THE DONNA REED SHOW, SEASON 3 - October 20th (1 Viewer)

[Gary OS]

Per the info on DVDPlanet found here:

www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.asp

Looks like this series is still moving forward. That's good news! I know Jeff will agree with me, right?




Gary "nice turnaround time too" O.

 

[pitchman]

Hurray!

I am really enjoying season two at the moment!

 

[Elena S]

This really surprised me, that they would announce season 3 so soon after season two's release. Sounds like the sets may be selling well. YAY!!!

 

[Jeff Willis]

Originally Posted by Gary OS Is there anyone else on the planet that's done that? I think it was because it was the only time that I phone-ordered instead of 'net ordered due to a question about a couple of other sets that were incorrectly listed on DD's site.

I guess I'll wait until the next DD sale and get S2 with S3.

 

[Greg2356]

I never expected Season Three of "The Donna Reed Show" to be released so very soon after it's Second Season Release!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a very pleasant Surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bob_S.]

Keep 'em coming , baby!

 

[Greg2356]

Here is a link to Season Three of "The Donna Reed Show" which tells about the 'Special Features' that will be included on this Third Season Release...

http://www.virgilfilmsent.com/store/landing.php?table=Television

 

[Elena S]

Excited for the special features!!!!

 

[Greg2356]

YES, it surely is a Michael Jackson Banana!!! Finally somebody realizes that Michael lives on through this Banana Character!!!!!

 

[AlanP]

[COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]Does anyone know why Shelley Fabares left the series after four years ?? I found the show was not as good after her hasty departure. Was it planned or did she feel she outgrew the series?? One of the best episodes of the series is her debut as a singer. It was not long after that she exited the show. Did she do episodes every season after she left the series and did she show up for the final episode when the series ended ??
Thanks !!![/COLOR]

 

[smithb]

It does appear Shelley Fabares left for loftier opportunities in movies. However, from what I read she did come back to the show periodically.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Did anyone replace Shelly as the daughter in the family? I'm a first-time viewer of the show on DVD.

 

[Rob_Ray]

Yes. Paul's real-life sister played an orphan whom the Family Stone adopted. Trouble was, she looked *exactly* like Paul, so I think Dr. Stone had some 'splain' to do!

 

[Jeff Willis]

Originally Posted by Rob_Ray

Yes. Paul's real-life sister played an orphan whom the Family Stone adopted. Trouble was, she looked *exactly* like Paul, so I think Dr. Stone had some 'splain' to do!

Thanks for the info. Who did they get to play the new character? How did the show do after Shelly left? I'm still viewing S1 and one of the reasons this show's one of my all-time best blind-buys, is the "kids" in the family. Great acting, imo. The whole cast seemed to have that "rapport" that makes shows great.

 

[AlanP]

[COLOR= #33cccc]After Shelley left the series it lost some of it's luster. It was a huge loss to the show. Sort of like when Sherry Jackson, left "The Danny Thomas Show". However, it ran three more years after she left. No one has answered was she back for the remaining seasons as a guest star. I remember her being there the first year after she left for three or four episodes, but what about the other seasons ?? I will only purchase the seasons she was featured in the series.[/COLOR]

 

[Greg2356]

Yes, Shelley Fabares came back in episodes for the Six Season and the Seventh Season. I am not quite sure how many episodes she was in during the Seventh Season. In the Final 'Eighth Season' she didn't appear at all! Donna Stone did mention to somebody in one episode during the Eighth Season that they had a daughter away at college.

 

[AlanP]

[COLOR= rgb(255, 0, 0)]Well that is a BUMMER that Shelley did not return for the final season and how was the final episode of the show ??
Too bad there was never a reunion !!!
It was a great series the first FIVE seasons.[/COLOR]

 

[Greg2356]

The Final Episode of "The Donna Reed Show" entitled, "By-Line - - Jeffrey Stone" with singer Lesley Gore was a fun episode to watch! The storyline was written by Paul Petersen himself. You could tell during the scene from this episode in which Donna and Alex are in the audience listening to Lesley Gore sing, that Donna Reed is just absolutely beaming!!! I for one believe she looked like this because she knew she was finally going to retire from her series, after doing 275 Episodes. She stated in years previous on a 'Talk Show' that she had been wanting to go off the air, but 'THEY' as she put it, wouldn't let her...

Actually the episode that aired previous to this Lesley Gore episode seemed to me to be more like the Final Episode from "The Donna Reed Show" that was entitled, "What Price Home?" in which the Stones put their house up for sale, and reminisce about their years there... The scene with Donna Reed and Paul Petersen reminiscing where Donna is in tears, I found to be very touching indeed! Incidentally, The Stones change their mind, and do not sell their home after all... What a Relief!!!!

Yes, it would have been nice if Shelley Fabares could have been included in this episode entitled, "What Price Home?" I could just hear Mary saying in a somewhat hysterical voice, "I can't believe your actually serious about selling this Great House especially with all the wonderful memories we have all shared here together!!!!!" Shelley Fabares would surely have added much to this episode!

As for a Reunion Show of "The Donna Reed Show" it was in the works, and Paul Petersen was going to write it. He was going to make this Reunion Show very dramatic in direct competition to the "Father Knows Best" Reunion Shows. But unfortunately, Carl Betz's untimely death prevented there ever being a "Donna Reed Show" Reunion Episode.

 

[Gary OS]

Greg, thanks so much for all that info. I guess I'm in for the duration of this series, but I've always hated cast changes of any kind in these quaint shows. It just disturbs the nice little world the family, and audience, lives in for those 30 or 60 minutes each week. Coming from a divorced home when I was only four, I'm sure one of the draws of these older series is the beautiful sense of security and continuity. Friends are always there for one another; people resolve their difficulties by the end of the episode; and everyone lives happily ever after. I know that's not the real world, but I don't watch TV to get more of the real world. Frankly, I've never understood people that do watch for that reason. Seems bizarre to me. Oh well, I digress.

Yeah, it will be a shame to get to Season 5 and not have Shelley there all the time, and it will surely hurt watching those last couple of episodes and not seeing her there. What a shame.

Gary "does anyone else hate cast changes for the same reason I do?" O.

 

[AlanP]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]I am with you on cast changes, a few come to mind and the series were never as good after the main character departed. I am a firm believer in replacing the character on the series.
Some series that were impacted after they left
Victoria Principal on "DALLAS"
Mia Farrow on "PEYTON PLACE"
Barbara Stanwyck on "THE COLBYS"
Linda Gray on "DALLAS"
Barbara Bel Geddes on "DALLAS"
they brought back Patrick Duffy after he was gone for a year on the series !!!
Delta Burke on "DESIGNING WOMEN"
Sherry Jackson on "MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY"[/COLOR]