Barnaby Jones - The Complete Series (1 Viewer)

[Dan McW]

You may be right--I think there are a few episodes that end suddenly with no tags. There are a few cases where characters in the end credits have been cut out of the syndicated prints, but most of the time all of the characters listed do appear in the episodes.

 

[Harry-N]

I think there are a few episodes that end suddenly with no tags.

I was under the impression that it was more than a few, but I'll find out for myself soon enough.

 

[jcroy]

Usually, I'm averse to more episodes being formatted to fewer discs, but I have the newly released VEI 20 disc set of Cannon...the original complete series issue had 31 discs, all 122 episodes and reunion tv movie...knowing that the source elements were not remastered, though unedited, I decided to give the 20 disc set a chance...at an excellent price on Amazon Canada, of course (approx $30 US), which influenced my choice also...I like Cannon, but it wasn't essential to my collection...so far, I've watched the first 7 discs with no problem, and spot checked the rest...and in comparing the visual quality to my original season 1 CBS set, I can see no discernible deterioration in quality, despite having the extra one, and sometimes, two episodes on the discs...just my two cents...

I also recently purchased the low-budget disc-reduced version of Cannon with 20 discs, when I found it for around $25 at a nearby Wallyworld. (They had four copies of the set in stock, and I was willing to give it a chance). It was basically 4 discs per season, without the post-series telefilm.

Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon and early evening checking all 20 discs on the computer, where there were no obvious problematic discs. (Most of the discs could only be checked at slower speeds on the computer).


In terms of the picture quality, they appear to be really old SD transfers which still have the "hard telecine" comb effect left it. Possibly the same old transfers used in midnight reruns back in the 1980s or late-1970s.

I also compared it to the picture quality of other dvd season sets which used older lousy SD transfers, such as: the original Hawaii Five-O season 10, Emergency!, Alien Nation, War of the Worlds, etc ... (Not quite an apples-to-apples comparison, since I don't have the original Cannon dvd sets released by CBS/Paramount). As far as I can tell, these 4-disc Cannon seasons with 6 or 7 episodes crammed onto a dvd disc, were not drastically crappier in comparison to other dvd sets which used older lousy SD transfers. They were comparable.

Based on my experience, I'd give a repackaged lower disc count VEI reissue of Barnaby Jones a chance also...after all, and once again, utilizing the edited and unremastered source transfers for most of it's series run anyway...

If and when Barnaby Jones is eventually re-released as a low-budget disc-reduced set, I would suspect the picture quality of seasons 2 to 8 might very well be comparable to this 20-disc Cannon set. (ie. With all the complaints about the crappy picture quality of seasons 2 to 8 from the first more expensive complete series set).

Just like the 20-disc Cannon set, I would guess season 2 to 8 of Barnaby Jones will be reauthored into 4-discs per season, which would make the low-budget disc-reduced version of Barnaby Jones probably a 30 or 31 disc set. (ie. Depending on whether VEI reauthors season 1 into 2-discs, or just leaves it as a 3-disc set).


In terms of recent precedents, another 8-season CBS owned show is Diagnosis Murder, where VEI released a low-budget disc-reduced version with 32 discs (according to the amazon listings). This would be consistent with reauthoring most of the seasons into 4 discs. The first more expensive VEI version of Diagnosis Murder was a 51-disc complete series set.

 

[jcroy]

(More generally).

I've been checking out various 70s shows, largely to see how much of it jogs my memory.

When I was a kid, I use to watch various non-cartoon shows with my father. Though I didn't always remember the names of many of these shows, which I didn't watch in later reruns. For example, awhile ago I picked up the Emergency! complete series set as an "impulse buy", where I came to the realization it was one of those shows I watched with my father back in the day. I mentioned this in another thread on here:

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...reissued-dvd-sets.322475/page-35#post-4444782

So when I picked up Cannon recently, I went straight to the final season to see whether it jogs my memory. I don't remember many specific episodes, but I do remember the big guy played by Conrad.

Other shows from that era that I'll pick up eventually, will be stuff like: Mannix, Barnaby Jones, Vega$, Streets of San Francisco, etc ... (CBS/Paramount is releasing Vega$ as a low-budget shelf-friendly complete series set on May 2, 2017. Hopefully The Streets of San Francisco will also be released as a low-budget shelf-friendly complete series set soon thereafter).

 

[mattfire64]

In terms of the picture quality, they appear to be really old SD transfers which still have the "hard telecine" comb effect left it. Possibly the same old transfers used in midnight reruns back in the 1980s or late-1970s.

Back when Cannon was airing on MeTV, Seasons 3-5 featured the old-school Viacom "V of Doom" logo at the end of the credits, in which the videotaped variant of that logo which appeared on those episodes was used from roughly 1981-1986. VEI cut those logos out from their DVD release, but it is still obvious to me that these are most likely the same prints (perhaps the only set of prints that still exist).

Also as a side note, Cannon episodes also didn't have an ending "Epilog" scene like most other QM productions, the episode conclusion was featured at the end of "Act IV".

I wish either MeTV or Decades would air Barnaby Jones so I could see what closing logo is used on the unremastered seasons. It would give a good indicator as to how old the prints of those seasons really are.

 

[Ron1973]

Back when Cannon was airing on MeTV, Seasons 3-5 featured the old-school Viacom "V of Doom" logo at the end of the credits, in which the videotaped variant of that logo which appeared on those episodes was used from roughly 1981-1986. VEI cut those logos out from their DVD release, but it is still obvious to me that these are most likely the same prints (perhaps the only set of prints that still exist).

Also as a side note, Cannon episodes also didn't have an ending "Epilog" scene like most other QM productions, the episode conclusion was featured at the end of "Act IV".

I wish either MeTV or Decades would air Barnaby Jones so I could see what closing logo is used on the unremastered seasons. It would give a good indicator as to how old the prints of those seasons really are.

Pax-TV ran a few S1 episodes probably 18 or so years ago; it was the Worldvision logo to the best of my knowledge. I don't think I kept the VHS tapes (I think I dubbed them to DVD, but that's probably gone as well by now) to make sure. I'll dig around tomorrow if I have time and see if I can find them.

 

[jcroy]

Back when Cannon was airing on MeTV, Seasons 3-5 featured the old-school Viacom "V of Doom" logo at the end of the credits, in which the videotaped variant of that logo which appeared on those episodes was used from roughly 1981-1986. VEI cut those logos out from their DVD release, but it is still obvious to me that these are most likely the same prints (perhaps the only set of prints that still exist).

On my copy of the 20-disc Cannon set, seasons 3 to 5 have a "V of Doom" logo in a sky blue background after the credits in most of the episodes. (Season 3 also has the modern CBS logo, in addition to the "V of Doom" logo).

 

[mattfire64]

On my copy of the 20-disc Cannon set, seasons 3 to 5 have a "V of Doom" logo in a sky blue background after the credits in most of the episodes. (Season 3 also has the modern CBS logo, in addition to the "V of Doom" logo).

Hmm, that's quite odd. I have the original set with more discs and all closing logos are omitted from the episodes. I guess when VEI re-authored the set to use less discs they got lazy and didn't bother to chop the logos out. Thanks for the information.

 

[jcroy]

Hmm, that's quite odd. I have the original set with more discs and all closing logos are omitted from the episodes. I guess when VEI re-authored the set to use less discs they got lazy and didn't bother to chop the logos out. Thanks for the information.

From skimming through various season 3 episodes, I did find one episode which used a 90s era Viacom logo (iirc).

(This is not exhaustive).

 

[mattfire64]

From skimming through various season 3 episodes, I did find one episode which used a 90s era Viacom logo (iirc).

(This is not exhaustive).

It probably was from the same episode that I have a capture from on my YouTube page (Memo From a Dead Man, 2nd episode from season 3):



I think I might have asked this a while back in this thread, but the Barnaby Jones DVD set doesn't have any closing logos retained, right?

 

[Harry-N]

For anyone who's paid any attention to my postings over the years in threads about THE FUGITIVE and MANNIX, you might recall that I identified a house that had been used twice in THE FUGITIVE ("2130", "Goodbye My Love") and once in MANNIX ("Pressure Point"). I'd also found, sometime later, that the house had been used in the opening credits of the movie CADDYSHACK.

Well, the location scouters at Quinn Martin must have liked the house exterior enough to use it again in BARNABY JONES ("Venus As In Flytrap").

As revealed in a locations video done by a fan of THE FUGITIVE, the house is located at 365 South Hudson in Los Angeles.

Harry

 

[Dan McW]

For what it's worth, the exterior shot of Barnaby's office building was used in one of the early Perry Mason TV movies.

 

[rwd11954]

VEI must have given up on the Barnaby Jones release. No longer appears anywhere on their web site.

 

[Harry-N]

Watch...they probably found the complete shows in CBS' vault and will be remastering the series...

 

[Oakvale]

Watch...they probably found the complete shows in CBS' vault and will be remastering the series...

It wouldn't surprised me if they put up high(er) quality episodes on some of the streaming services, if not on DVD itself, which I do doubt they'll do. We'll see though!

 

[Ron1973]

Watch...they probably found the complete shows in CBS' vault and will be remastering the series...

The Syndication Bible lists it as available in syndicated or network format. I've said it before and I'll say it again-somebody was asleep at the switch or just plain didn't care. If network versions are available, those should have been used.

 

[smithbrad]

The Syndication Bible lists it as available in syndicated or network format. I've said it before and I'll say it again-somebody was asleep at the switch or just plain didn't care. If network versions are available, those should have been used.

VEI took a lot of abuse from the Hotel release that preceded Barnaby Jones. Hotel was based on network versions that, from what i understand, were in worse shape than the Barnaby Jones syndicated versions. The Barnaby Jones release was delayed at the end for a few additional weeks. Just maybe they made a last minute switch to use better quality syndicated prints for Barnaby Jones rather that repeat what happened with Hotel. In the end, it's a no win scenario since complaints would come either way. Not saying this happened, but i could see it as a possibility more so than falling asleep at the switch.

 

[classictvfan40]

VEI took a lot of abuse from the Hotel release that preceded Barnaby Jones. Hotel was based on network versions that, from what i understand, were in worse shape than the Barnaby Jones syndicated versions. .

Which ones did Paramount use then? Cause I bought their season 1 release and it was outstanding. The picture quality was nothing like what VEI put out. There was no comparison. I doubt VEI used the network versions. I wish Paramount had continued the releases of Hotel because the VEI release was pure garbage and a waste of money. The picture quality is so bad that I haven't seen the show anymore. It is just laying there on my shelf.

 

[Steve...O]

Which ones did Paramount use then? Cause I bought their season 1 release and it was outstanding. The picture quality was nothing like what VEI put out. There was no comparison. I doubt VEI used the network versions. I wish Paramount had continued the releases of Hotel because the VEI release was pure garbage and a waste of money. The picture quality is so bad that I haven't seen the show anymore. It is just laying there on my shelf.

CBS/P remastered first season in HD and used that for their release. They chose not to remaster any other seasons and instead licensed them to VEI. Such a shame because I would have confined to buy the seasons had CBS/P continued remastering.

 

[Ron1973]

VEI took a lot of abuse from the Hotel release that preceded Barnaby Jones. Hotel was based on network versions that, from what i understand, were in worse shape than the Barnaby Jones syndicated versions. The Barnaby Jones release was delayed at the end for a few additional weeks. Just maybe they made a last minute switch to use better quality syndicated prints for Barnaby Jones rather that repeat what happened with Hotel. In the end, it's a no win scenario since complaints would come either way. Not saying this happened, but i could see it as a possibility more so than falling asleep at the switch.

In the end only VEI and CBS know. A few years ago someone had uploaded full length episodes on YouTube from other seasons besides S1 and they looked presentable enough. This is why I wish CBS would move forward with a mod program or something instead of farming it out to low budget labels like VEI.