Best of Route 66 (1 Viewer)

[Hollywoodaholic]

I received Critics Choice's latest mail order catalog and, surprise, it has not one but two listings (page 2 and the rear cover) for "Route 66: Complete Third Season." Naturally, when you go to Critics Choice's web site, Critic's Choice Video, there is no such listing! This is an 8-disc, 31-episode set according the the brief description and is listed as "A Critics Choice Exclusive!" The MSRP listed is $49.95 and is discounted to $39.96 plus shipping. There is no indication as to how long this might be an exclusive of CC. The cover artwork is different from what TVShowsonDVD has shown for season 3, volume 1.
For the life of me, why not release this as a full season set everywhere rather than just at CC and dump the volume sets? My belief is that those interested in "Route 66" are in for the long haul on this series.

Strange indeed. I cancelled my Deep Discount order for Season 3, Volume 1 and ordered this through CC on the phone; The Complete Season 3, due on July 14 for $39.98 Why not? The Volume 1 set wasn't due to ship until July 21, and cost $19.96, and this is the complete set on July 14 for just double that amount. Course, we'll see if this 'exclusive' holds, but it clearly beats waiting for the release of the second volume and paying for it separately.
Thanks for the scoop, Bob. Course, doesn't Infinity own Deep Discount? It all gets confusingly incestuous.

 

[Bob Hug]

Thanks for the scoop, Bob. Course, doesn't Infinity own Deep Discount? It all gets confusingly incestuous.

Yep, Infinity Resources owns both Infinity Entertainment and Critics Choice . . . . as well as Deep Discount and DVD Planet.

 

[Gary OS]

Strange indeed. I cancelled my Deep Discount order for Season 3, Volume 1 and ordered this through CC on the phone; The Complete Season 3, due on July 14 for $39.98 Why not? The Volume 1 set wasn't due to ship until July 21, and cost $19.96, and this is the complete set on July 14 for just double that amount. Course, we'll see if this 'exclusive' holds, but it clearly beats waiting for the release of the second volume and paying for it separately.

I'm seriously considering doing this myself.
Gary "I haven't even pre-ordered the V.1 set anyhow, so this makes it even more tempting to me since I wouldn't have to cancel anything" O.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

what is CC's phone number?

 

[Bob Hug]

what is CC's phone number?

800-993-6357.
The item number for season 3 is JFIEG002149.
Keep in mind that Critics Choice does charge for shipping, though you might want to Google "Critics Choice coupons" to see if there are any deals available.

 

[smithb]

Received my season 1 set last night and watched the first episode. The video was a bit soft and dark. Obviously, not a major studio release so I wasn't expection anything great but had hoped it would be a bit better then it was, still watchable though.

As for the first episode, it took me my surprise. I've never seen this show before and only had a vague idea of what it was about but was going off the rave reviews and decided to purchase it as a blind buy. A pretty gritty beginning and very well done. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Bob Hug]

Received my season 1 set last night and watched the first episode. The video was a bit soft and dark. Obviously, not a major studio release so I wasn't expection anything great but had hoped it would be a bit better then it was, still watchable though.

Brad, the first 15 episodes of season 1 are of lesser a/v quality than what you'll see for the second half of season 1 and all of season 2. Infinity/Roxbury were in a rush to get the original season 1, volume 1 out on the market and they didn't use the best elements for the volume 1 release. Unfortunately, when they repackaged season 1 volumes 1 & 2 in a single season 1 package, they didn't seek out better elements for those episodes that were originally part of volume 1. There's another story behind season 1, volume 2 where Infinty/Roxbury used an incorrect aspect ratio for those episodes, i.e., a fake widescreen. That was corrected with the repackaged complete season 1. Season 2 had no major problems though, visually, it's a notch down from some of the CBS Paramount releases like "The Fugitive."

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Received my season 1 set last night and watched the first episode. The video was a bit soft and dark. Obviously, not a major studio release so I wasn't expection anything great but had hoped it would be a bit better then it was, still watchable though.
As for the first episode, it took me my surprise. I've never seen this show before and only had a vague idea of what it was about but was going off the rave reviews and decided to purchase it as a blind buy. A pretty gritty beginning and very well done. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Brad, the first 10-15 episodes are visually horrible, but don't get discouraged. The second half of the 1st Season jumps up in quality considerably. We can only surmise that when they released the first season in separate volumes, the first half was never re-mastered or cleaned up. Fortunately, the stories and characters are strong enough to get past those early episodes ... where EVERYTHING looks like it was shot in that Carlsburg Cavern cave where Leslie Nielson was hiding.

 

[smithb]

Glad to hear the quality gets better and that I missed out on the faux widescreen mistake. The good news is that I would have continued watching regardless of the video quality because the show appears to be worth it. The better news is that I won't have to (at least not after the first 15 episodes) since the video quality apparently improves going forward. Thanks for the updates now I have even more to look forward to.

So for those looking forward to season 3, is there any concern about the show moving from a two man to more of a one man adventure? That is the only real negative I read about for future seasons. One reviewer took exception to this but i've found that sometimes reviewers make more of something then it really is in the end.

This may have already been discussed but I didn't want to go through the whole thread and accidently read spoilers about the first two seasons.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Glad to hear the quality gets better and that I missed out on the faux widescreen mistake. The good news is that I would have continued watching regardless of the video quality because the show appears to be worth it. The better news is that I won't have to (at least not after the first 15 episodes) since the video quality apparently improves going forward. Thanks for the updates now I have even more to look forward to.
So for those looking forward to season 3, is there any concern about the show moving from a two man to more of a one man adventure? That is the only real negative I read about for future seasons. One reviewer took exception to this but i've found that sometimes reviewers make more of something then it really is in the end.
This may have already been discussed but I didn't want to go through the whole thread and accidently read spoilers about the first two seasons.

The scripts are mostly strong through all four seasons of the show, as are the supporting character actors (who, by now, you've noticed are really the featured players and storyline of each episode). George Maharis, the actor playing Buz, got hepatitis late in the second season, missed a few episodes, came back for the first 11 (I think) episodes of season three, had a relapse (or perhaps a contract dispute) and was replaced by Glen Corbett. The chemistry and energy of the show suffers greatly at that point, in my opinion.
Tod and Buz were like yin and yang; practical and buttoned down versus poetic and fired up. Tod and Linc (Glen Corbett) were like ... well like Tod and Tod. Ho hum. Maharis was simply irreplaceable and the show was cancelled in the fourth year. But the scripts and scenes across America are still worth the full trip.

 

[Richard V]

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but is Route 66 one of the earliest TV series to actually have a series finale episode? I remember when The Fugitive ended it's run, it was much lauded for actually having a series finale. But didn't Route 66 end its run before The Fugitive?

 

[michael_ks]

Some news on the third season set, with a nod to our very own Bob Huggins (great going, Bob!). Looks like a complete season set is on the way after all, hopefully in time for the Nov. DD sale.
Route 66 DVD news: Release Date for Route 66 - The Complete 3rd Season | TVShowsOnDVD.com

 

[Bob Hug]

Michael, I'm sure there is some method to their madness but, for the life of me, I honestly do not understand why Infinity has to release two separate volumes of season 3, followed by a complete season 3. As much as I like this show (among my top 10 all-time favorites), I think I'm going to wait for the general release in November of the complete series rather than buying the separate volumes. The combined set is likely to be a little less expensive and, if nothing else, it will match seasons 1 & 2 on my shelf.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I will wait for the complete season 3 as well.

 

[Gary OS]

I will wait for the complete season 3 as well.

Sounds like the way to go.
Gary "like Bob, I prefer when my dvd sets match" O.

 

[Regulus]

^^ Ditto Here!

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Isn't the complete season set going to just be the two separate volume packages stuck in another rather plain outer case? And probably the same release as the Critics Corner early release of the same Complete Season 3? I already ordered that, so that's what I'm expecting.

 

[Bob Hug]

Oy Vey . . . . . yet another delay for some of the season 3 releases. See Dave Lambert's news article here:
Route 66 DVD news: Delay for Route 66 - Season 3, Volume 2 and Route 66 - The Complete Season 3 | TVShowsOnDVD.com

 

[cajunhillbilly]

i read that. But I am still willing to wait for the complete season 3. I am still watching my season 1 dvds.

 

[John DeAngelis]

Oy Vey . . . . . yet another delay for some of the season 3 releases.

If the famous Rte 66 Corvette stalled as often as the DVD series does, there wouldn't have been much of a show!