Anchor Bay Press Release: Roseanne: Season One (1 Viewer)

[ElijahS]

Agreed. Even in the first season, Darlene was the best character of the three kids. There's just something about Lecy's Becky I don't care for; that might be because I started watching reruns a year ago when Sarah Chalke was on, partially because I'm a Scrubs fan and I was curious. I've done the same thing with other series, including with Kirstie Alley on Cheers (I watched most of the Rebecca years before seeing Diane, who annoys me more than anything).

 

[MarkHastings]

Lecy's character seemed to ring a bit too true. I obviously don't know how she is in real life, but she seemed snotty, just like her character. You always just wanted to smack her.

Which I guess is why her character always bugged me too. It reminded me too much of some friends who are (were) brats and rotten to their moms.

 

[Jay_B!]

Becky was too much of just a little brat. Darlene got smart too, but generally she had more of dry humor and was charismatic to where you couldn't dislike her. It's funny how the show began with Becky being the brain and Darlene being the slacker student, and yet by the end, Becky was the trailor-trash housewife, and while Darlene had a baby, you knew she was still going to succeed.

Poor DJ didn't really get to do anything until the last season that actually started giving him characteristic traits, before then he was just around and they didn't know what to do with him.

 

[ElijahS]

Yeah, I wish they had gone more into DJ's character. At least he got some good parts in the final season. In any case, he was better in the first season than Sal Barone was in the pilot.

 

[David Rain]

I didn't like Lecy at first but I eventually thought she was ok once they gave her more of a backbone and she stood up to "The Big R". But I would say I prefer Sarah Chalke's Becky more. As for DJ, they didn't explore his character too much but they did establish that he was quite odd. He collected doll parts, ate strange things & got his head stuck in drawers (thus requiring the use of cooking oil to extract him). So I'd say that's a pretty unique, if underused, character.

FYI: Sal Barone was replaced in the role of DJ after the pilot because Sara Gilbert and he did not get along. Later, actor Wings Hauser left his role as neighbor Ty Tilden because he did not like Tom Arnold.

 

[Alan_H]

Who does?

 

[David*W]

Ok there may be some good news on the Roseanne situation and from a reliable source!

It has also been announced that we will get the syndiction episodes on DVD for Season One. Naturally the UK fans are just as upset about this, and have complained to Anchor Bay UK.

On the forum of their AnchorBay.co.uk website they have made the following statement in response to the complaints.


This at least is good news and from a reliable source. They may never rerelase it, and even if they do this may not happen for R1, but at least they are aware of the problem.

 

[David Rain]

I know this will NEVER happen but if the first seasons of Cosby, Roseanne and A Different World were to be re-released properly then anyone who bought the cut versions should be able to send in their set or receipt and have it replaced with the uncut one. Or at least get a discount on the new one. Ok, now I'm off to take my medication.

 

[David*W]

That is exactly what the above Anchor Bay statement seems to be suggesting, that they would replace them.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

I wonder is Sal Barone regrets leaving the part?

 

[Matthew_B]

Bringing this thread up again, CMT (Country Music Television) Canada has been airing the first season of Roseanne for about 2 weeks now, I only realized this last week though. I set my PVR to record all of the episodes so that I could compare them with those on the DVD set, but for some unlucky reason the PVR erased my recording schedule for only the CMT Canada channel (but not other channels), so I missed a few episodes of Roseanne (and Reba).

(On a not-completely-related note, I find the show Reba to be the "new" Roseanne show, a lot of the humour strikes me the same, they are led by outspoken matriarchs (Reba/Roseanne) with prominent qwirky supporting female leads (Barbara Jean/Jackie) and the kids are made up of two older sisters and a younger brother.)

So I watched 3 episodes while running both versions (PVR and DVD) at the same time while changing back-and-forth to compare, and found some interesting things. I believe that CMT has been given the original broadcast versions and are cutting parts at their own discretion to fit for commercials, because some things are missing from the DVD when compared to CMT's broadcast, and some things are missing from CMT's broadcast when compared to the DVD, so that's all I can figure. I'm also including the cuts from CMT's broadcast version in case Anchor Bay is able to offer replacement discs for season 1 and readers want to verify the replacement DVDs don't include cuts from CMT's broadcast version.

The following is what I remember from comparing both versions today, as my computer is in my bedroom and the PVR is hooked up to the home theatre in the living room, so I will do my best to remember correctly.

* For all 3 episodes the opening credits are slightly different. CMT's broadcast does not show Roseanne "Arnold", and the theme song is a different recording of the same music, a bit livlier, than the one on the DVD. The camera feed that pans around the table is slower (normal rate) for CMT than the one on the DVD (sped up a bit), and there is a couple more seconds at the end of Roseanne laughing. Don't be mistaken, the footage shot of the actors is the same on both versions, just the DVD's is sped up and does not include the last couple of seconds, and the music is a different recording.

* For some of the transitions between scenes, the music on CMT's version differs from the music on DVD, but I don't remember which ones off hand

We're In The Money
Scene 1 - Beginning of the opening scene missing from the DVD where Darlene is doing math homework and can't do it right, Roseanne comes over to show her to "carry the six", joke that is made extends to the opening of the DVD where Dan asks about missing batteries and Darlene repeats to herself to "carry the six" (ignoring Dan), also missing DJ bothering Becky while doing the dishes making Becky whine
Scene 2 - CMT's version is missing the opening to this scene where Darlene is going to jump off of an automan onto a board and send DJ flying, instead begins as Dan enters the house
Scene 3 - DVD missing the opening to this scene where Dan is looking over bills on the table as Roseanne disrupts his piling system and where Darlene refuses to go to bed because her friends get to stay up until 10:00 instead of 9:30. DVD missing a classic moment where Darlene says Roseanne's being a bad mother and Roseanne says "Well we're raising bad kids" and then adds "And I'm not your real Mom" and Darlene storms out saying "Well then maybe there's hope after all" and Dan angrily says "Hey!" to her while the audience "oooooh"'s, however Roseanne just laughs it off. Scene instead begins just as Dan asks Roseanne what she would do with an extra $50
Scene 5 - Second half of scene missing from CMT broadcast where Jackie and Roseanne hang out outside of Wellman's Plastics because machinery is still being fixed inside. Roseanne offers Jackie $10 back of $25 she borrowed from her some time ago and Jackie gives it back to her telling her to use it to put a "downpayment" on the Submission perfume Roseanne wants. Jackie tells her she's just like Mom, Roseanne says "I'm nothing like that woman!" Roseanne says Mom paid Jackie's friends to play with her as a kid, Jackie scoffs and tells her to shut up.
Scene 6 - First couple of seconds missing from CMT broadcast, only relevant part is Roseanne dodging a fragrance sample lady.

D-I-V-O-R-C-E
Scene 1 - Beginning of the opening scene missing from the DVD where Darlene looks in the fridge and Roseanne tells her what's inside it is the same as 5 minutes ago, Roseanne and Jackie talk about Roseanne and Dan's date night, and of Jackie mentioning to Darlene she's babysitting them that night, opening of DVD instead begins as Roseanne tells DJ to hold still as she cuts his hair
Scene 2 - Beginning of this scene missing from DVD where Darlene is sitting on the toilet lid using mascara to put lines under her eyes and Becky/Roseanne telling her she's using it wrong and Darlene says not for football players, scene instead begins just as Darlene exits the bathroom (good line cut of Roseanne saying something to Becky about how she'll just have to kill Darlene then, and Becky with a serious face says "Do it, Mom" -- Becky's character is a little creepy)
Scene 3 - Some time missing from the DVD at the beginning of this scene, Roseanne cannot find her lipstick and DJ fesses up that he used it to colour on his picture, scene instead begins as Becky says Jackie's still not there
Scene 4 - Few opening seconds missing from CMT broadcast of this scene of Roseanne and Dan entering the Lanford Inn restaurant, scene instead begins just as they greet their seating hostess
Scene 5 - Beginning of scene cut on DVD where Dan and Roseanne are putting food on their plates from salad bar and talking about Patsy (IIRC), instead begins as they walk back to their table
Scene 7 - CMT broadcast has cut at beginning of scene of Dan returning to the table from calling home and of Roseanne getting the coffee pot and serving customers, instead begins as Dan mentions most couples they know are divorced
Scene 8 - Last scene is changed in both versions. For CMT version, first few seconds cut of camera panning on sleeping kids and Jackie, scene instead begins as Dan and Roseanne enter the house. For DVD, ending credits have been put over top the ending scene (which is kind of annoying), CMT's broadcast version has credits immediately following this scene in a sequence showing still images of Roseanne and Dan dancing.

Radio Days
Scene 1 - Beginning of the opening scene missing from the DVD where DJ plays with his toy truck off and on the table and of Dan answering the phone, scene instead opens as Dan hangs up the phone mad
Scene 2 - About a second cut from DVD when Roseanne enters the lunch room in middle of scene, however, CMT broadcast cuts part in conversation about highways and byways
Scene 3 - Beginning of scene cut from DVD where DJ is in living room and Becky and Darlene can be heard fighting upstairs, instead begins as DJ enters kitchen
Scene 4 - First couple of seconds cut from CMT broadcast until Pete enters
Scene 6 - Ending credits have been put over top the ending scene of DVD, CMT's broadcast version has credits immediately following this scene in a sequence showing still images of things in Dan's work area of garage.

So... that should give everyone a pretty good indication of the amount of material cut from the episodes on DVD on average. If I'm able to record more episodes on my PVR I'll compare more, if anyone's interested just let me know.

I wonder if the information above was sent to Anchor Bay if that'd influence their decision to replace the DVDs for the hardcore fans (i.e. the ones that really care about these things as opposed to casual viewers), assuming they even get a new master for season one from Carsey Werner.

 

[Matthew_B]

I e-mailed Anchor Bay with the parts missing from the DVD for the 3 episodes I watched, hoping for a clear repsonse regarding a resolution. If I receive a reply I'll post it here.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Different cuts were obviously used for different channels. I didn't watch on Nick at Nite, but I DID watch on our local UPN station around a few years ago. I remember a lot of those scenes NOT present on the DVDs... it just makes the syndicated cuts all the more problematic to me. *sigh*

 

[Nick_TV]

Ok guys. I have no idea who to believe now, but Anchor Bay did reply to my email and said that seasons 2+ will be uncut. However, that doesn't seem to be the case now. Check out the reviews on amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...v=glance&s=dvd

Apparently, either Anchor Bay has changed their minds or someone's lying. People are reporting getting emails from Anchor Bay saying that seasons 2 will be cut just like season 1. I don't know anymore, but I'm going to send an email to TVShowsOnDvd.com asking them if they know. And, I'll resend my email to Anchor Bay again. I encourage everyone else to email Anchor Bay too, that way we'll have a couple of people instead of one who gets a response.

This sucks!

 

[EricSchulz]

see post #86

Check out these comments regarding Entertainment Weekly's positive review of Roseanne S1. Hope this is a wake-up call for them!

 

[streeter]

If seasons 2+ are indeed going to be edited, how about Anchor Bay remove the "Complete" part from the front covers - like they should have done with season 1 and season 1's nationwide false-advertising campaign.

 

[Nick_TV]

Just got a reply from TVShowsOnDvd.com. They don't know if it'll be cut or not, but they have asked Anchor Bay about it.

 

[Jay_B!]

I think the reason season 2 is cut is because AB had already announced it before season 1 hit the shelves and they'd rather get a cut version out in time for Christmas instead of holding back 2 or 3 months and righting it. Season 3 (which hasn't been announced yet) will be the make or break season, which is fine to me because season 3 was when the show started really taking off.

 

[AnthonyC]

I'm not a Roseanne fan, but that's ridiculous.

 

[Ravi K]

We should throw red paint on every copy we see

PETTS= People for the Ethical Treatment of Television Shows