Brady Bunch S3 - Slightly Edited (1 Viewer)

[PaulP]

Yeah, why no more cast commentaries, after Season One?

 

[Ron Lee Green]

Yes, it does end with a few notes.

After watching this on grainy videotape, I can't wait to see it on dvd.

 

[JohnMor]

I think that is what someone at Paramount must have thought years ago when they cut the footage off, and perhaps it doesn't exist anymore.

 

[ScottR]

I know they aren't on the Season 3 dvd, but did "The Brady Bunch in Color" slides appear on the show after Season 2?

 

[Greg_S_H]

Here's a review, if anyone's interested. I skimmed it and didn't see any mention of the edits mentioned in this thread.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/thebrad...dvdreview.html

He bemoans the lack of extras and mentions that Hawaii is next. That's where I'll feel the missing extras the most. I'd love to hear cast commentary, and maybe that Travel channel special where some of the cast returned to Hawaii.

 

[JohnMor]

Yes, and they were updated starting with Season 3 to reflect the older kids, newer fashions, etc., although the cast struck the same pose on the stairs. They also used the same slide as a final commercial break bumper saying, "The Brady Bunch will return in a moment."

 

[Jack Platt]

My DVD Grand Canyon Episode "Cut Squares" Theory

Paramount could have had the squares in there on the first run, prime time and thought, "Wait, we have an episode, in a fact a three-parter that ends on a cliff-hanger." Should that "happy musical interlude be included in the end on a cliff-hanger episode where more is to come? Perhaps they went to Sherwood or Lloyd and said, "Let's cut the squares out of the three-part Grand Canyon because they break up the continunity of the story too much. The Schwartz's and Paramount could have come to an agreement and done exactly that. This still doesn't explain why not put the squares back in for part 3? But this could have been an oversight and once the master tapes are changed, the ONLY way you can restore cut footage is to use the 16mm back up prints, which every show has in case the original gets damaged.

It could also be that the decision to cut the squares out of the Grand Canyon epiusodes was made sometime between Auguest of 1974 and the first syndication cycle. The show ended in March of 1974, with lets say at least one run through in the summer of that same year for the episodes to be repeated. During this time, the show was run on ABC completely uncut. Let's say that syndication deals were completed by October of 1974 (Hypothetical) But Paramount didn't make the decision to cut the squares from the episodes until January of 1975. This could explain why some remember seeing the squares in the original run and why SOME syndication prints still include them.

What this means is that the only way that they can remaster the DVD to get the squares back is to use the back up 16mm grainy prints. The back up prints may look too crummy to be reinserted and would look so different quality wise from the rest of the fill in squares on the other episodes that Paramount said, we should leave them off.

That's my theory. I can't see any other reason why the squares would be cut.

Jack

 

[ScottR]

Maybe the squares were cut for the rebroadcasts on the network in the summer of 1972? If people have been seeing them in recent years, then I don't know why they couldn't be restored. Also, what are the chances that backup prints for all three were damaged? Also, maybe they were added for the Summer 1972 rebroadcasts. If some are saying they saw them in the network version, maybe it was during a second showing...Or.....for syndication, since the three episodes were seen over the course of three days and not three weeks.

 

[Jack Platt]

Good point Scott!

I never thought of that. Could they have syndicated the earlier seasons before the run of the series was complete the first time? You know what I wish someone had? A Paramount or Columbia House Commercial Version video tape of The Grand Canyon Episodes for comparision. I think that there were two versions on VHS released:

One was Paramount's own and had 2 VHS episodes (mixed from selected seasons) and the other one was Columbia House and it had 3 VHS episodes. (mixed from selected episodes) To my knowledge, there is/was no VHS Commercially produced Brady Bunch Grand Canyon Epiosdes that were produced. Therefore, our sources will be coming from mixed bags.

Let us know if you here anything from Paramount concerning this matter. I will also scount other Brady Bunch boards for more details on this issue. I will say this. I will have Season 3 by next month and have a feeling that the Hawaii episodes from Season 4 WILL have the same edit situations.

Jack

 

[ScottR]

Yeah, but I'm not talking syndication....maybe when they were rerun by ABC in the Summer of '72 they had the boxes...a network presentation, not syndication. Therefore, the footage was added back. It just makes no sense whatsoever that people would see the boxes in reruns years later if they were cut after their initial broadcasts...it would be the other way around.

 

[JohnMor]

The last time I saw the boxes on those episodes was in 1977-1978 when I was recording them on audio tape, then in the very early 1982 when I videotaped them. So while that's not as early as the 1972 re-broadcast, it is still QUITE a while ago. Since I haven't watched them in syndication since I had taped them, I can't pinpoint the exact year they came off. But I have no doubt that there has to be some 16mm's around that still have the footage on there. Although I certainly don't expect Paramount to hunt them down. I know this series won't be approached the same way they do I Love Lucy, and that's okay. Especially given the accelerated release schedule for this series.

 

[Brian Himes]

I understand how some folks feel about the missing squares on the Grand Canyon episodes for the 3rd Season DVD set. While I think that it's a reason for concern, for me this is a minor issue. After all of the work that Paramount has done to restore the series to its original broacast versions, I can't be more pleased with my Brady Bunch DVDs. I did miss the 'Brady Bunch in color' bumpers at the beginning of the episodes on the 3rd season set, having the main body of the shows complete and uncut is the most important to me. This is not to put anyone down who feels the missing squares should be on the Grand Canyon episodes. They should be on there, but as I stated this is a minor issue for me. I'm very greatful for all of the work that Paramount has done and will continue to do, with this series on DVD.

 

[Jack Platt]

I agree Brian!

In addition to the fact that the new seasons are coming out on average of every 2 months! (Unheard of in other company circles.)

Oh BTW, the "In Color" bumpers were dropped during the show's initial run after season 2.

Jack

 

[Brian Himes]

Thanks Jack. I was thinking the same thing, but I wasn't sure. What made me think they were dropped was the fact that by 1971-72 all TV shows had converted to color and there was no need to announce the fact that the show was 'In Color' anymore. Also, at that time the prices for color TVs had dropped considerably since 1966 so most people owned a color TV then so it was redundant to announce that a show was in color.

 

[Jack Platt]

Guys,

BTW, did anyone hear anything (Phone, e-mail, snail mail) from Paramount with regards to an "offical explanation" as to the filler squares missing in the Grand Canyon episodes?

Thanks!

Jack

PS Oh, one small correction: I said above that the "In Color" bumpers were dropped after the initial run. This is not exactly true. They did survive the first syndication cycle around late 1974-early 1975. I believe that they were dropped by the early 80's. (late 70's possibly)