Wildly Popular; Sadly Neglected SITCOMS! (1 Viewer)

Here's a thread for all those long-running sitcoms that never seem to make it on dvd. We all know the story: it was a long-running series, possibly even the #1 show on television during its original airings, yet it never seems to make a strong showing in dvd land. Here's some good candidates, followed by a little discussion for each show. I'm basically concentrating on shows with over 100 episodes, but I added an "Honorable Mention" section for shorter-lived shows that deserve consideration too. Discuss all you want, but remember, miracles do happen! A few weeks ago, "Barney Miller" would have been on this list too...
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952) 435 episodes, 14 seasons (scattered best ofs)
Ozzie and Harriet must be the all-time Grand Champion of sitcoms simply in terms of the number of episodes produced. There was even a short-lived revival series/sequel in the 1970s. Yet as popular as they were, The Nelsons have never made a very good showing on dvd. Most of the show's releases seem to be cheapie PD versions, yet there are a couple of professional studio grade "best of" sets. Even though a 435 episode set seems to be a daunting task for any dvd producer, this show deserves better than it's gotten.
Alice (1976) 202 episodes, 9 seasons
We all wish there was a new girl in town...at least on dvd. This terrific show has so far seen only one lousy "best of" with 6 episodes. Inexplicably, the entire first season is available for download through amazon.com yet Warners has not seen fit to release the show on dvd, not even through its Archives program.
Burns and Allen (1950) 291 episodes, 8 seasons (multitudinous pd best ofs)
Another highly successful program, so far it's only seen a VAST number of cheapie PD releases, and most of those seem to feature the same tired episodes over and over. As for the program itself, I'm not sure that all of its episodes even still exist (some were broadcast live and likely only exist as kinescopes, if at all). Others need to chime in on that one. This was also a show, that while obviously very successful in its original run, did not receive an over-abundance of airplay in rerun syndication after the mid-60s.
The Drew Carey Show 233 episodes, 9 seasons (first season out, one best of)
Here's another show that everybody seemed to watch in its heyday. And a show that's only seen one lousy season set and a quick best-of. I'd certainly like to see more. The show didn't even hit its stride until about season 2 or 3. And another thing that I'll get back to (concerning ABC shows), the 9th season suffered a lot from scheduling snafus. ABC withheld the entire season and burned it off in the summer. Lots of people have never even seen the last season...because they didn't know it was on!
Family Matters (1989) 215 episodes, 9 seasons (1 season on dvd, 2nd season on amazon instant video)
While the long-awaited Season One finally arrived on store shelves about a year ago, nothing's been heard from it since. Come on, Warners--there's still almost 200 episodes to see!
Head of the Class (1986) 114 episodes, 5 seasons: NO RELEASES
This was another show that everybody seemed to like. It wasn't perhaps the most memorable sitcom of all time, but it was popular enough to last five complete seasons. It hasn't played very often in syndication and stands the risk of becoming a "forgotten" show. I think this series would be a no-brainer for Shout Factory...
I Married Joan (1952) 100 episodes, 3 seasons (various pd best ofs)
Those who love 1950s programs very often have to put up with crummy PD releases. And "Joan" is no exception. There have been scores of scattered releases for this scatterbrained woman, but never an official release.
It’s a Living (1980) 119 episodes, 6 seasons: NO RELEASES
Ditto everything I said above about "Head of the Class." Another almost-forgotten ABC sitcom, although this one spent most of its life in syndication. It boasted an unbeatable Broadway-style theme song by Leslie Bricusse, and featured lots of famous actresses who came and went as the series progressed, including Ann Jillian, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Louise Lasser and Susan Sullivan. It's been entirely neglected on dvd thus far.
Mama’s Family (1983) 130 episodes, 6 seasons: (1st season released)
Okay, here we go. We've had all KINDS of threads about this show, but this show's fate on dvd is the one that pisses me off the most. Here's the abridged version of the story for those who haven't heard about it. Warners owns the distribution rights, and therefore the dvd distribution rights. Joe Hamilton Jr., (the son of the late producer of Mama's Family) has the physical copies of the original network airings of Mama. When the dvd was produced, the two sides couldn't come up with any acceptable agreement. Therefore, Warners very stupidly released the first 13 episodes as they've been shown on television for the past two decades: as extremely poor syndication prints with missing scenes. Okay? And as you can imagine--the Home Theater Forum members collectively howled bloody murder, and practically boycotted that execrable dvd release. As well they should have. Here's the tragedy: the fallout being that not only has Warners not attempted to release more episodes, but they also haven't attempted to reconcile the situation with the Season One dvd, or with Hamilton Jr. Therefore...no more Mama. And we're waiting. And waiting. Let me tell you--this is one of my favorite shows of all time, whether we're talking sitcoms or dramas. And I think a lot of people will agree with me that something's gotta give. We want more Mama and that's that!!!
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) 307 episodes, 2 seasons (1st 25 eps released)
A lot of fans were exciting when MHMH volume one came out several years ago. This show is another one that hasn't aired much in syndication and a lot of people would like to see it again. But the first volume apparently either didn't sell well or came out at a time when Sony was making its famous cutbacks. But I think it's a highly entertaining sitcom/serial and deserves a second life. Hopefully Shout Factory will come to its rescue as it has with other Sony and Norman Lear shows.
Maude (1972) 141 episodes, 6 seasons (1st season released)
And then there's Maude. Ditto the above--another Sony/Norman Lear show that only got one release.
My Three Sons (1960) 380 episodes, 12 seasons (seasons 1-2 released)
Yet another extremely long-running series! This one technically is still coming out...but only as half-season sets from Paramount. So far they've released the first two seasons. And at the rate they're going, that would mean twenty more half-season sets, and they should all be available sometime in the year 2060, just in time for the show's 100th anniversary bash! Woot!
Newhart (1982) 184 episodes, 8 seasons (1st season released)
It looks like this show's predecessor, "The Bob Newhart Show," may finally be finished on dvd. Here's hoping someone follows it up with the rest of this classic, unforgettable show!
One Day at a Time (1975) 209 episodes, 9 seasons (1st season released)
This is a show that a lot of young 1970s women seem to remember fondly. But it's another "one-and-we're-done" release from Sony, the Clown Prince of abandoned dvd sitcoms. I can't imagine Shout Factory can swoop in and rescue ALL of Sony's abandoned shows, but wouldn't it be nice? As an aside, your Thread Originator often watched this show live in the studio audience and in fact became acquainted with Pat Harrington Jr. in recent years. And oh yeah--he wants to see more of it on dvd too.
Perfect Strangers (1986) 150 episodes, 8 seasons (2 seasons released)
Like Drew Carey above, ABC totally dissed this popular show in its last season, and burned off a few episodes in the summer (there were only six for its last season). ABC does stuff like that!! Unsurprisingly, a lot of fans of this show have never seen how it ended...
Step by Step (1991) 160 episodes, 8 seasons (1 best of, six eps)
I'm not saying this was a hugely successful show, but its demographics were good enough to keep it on for eight long years! And everybody seemed to watch it, and everybody seemed to kinda like it (although it was cheesy even for the 90s). But so far it's gotten only one pitiful "best of" release.
Too Close for Comfort (1980) 129 episodes, 6 seasons (2 seasons released)
Another show that was Too Good For ABC, and wound up in syndication later on. Before its two season releases, fans were really rooting for this one on dvd. Reportedly, some of the episodes were missing scenes and enthusiasm waned for further releases.
227 (1985) 116 episodes, 5 seasons (1st season released)
Like a lot of shows in this list, "227" was a definite "B-Lister," yet everybody's seen a few episodes at least, and everybody pretty much liked it. So where is it?
Who’s the Boss? (1984) 196 episodes, 8 seasons (1st season released)
This is another missing dvd mystery that people bring up in thread topics from time to time: Where's The Boss???
The Wonder Years (1988) 115 episodes, 6 seasons: NO RELEASES
Yeah, yeah, I know--somebody's gonna thread crap this show and say something stupid like "Oh you'll NEVER see Wonder Years on dvd. The MUSIC RIGHTS are too EXPENSIVE. You're MAD. FORGET ABOUT IT." And I say, "Oh yeah? You pesky thread-crappers said the same exact thing about Saturday Night Live and Ally McBeal, and we got THOSE on dvd with all the music intact..."

Honorable Mentions: These shows have less than 100 episodes, but are good enough to be remembered...and are good enough to come out on dvd.
Chico and the Man (1974) 88 episodes, 4 seasons (1 best of, six eps)
I did buy the "best of" dvd and was immediately struck by the quality of this show. It was twice as good as I'd remembered from childhood, and deserves another shot.
the Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1969) 73 episodes, 3 seasons: NO RELEASES
Another show that's at risk of being totally forgotten, unless some clever dvd producer comes to its rescue. I get to name-drop again: I went to school with Brandon Cruz. He's still very, very fond of this show and would love to see it available on dvd.
the Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1968) 50 episodes, 2 seasons NO RELEASES
This show was never a ratings-grabber yet maintained some popularity in the 70s because it played and played in syndication. This is one that would make a great done-in-one release set.
Less Than Perfect (2002) 81 episodes, 4 seasons (1st season released)
Another show that ABC unfairly messed up. It was going pretty strong in its first three seasons and got renewed, but ABC didn't put it on the schedule for season four, cancelled it after its 13th episode that year, and burned off the episodes in the summer. If things weren't bad enough, they never bothered to air the last eight episodes. (I think they may have been available online for a time). But you have a good little series here, and a large portion of it's never been seen by its fans.
Nanny and the Professor (1970) 54 episodes, 3 seasons: NO RELEASES
Another very likeable show, it's probably only remembered by the child who saw it in its original run. But it still maintains a fanbase and deserves a good done-in-one release.
Welcome Back Kotter (1975) 95 episodes, 4 seasons (1st season and 1 best of)
Even though it only ran four years, WBK was definitely one of the most iconic shows of the 1970s. Oh yeah, it was popular--you bet! Every school kid in the late 70s had WBK lunchboxes and Vinnie Barbarino pee-chee folders. And yet it's only managed one lone season on dvd...
Okay, now it's your chance to add some fave sitcoms to the list!

Great list here, Ethan

I see a couple of my favorites right away.... "Who's the Boss", "Too Close for Comfort", and "Welcome Back Kotter".

It'll take a while before I can add to this list as it's well-done.

Jeff Willis said:

Great list here, Ethan

I see a couple of my favorites right away.... "Who's the Boss", "Too Close for Comfort", and "Welcome Back Kotter".

It'll take a while before I can add to this list as it's well-done.

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You can add any show you want, to this list, when you get the time. Maybe we'll done another thead that just focuses on Sadly Neglected Dramas (although I think sitcoms have suffered a bit more on dvd).

Let me add another:

A Different World. 6 Seasons. 144 Episodes + a special. To my knowledge, only season 1 was ever released on DVD.

mattCR said:

Let me add another:

A Different World. 6 Seasons. 144 Episodes + a special. To my knowledge, only season 1 was ever released on DVD.

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Yeah, that one was weird. Season 1 came out in 2005 and season 2 was announced for the next year but got cancelled. There still exists box art for it on amazon. I think it was a Marcy Carsey show, so maybe Mill Creek will take over?

Make Room For Daddy 443 episodes, 2 seasons officially released, one of which was a hack job
Jack Benny Program 261 episodes, a few PD releases of the live episodes, no season sets, nothing on the filmed episodes
Life of Riley 217 episodes, no releases
Love That Bob 173 episodes, a few PD releases, no season sets.
Bachelor Father 157 episodes, no releases
December Bride 157 episodes, no releases
Dobie Gillis 147 episodes, no releases
Our Miss Brooks 130 episodes, no releases
My Little Margie 126 episodes, only 24 episodes released
People's Choice 104 episodes, no releases
Farmer's Daughter 101 episodes, no releases

Not sure if this is a good candidate, but oh well:
Mr. Belvedere (1985) 117 episodes, 6 seasons (Seasons 1-4 released)
While not as wildly popular enough as most other long-running 80s sitcoms, it was liked by enough people to keep it going until the 2-part finale in 1990. Not to mention that it was rarely played in syndication, and had nearly a DOZEN unaired episodes, a very unusual thing for a long-running sitcom. Shout! Factory released seasons 1-4 from March 2009-January 2010, but then stopped.
Now, a year and a half has passed, and guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription is more Belvedere!
According to Shout themselves, they said that they currently don't have the rights to seasons 5-6. Apparently, they only purchased seasons the rights to seasns 1-4.

Great list, Danny! Didn't realize so many 50s shows were good candidates for inclusion here. The only one there I ever actually watched was "Daddy," and the only thing I ever hear about it are weird rumors that Danny Thomas hated Jean Hagen so much that he never wanted her episodes to be shown again (or something to that effect). In any case, when I was a kid they only ever did show the Marjorie Lord episodes locally, so I didn't even realize Danny'd had a first wife. But anyway, some feel convinced that the Thomas Estate held back on the Hagen episodes for dvd and the rest of the series will probably never make it either because they did screw up that one release and everybody's pissed off.
As for the rest of those shows, I'm familiar with most of them (have seen at least a few episodes of Bob, Jack and Miss Brooks). And are you shittin' me that there's no Dobie Gillis on dvd?? Maybe Timeless will take a crack at some of these sitcoms, if they ever get tired of all those Westerns they've been doing. Who knows when/if some of those shows will finally slip into PD territory, and then maybe somebody will come along and rescue them all from obscurity...

[they didn't know it was on!
Newhart (1982) 184 episodes, 8 seasons (1st season released)
show. It was twice as good as I'd remembered from childhood, and deserves another shot.
the Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1969) 73 episodes, 3 seasons: NO RELEASES
Another show that's at risk of being totally forgotten, unless some clever dvd producer comes to its rescue. I get to name-drop again: I went to school with Brandon Cruz. He's still very, very fond of this show and would love to see it available on dvd.
the Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1968) 50 episodes, 2 seasons NO RELEASES
This show was never a ratings-grabber yet maintained some popularity in the 70s because it played and played in syndication. This is one that would make a great done-in-one release set.
Nanny and the Professor (1970) 54 episodes, 3 seasons: NO RELEASES
Another very likeable show, it's probably only remembered by the child who saw it in its original run. But it still maintains a fanbase and deserves a good done-in-one release.
These three and the Farmers Daughter have my interest. Do you think we will see them on itunes? It's funny I was commenting on how sixties shows seem to be more popular on DVD than seventies programs, but I do think the seventies was the era of the sitcom--and some of them did last quite a while --MASH, All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore, Happy Days, Newhart, Good Times, etc.
James

Good list, Ethan. Between you and everyone else pretty much everything I'd like to see released has already been mentioned. The top ones would be Ozzie & Harriet, My Three Sons, Dobie Gillis, Make Room for Daddy and The Wonder Years.


Gary "the first one and last one I mentioned are two on my now very small 'holy grail' list - and I'm pretty sure I'll never see either released" O.

So many great shows mentioned here that I'd JUMP on if they were ever released: Dobie Gillis, December Bride, Our Miss Brooks, Jack Benny, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Burns and Allen.

I've not been exposed to a lot of Our Miss Brooks, but I have a friend here on the boards who doesn't get to post too much but who I know likes this series. I'd love to see it released, along with many of the other 50's and early 60's series that have been mentioned.

As a note, I'm pretty sure we'll never see many uncut, cleaned up, episodes of Ozzie and Harriet. There has been discussion back and forth on this board in the past concerning the issue I'm about to mention, but from all I've read the "urban legend" is true. It goes something like this. Back in the 80's when the Disney Channel was just coming into its own, they approached the Nelsons about running their series. The Nelsons, or someone in charge of the Estate, gave them the master prints from the show and allowed them to be cut up for syndication, effectively destroying any real chance we'd ever have of seeing cleaned up, uncut prints produced from the original elements. Now hopefully this is wrong info and those uncut masters still exist. But just about all the evidence that I've been able to get a hold of tells me this really did happen. This is why when Shout went to do a couple of Ozzie and Harriet sets they were stuck using the cut up prints, which admittedly did look nice, made for the Disney airings. My guess is it was either that, or use the PD prints floating around which are uncut (and many contain original commercials), but look pretty bad. The bottom line, as I understand it, is that we'll never see uncut, pristine season sets from this show.


Gary "I'd love to own this series uncut, and in pristine condition - but I just don't see that happening [insert wet blanket on me now]" O.

Well I hope Disney didn't ruin all 435 episodes! Sheesh! I know television does stuff like that; it happened to the Brady Bunch for example. But you'd think by the 80s they'd have had the wisdom to only cut up prints, not masters. Well I hope the rumor isn't true.
I've only seen a couple of "Our Miss Brooks" episodes, and only on, I think, Youtube at that. I liked what I saw...what can I tell you.

Ethan Riley said:

And are you shittin' me that there's no Dobie Gillis on dvd??

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You can thank the Max Shulman estate... just breaks my heart. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/articles/holdup.cfm#DobieGillis

It's unfortunate. Those are great shows.
I really want more Beverly Hillbillies!

I really hope the rumors about the Ozzie and Harriet negatives being cut by the Disney Channel are untrue. Although I recall catching the tail end of an episode on one of many, many, many recordings that had filmed credits that mentioned something about syndication, so if any permanent edits were made, they may have been made well before TDC ever came into the picture.

More shows that meet this description; many, but not all of them are, ones I'm personally interested in:

Amen: 111 episodes, not one of its 5 seasons available: Produced by Carson Productions (as in Johnny) and syndicated by Universal. Like its sister show 227, a decent late 1980s "hammock" show that aired either before or after The Golden Girls for the bulk of its run, and provided steady guest star work for other former Jeffersons cast members. It has gotten a considerable amount of cable TV replay in recent years thanks to TVOne and Gospel Music Channel. Might be a good fit for Canada's VEI which has done other shows that Universal has some level of control over (Gimme A Break!, Kate & Allie, McMillan and Wife, etc.)

Archie Bunker's Place: 97 episodes, 1 out of 4 seasons: The sequel to All in the Family has a lot of people clamoring for it, especially since the second season features the famous episode Edith's Death. Shout! says they do not have the rights, but that could change at any time.

Benson: 159 episodes, 1 measly set out of 7 seasons: Another Sony one-and-done; a spin-off of Soap, and an average sized hit that is fondly remembered by many; the second season features one Jerry Seinfeld as a regular. Sadly, I think Shout! said point blank they don't want it.



The Beverly Hillbillies: 274 episodes, 3 out of 9 seasons available: Diluted by enough crummy PD releases to fill a cement pond, but that didn't stop CBS/Paramount from trying.

Blossom: 114 episodes, 2 out of 5 seasons available. Apparently Shout! looked at the cost of the music rights and shouted "Whoa!"

Diff'rent Strokes: 189 episodes, 2 seasons released out of 8: A huge hit then and still a go-to source for pop cultural references today. Perfect material for Shout!, who picked up (and dropped again) the spin-off The Facts of Life and the similar Webster (which seems to be doing quite well); Gary Coleman's death should have created some interest.

Empty Nest: 170 episodes, 0 of 7 seasons available: The continuing popularity of The Golden Girls has had virtually no spillover effect for its spinoff, even with the girls occasionally showing up to say hello; Estelle Getty even attained recurring status as Sophia once Golden Palace ended. It briefly made a return appearance on the Hallmark Channel alongside its progenitor. Perhaps Disney's deal with Lionsgate will get it out.

Happy Days: 255 episodes, 4 out of 11 seasons available. Every season after the first has been at the mercy of the music cutters at CBS/Paramount; season 2 was so bad that Sitcoms Online, home of one of the major fan pages for the show, outright condemned it. The very public lawsuit involving cast members owed money from merchandising will probably keep this off for awhile.

Laverne and Shirley: 178 episodes, 4 out of 8 seasons available. In the same boat as its progenitor, Happy Days, but there is no cast lawsuit over money…yet.

Mork and Mindy: 95 episodes, 3 out of 4 seasons available: The show took a huge hit because of network meddling in season 2, but at least the last season gave Robin Williams a chance to work with his idol Jonathan Winters.

Petticoat Junction: 222 episodes, 2 out of 7 seasons available: In the same boat as The Beverly Hillbillies; diluted by el cheapo PD releases.

Silver Spoons: 116 episodes, 1 season released out of 5: An average sized hit for NBC in the mid-1980s; unlike other child stars in sitcoms, Ricky Schroder had already gotten noticed by the public because of the 1979 version of The Champ (which a scientific study recently called the saddest film of all time), but this show solidified his fame, and he is one of the few under-18 sitcom stars to have a successful adult career. Should be a shoo-in for consideration by Shout! based on their 1980s family sitcom pedigree and their successful release of the show that followed it on Sundays, Punky Brewster, which was created by one of its writers.

Valerie/Valerie's Family/The Hogan Family: 110 episodes, nothing whatsoever out of 6 seasons. Famous as Jason Bateman's most succesful pre-Arrested Development role, infamous for Valerie Harper's mistreatment by Lorimar; they fired her, killed her off, got sued, and replaced her with Sandy Duncan; they changed the title so many times that I just call it "that show that was on after ALF". NBC cancelled it the same year as the hairy Melmacian, but CBS picked it up, and burned off the last four shows during the summer of 1991. I imagine if it does show up it will be through Warner Archives.

What's Happening Now: 66 episodes, 1 out of 3 seasons: Nothing's happening with the two post-Rerun seasons, unless Shout! wants them.

WKRP in Cincinnati: 96 episodes, 1 out of 4 seasons available: One of the all-time great MTM sitcoms and one of the most popular, its treatment both in syndication and on video is a sad tale of woe. The short version: the producers wanted it to feel like an authentic AM radio station of the era, and shot it on tape instead of film, like MTM's other sitcoms, to take advantage of a music licensing rule for videotaped shows that would make it more affordable to use real rock and pop recordings instead of stock music and covers. By the late 1990s that rule had been repealed and the music licenses had expired; since Fox inherited the MTM library they have made no effort to try and change that status. When they announced season 1 on DVD, they said they would try and do better with the music replacement and even involve creator Hugh Wilson in that process. But what came out was an unacceptable travesty that featured even more music cuts and shortened episodes. They can't afford it, they say? But they could afford the music on Ally McBeal? And I can't imagine Glee being very easy on the music budget, either (I don't care that it's a current show and thus likely to sell more copies). Would everyone in America have to buy a copy of each season for it to break even?

Now for the "stuck in the middle" shows:

The Facts of Life: 201 episodes and two 2-hour movies (3 if you count the reunion), 5 out of 9 seasons available: You take the good, you take the bad, and I know I can't possibly be the only one who wants to take home the remaining four seasons. Shout! says they do not currently have the rights to any more seasons. Surely the presence of George Clooney as a semi-regular in season 7 should give its sales a bit of a boost.

Family Ties: 180 episodes, 5 seasons out of 7 available: It was second only to The Cosby Show as the top-rated show in America for years. It made a star out of Michael J. Fox; without it, it would have been Eric Stoltz riding in that DeLorean with Doc Brown in Back to the Future. I'm not sure if it's still being rerun on The Hub; meanwhile, Meredith Baxter's coming out and autobiography should be raising awareness of the show. True to form, CBS/Paramount cut almost all the music used on the show but the one that slipped through the cracks, the Texaco Star Theater theme, got them sued for more than it would have cost to license it in the first place. If CBS/P doesn't want it, let Shout! have it.

Green Acres: 170 episodes, 3 out of 6 seasons available: How did this all-time classic get stalled on DVD?

The Jeffersons: 253 episodes, 6 seasons out of 11 available: The longest running Norman Lear series, it remains a pop culture icon to this day; even people who have never seen an episode can hear the phrase "Movin' on Up" and identify it with this show. Perhaps Shout! will finally get the remaining pieces of the pie.

King of the Hill: 255 episodes, 6 seasons out of 13 available. I cannot wrap my head around why this show isn't more popular (though in its later years it was at the mercy of the NFL), although the return of Beavis and Butt-Head, if successful, may offer a glimmer of hope. It's a music heavy show, and Fox sacrificed extras after season 2 in lieu of cutting episodes, which seemed to have angered a lot of fans.

Mad About You: 164 episodes, 4 out of 7 seasons available. A well-regarded 1990s sitcom with average ratings that often went unnoticed between the likes of mega-hits like Friends and Seinfeld. Shout! had it but lost it, and since Paul Reiser's eponymous sitcom ran exactly two episodes, he's not exactly a hot property.

Murphy Brown: 247 episodes, 1 out of 10 seasons available: Such a hugely beloved hit at the time that even my parents, who seldom watched sitcoms as adults, watched fairly regularly. Yet it went nowhere in syndication or on DVD, and the heavy dependence on the music of Motown will play a factor in whether the Warner Archive even touches it.

My Two Dads: 60 episodes, 2 out of 3 seasons available. Shout! did the first season in stores and the second as a Shout! Select exclusive.

The Nanny: 146 episodes, 3 out of 6 seasons available. Halfway through its run, Sony kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes. What is she to do, where is she to go—she's out on her fanny. Perhaps over the bridge from Sony to Shout! Factory's door…

Parker Lewis (Can't Lose): 73 episodes, 2 out of 3 seasons available: One more year of this great early Fox sitcom would be extreme coolness, although supposedly the last season was watered down considerably, which may have been why it was the last season.

Rhoda: 110 episodes, 4 out of 5 seasons available. Shout! bowed out with just one season left to go, because apparently their relationship with Fox has gone south. The last four episodes never saw the light of day on CBS.

Small Wonder: 96 episodes, 2 out of 4 seasons available: Probably the cheesiest show of the entire 1980s (imagine A.I.: Artificial Intelligence as reimagined by Sherwood Schwartz), but it seems to have fans out there. Fox owns it, whether Shout! can get the last two seasons out of them remains to be seen.

Thanks for the list. Maude tops my list (way at the top), followed by One Day at a Time and Mary Hartman. I already forgot about Head of the Class. That was a good one! Wish they would finish off the Bob Newhart Show and Designing Women (at least the final Delta Burke/Jean Smart season). Also the final season of Rhoda.

Rhoda: 110 episodes, 4 out of 5 seasons available. Shout! bowed out with just one season left to go, because apparently their relationship with Fox has gone south. The last four episodes never saw the light of day on CBS.

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I remember asking if their relationship with Fox had anything to do with why their shows weren't doing so well, and Brian Ward said no, and listed Mr. Belvedere and Rhoda as "Fox shows that continue to do well".
Sorry if I'm putting words in your mouth, but I got that information from Shout's forum.

Don't quote me, but I remember reading a response from Brian along the lines of they are interested in Valerie/Valerie's Family/The Hogan Family but it wasn't on the table. I would love to see it, but not through Warner Archives.

Ethan, you pretty much covered all my wants:
It's a Living - would LOVE to have this, but unfortunately, even Gail Edwards has stated that all the music Sonny performed at the piano would be problematic. Yet, VEI put out Gimme a Break without a single music substitution and Nell sang ALOT.
Mama's Family - Yes, I too feel your pain
Maude - Music licensing issues have made a Shout rep state they won't touch it for that reason.
One Day at a Time - Not as much music, but they did put on those variety shows almost annually.
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - this one should see a few more releases...at least til we get to Mary's nervous breakdown.
Alice - Nearly a decade-long run and all we get are 6 episodes out of over 200??