Keeping Up Appearances (disc replaced?) (1 Viewer)

Can someone tell me if the newer releases of "Keeping Up Appearances" have the same thing I consider an issue with the first 3 discs (2 seasons)?


That after the show's musical intro and when the first scene starts, it lists the Season and Episode over the scene?


This is not on the remaining seasons or special discs in the 9-disc set. And if they fixed this (removed it) from the first 3 on later pressings - will they replace it on my set that does have this irritating popup not original to the show?

You have got to be kidding me... 150 people have looked at this post but none have the set to answer my question???

I don't have the set and can't confirm this for you, but based on past action by BBC (Americas)/Warner, I can make an educated guess that the caption is likely still there.

Usually when they re-release a BBC title, it's merely a repackage, nothing more.

Now, as to how it happened, I have a theory: in the UK, individual episodes have to go through the BBFC for rating/classification. For shows that don't have on-screen titles, the video companies sometimes add them to teh prints they send to the BBFC. One example is 'Allo, 'Allo, which was released by Universal Playback (the same company who released Keeping Up Appearances in DVD in the UK).

It may be that when they were getting the episodes read for the US, they accidentally pulled one of those BBFC tapes for that particular episode.

It's certainly happened before: there's an episode or two from series 5 (I think) on the US release of 'Allo 'Allo that has the on-screen episode titles.

It's silly, but all things said, a minor annoyance that I'm sure the studio won't be bothered to go back and fix. The BBC typically only fix major screw-ups, or things on Doctor Who releases that fans complain loudly enough about.

For better or worse, I've found out from you, from another fan who owns all three sets (the original US set, the UK one and the new US 'remastered' one).

All three sets have the episode captions on every series one and two episode, so no luck there. Basically, they used the same masters for all three releases.

However, the remastered version has undergone some unwarranted tinkering: for whatever reason, someone decided to change the framerate for that release, resulting in a fake "shot-on-film" look to the episodes (this was done to the 'remastered' syndication edits of Series 1-3 of Red Dwarf, for instance), even though the show was shot entirely on videotape.

Now, when a UK show actually lit the scenes 'for film', this effect can look okay (Coupling and Series 7 of Red Dwarf, for instance). However, when a show is both shot on tape and lit for tape, adding the fake film look just really looks wrong.

So, in a nutshell:

All releases: series 1 and 2 have added-on episode captions, the rest do not.

The only differences in the original Region 1 release (individual seasons and the "Full Bouquet" collection) and the Region 2 release are that the Region 1 has extras and is in NTSC, while the Region 2 is in PAL and bare-bones (episodes themselves are exactly the same, apart from being PAL or NTSC).

The newest Region 1 release ("Collector's Edition") has a fake film-look effect applied to the episodes (otherwise, the episodes are the same), and an additional disc of extras that isn't in the "Full Bouquet" set.

So, I'd avoid the "Collector's Edition" like the plague, unless you just really, really want the additional extras.

"Full Bouquet" is sky-high on Amazon as an OOP title now, but it can still be had affordably on eBay for around $40 (new, still sealed), for anyone who is interested.

I have found a far worse issue with my copy of the "Full Bouquet" set (well, at least disc one).

Series One, Episode Four (aka A Fate Worse than Senility) is missing nearly half the footage for the episode.

At 12:06, in the scene where Daisy leads Hyacinth and Onslow upstairs to see the woman in “daddy’s” room, at the moment Daisy opens the door, the scene immediately CUTS to a point much later in the episode, where Onslow and Daisy (now, suddenly, outside in front of the house) are arguing with Norman Lovett’s character about whether “daddy’s” fiancée can stay or not. There’s a LARGE section of episode missing between these two segments.

It gets worse. About two minutes later, the episode comes to an abrupt END in the middle of a scene, where Mrs. Counsellor Nugent knocks on Onslow’s front door, and Hyacinth and Richard are discussing whether to answer the door or not. The episode ends mid-sentence while Hyacinth is talking. When it ends, it takes you back to the “chapter selection” menu for the episode.

Incidentally, the chapter stops indicated on this page do NOT match up to the episode content, since about half of the episode is missing!

So, most of the middle of the episode, as well as the end, are AWOL. I've seen this episode before several times on PBS, so I immediately spotted the missing footage.

There are other episodes on this set I've found that occasionally skip a scene, but usually, you can reverse back through and catch it. This is different. I've watched it on a TV and in my Macbook, and the counter clicks along steadily through the cut, so it's not simply jumping to the next chapter...there is no next chapter!

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Can anyone else who owns this set (or the original stand-alone disc "My Way or the Hyacinth Way") confirm whether their disc has the same problem, or did mine come from a faulty batch?

Andy,

I've checked my "Full Bouquet" Disc 1, Episode 4 and it works fine.

I tried to upload an image of my disc to confirm that we have the same one but I can't get the image to load. I'm sure I must be doing something wrong.

Anyway, the disc is named "My Way or the Hyacinth Way" even though it is in the "Full Bouquet" set.

AndyMcKinney said:

Can anyone else who owns this set (or the original stand-alone disc "My Way or the Hyacinth Way") confirm whether their disc has the same problem, or did mine come from a faulty batch?

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My set is the original "Full Bouquet" set which has the single, stand-alone, releases packaged in a outer box. The disk release is called "My Way or the Hyacinth Way" (aka Series 1).

Total running time for the episode is: 29:07

Total disc running time is: 175 minutes

The disc # of E1724 is printed below the BBC/DVD/WB logos at the bottom of the disc surface - it matches what's on the case spine.

I just finised a viewing - all scenes are intact and the episode played fine.

I'd say you have a bad disc.

Steve, Bob, thanks for the replies.

Yes, it's E1724, and the disc has the title My Way or the Hyacinth Way (with the numeral "1" above it) on the left-hand side). In the boxset, all of those formerly individual discs have a numeral above their "individual" disc title. I'd say the boxset versions are certainly from a later pressing than the individuals, since there were several years gap in-between. I guess my disc might be from a bad pressing run.

Anybody know a contact phone number for the US office of the BBC (or should it be Warner Bros, since they distribute the BBC-branded stuff here), preferably a toll-free one?

I bought my set new and sealed, so I should be entitled to a replacement, unless the set is OOP.

I filled out an email form the other night, but fell better about talking to an actual human. I'm not sure I like my chances of getting a replacement disc, though, unless they have excess "old stock", since I think this set is now OOP thanks to the "remastered" (sic) seed packet set.

AndyMcKinney said:

Steve, Bob, thanks for the replies.

Yes, it's E1724, and the disc has the title My Way or the Hyacinth Way (with the numeral "1" above it) on the left-hand side). In the boxset, all of those formerly individual discs have a numeral above their "individual" disc title. I'd say the boxset versions are certainly from a later pressing than the individuals, since there were several years gap in-between. I guess my disc might be from a bad pressing run.

Anybody know a contact phone number for the US office of the BBC (or should it be Warner Bros, since they distribute the BBC-branded stuff here), preferably a toll-free one?

I bought my set new and sealed, so I should be entitled to a replacement, unless the set is OOP.

I filled out an email form the other night, but fell better about talking to an actual human. I'm not sure I like my chances of getting a replacement disc, though, unless they have excess "old stock", since I think this set is now OOP thanks to the "remastered" (sic) seed packet set.

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The "1" above the title simply indicates "Series 1" and is also on my disc 1 with the others having numbers corresponding to their series number. The silk screening has a purple banner at the top with "Roy Clarke's" in all caps in white above "Keeping up Appearances" which is centered and in dual size caps. This is over a field of 4 pinkish flowers with yellow centers and a photo of Hyacinth towards the lower right side (basically opposite the disc name). She's wearing a blue with white poka dot dress and is holding a pink rose. The *top* part of the case artwork (shown below) is similar to the artwork on the disc having the same flowers, purple banner, and fonts with a slightly different layout.



Research I'd done when the 2nd set (aka "Special Edition") was released showed all they did was put the identical, original, discs (possibly another print run - but otherwise identical) in a new, lower profile, case and added the "Life Lessons with Onslow" disc to the set.

I do not have any contact info for WB, who I'd think you would need to start with about a replacment disc. If push comes to shove you could purchase that individual disc and put it in the case. From what I know about the individual releases and first two sets you'd not be able to tell the difference.

I bought it new, sealed on eBay, and the seller claims 60-day money-back guarantee, so I guess I'm going to start there. There are several sellers on eBay selling this set all for around the same price, so if he won't simply do a swap, I might send it back and get one from a different seller, or even go with a used copy of the earlier (albeit, bulkier) 8-disc set.

Collector's Edition 83% off $26.99.

See on Amazon

Garysb said:

Collector's Edition 83% off $26.99.

See on Amazon

View attachment 204312

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That is the one with the messed-up picture quality (fake film-like appearance).

I see that I never revealed what happened with my defective disc back in 2015. I ended up contacting the US BBC/Warner office and they sent me an entire replacement boxset (not just the problem disc) for free. All I had to do was send some photos showing proof of ownership. That was very nice of them!