AitF S3 Expectations (1 Viewer)

[Chris:L]

What are people's expectations about Season 3 of All in the Family? Do you think it'll sell well? Do you think Columbia plans on releasing the third season fo the Jeffersons?

Who's getting the set? I am. Includes such classic episodes as Archie in the Hospital, Archie and the Editorial, Archie is Branded, and.... Flashback-- Mike and Gloria's Wedding part 1 and 2.

I wish they'd start releasing these sets a little quicker. Oh, the agony of waiting!!!

It's the winter of our discontent!

 

[Greg Madsen]

I have it ordered. I will purchase all seasons that are released of All in the Family (not Archie Bunker's Place). I will also purchase every season that is released of the Jeffersons.

 

[Reggie K.]

Just got it an hour ago. Picture seems to be a little bit worse than Season 2. They have included chapter stops, for once! A "Play All" option is also available. All episodes seem to be uncut, although I may be wrong. Nothing else that spectacular.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I'll pick this up eventually. I'm sure that as Columbia comes to the end of releasing shows like Sanford and Son which we've got an announcement of season 5 of already...then a show like All in the Family will move up the priority scale.

I don't know how well this will sell, probably in the range of season 1 and 2 and probably a bit below average for classic television. I don't expect M*A*S*H numbers for this release.

As for the Jeffersons, I don't know it was like 18 months between season 2 and 3 of All in the Family, it could be the same for the Jeffersons, which saw a release last May.

 

[Chris:L]

Isn't it odd that one of the most famous tv shows from the 70s is doing so poorly in the DVD market?

 

[Joe Karlosi]

AIF is doing poorly? I got Season 3 early already, and am almost through the whole thing. Some episodes look better than others, this is true, but it's perfectly satisfactory and enjoyable overall! The show was recorded on tape and always looked this way.

Some of the BEST episodes are in this season, and I'm having a blast! I hope Columbia keeps this series coming, and faster than they've been releasing them up to now!

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Perhaps its not doing poorly, but the reality is that the top selling TV shows are all pretty current...the oldest in that top 10 list that was posted a week or so ago is the Simpsons season 1 from 1989.

Reality is that the classics aren't selling as well as the more current ones.

I'd say that this show isn't doing as well as some others but the fact that its at least continuing suggests that it is not doing poorly.

To me though, it is not at all surprising that the older shows don't sell on the level of current shows, and I don't see why that would ever change.

As for why a show like Sanford and Son is selling better than AITF, I've got no idea, I'm sure it is due to a few factors already discussed repeatedly at this forum.

 

[Chris:L]

Is there any animation to the menu's?

Actually, I haven't still figured why Sanford and Son is selling so well.

 

[Reggie K.]

No, just the same kind of menu as the past seasons (Simple front menu with same picture as cover, choose "Play All" or Seperate Episodes. No Chapter selection menus, but there are chapter stops in the episodes)

Just finished watching 'Archie Gets Branded'. The ending gives me the chills everytime I see it.

 

[Chris:L]

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I'm thankful for play all features and chapter stops, they seem like such basic things but I really notice them when they're not there. It is one reason why some shows that contain these features I watch more than ones that don't have them. I like to watch some TV on DVD as I'm falling to sleep at night, and am less likely to pick out a release where I am not able to hit play all and have to work with the remote every 23 minutes.

I was going to add this release to my collection anyway but having those things makes it better for me at least.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I love the PLAY ALL feature, too. But I can't believe you place so much of a deciding factor in it (if I'm understanding you right). I mean, I recall the days of setting my VCR to tape all episodes of ALL IN THE FAMILY during the day when I was at work. I eventually had a massive and cumbersome collection of about 50 tapes (!!) of "edited" episodes where I had to forward through the afternoon commercials with my VCR remote every few minutes! Man, has DVD spoiled us or what?

 

[Scott Temple]

I went to four different stores yesterday (Target, Wal*Mart SuperCenter, fye, and Hastings) and none of them had AitF: S3. Now I'm going to have to order it from Amazon.com or DVD Empire.

 

[Tony Scello]

I found one copy at Circuit City yesterday and bought it. I watched a couple episodes last night and I'm very happy with the set so far (my favorite sitcom). I'd like to see more special features/interviews, etc. on these sets. At least Columbia Tri-Star is slightly improving the packaging/presentation with each season. They added a slip cover starting with Season 2. They added disc art, "play all" feature and, apparently, chapter stops(although not listed on the menus)for Season 3. Bring on Season 4!

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

I find it odd that none of the AITF sets have been released in Canada -- they're only available as an import. It's hardly a big deal, as there's always amazon.com but I do wonder what kind of legal issue could apply to AITF's Canadian release but not to the other Lear shows Columbia has released.

I'll go for AITF up until the end of season 5, when a) Mike and Gloria moved next door, and b) Michael Ross, Don Nicholl and Bernie West, the show's head writers, left to do "Three's Company." The new writers Lear hired were old Jack Benny/Lucille Ball guys who didn't really get the AITF style of humor (Carroll O'Connor complained about this somewhat), and without Mike in the house, the main conflict of the show was lessened and Archie got too mellow.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Joe, I own plenty of TV on DVD sets that do not have a play all feature. The absense of one is not enough to stop me from buying the set, that's not what I was saying.

I'll use M*A*S*H as an example.

As I'm laying down for the night, I am more likely to watch season 6 of M*A*S*H than I am season 1, because I can hit play all on season 6 and watch all the episodes without having to lift the remote again...but season 1 requires a few button pushes every 20 minutes which is something I don't want to have to do as I'm trying to fall asleep.

I still watch M*A*S*H season 1, but not as often and always during the day time.

But, I agree...in that a play all feature is not so important that I won't buy a release that doesn't have it.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Jaime, from what I understand Columbia does not have distribution rights to all of its shows up in Canada. I think King of Queens is 1 where you have to buy it as an import because they don't own the distribution rights for the show up there. The same thing could be true for All in the Family. As for why they might not have the distribution rights for this show, but would for others like Sanford and Son and so on...I have no idea, and wouldn't even pretend to guess.

 

[Greg Madsen]

Season three is currrently on sale at Futureshop

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...=&newdeptid=13

And it is only $27 CDN at Amazon.ca

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASI...238398-4888836

 

[Malcolm R]

Or not, since they're continuing to bring new shows to DVD. The Marla Gibbs sitcom "227" has its S1 release in September.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I'd buy as many seasons of AITF as Columbia puts out, including when Mike and Gloria moved next door and had the baby, because there were still some great laughs (a great episode is when Archie sneaks the baby to be baptized; another is when Mike and Archie get locked in the storage room of Archie's bar, and also the one where Archie's bar is held up on Superbowl Sunday! ) .

Archie becoming more "mellow" I think actually benefited the character a little bit after awhile, because after all he was getting older and perhaps the experience of living with the Meathead softened him just a bit.