ALF Season 3: They just don't get it, do they? (1 Viewer)

[MatthewA]

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=5277


One season left after this and they still don't get it, do they? No one will pay for butchered episodes.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Apparently someone is.

 

[RoyWilbury]

I think they announced after the release of Season One (and the controversey that ensued) that all of the sets would feature the syndicated cuts. So it's not as if there was hope for a change to be made. The best hope would probably have been that they screwed up and used the wrong versions. Usually that means syndicated versions are used, but in this case, it could have meant that a screw up would lead to uncut episodes being used!

As for who is buying the sets, the continual release of sets seems to indicate that the sets are selling fairly well. Beyond the demographic of potential buyers who don't know and/or don't care about syndication cuts, I think there are probably plenty of fans who do care about such things are buying the sets anyway, more than anything due to the fact that the show has been rarely seen in syndication for a number of years. Other than an obscure cable channel, I don't think it's been seen much on TV lately. My local stations stopped airing it in syndication in the early-mid 90's, right around the same time they stopped airing reruns of "Small Wonder" and "Mr. Belvedere."

 

[MatthewA]

As far as I am concerned, ALF is not on DVD.

This would have been the perfect opportunity for a small outfit like Shout! Factory, or the Canadian company which released 3 uncut episodes on DVD, but they pissed it away to a company with such unmitigated contempt for consumers, that is so blissfully unaware of its own arrogance and stupidity. That's worse than not having it at all.

 

[David Bixenspan]

Has Lion's Gate ever responded to questions specifically about the Canadian DVD having full episodes in the same quality as their releases?

 

[Malcolm R]

They do, they just don't care.

And as noted, they must be profitable releases or they wouldn't be putting them out at all. I guess they're just content with the small profit rather than the larger profits they'd make if they released a set everyone wanted to buy.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

This is *exactly* the way I feel as well. And I would *love* to purchase this series if it's ever given a proper release.

Perhaps it'll show up uncut on Blu-ray someday ... *sigh*

 

[Michael Alden]

I wrote the series off long ago. What worries me is that other companies might see this selling and think that they too don't have to bother with the original versions and that they can just throw what's most convenient out there. That's what Sony did with That's My Mama. They weren't going to go back to the 2-inches for the show.

 

[Nick_TV]

Yes! At least when Carsey-Werner released cut versions of season 1 of Roseanne and Cosby Show, they listened to the outcry of the fans and are now releasing future seasons uncut. Lion's Gate is just plain disrespectful to their fans.

Lion's Gate sucks!

P.S. - The ALF cases are among the worst I've seen for any TV on DVD release. What are those people thinking?

 

[Tony J Case]

Yes, I fully agree it sucks - but at least you know up front. They didnt try and pull the wool over your eyes or something by keeping it a deep dark secret until after release.

 

[MatthewA]

True, and it's money saved that will go towards one of the many, many uncut TV series on DVD.

 

[SeanC]

You can't place all the blame on Lions Gate though. Sure, they're knowingly releasing it cut, but Paul Fusco owns the rights to ALF and he's the one who's supplying them with the cut episodes. Lions Gate is just releasing what they're given, and since it's obviously making money, they're not gonna stop. I don't get Paul Fusco at all, especially since he claimed when Season One came out that he didn't know how it happened. I love ALF, but I'm not gonna buy the DVDs unless I can find them really cheap.

 

[David Rain]

They're relying on the lack of knowledge that the average TV viewer possesses. Many people don't even understand what syndication is. They just turn on the magic box and their show comes on. With Carsey-Werner they have a lot more to lose in some ways if they continue to screw up. If there is enough of a backlash over Cosby, Roseanne, Different World, 3rd Rock, etc then they stand to lose a LOT of money. So of course they corrected things and feigned ignorance of their own product.

 

[Christian Preischl]

They certainly did with season 1 though. They only came clean after people complained and there isn't much use of claiming the later seasons would be any different.

 

[MatthewA]

Until the Lion's Gate license runs out, the only hope is for a European or Asian company to license the show for release and get uncut copies (preferrably Asian, as they use NTSC and this show was shot on tape).

 

[Mark Talmadge]

While I was all set to buy these sets after I heard about the myriad of problems that a lot of customers were having with the first season set I decelined on buying the sets.

It's quite interesting that they are proudly advertising this set as "edited for syndication." I honestly think that DVD producers have a responsibility to label their products as either being synidated episodes or broadcast episodes.

 

[streeter]

Yup, and it's also Paul Fusco who is playing ALF in those video introductions on the menus on Season 2 (according to the review I read). Maybe the DVDs are selling really well and he's content with the compromise.

 

[Sean D.]

I have seasons 1 and 2 and plan to get this one. I would rather have the full length episodes but this is better then nothing. The chances of them re-releasing them are slim to none. So I will just stick with these instead.

 

[Nick_TV]

Given this news story http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=2067, it sounds like Lion's Gate could get the original versions if they wanted. But, they just don't want to spend the time and money. It's just a shame that such a great show like ALF is not getting the same treatment as other great shows. I will say though that I like the cover art for season 3, but that's about it.

 

[MatthewA]

To me it IS nothing. If I were to buy this, I would be sending the message that it's okay to bastardize this (or any) show. It sets a dangerous precedent.

That's why I have abstained from purchasing these discs that should be called "LF", not "ALF".