Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (4 Viewers)

[Steve...O]

Some great discussion in this thread; I've enjoyed reading it.

I agree that we're nearer to the end than the beginning of B&W on DVD. I'm hopeful that CBS/P will find a way to continue releasing the shows that have been started so that fans of Perry Mason, Rawhide, The Untouchables, Gunsmoke, and HGWT can finish off their collections. The syndication bible website hasn't been updated beyond S6 of PM for example.

Beyond that, we've seen many of the "A" list and even some of the "B" list titles being released (at least partially) so from a marketability standpoint it may fall on the independents to take a chance on what titles remain. There are still some glaring ommissions. Why Maverick hasn't gotten released is a mystery. Then there are shows like the original Defenders that are quite highly regarded but have gotten lost over time due to lack of exposure.

I am still not sold on the MOD route although I realize that's where the market is headed and many consumers are ok with it. Products are priced too high in my view and the lack of English subtitles, fresh transfers, etc. just make seem like an inferior product to me compared to the high quality releases we've gotten used to at retail. Shows like Jack Benny and Burns & Allen are enormously entertaining and I'd like to think they are worthy of a better release than a DVD-R that replicates what I could do with my own off air recordings.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve...O /t/317650/is-the-b-w-era-of-tv-on-dvd-slowly-coming-to-an-end/60#post_3889760
Some great discussion in this thread; I've enjoyed reading it.

I agree that we're nearer to the end than the beginning of B&W on DVD. I'm hopeful that CBS/P will find a way to continue releasing the shows that have been started so that fans of Perry Mason, Rawhide, The Untouchables, Gunsmoke, and HGWT can finish off their collections. The syndication bible website hasn't been updated beyond S6 of PM for example.

Beyond that, we've seen many of the "A" list and even some of the "B" list titles being released (at least partially) so from a marketability standpoint it may fall on the independents to take a chance on what titles remain. There are still some glaring ommissions. Why Maverick hasn't gotten released is a mystery. Then there are shows like the original Defenders that are quite highly regarded but have gotten lost over time due to lack of exposure.

I am still not sold on the MOD route although I realize that's where the market is headed and many consumers are ok with it. Products are priced too high in my view and the lack of English subtitles, fresh transfers, etc. just make seem like an inferior product to me compared to the high quality releases we've gotten used to at retail. Shows like Jack Benny and Burns & Allen are enormously entertaining and I'd like to think they are worthy of a better release than a DVD-R that replicates what I could do with my own off air recordings.

Excellent post, Steve. A+ all the way around. Hope we see more of you, as I've always found your posts to be both informative and well written. I'm with you on the MOD model all the way. It's just not something I can get real excited about. But it is what it is.


Gary "take care, my good friend" O.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by FanCollector /t/317650/is-the-b-w-era-of-tv-on-dvd-slowly-coming-to-an-end/30#post_3888706
Good catch about Jeannie. Obviously NBC wasn't quite 100% color in 1965-1966.

There were quite a few first episodes of a series, such as Get Smart and O.K. Crackerby, who's pilots were filmed in Black & White, so those first shows were shown in B&W while the other 25+ episodes were in color. The same can be said for Jeanne who's fist season was more than three fourths in color. I would consider NBC 100% in color by October of 65 and that would be the 65-66 season. It was certainly more in color that CBS filming The Lucy Show in color, but televising them in Black and White or ABC reverting Wagon Train back to Black & White after a season of color.

Here is the clip of the NBC Color Peacock on the front of the first Get Smart show. "The following program is brought to you in Living Color on NBC - It just starts in Black & White"

 

[FanCollector]

All of Jeannie's first year was black and white. They were later colorized for some syndicated airings and for one DVD option.

 

[Mark-P]

Excluding black & white pilot episodes, I don't know of any shows that switched to color mid-season, but I'm sure someone will chime in if there were.
Here's a bit of trivia: There is one show that started out in black & white, switched to color for one season, and then went back to black & white for it's final season - can you name it?
I believe it is the only show ever to switch from color to black & white, though again I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Regulus]

Science Fiction Theatre had its first season in Color, but then switched to B&W for its final season.

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by Mark-P /t/317650/is-the-b-w-era-of-tv-on-dvd-slowly-coming-to-an-end/60#post_3889848
Excluding black & white pilot episodes, I don't know of any shows that switched to color mid-season, but I'm sure someone will chime in if there were.
Here's a bit of trivia: There is one show that started out in black & white, switched to color for one season, and then went back to black & white for it's final season - can you name it?
I believe it is the only show ever to switch from color to black & white, though again I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

That's a terrific trivia question. I hope you'll tell us the answer if someone doesn't geuss it eventually.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark-P /t/317650/is-the-b-w-era-of-tv-on-dvd-slowly-coming-to-an-end/60#post_3889848
Here's a bit of trivia: There is one show that started out in black & white, switched to color for one season, and then went back to black & white for it's final season - can you name it?
I believe it is the only show ever to switch from color to black & white, though again I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

I think Wagon Train fits the bill.


Gary "perhaps there are others as well" O.

 

[Mark-P]

Indeed I will. Though as I expected, Regalus just posted another show that did the color to B&W switch. I also just realized that while Hazel's first season was B&W, a single episode from that season entitled "What'll We Watch Tonight" was filmed in color. The storyline was about Hazel buying a color TV and they so they filmed it in color to promote the sales of color TVs.

That's a terrific trivia question. I hope you'll tell us the answer if someone doesn't geuss it eventually.
 

 

[Mark-P]

That is the correct answer, sir! That didn't take long to solve.

     Quote:
I think Wagon Train fits the bill.
Gary "perhaps there are others as well" O.

 

[Gary OS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark-P /t/317650/is-the-b-w-era-of-tv-on-dvd-slowly-coming-to-an-end/60#post_3889854
That is the correct answer, sir! That didn't take long to solve.

Just a lucky guess.


Gary "great question though" O.

 

[Matt Hough]

Congrats, Gary!

 

[Jack P]

The Joey Bishop Show switched to B/W when it moved to CBS.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

Yes, actually "The Joey Bishop Show" also answers the trivia question. Its first season on NBC was B&W, then it changed formats and also switched to color for Seasons 2 and 3 on NBC, then it went back to B&W for its fourth and final season on CBS.

 

[Gary OS]

I thought there was another show that fit the bill, but I couldn't think of what it was. Good job, guys!


Gary "I actually appreciate b/w TV more now than ever" O.

 

[Matt Hough]

I truly learn something here almost every day. I had NO idea The Joey Bishop Show was ever shown in color. We didn't have a color set in those days, so I didn't take any notice of whether shows were in color or B&W. It wasn't a favorite show, but I do remember watching a few episodes.

 

[Regulus]

Does anyone have any information on how much the first Color TV Sets were when they first came out? (I have a feeling they were VERY Expensive)!
I remember when the first VCRs and Giant-Screen TVs came out in the 1970s, VCRs went for $2,500.00 and a Projection TV cost more than some Cars! :jawdrop: Today you can get a decent-sized TV Set for less than $200.00, and if you really need a VCR, check out the Garage Sales, a Buck or Two will take it away!

 

[Joe Lugoff]

In the early '50s, CBS and NBC (owned by RCA) had one of those "new product" wars we know so well. It was the same old story: They introduced two different, incompatible systems of color television broadcasting and reception. RCA-NBC won out, and by 1954 they were ready to sell color sets to the public and start broadcasting color shows.
When first put on sale in 1954, a 12-inch color set cost $1,000. Larger screens cost more, of course. The Inflation Calculator says that $1,000 in 1954 is the equivalent of $8,000 today! It goes without saying that very few color sets were sold in the early days.

 

[Regulus]

^^ You're right, they were expensive little buggers!

 

[FrostyT86]

MAVERICK has to be top tier. Only a 3 episode sampler has been released by Warners so far. Certainly the first 3 seasons with James Garner should come out.
LOVE THAT BOB has had only one low budget release with public domain episodes (about 20 of the 173 episodes are PD) and the quality wasn't that great. Show lasted 5 seasons and was a popular rerun for years, should qualify as second tier.
I'll second DOBIE GILLIS as top tier as well. Apparently the Max Shulman estate is holding that one up.