Mama's Family 30th Anniversary (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Now, back to our regular scheduled programming discussion!

 

[justegofficial]

Time Life has officially confirmed on their Facebook page what we all knew already - that the episodes "Cellmates" and "Mama's Boyfriend" are the syndicated edits:

After a lengthy investigation with our partners at the estate of the original producer of Mama’s Family, we are able to confirm the unfortunate news that the original broadcast masters for “Cellmates,” Episode 6 from Season 1 (Episode #7008) and “Mama’s Boyfriend,” Episode 9 from Season 1 (Episode #7010) have not withstood the test of time and were lost.We share in the great disappointment at the loss of these TV treasures, especially the Harvey Korman intros for those episodes. Our Web site has been updated to note this change.We’d like to thank everyone for their support of this project. We feel strongly that Mama’s Family fans will love this collection, the beautiful collector’s box and almost 13 hours of new bonus materials. And, we look forward to creating more amazing classic television collections for you in the future.

The update on their order page is under the Season 1 description (which should be in the description of the set, not in the episode guide, but at least they put a message there) and it says:

Unfortunately the original broadcast masters for “Cellmates,” Episode 6 and “Mama’s Boyfriend,” Episode 9 have been lost to time. Those two episodes are the syndicated versions.

I'm glad they finally acknowledged this publicly, but I'm not giving up hope that someone out there somewhere has a copy of those episodes from their original broadcast (that they taped on video) and we all can at least get a copy of - regardless of the quality. Hopefully one day we'll be able to find them.

 

[darkrock17]

I'm glad they finally acknowledged this publicly, but I'm not giving up hope that someone out there somewhere has a copy of those episodes from their original broadcast (that they taped on video) and we all can at least get a copy of - regardless of the quality. Hopefully one day we'll be able to find them.

I know this might sound stupid but, did VHS exit in 1983? Wasn't Betamax still the "in" thing still? If anyone did record the NBC seasons, they're on YouTube somewhere, as I've seen bloopers from the NBC years and an Alister Quince intro as well.

Mama's Family bloopers start at 1:56

Mama's Family bloopers from TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes starts at 1:08

Original Intro with Alister Quince:

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

Yes. VHS has been around since the mid-1970s, though there wouldn't be as many until the early 1980's.

 

[John Karras]

I'm glad they finally acknowledged this publicly, but I'm not giving up hope that someone out there somewhere has a copy of those episodes from their original broadcast (that they taped on video) and we all can at least get a copy of - regardless of the quality. Hopefully one day we'll be able to find them.

It's too bad TL didn't acknowledge this prior to shipping the set, since the 22 min. running time along with the production slate on the master they used for the DVD states "Domestic Syndication Master" were both dead giveaways. TL's after-the-fact acknowledgement, only prompted by customer inquiries, reduces the sincerity of their statement.

"...have not withstood the test of time and were lost". This implies:
1. That the 1" edited master of these 2 episodes somehow deteriorated beyond correction, while all the other masters on the shelf remained stable
2. That the minimum 6 copies of the edited master made at the time of original broadcast were not retained by JH Productions or the estate
3. That JH Productions eschewed the standard practice of also storing a protection master of each show.

 

[Jason_V]

Okay, ya know, I have to give TL some props now. They actually admitted what happened. Is it perfect? No. But it's a whole lot more than what some other studios/distributors have done in the past.

 

[ahollis]

I'm happy.

 

[Ethan Riley]

I'm sure those episodes exist uncut in the hands of collectors. I taped about half the Mamas off NBC in the 80s and the rest off syndication or TBS years later.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I'm sure those episodes exist uncut in the hands of collectors. I taped about half the Mamas off NBC in the 80s and the rest off syndication or TBS years later.

Yeah, but would the VHS tapes be of decent enough quality to lift the edited parts from for a DVD release?

I mean, you know people... there are complaints about edited episodes, but there would be loud complaints about inferior picture quality on the footage spliced back into the episodes, as well.

Although in watching through the series, I've just made it to season 3, and the NBC episodes are already of inferior picture quality to the syndicated years, IMO.

I don't know if technology changed in the two year layoff, or if a better quality of videotape was used to record the syndicated years, or what happened to make the NBC episodes look so bad compared to the syndicated years.

 

[smithbrad]

yeah, if that was true - then explain how when i was in canada this weekend and saw those 2 episodes in a maratoin showing of the show and they were unedited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look who's back...How about we all just ignore his posts going forward and not give him the satisfaction. Deal?

 

[Ron1973]

Look who's back...How about we all just ignore his posts going forward and not give him the satisfaction. Deal?

Too bad this site doesn't have a "ignore" feature when it comes to certain posters!

 

[Ethan Riley]

Yeah, but would the VHS tapes be of decent enough quality to lift the edited parts from for a DVD release?

I mean, you know people... there are complaints about edited episodes, but there would be loud complaints about inferior picture quality on the footage spliced back into the episodes, as well.

Although in watching through the series, I've just made it to season 3, and the NBC episodes are already of inferior picture quality to the syndicated years, IMO.

I don't know if technology changed in the two year layoff, or if a better quality of videotape was used to record the syndicated years, or what happened to make the NBC episodes look so bad compared to the syndicated years.

Could be any number of reasons. My theory is that when they were on the network they were probably using hand-me-down camera equipment from NBC, but in syndication the producers probably had to spring for their own stuff.

As for spliced-in footage...I don't think they'd complain. They put up with it for I Love Lucy and the Brady Bunch. Better a few inferior shots than none at all. Hopefully they'll track down some uncut versions and offer a replacement disc. "Cellmates" was one of the best episodes they ever did--a Eunice/Thelma installment and worthy successor to the CBS sketches.

 

[Ethan Riley]

yeah, if that was true - then explain how when i was in canada this weekend and saw those 2 episodes in a maratoin showing of the show and they were unedited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, you did not. Liar, liar, liar. Do you have nothing better to do than grief on the "Mama's Family" thread and misspell everything?

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Y'know, I wouldn't even want the hassle of a replacement disc... just a disc with both uncut episodes on it, maybe some extra bonus materials they had lying around the cutting room floor for good measure (aren't the bonus features on the "Best Of" discs exclusive to those discs only? Those would make a nice gift to complete series buyers), pack it in a slim case that would fit in the complete series box we already have, and that's that. Make it available to the people who have already ordered, and pack it with unsold sets.

 

[shc57783]

Watching the few Carol Burnett Show "Family" sketches included with this set makes me wish someone would release all 31 sketches on home video as a collection. At this point, they're not even all available in the various Carol Burnett Show collections. Maybe someday...

 

[darkrock17]

Watching the few Carol Burnett Show "Family" sketches included with this set makes me wish someone would release all 31 sketches on home video as a collection. At this point, they're not even all available in the various Carol Burnett Show collections. Maybe someday...

Time Life might release a "The Family" collection next year.

 

[David Rain]

There's also this Eunice & Mama sketch from Carol's 1979 follow-up series.

 

[defleppard11]

Today Mama's Family turns 30, and it's been 7 years since the first season came out in 2006. You'd think by now WB and Joe Hamilton Productions would of come some agreement and release the rest of the series. I would of though by now that at least Shout Factory would of released the rest of the series. What's holding up the continuation of this series, how hard is it to get uncut episodes?

You're a day too early. It was Jan22 it debuted. I was 9 days old. But anyway I am a huge fan of the show. I bought season I and it was the edited version and I was not happy. Plus several episodes didn't play because of scratches in the disk. I am going to get the uncut version. I want the rest of the seasons too but don't like when they edit out content. So I wish JH and WB would get it together with the whole series uncut.

 

[darkrock17]

You're a day too early. It was Jan22 it debuted. I was 9 days old. But anyway I am a huge fan of the show. I bought season I and it was the edited version and I was not happy. Plus several episodes didn't play because of scratches in the disk. I am going to get the uncut version. I want the rest of the seasons too but don't like when they edit out content. So I wish JH and WB would get it together with the whole series uncut.

Mama's Family The Complete Series has been available to buy since 2013, you can order/buy it just about anywhere now.