THE DONNA REED SHOW: SEASON 5 (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

^Don't get in a hurry though... MPI also said they were re-releasing My Favorite Martian S1 & S2 after they released S3. It was 20 months after that S3 release before their pressing of S1 came out and there's still no word on S2. I think they'll eventually come through but it'll be later rather than sooner.

 

[Kasey]

Looks like S1 will get a re-release Sept 30. This is how it should have been done back in 2008 the first time around. I will definitely be double-dipping.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Donna-Reed-Season-1/20116

 

[jdee28]

MPI is a decent company. I'm happy they're continuing with Donna Reed and will be cleaning up the first 3 season releases.

 

[HunterMan]

Looks like S1 will get a re-release Sept 30. This is how it should have been done back in 2008 the first time around. I will definitely be double-dipping.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Donna-Reed-Season-1/20116

MPI is a decent company. I'm happy they're continuing with Donna Reed and will be cleaning up the first 3 season releases.

I suppose that MPI will "clean" up the first 3 seasons and they'll be better than Arts Alliance/Virgil Films first versions. But, I already have those first versions and they don't seem that "horrible" to me. Perhaps eventually I will over time re-purchase the first 3 seasons from MPI...but I won't really be truly overjoyed or happy until Sony gets it together and allows the last 3 seasons (6-8) to be released!

 

[Greg2356]

Any hope of securing the rights to reissue seasons 1 and 2? Those are commanding serious money on the secondary market and I know collectors who missed them would love another bite.

Yes- You are in luck!! It has just been announced on TV Shows on DVD and on the "We Love The Donna Reed" page that Season 1 from "The Donna Reed Show" is going to be re-issued by MPI. And here as follows is the exact text from tvshowsondvd.com

The Donna Reed Show - MPI Home Video is Preparing to Re-Release 'Season 1' on DVD
New set, with new box art, will be available at the end of September
Posted by David Lambert

7/30/2014

Five years ago, Virgil Entertainment released The Complete 1st Season on DVD...but now that item is out of print, since the home video license is now owned by another studio. And that studio is re-releasing that season this fall, for fans who may have missed it the first time around! MPI Home Video has scheduled September 30th for The Donna Reed Show - Season 1 on DVD. Cost is $39.98 SRP, and front cover art is below. If you don't already own these episodes, you can pre-order it via the Amazon button link that immediately follows this text:


Taken from:http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Donna-Reed-Season-1/20116#ixzz392q5XNaK

 

[AlanP]

Much better cover art huge improvement!

 

[Steve...O]

Greg2356 - thank you so much for these updates and keeping us in the loop. Do you know if MPI will be including English subtitles on their Donna Reed releases?

 

[Greg2356]

"The Donna Reed Show" Season 7. This photo courtesy of "Vote for Bob Crane page!" Thanks!! Be sure to click on this picture to see the entire photo!

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Is Alex frowning in that photo because he assumed that an evening spent watching movies with Bob Crane would be a lot different than just a night out with the wives?

 

[Greg2356]

A behind the scenes look during the Eight Season of "The Donna Reed Show." Carl Betz hamming it up with playing the piano and singing a funny tune. Donna had quite a sense of humor and loved to laugh...Pictured here: Ann McCrea, Donna Reed, and Carl Betz.

 

[Mark-P]

Sorry for posting here, but there are no threads I could find for Donna Reed Show seasons 1-3.
Has anybody done a comparison of MPI's new release of season 1 to Virgil's 2008 release? I'm curious if they've been remastered as the quality wasn't exactly up to par. I'm sure that at the very least compression must be improved as Virgil squeezed 10 episodes onto each disc and MPI is doing 8 episodes per disc.

 

[phenri]

Sorry for posting here, but there are no threads I could find for Donna Reed Show seasons 1-3.
Has anybody done a comparison of MPI's new release of season 1 to Virgil's 2008 release? I'm curious if they've been remastered as the quality wasn't exactly up to par. I'm sure that at the very least compression must be improved as Virgil squeezed 10 episodes onto each disc and MPI is doing 8 episodes per disc.

I don't know if the picture is improved, but the closing logos have been restored to each episode.

The only problem is that episode 8, Change Partners and Dance, and episode 25, The Ideal Wife, are syndicated cuts. Each of those episodes are a little over 22 minutes long. This is a high quality release, but the cut episodes will be a deal breaker for some.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[jdee28]

That's strange. I have the 2008 release from Virgil Films, and both those episodes are uncut, clocking in at over 25 minutes. Hope MPI can fix this.

 

[HunterMan]

I don't know if the picture is improved, but the closing logos have been restored to each episode.

The only problem is that episode 8, Change Partners and Dance, and episode 25, The Ideal Wife, are syndicated cuts. Each of those episodes are a little over 22 minutes long. This is a high quality release, but the cut episodes will be a deal breaker for some.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Thanks for letting us know this disturbing and very disappointing news. You are correct...this will be the reason I will not be purchasing and spending the extra money for MPI's re-releases of seasons 1-3 DVD sets...when I already have the first ones released...UNCUT! That makes me wonder if the other seasons MPI released (4-5) are cut or edited versions? Glad I found this out before spending the extra money!

 

[classicmovieguy]

The Virgil sets were quite glitchy; I know I had to buy 2 copies of Season Three because the first one kept breaking up.

 

[HunterMan]

The Virgil sets were quite glitchy; I know I had to buy 2 copies of Season Three because the first one kept breaking up.

I know some have talked about the visual quality of the first three seasons (Arts & Alliance and Virgil Films) not being "up to snuff"...but I never really found it to be that bad, and I never had any problems with DVD's/episodes having glitches or breaking up/stopping. All my sets play just fine.

I'm glad if MPI has improved quality with sound and digital remastering--if that's the accurate phrase. But, if they're going to use edited/syndicated episodes then I don't care how good the quality supposedly is...I will go with original uncut airings everytime if they're available! So, at this time I do not plan to spend extra $$ on MPI's re-releases of the first 3 seasons if they're using edited episodes. I'm still hoping someday MPI will get Sony to let them release the last 3 seasons...and if they do I'm seriously hoping they'll use original airings, but I'll take what I can get.

 

[Greg2356]

Sorry for posting here, but there are no threads I could find for Donna Reed Show seasons 1-3.
Has anybody done a comparison of MPI's new release of season 1 to Virgil's 2008 release? I'm curious if they've been remastered as the quality wasn't exactly up to par. I'm sure that at the very least compression must be improved as Virgil squeezed 10 episodes onto each disc and MPI is doing 8 episodes per disc.

I haven't seen the new release by MPI of Season 1 because my order we be arriving hopefully this week, but when I do, you can be sure I'll check it out!! I want a nice clean and clear picture quality which this Donna Reed Show series truly deserves!!! Thank you for your post Mark since the very same thing is on my mind as well!

 

[HunterMan]

I haven't seen the new release by MPI of Season 1 because my order we be arriving hopefully this week, but when I do, you can be sure I'll check it out!! I want a nice clean and clear picture quality which this Donna Reed Show series truly deserves!!! Thank you for your post Mark since the very same thing is on my mind as well!

A nice clean and clear picture would be awesome...but not if it's edited/cut/syndicated episodes. I hope that MPI can maybe fix this issue and re-release Season 1 again. Will their re-releases of Seasons 2 & 3 also contain edited/syndicated versions?

 

[Greg2356]

A nice clean and clear picture would be awesome...but not if it's edited/cut/syndicated episodes. I hope that MPI can maybe fix this issue and re-release Season 1 again. Will their re-releases of Seasons 2 & 3 also contain edited/syndicated versions?

I understand that there are two episodes on this re-release of Season 1 from MPI which are edited/syndicated episodes, but all the rest are complete and unedited episodes. Still, I am very upset there are even two episodes that are edited/syndicated episodes from MPI, I never dreamed this would ever be the case!! So very *Frustrating* to say the least... As far as "The Donna Reed Show" Seasons 2 & 3 are concerned, I have no idea at this point if there are going to be any syndicated cut episodes included in these Seasons 2 & 3 re-releases, I certainly hope not!!!

Incidentally, all the episodes from Seasons 4 & 5 had complete unedited episodes, except if you count some minor editing cuts to some musical background song endings at the completion of various scenes in Season 5, which I didn't appreciate very much at all! I say this because, it wasn't even necessary to do these types of small musical edits at the ending of some particular scenes! No need to tamper with the original musical endings with cutting off a few musical notes at the completion of various scenes.

I am looking forward to this Season 1 re-release from MPI because there is a new half hour "Special Feature" entitled, "Recollections by Shelley Fabares" and also an episode of the classic "This is Your Life" television show with Donna Reed! This particular episode with Donna Reed was to be included on MPI's release of Season 4, but the people who owned the "This is Your life" television program had wanted 10,000 dollars for it! So I am very happy to see it is now included as a "Special Feature" on this Donna Reed Show-Season 1 re-release from MPI!

 

[HunterMan]

I understand that there are two episodes on this re-release of Season 1 from MPI which are edited/syndicated episodes, but all the rest are complete and unedited episodes. Still, I am very upset there are even two episodes that are edited/syndicated episodes from MPI, I never dreamed this would ever be the case!! So very *Frustrating* to say the least... As far as "The Donna Reed Show" Seasons 2 & 3 are concerned, I have no idea at this point if there are going to be any syndicated cut episodes included in these Seasons 2 & 3 re-releases, I certainly hope not!!!

Incidentally, all the episodes from Seasons 4 & 5 had complete unedited episodes, except if you count some minor editing cuts to some musical background song endings at the completion of various scenes in Season 5, which I didn't appreciate very much at all! I say this because, it wasn't even necessary to do these types of small musical edits at the ending of some particular scenes! No need to tamper with the original musical endings with cutting off a few musical notes at the completion of various scenes.

I am looking forward to this Season 1 re-release from MPI because there is a new half hour "Special Feature" entitled, "Recollections by Shelley Fabares" and also an episode of the classic "This is Your Life" television show with Donna Reed! This particular episode with Donna Reed was to be included on MPI's release of Season 4, but the people who owned the "This is Your life" television program had wanted 10,000 dollars for it! So I am very happy to see it is now included as a "Special Feature" on this Donna Reed Show-Season 1 re-release from MPI!

Those are awesome special features...I don't see that many interviews with Shelley regarding the show...it's always Paul. I'm not pleased at all about the edited episodes...but maybe with those cool extras I might eventually decide to get the new MPI set. I'll think about it. Thanks, Mark, for the added info of what's included on the set!

I pretty much know the answer to this question...but is there even still at least "talk" between MPI and Sony to at some point get Seasons 6-8 released to DVD?