Benson: The Complete Series? (1 Viewer)

To Sony Pictures Home Entertainment:
I would like to see a Complete Series boxed set of Benson (1979-1986, all 158 episodes remastered in high definition and unedited with special features), including a Savings Bonds film with the cast ("Benson: The U.S. Goes To Market"), audio/text commentaries, documentaries with the cast, promos, the Sports Night promo about Benson (from the Sports Night 10th Anniversary Edition), bloopers, and more.
The Christmas message from the cast at the end of the Mary and Her Lambs episode, the series recap for the last episode, and the alternate endings filmed for the last episode should be included.
English subtitles should be included for the episodes and special features.
A collector's book with pictures, liner notes, and an episode guide should be included.
Also, on the new Season Two release (according to a reviewer), two discs are scratched, the first episode is missing, and on Disc 3, episodes are out of order.

A Show shot on video, as apposed to film, will not look any better remastered in "high-definition" - even a new clean transfer from the original master tapes will only look as good as the original ABC Broadcasts.

How do you know?
The Season 1 DVD says, on the back, "Mastered in High Definition", and it looks great, so it is possible.

classictvfan91 said:

How do you know?
The Season 1 DVD says, on the back, "Mastered in High Definition", and it looks great, so it is possible.

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No, it's not.
Need proof? Look at the Star Trek TNG Blu ray disc, specifically the 13 seconds of upconverted videotape footage vs. the remastered from original film footage.
Benson, if recorded on videotape, isn't hi-def. It may look better than syndication prints, but it's nowhere near hi-def. It's the same old standard definition videotape it always has been.

I can't believe people are voting no. Screw the technicalities of remastering video, I want all of Benson on DVD!

It's not the best way to phrase the poll question. Although I have no interest in purchasing such a set, I would vote "YES" so that fans who do want it would be able to. By voting "NO", I'd be saying that while I have no personal interest in it, no one should be able to buy it. A better way to phrase the question would be, "Would you purchase Benson: The Complete Series on DVD if it were available?"

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Tory said:

I can't believe people are voting no. Screw the technicalities of remastering video, I want all of Benson on DVD!

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I do as well. Unfortunately, I don't hold much hope for that. I just got the second season set, and it is missing an episode (the first one of the season). Yet it oddly includes two episodes from the third season. Anyone know who is the right person/dept at WB Sony to contact about this? I think a missing episode is certainly justification for getting a replacement.

WhitneyG said:

I do as well. Unfortunately, I don't hold much hope for that. I just got the second season set, and it is missing an episode (the first one of the season). Yet it oddly includes two episodes from the third season. Anyone know who is the right person/dept at WB to contact about this? I think a missing episode is certainly justification for getting a replacement.

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If it was Warners I'd know how to contact them through the Archive facebook, they reply on there but Benson is no from Warners, it is from Sony on Demand.
http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/catalog/catalogDetail_DVD043396399303.html
here is Sony's support number: 1-888-476-6972
But, I'm not certain if Gord and David or looking at this thread but report it to tvshowsondvd.com
If they don't know already, they would look into it and try and contact Sony to find out what the situation is, I do believe. Since this is DVD on Demand, maybe it would be easier for Sony to replace it.
Can you please give some more information about the episode though, like what is the title, and airdate, does it mention the episode on the packaging and promo material?

OK I notice the problem now with Season 2. Look at Amazon's download service:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HH8FY
IT is on there and they list the episode as a Season 1 episode even though it has an airdate from October Season 2.
I don't think it is on the Season 1 DVD and I can't get to mine right now to check but this is somehow probably the reason for the problem. Due to some error when they prepped Season 1 for amazon download service it got mislabeled as Season 1. Maybe they did this with all seasons, messing things up and placing the first two episodes of Season 3 as Season 2. Perhaps the first episode of Season 2 was filmed as an episode of Season 1 though? I don't really know it has been a long time since I saw Benson on TV and I only just now learned of this Season 2 release.

I would buy a complete series set of BENSON in a heartbeat. This was one of the best sitcoms of the 80's and was actually quite funny most of the time.

Tory said:

If it was Warners I'd know how to contact them through the Archive facebook, they reply on there but Benson is no from Warners, it is from Sony on Demand.

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I was thinking Warner since the WB Shop was selling these. My bad!

Tory said:

OK I notice the problem now with Season 2. Look at Amazon's download service:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HH8FY
IT is on there and they list the episode as a Season 1 episode even though it has an airdate from October Season 2.
I don't think it is on the Season 1 DVD and I can't get to mine right now to check but this is somehow probably the reason for the problem. Due to some error when they prepped Season 1 for amazon download service it got mislabeled as Season 1. Maybe they did this with all seasons, messing things up and placing the first two episodes of Season 3 as Season 2. Perhaps the first episode of Season 2 was filmed as an episode of Season 1 though?

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Interesting... And odd! I can confirm that the episode in question, Thick as Thieves, is not on the first season DVD set either. I'll send in a question to Gord/David and see if they can look into it since they're probably more likely to get in touch with someone who knows what's going on...
Update: Gord said that Sony has pulled the set and is correcting the error.

I sure would like a complete set of theTV show 'Benson' in HD quality or a set of best quality comercial free in order.

texasmanowar said:

I sure would like a complete set of theTV show 'Benson' in HD quality

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That will never happen, because Benson was shot on NTSC videotape, so the resolution is locked-in at 480i. HD-quality copies of these episodes are impossible.

I'd buy this in a heartbeat. Actually I'd buy 3 copies. One for my shelf, one to watch continuously, and another to share with friends and family! I know I'm crazy but I really love this show, my all time favorite!!

AndyMcKinney said:

That will never happen, because Benson was shot on NTSC videotape, so the resolution is locked-in at 480i. HD-quality copies of these episodes are impossible.

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But it's still going to be better than the off-air VHS tape I recorded in SLP mode years ago.

I would be interested in the series if it was to be released.

Bringing this old thread back up since we lost Robert Guillame today at age 89.

With that being said, will this most recent event now cause this series to be fully released with the remaining 5 seasons left to go as they much did with Mork and Mindy after Robin Williams died, albeit that was only on more season compared to 5 more with this show?

Something just tells me we'll probably see a complete DVD series set forthcoming in the not too distant future from Shout or Olive.

rmw650 said:

Bringing this old thread back up since we lost Robert Guillame today at age 89.

With that being said, will this most recent event now cause this series to be fully released with the remaining 5 seasons left to go as they much did with Mork and Mindy after Robin Williams died, albeit that was only on more season compared to 5 more with this show?

Something just tells me we'll probably see a complete DVD series set forthcoming in the not too distant future from Shout or Olive.

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Shout get's my vote for handling this series and a proper re-release of the parent series SOAP as well. With Shout we will get complete broadcast episodes and some decent and worthwhile special features as well.

darkrock17 said:

Shout get's my vote for handling this series and a proper re-release of the parent series SOAP as well. With Shout we will get complete broadcast episodes and some decent and worthwhile special features as well.

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They did that very much with their Barney Miller and Bob Newhart Show all-in-ones (both of which I have, and both of which I thought were worth every penny I paid), and I'm sure that Benson and Soap will be treated that way as well (and with Benson, I think that Shout! will reuse the original first-season Sony release within [that having featurettes with Guillaume and Noble, both having passed on, Noble in 2016 at 94]).