of the "little stranger" (newborn Ritchie). :)

I loved Ann Morgan and Jerry Paris as The Helpers. Can't imagine anyone else in those roles.

One "substitution", though, I *can* imagine is Larry Mathews/Ritchie Petrie. I've always thought Ronny Howard would have been perfect for the "Ritchie" part. Ronny was certainly a bit of a better actor than Larry (OK, perhaps a tad more than a bit) -- and I can just imagine how Ronny would have performed the tender crying scenes in "Never Name A Duck". He'd have been great, IMO.

But, of course, Ronny was already busy being cute as a bug in a proverbial rug on yet another Danny Thomas/Sheldon Leonard CBS-TV sitcom of the era -- "The Andy Griffith Show". And, in hindsight, I wouldn't take Ronny/Opie out of the "TAGS" cast for a million bucks. (Well, maybe for a million, but not much less than that. :))
 

Alan_H

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It would be nice if they did a "Lord of the Rings" type offer here and allowed loyal customers who have already purchased all 5 sets to get the new slipcase, insert, etc. at a reasonable price!
 

CynthiaH

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Is this a good blind buy? I've never seen an episode, but everyone was raving so much when all of the season sets were being released-both about the episodes themselves, and the quality of the sets released-that I was interested. Of course, I had other things to buy, and the individual sets are going for around $80CDN. But the complete series (May 24th) is going for around $215CDN, so it's roughly half the cost. But even at that great discounted price, 200 bucks is still a lot of money to drop if I'm not going to end up liking the series.

I've somehow never seen an episode, but I grew up loving Leave it to Beaver. I don't know how that compares-I'm just thinking of black and white shows I guess. As far as comedy sets that I own: Arrested Development, Cheers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, King of Queens, Larry Sanders, Night Court, The Office, Seinfeld, Simpsons.

Basically I'm looking for a confirmation that the show is still funny, and not just out of nostalgia or anything like that. Thanks for your help!
 

AnnaMaria

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The show is still funny!

Yes there are some shows that we look back on with nostalgia and love that wouldn't make it now. "Brady Bunch" comes to mind.

But Dick Van Dyke is in a class of it's own. Yes it takes place in the sixties, yes it's in black and white. But the jokes and delivery are still current.

Everyone on the show is intelligent (unlike some shows where the father is a total idiot) and the situations seem real. The love between the characters is real too, and this isn't put down humor. There's a real respect that Rob shows to Laura that Desi didn't show to Lucy or worse Darrin to Samantha.

Robs co-workers seem real too and I wish that there really had been an Alan Brady show because I bet it would have been hysterical.

The show was really good at mixing humor with heartfelt situations. Like a lonely Sally coming home to her cat.

I can't think of a show that this one compares to. It's too bad that sitcoms today don't measure up to this one. Sitcoms back then didn't measure up to this one. None were as funny.
 

David Von Pein

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AnnaMaria

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For Canadians, Amazon.ca has the full set for 215.92 which works out to just over 40 bucks a set. FAR better deal than the 80 for individual sets. And it's free shipping.
 

Scott_J

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Not a bad deal for people (like myself) who never bought (and kept) the individual season releases.

Is that better, Mike? :D Nice job calling me out on that one. So, have you been enjoying seasons 1&2, was it? ;)
 

Mike Frezon

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:laugh:

I have, indeed. I've even had my eyes on some used copies of seasons 3 & 4...but I haven't pulled the trigger. I'll be kicking myself when they're gone...but I've got a lot on my plate right now (funds are low) and haven't given seasons 1 & 2 enough attention. IIRC, they were priced $38.99.

They're just perfect though when the wife and I don't have time to watch a full movie. And we always find ourselves entertained! The writing, the performances -- just top notch. To think that these half-hours all hold up so well forty years later is really an accomplishment of which the cast and crew should be quite proud.

Hope all is well in the North Country.
 

Scott_J

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Glad to hear it, Mike. Wish I could help you on 3&4 too, but no such luck.
That's what i like about TV DVDs in general. When I get home after working till midnight, I can't get to sleep right away and I obviously don't want to devote 2hrs to a movie at that time, so I pop in a TV DVD and 22 or 45mins later it's done. Except, of course, after a midnight shift on Saturday night when I first have to check out the newest Roundup. :)

All is well in the North Country, hope the same can be said down by you. I think I recall hearing of some water main breaks down by you a fe weeks back. Hope you weren't affected by those.

BTW, I sent you an e-mail last night. You get it? I know we've had e-mail problems in the past.

Back to your DVD-on-DVD discussions now. (But since I started this thrad, I can hijack it like this. ;))
 

Tom_mkfty

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Is the The Dick Van Dyke Show owned by Paramount?

Reason why I asked, I wonder if this is the beginning of all their NEW releases.
 

David Von Pein

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In 2003, I was able to get Image Ent. to send me (for free) a replacement S.1 insert (booklet) when mine arrived mangled.

I'm wondering if Image might do the same thing, if you request one from them, with regard to the 12-page booklet that will come in the "Complete Series" set? Could be.

I don't know -- but perhaps Image could even provide (for a fee) the Slipcase box that will hold all 5 sets as well. If it's a good, thick, & sturdy box, I'd like to get one too. Plus, it'll have a different lenticular 3D image somewhere on it (on one of the two sides of the big slipcase box I suppose, or perhaps the same 3D card on both ends of the case, we'll have to see).

 

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