I Spy: The Complete Series (Shout! Factory)? (2 Viewers)

[Tory]

I like I Spy, I have the original volume releases which are all mixed up, not in order. When they were released in a more proper way, I wanted to replace them but I couldn't justify replacing them and at this point I don't see myself doing it for third version. I am in a similar scenario with 3rd Rock from the Sun, Hunter and Renegade as I have the earlier release of those (and my Hunter Season 3 has two disc 2s, no disc3, found that out a little too late.) I'm more likely to replace Hunter with the complete set. I'm not really certain what the deal and differnce is with 3rd Rock.
As for Shout, I love them, always will. a little upset about the COPS, Heathcliff and Jayce situation but I still love them.

 

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by Gary OS /t/320099/i-spy-the-complete-series-shout-factory/30#post_3918522
The only thing I'll add, and then be done with the thread, is that I think Glen, Jeff and Brad have posted some excellent and thorough thoughts on the subject at hand. My hat is off to each of them and I'm in full agreement with what they've said.
.

Gary has once again nailed it with regards to the posts from Jeff and Brad. Jeff's post was a typically excellent summation and analysis of all the issues and conflicts brought up in this thread. And too it was a lot more objective than the one or two detractors he mentions have ever been toward him or the subjects at hand. Lest I stir the pot more, I will leave it at that, but I believe his perspective both learned and wise.

The same applies to Brad's take on Neil, which I wholeheartedly agree with and support. The pattern of insulting and alienating posts speak for themselves, but it's nice to know the old adage of it takes all kinds is still accepted in this forum and, in the case of at least one fervent fan of his, supported. Much as I may disagree with both of them, I would never want to be part of a forum that censored their views.

Interestingly, I mentioned all this to Amy, the oft nameless and presumed by some to be feeling-less proponent of MATT LINCOLN, and all she wanted to know was why Neil kept reading her posts all over the web if they disturbed him so much.

 

[DeWilson]

As for Shout, I love them, always will. a little upset about the COPS, Heathcliff and Jayce situation but I still love them.

The current owners of DiC didn't want to spend the money for fresh transfers, so they used the off-the-shelf masters.
Shame,too - I love the "Cats & Company"/"The Catillac Cats" segments on HEATHCLIFF would have been nice to see fresh transfers on those.

 

[vnisanian2001]

Of course they didn't want to do fresh transfers. They were filmed on videotape.

 

[DeWilson]

Of course they didn't want to do fresh transfers. They were filmed on videotape.

No, those were animated on 35mm film stock and then transfered to VT for Broadcast.

 

[vnisanian2001]

That was what I said. The norm for doing shows on film in the 80's.

 

[Neil Brock]

The only thing I'll add, and then be done with the thread, is that I think Glen, Jeff and Brad have posted some excellent and thorough thoughts on the subject at hand.  My hat is off to each of them and I'm in full agreement with what they've said.  Anything else I'd add would be purely superfluous.
Gary "nice job, guys" O.

I didn't think that at all. Only Denny's posts seemed to me to be well-thought out, intelligent and objective. The others seemed more like unprovoked and spurious attacks. But, hey, I don't have a problem with that, if that's your kind of thing. I guess the bottom line is that pie in the sky posts as well as repetitive ones are far more palatable than any criticisms of such posts. Okay, point taken. Although I did see a mention about my having a good collection. That's true. And I didn't get what I have by going all over the internet pleading for companies to put my wants out. I got it by actually going out and finding ways of getting the shows myself, not doing nothing and hoping it would be done for me.

 

[smithb]

Sorry Neil for missing what was probably some witty response on your part, but the old "block member" feature is acting up again and apparently it chose you to be on it. Unfortunately, I don't know how to turn it off. So I guess I'll just have to live with it this way from now on. Oh well...my loss I'm sure.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithb /t/320099/i-spy-the-complete-series-shout-factory/30#post_3918686
Sorry Neil for missing what was probably some witty response on your part, but the old "block member" feature is acting up again and apparently it chose you to be on it. Unfortunately, I don't know how to turn it off. So I guess I'll just have to live with it this way from now on. Oh well...my loss I'm sure.

Post of the Week, Brad.

You know, every so often I forget about that fine feature provided here at HTF. I've only used it twice in the past with posters that were real Eddie Haskel types, but since you've reminded me about it... Yeah, I think maybe I'll place a couple more regulars on it from this thread. Guys that delight in taking subtle (not really very subtle) shots, guys that refuse to see the double-standard they are working under, and guys that are most assuredly curmudgeons. The "block" function certainly makes life here at HTF more pleasant. And after all, life is too short as it is.


Gary "take care, friend" O.

 

[smithb]

     Quote:

Post of the Week, Brad.
You know, every so often I forget about that fine feature provided here at HTF.  I've only used it twice in the past with posters that were real Eddie Haskel types, but since you've reminded me about it...  Yeah, I think maybe I'll place a couple more regulars on it from this thread.  Guys that delight in taking subtle (not really very subtle) shots, guys that refuse to see the double-standard they are working under, and guys that are most assuredly curmudgeons.  The "block" function certainly makes life here at HTF more pleasant.  And after all, life is too short as it is.
Gary "take care, friend" O.

Actually Gary, after a few searches I figured out what is going on. Apparently, many of the forums are installing a new artifical intelligence feature called the "No Nonsence Egotistical Interactive Logging Sensor". It basically monitors posts and over a period of time determines members that should be blocked based on the value of their responses. Better known as the "No-NEIL" sensor. So I think I have been No-Neil'ed by the forum software.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithb /t/320099/i-spy-the-complete-series-shout-factory/30#post_3918694
Actually Gary, after a few searches I figured out what is going on. Apparently, many of the forums are installing a new artifical intelligence feature called the "No Nonsence Egotistical Interactive Logging Sensor". It basically monitors posts and over a period of time determines members that should be blocked based on the value of their responses. Better known as the "No-NEIL" sensor. So I think I have been No-Neil'ed by the forum software.

Even better than the previous one.


Gary "I believe the software may be applying the same blocks to another one or two posters for me" O.

 

[Professor Echo]

Originally Posted by smithb /t/320099/i-spy-the-complete-series-shout-factory/30#post_3918694
Actually Gary, after a few searches I figured out what is going on. Apparently, many of the forums are installing a new artifical intelligence feature called the "No Nonsence Egotistical Interactive Logging Sensor". It basically monitors posts and over a period of time determines members that should be blocked based on the value of their responses. Better known as the "No-NEIL" sensor. So I think I have been No-Neil'ed by the forum software.

I bet APPLE is behind this new software. They make the best stuff.

 

[classictvfan91]

Neil wrote this, about I Spy: "But its just not that popular a show to ever get the kind of release the OP suggests."
Actually, I Spy does have a good-size fan base, look at these websites:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/172251/
http://www.l23.org/
http://ispy65.tripod.com/home.htm
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058816/reviews
From the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture[/I]:
"The popular NBC network program I Spy ran for three years from 1965 to 1968. Arriving in the wake of the James Bond phenomenon in the mid-1960s, it was one of several American television series of the period whose fantastic plots revolved around matters of espionage. It was the alchemical starring partnership of Robert Culp and Bill Cosby, however, that elevated I Spy to the pantheon of well-loved and well-remembered escapist entertainment, although the duo was supported by scripts that were consistently witty. The stars played secret agents, who roamed the world masquerading as a professional tennis player (Culp) and his manager/trainer (Cosby). Cosby thus became the first black actor in American television to star in a prime-time drama as a hero-character on an equal footing with his white fellow actors. Noteworthy, too, for its foreign locations, I Spy was filmed almost entirely outside the United States, frequently in Mexico, in the Mediterranean areas of Europe, and in Asia."
-- David Lonergan
On the Internet Movie Database, and TV.com it is highly rated:
7.6/10 (IMDB), 8.1/10 (TV.com)

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Significantly, "I Spy" also holds up much better today for viewing than shows like "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." because it was character-based and not gadget-based (dated technology). And it was one of the few shows besides "Route 66" in the Sixties to actually shoot on location, making for a great travelogue/time capsue, as well.

 

[Austins Powers]

Groovy Baby

 

[Austins Powers]

Groovy baby!

 

[Austins Powers]

Sky High Spy thread . Martini anyone?

 

[Ockeghem]

I watched a neat episode of I Spy last night (I own the entire series as I purchased the season sets a few years ago). As one who loves and practices a couple martial arts, it was a lot of fun seeing some judo (and even one or two jiu-jitsu techniques) in a series from the 1960s. And of course, the location shooting was gorgeous, and is one of the trademarks of the series.

 

[Sky Captain]

Neil wrote this, about I Spy: "But its just not that popular a show to ever get the kind of release the OP suggests."
Actually, I Spy does have a good-size fan base, look at these websites:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/172251/
http://www.l23.org/
http://ispy65.tripod.com/home.htm
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058816/reviews
From the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture[/I]:
"The popular NBC network program I Spy ran for three years from 1965 to 1968. Arriving in the wake of the James Bond phenomenon in the mid-1960s, it was one of several American television series of the period whose fantastic plots revolved around matters of espionage. It was the alchemical starring partnership of Robert Culp and Bill Cosby, however, that elevated I Spy to the pantheon of well-loved and well-remembered escapist entertainment, although the duo was supported by scripts that were consistently witty. The stars played secret agents, who roamed the world masquerading as a professional tennis player (Culp) and his manager/trainer (Cosby). Cosby thus became the first black actor in American television to star in a prime-time drama as a hero-character on an equal footing with his white fellow actors. Noteworthy, too, for its foreign locations, I Spy was filmed almost entirely outside the United States, frequently in Mexico, in the Mediterranean areas of Europe, and in Asia."
-- David Lonergan
On the Internet Movie Database, and TV.com it is highly rated:
7.6/10 (IMDB), 8.1/10 (TV.com)

The $64,000 question (still) is, are there enough fans for such a series to be issued on DVD with the bells & whistles that the OP wants? And enough for the company issuing said DVD to make a profit (yes, I know there was a movie based on it, but still...)? Neil, myself and some other level-headed commentators obviously know the answer, but some others still need to get a clue, if not from Neil, then from reality smacking them in the face with painful (for them) facts.
EDIT: This does not mean I wouldn't want to eventually see I Spy on DVD (FWIW, I did vote 'Yes' in the poll the OP posted); it's a fine series, and one of the best of the 1960s. But the market and the potential sales have to support the cost-as has said before elseplace and here, for there to be supply,there has to be demand-and there hasn't been enough demand for I Spy in recent years, mostly because it hasn't been shown enough in recent years to build up a following that would justify it being put on DVD in anything other than a bare-bones collection.

 

[Executive]

In 2003 I bought all 3 Image Entertainment box sets -- several episodes of which were first released in 2001.
There was one for each season, including Robert Culp's episodes that he directed and / or wrote -- which are isolated
from the season ordering elsewhere. Culp also recorded 2 & 1/2 hours of audio commentary, which were uniquely spread out
over the course of just the episodes he was responsible for. They can be heard separately or in sequence over those episodes.
There is no reason to re-release the series, in spite of Bill Cosby not participating in the first sets a decade ago.
It's a shame that Bill rarely discusses I SPY -- the series that made him a star and proved he could do drama, and he
won the Emmy Award 3 times -- one for each season it was originally aired. I heard him mention it once briefly -- it may have been in a Letterman interview.