Will "Trapper John, M.D." ever come out on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[bmasters9]

This CBS Sunday medical series (which, it has been said, was a spinoff from the 1970 "M*A*S*H" film) is something that I, for one, have been very curious to see, being that I, for one, haven't seen that much of it. Unfortunately, I am one of those who do not get the American Life network, as I am on DirecTV. This is why I'm wondering if it'll ever come out on DVD. I don't care if it's 6 singles or 4 flippers-- I would just like to see it released, at least the first season's worth.

 

[MatthewA]

It's owned by Fox, so I doubt it.

 

[bmasters9]

That I realized, yes. When I said "CBS Sunday medical series," I meant that it was shown by CBS on Sunday nights @ 10. It could happen, though-- we never know. I'm not sure though, given FOX's reliance on "The Simpsons." That said, I thank you for your post.

 

[beatlejam]

On another, earlier "Trapper" thread, I expressed my interest in this show on DVD. I really enjoyed watching it regularly on Sunday nights in the 80's. The program had many relevant storylines (AIDS, etc.) and featured strong ensemble acting.
I also do not get the "American Life" channel, so DVD would, at this point, be the only way for me to see this gem again. But it does, indeed, look like the chances of it being released are nil. It's very frustrating that a solid, long-running hit like this show remains unreleased while all kinds of recent garbage are readily available.
Perhaps if Fox capitalized on the popularity of current "medical" shows ("House," "Grey's Anatomy," etc.), they could pull in new viewers/buyers for "Trapper". But this long-time fan would snap it up in a heartbeat!

 

[bmasters9]

I, being a casual fan, probably would myself. What makes me want to see it is not just the acting and storylines that you speak of, but also its very interesting title sequence. First, a wide shot of the hospital rose up, then the camera moved towards it; when it got to a comfortable distance, the screen changed colors to several shades of blue. The “Trapper” title then rose onto the screen, and then it disappeared; “Starring” then appeared and disappeared. Next, a column shot of Trapper rose onto the screen in the middle, and then two more to its sides; all three then faded off the screen. A wide shot (shrouded in red, like an X-ray) then appeared; this shot then changed to normal color, and Pernell Roberts was introduced. This shot faded off the screen, and the same pattern followed for Gregory Harrison (Gonzo). For the remaining cast members, the column shots were skipped in favor of the wide shots with red X-ray shroud which changed to normal color to reveal the cast member within and introduce him/her; each one faded off the screen. In the first season, Ripples (Christopher Norris) and Jackpot (Brian Mitchell) were introduced together, using much the same method used for the wide shots of the previous cast members/characters; because these two were introduced together in the first season, the two shots rose up together, and each of them were narrower than the previous X-ray shots. The camera then moved back from the hospital, and the hospital shot changed back to normal color; the following credit then appeared:

Developed for television by
DON BRINKLEY
&
FRANK GLICKSMAN

That credit then faded off, and the hospital shot lowered off the screen.

The above-described title sequence, like I said, is another reason, besides the acting and storylines that you speak of, why I would like to see “TJMD” on DVD.

 

[mattCR]

This is one of those shows I'm also hoping comes out somewhere on DVD. I used to really enjoy this, and medical dramas are something I find interesting.. watching as technology changes from older shows to new, and how it plays out.
I often find watching old medical shows really a great way to realize what kind of progress has been made. It's great history, really.

 

I would also like to see trapper john MD get released out on DVD also

 

[Dan McW]

I'd like to see the DVD's as well. I also agree with the earlier post about the title sequence--that was one reason I enjoyed the series too. I believe there was also a short bottom-of-the-hour bumper that employed some of the title sequence's effects along with a brief snippet of the theme song.

IMDb just solved one mystery about this series for me. I remember that one episode concluded with a slow pan across the operating room, with the camera eventually stopping (I think) at one of the walls. Then you saw a sign on the OR wall, or perhaps a graphic, that stated the episode was dedicated to the memory of someone. I was thinking one of the two show developers had passed away not long before, and it looks like I was right. Look at the last credit on this page:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322819/