Mod Squad - Season Two, Volume One (1 Viewer)

I guess I got an early copy, as I haven't seen it for sale anywhere. Happy to report that the transfers are as gorgeous as the previous two volumes - color is fantastic, sound is great, and I just love the show for reasons I can't really explain.

Billy,

Thanks for the information. I've been looking for this, and will order it pronto. And I too love it for many reasons -- some explainable, and some not.

Actually, Season Two, Volume One of The Mod Squad was released on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (11-25-2008). I found a copy on the cheap from a local dealer. I have only seen one episode thus far, Lisa, guest-starring the late, lovely Carolyn Jones as the episode's eponymous charachter, a lady with a split personality. A truly great episode, IMHO.

I am holding out on viewing any more of the episodes until after Christmas: I have treated myself to a new HDMI-upconverting DVD A/V player and shall tear into the episodes once my new player is set-up Christmas Eve. The Lisa episode looked and sounded really terrific. I really like the job CBS/Paramount has done (right by) on this classic television series.

I am already looking forward to the other half of the Squad's sophomore year, where the follow-up to the Janny Wills episode from Season One will appear based on its St. Patrick's Day 1970 airdate. The late, lovely Gloria Foster, then married to Clarance Williams, III, reprises her role as Janny. Hopefully, the wait between season halves won't be long. The first season only had a three-month gap.

That's funny, because on Episode 7/Season 1 of "Burke's Law" (Who Killed Sweet Betsy?"), she plays three kooky sisters who are all murder suspects.
I guess TV producers knew that we viewers couldn't get enough of Carolyn Jones!

Of course both series were produced by Aaron Spelling, Jones's ex-husband, so maybe he just thought she was crazy.

Good one! I didn't know they were married.

Neither did I, John. I may just well pick up Burke's Law just to see that episode--as well as what all else Burke's may have to offer.

I tried to locate the Season Two, vol. 2 thread, to no avail.

I watched Mother of Sorrow tonight. Besides having Lee Grant and Richard Dreyfuss in it, the story was excellent. I thought both guest stars were very good in their roles.

But the main reason I'm writing about this particular episode is because I heard atonality (similar in some respects to Schoenberg) in a few scenes; the music was extremely ambitious and compelling on a number of harmonic levels. I don't know if it was serial music; I'd have to listen to it much more carefully to determine that. I will need to track down who wrote the music I'm speaking of as it is IMO able to stand alone without any programmatic elements. It inhabited an astonishing sound world during some of the mother-son (Grant-Dreyfuss) dialogue. [In fact, at one point in the episode, Grant tells Pete, who is visiting his old school chum (Dreyfuss), that the music that is being heard was written by a famous (albeit fictional) composer -- I think she said 'Steinholt'? -- a few moments before she lifts the arm off of the LP.]

A while later, I was even more astonished to hear what I rarely hear in films -- let alone episodic television -- genuine microtonality. One work in particular sounded as though two pianos were intentionally tuned a quarter-tone apart (similar to the innovations of Charles Ives). It was eerily effective, as atonality in and of itself lends itself wonderfully to 'asylum-like' atmospheres in film; to add to that a microtonal element was (no pun intended) mind-blowing. What a treat. If anyone loves The Mod Squad, do yourself a favor and have a listen to the music while watching this episode. Additionally, Dreyfuss was superb in his role, and is well worth the price of admission.

Are there any music problems with the third season of The Mod Squad, as Season 2: Volume 2 was released on Region 1 late last year?

My apologies. I was looking at the November 2008 release and thought that was for the second volume of the second season.