Bewitched - Seasons 3 and 4 Blu-ray coming from Imprint (1 Viewer)

[PianoPlayer]

Imprint just announced their new Blu-ray set of Bewitched - Seasons 3 and 4 is scheduled for May 28

People are already kvetching about the original Season 3 openings not being included (based on their YouTube video) -- not sure if that's true, though.

 

[MartinP.]

Why is that of such a huge importance to some? I don't get it.

 

[ElPaBr]

Why is that of such a huge importance to some? I don't get it.

For some, nostalgia. For me, it's simply more immersive to enjoy a piece of vintage media the more I'm aware that it reflects its full, original form. There's an authenticity, a connection to the past when I feel like I'm seeing something the way others first saw it (even on new technology with enhanced picture quality). That's why my favorite home video release ever is still the first two I Love Lucy Blu-ray sets.

Also, for something like Bewitched, which has been released a few times on home video before, differentiation from previous releases helps incentivize consumers. Enhanced picture quality will always be the motivating interest in Blu-ray, but the exciting reintroduction of the Season 2 theme was something specific that no previous release of those episodes could boast. And Imprint promoted it in the Season 1/2 trailer because it was a known selling point to this show's niche audience.

For that reason, I think it's safe to assume, based on the Season 3/4 trailer, that this set will not have these episodes' original theme, and will (as expected) continue to reflect the film transfers that aired on GAC Family a few years ago -- with the Season 1 arrangement used for the color Dick York episodes.

 

[SD_Brian]

I'm conflicted about these Imprint releases. On the one hand, I have no doubt that they will best, in every conceivable way, the Mill Creek complete series release that is supposedly coming out in July (assuming it doesn't get pushed back yet again), but I have the Mill Creek full series set on pre-order for less than $90, whereas to get just the first 4 seasons from Imprint would cost $200+. By the time Imprint releases all 8 seasons, the total price tag will likely be approaching $400. I'm probably not enough of a Bewitched superfan to make that kind of an investment and will stick with the economy version. Again, assuming Mill Creek finally releases it one of these days...

 

[BobO'Link]

And if Mill Creek's Bewitched BR release has issues like their IDoJ BR release I can be happy with my Sony DVDs.

 

[Nelson Au]

I'm conflicted about these Imprint releases. On the one hand, I have no doubt that they will best, in every conceivable way, the Mill Creek complete series release that is supposedly coming out in July (assuming it doesn't get pushed back yet again), but I have the Mill Creek full series set on pre-order for less than $90, whereas to get just the first 4 seasons from Imprint would cost $200+. By the time Imprint releases all 8 seasons, the total price tag will likely be approaching $400. I'm probably not enough of a Bewitched superfan to make that kind of an investment and will stick with the economy version. Again, assuming Mill Creek finally releases it one of these days...

I understand, I made a post describing the same feelings on the other Bewitched thread.

It’s a lot of money, I am not a super fan. I do like the series and I’m on a mission to collect as many TV series from my youth as I can from the best sources. So I’ll likely go for the Imprint version.

 

[ScottRE]

Why is that of such a huge importance to some? I don't get it.

Because it restores the series to how it was originally seen. Plenty of other classic shows get this same restoration, why not Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie? Even Star Trek doesn't have that at this point for the earliest episodes.

While it wouldn't necessarily keep me from buying a blu ray release, the lack of the original credits will keep me from dropping $100 - $200 per release and have me wait to see what buyers of the US release from Mill Creek say. If the show looks better than the DVDs and doesn't have the interlacing issues of their IDOJ set, I'll push the button. Bewitched is far down on my list of favorite shows, but IDOJ was absolutely worth the upgrade. I'm used to the wrong theme on the episodes, but the incredible picture upgrade made that $200 - for the whole run - a no brainer with my Christmas money.

 

[Garysb]

I guess these are the two versions, with and without, sound effects of the theme used for Seasons 3 to 5, the color Dick York years. Taken from 16mm prints I think.

 

[Nelson Au]

I found a nice bundle on the Via Vision website that combines the Bewitched Season 3 and 4 set with Gidget. The sale price seems pretty good.

Imprint Television Bundle Pack - May 2025 | Via Vision Entertainment

BOTH IMPRINT TV MAY RELEASES AT ONE LOW PRICE!

viavision.com.au

 

[Garysb]

Remember the dollars listed on Via Vision website are Australian dollars not US dollars. I saw a listing on Ebay that matched the dollar amount on Via Vision website but they were selling it for US dollars.

 

[Nelson Au]

Remember the dollars listed on Via Vision website are Australian dollars not US dollars. I saw a listing on Ebay that matched the dollar amount on Via Vision website but they were selling it for US dollars.

Yes, that conversion on that bundle set is $122.40 USD. It’s a lot of money still. Two seasons of Bewitched S3 and S4 and the single and only season of Gidget.

 

[Wiseguy]

I guess these are the two versions, with and without, sound effects of the theme used for Seasons 3 to 5, the color Dick York years. Taken from 16mm prints I think.

We got a new independent TV station back in 1984 (celebrated their 40th year last year) and one of the series they started out with was Bewitched and it featured the second version here. I recall the music even faded out as it does here. It was the first time I recall hearing this version of the theme.
Not only was the theme new (to me) but the format of the episodes was different.
I had always seen the episodes as:

teaser/openingth/comm1/WDcred/act1/comm2/act2/comm3/tag/closingth

But these episodes were shown as:

openingth/WDcred/teaser/act1/comm1/act2/comm2/tag/comm3/closingth

This may have been the last time I've seen it in syndication as cable stations and later broadcast substation networks would soon takeover reruns. I don't recall seeing that opening credits or format again.

This was also the station that brought back The Twilight Zone (two previous stations, including a PBS station (no commercials and mostly uncut) had shown it) but this was the first time I was able to see the hour episodes (except of course, "The Miniature" which I saw later that year on the 25th anniversary special with some parts of the episode colorized).

 

[dawnshadow]

131 copies left of the Seasons 1&2 set left at Imprint.

 

[David*P]

131 copies left of the Seasons 1&2 set left at Imprint.

Where do you get this information from?

 

[sjbradford]

We got a new independent TV station back in 1984 (celebrated their 40th year last year) and one of the series they started out with was Bewitched and it featured the second version here. I recall the music even faded out as it does here. It was the first time I recall hearing this version of the theme.
Not only was the theme new (to me) but the format of the episodes was different.
I had always seen the episodes as:

teaser/openingth/comm1/WDcred/act1/comm2/act2/comm3/tag/closingth

But these episodes were shown as:

openingth/WDcred/teaser/act1/comm1/act2/comm2/tag/comm3/closingth

This may have been the last time I've seen it in syndication as cable stations and later broadcast substation networks would soon takeover reruns. I don't recall seeing that opening credits or format again.

DFS Program Exchange took over from Columbia Pictures TV as the show’s distributor in the 1980s. They reformatted both Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie as you mention above. They also dropped the B&W episodes from the broadcast syndication package for both series.

In the 1990s, distribution rights for both series reverted to Columbia. They struck new prints of the episodes and reverted to the original format (with the pre-credits cold open). This is also when they began using the season 1 Bewitched theme for the season 3-5 episodes, instead of using that version that trailed off at the end. And Columbia made the black and white episodes available again, but generally for cable runs rather than broadcast.

 

[dawnshadow]

Where do you get this information from?

You just add say, 2000 copies to your cart, and it replaces the quantity with what they actually have left.

 

[likewow]

Love those original openings! It's frustrating when studios don't preserve a show in it's original form. The third season theme for Gilligan's Island is gone too. It's a more dramatic version of season two.

 

[Jack P]

Love those original openings! It's frustrating when studios don't preserve a show in it's original form. The third season theme for Gilligan's Island is gone too. It's a more dramatic version of season two.

Other examples I can think of:

F-Troop, S2 End Credits (the S1 arrangement is used on both seasons that ends with the "Charge" fanfare over the Warner Brothers logo)

Also, "Hawaii Five-O" on DVD kept using the S1 credits for all four seasons so that's why James MacArthur and Kam Fong are "Danny" and "Chin Ho" for S2-4 when it was changed to "Dan Williams" and "Chin Ho Kelly" in S2.

"Bewitched" is not one of my favorite sitcoms but I might have been tempted if the original openings had been restored because in the case of S3-5 it's MUCH superior to the S1 theme.

 

[David*P]

You just add say, 2000 copies to your cart, and it replaces the quantity with what they actually have left.

Thanks! That’s awesome to know. Now it says there are 128 left of the first set.

 

[oldtvshowbuff]

Other examples I can think of:

F-Troop, S2 End Credits (the S1 arrangement is used on both seasons that ends with the "Charge" fanfare over the Warner Brothers logo)

Also, "Hawaii Five-O" on DVD kept using the S1 credits for all four seasons so that's why James MacArthur and Kam Fong are "Danny" and "Chin Ho" for S2-4 when it was changed to "Dan Williams" and "Chin Ho Kelly" in S2.

"Bewitched" is not one of my favorite sitcoms but I might have been tempted if the original openings had been restored because in the case of S3-5 it's MUCH superior to the S1 theme.

I swear that there was a entirely different vocal version of the F Troop theme over the end credits of the pilot/premiere episode in season one and then the more familiar vocal rendition of the theme was sung, starting with episode two and the instrumental over the end credits.