Could The Defenders Be Released on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Darby67]

Has anyone checked out this very funny Defenders/Nurses blooper reel? E.G. Marshall was a hilarious and profane guy behind the scenes...there's some minor nudity here as well, so be forwarned... and a "suggestive" birthday cake ...Shirl Conway, Zina Bethune and Ed Binns are seen in bloopers from The Nurses...these clips are in very good shape... featuring Keenan Wynn, Robert Webber, Larry Gates, Ralph Meeker, James Coburn among others, from later seasons of The Defenders...Jack Klugman does a rather aggressive shoe fitting for a lady, ha, ha...Robert Reed has issues with the elevator door...these clips were certainly sourced from someone behind the cameras at Plautus...references to director Stuart Rosenberg and producer Herbert Brodkin are heard in sarcastic asides from the rapier wit of E.G. Marshall...not sure what Liz Taylor had to do with all this...an inside joke...?

I want more Defenders please!

"These Guinnies sure know how to cook" ha, ha...
"No second sticks!"
"He's a friend of Kenny Utz"

Sean, I continue to admire your efforts to promote The Defenders...

Randall,

Thank you for posting the bloopers clip (they are quite funny) and thank you for your kind words of encouragement.

 

[Darby67]

A short blurb about the Season One release from Floyd County Times: http://floydcountytimes.com/features/lifestyle/6295/rental-central-52

It is still receiving great reviews on Amazon. If anyone has any insight on how sales are going, please let us know.

 

[Doug Wallen]

A short blurb about the Season One release from Floyd County Times: http://floydcountytimes.com/features/lifestyle/6295/rental-central-52

It is still receiving great reviews on Amazon. If anyone has any insight on how sales are going, please let us know.

On a different note, when I saw mention of the Floyd County Times, I thought, "No it couldn't be." I read the article and was surprised to see it was. My father grew up in Floyd County, Ky. Same paper that I used to read when I would visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Thanks for finding the article and giving me another reason to go back in time.

 

[Flashgear]

Thanks for posting that link, Sean...and your continued effort to promote The Defenders...it goes without saying, but I will say it anyways, I hope sales of season 1 tally to Shout's target so we can have the release of seasons 2, 3 and 4...I have had some communication on FB with Mark Topaz (who produced the video interviews with Larry Cohen and Bob Markell) and he told me his work on those extras was "a Labor of Love"...as was his behind the scenes advocacy of it's dvd release...I guess we will all have to make any further release of The Defenders our own labor of Love...

 

[Darby67]

On a different note, when I saw mention of the Floyd County Times, I thought, "No it couldn't be." I read the article and was surprised to see it was. My father grew up in Floyd County, Ky. Same paper that I used to read when I would visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Thanks for finding the article and giving me another reason to go back in time.

You are most welcome, Doug.

Shout actually quotes from the Floyd County Times blurb and The Classic TV History Blog on their web page for The Defenders Season One release: https://www.shoutfactory.com/tv/drama/the-defenders-season-one

 

[Darby67]

Thanks for posting that link, Sean...and your continued effort to promote The Defenders...it goes without saying, but I will say it anyways, I hope sales of season 1 tally to Shout's target so we can have the release of seasons 2, 3 and 4...I have had some communication on FB with Mark Topaz (who produced the video interviews with Larry Cohen and Bob Markell) and he told me his work on those extras was "a Labor of Love"...as was his behind the scenes advocacy of it's dvd release...I guess we will all have to make any further release of The Defenders our own labor of Love...

You're welcome, Randall. I have been trying to find a way to contact Mark Topaz to thank you for his efforts to get The Defenders released on DVD.

 

[jim_falconer]

I recently (like within the last month) purchased the first 4 seasons of Mad Men. I remember someone on this thread mentioning the Mad Men show which revolved around "The Benefactor". It was really a good show. Basically gives us an understanding of why the advertisers of the day were not going to touch a show, with abortion as a main topic. Make's me want to revisit that particular show once again.

 

[Darby67]

Vox.com has a plug for The Defenders Season One on its "gift guide for pop culture nerds" page (scroll down to the bottom): http://www.vox.com/2016/11/21/13527098/gift-ideas-pop-culture-nerds

Wxyz.com lists The Defenders at #3 in the "Top Ten Legal Series on Television": http://www.wxyz.com/brand-spotlight...l-series-on-television-law-offices-of-joumana

And, for good measure, a New York Times article that mentions how Mad Men incorporated The Defenders into their season 2 episode "The Benefactor": http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/03/arts/television/mad-men-season-7-timeline.html?_r=0

 

[Darby67]

Classic Film and TV Cafe recently (11/17/16) posted their pick of the five best episodes of The Defenders: Season One: http://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2016/11/five-best-episodes-defenders-tv-series.html

The same website also lists The Defenders: Season One at #2 on its "Gift Ideas for the Classic Film & TV Fan": http://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2016/11/gift-ideas-for-classic-film-tv-fan.html

Here is its review of Studio One's The Defender: http://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2012/09/studio-ones-defender-examines-drama.html

 

[Doug Wallen]

Thanks for posting the links, Sean. I appreciate reading all the accolades this show received/receives.

 

[Flashgear]

I see that Fritz Weaver, who starred in season one's "The Riot", has just passed away at age 90...so many credits, of course...a few that come to mind are the Twilight Zone season 2 episode "The Obsolete Man"...the COMBAT season 5 episode "The Chapel at Able-5"...the 1978 miniseries HOLOCAUST and the 1989 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV Movie "My Name is Bill W." with James Garner and James Woods...truly a television milestone...

He was also in a 1963 episode of THE DEFENDERS "The Traitor"...of which a few fuzzy multi gen video dupes are on Youtube...sure hope we get that episode and the rest of the series run on dvd from Shout or CBS MOD...

I recently also saw him in the GUNSMOKE color season 12 episode "Old Friend"...another memorable performance...rest in peace Fritz Weaver...

 

[Darby67]

Thanks for posting the links, Sean. I appreciate reading all the accolades this show received/receives.

You're welcome, Doug.

Just trying to keep the candle burning

 

[Flashgear]

Sean,

I want to second what Doug said...I appreciate your continued promotion of further releases of The Defenders...

Now, if we could just multiply your efforts by about a thousand, we might get somewhere sooner...

Hmnn...considering your Avatar, if we did multiply yourself by a thousand, would that mean a thousand manic leprecauns? Or perhaps, a thousand Darby O'Gill's to control them? There will be beer...and whisky...

Either way, ha, ha...

 

[Darby67]

Sean,

I want to second what Doug said...I appreciate your continued promotion of further releases of The Defenders...

Now, if we could just multiply your efforts by about a thousand, we might get somewhere sooner...

Hmnn...considering your Avatar, if we did multiply yourself by a thousand, would that mean a thousand manic leprecauns? Or perhaps, a thousand Darby O'Gill's to control them? There will be beer...and whisky...

Either way, ha, ha...

Randall:

Thank you for your kind words. I honestly wish I had better contacts within the industry and the leverage to make things happen, but, alas, I'm just a poor solitary soul who simply loves The Defenders.

I'm sure we all know what three wishes Darby would ask King Brian of Knocknasheega to fulfill: seasons 2, 3, and 4 of the The Defenders! Thank god there were only four seasons as a fourth wish for a fifth season would invalidate all the previous wishes.

And now I'm off to have a jar of Poitin (Potcheen) and watch the Cóiste Bodhar pass by.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Way off topic but I just want to say the Darby O'Gill is one of my favorite films. Sure wish it was on bluray.

 

[Darby67]

Way off topic but i just want to say the Darby O'Gill is one of my favorite films. Sure wish it was on bluray.

Doug:

I completely agree; Darby O'Gill and the the Little People is one of my absolute favorites and is at the top of my comfort viewing list.

I thought there was a season four episode of The Defenders where Preston and Preston defended the Banshee against attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to kill Katie O'Gill; their defense centered on the Banshee's diminished mental capacity and emotional disassociation due to the cumulative effects of a lifetime of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[Darby67]

J.Hoberman mentions The Defenders: Season One in a New York Times article from 9/30/16 (scroll down towards the bottom): http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/movies/wild-in-the-streets.html?_r=0

 

[Darby67]

We have been talking about The Defenders in the "Crystal Ball Time Once Again" forum so I figured I would repost over to keep everyone up to date. According to Neil Brock, the prospects for future releases of the remaining seasons looks bleak at the moment since sales for season one have apparently not reached the level that Shout needs to continue releasing seasons of the show, which is disappointing. I'm not sure if Shout takes a long view on meeting sales targets or not, but this news is certainly disheartening.


After hearing the news from Neil, I sent to the following email to Professor Michael R. Asimow who wrote Lawyers in Your Living Room!: Law on Television:


“Professor Asimow:

My name is Sean William Doyle and, even though I was born two years after the show left the air, I am a passionate fan of The Defenders, the groundbreaking and Emmy Award-winning legal drama starring E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed that ran on CBS for 4 seasons from 1961-1965. I have long been an advocate for a home media release of the show and was overjoyed when Shout Factory released The Defenders: Season One on DVD on July 12, 2016. Since the show did not have pre-existing transfers as it has been rarely seen in syndication since it was cancelled, Shout Factory is paying for the transfers as part of their deal with CBS which consequently means their sales target to justify releases of the remaining three seasons is significantly higher than for other television shows released on DVD that already had existing transfers.

Even though Season One has glowing reviews on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Defenders-Season-1-G-Marshall/dp/B01DX0ND2K) and the release did have some media coverage in the Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-defenders-come-to-dvd-20160826-snap-story.html), Wall Street Journal (http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-defenders-was-a-golden-exception-to-tvs-vast-wasteland-1473285041), and Newsday (http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/why-quality-tv-comes-from-new-york-not-hollywood-1.12058054), unfortunately sales have not yet been strong enough for Shout Factory to consider releasing more seasons. Therefore, I am on a campaign to get the word out about the Season One release in order to increase sales. I have been reaching out to media outlets, DVD/Blu-ray review websites, and legal associations and publications to make them aware of the release.

Since The Defenders features prominently in your book, Lawyers in Your Living Room!: Law on Television, I am reaching out to you for your assistance and counsel. I am fully aware that you are practicing attorney and legal scholar, so I apologize in advance if my request seems trivial. I understand that Shout Factory is a business and not a charity, however I strongly feel that the entire run of such a thought-provoking and socially relevant television series should not linger in the vaults and instead should be available not only for fans from when it was originally broadcast but for new generations of viewers as well. If there is any way you can help spread the word about the Season One release or if you have advice on who I should contact to promote the release, I would be much obliged. I know you are very busy and I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this email. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,

Sean William Doyle”


And, lo and behold, I actually received a response back from Professor Asimow today! He will be using The Defenders: Season One in one of courses this winter at Stanford and has offered to do all he can to help to promote the show. He even posted a review on Amazon today. I have also invited him to join us on this forum.

 

[Ian K McLachlan]

While we would like to see The Defenders continue is there a chance that Shout might release season 2 in 2 half sets rather than in one full set. I thought that the price that was asked for the first season set was much cheaper than I had expected it would be. The trouble is that if half sets are priced slightly cheaper than a full set it might put people off , except for those so impressed with season 1 that they would like to see the series continuing to be released. After all it would be better than no release at all.

 

[Neil Brock]

Season 2, Episode 1: Voices of Death

An interesting episode, although one which definitely is not even-handed in its negative view towards the death penalty. Ruth Roman plays a woman who shoots her alcoholic and abusive husband to death. The opening scene doesn't show the killing but you just hear the fight leading up to it while seeing the many people who are within earshot of the argument. One of them is Dustin Hoffman in only his second credited on-screen role. The majority of the episode takes place in the courtroom where Roman is charged with first degree murder carrying a death sentence. The D.A. offers murder two if she will plead guilty but she refuses. What is unique in the episode is that by way of voiceovers, you get inside the heads of both Prestons, the D.A., played by J.D. Cannon and the presiding judge. There really isn't a two-sided argument as even the judge and prosecutor are portrayed as being opposed to what penalty the sentence brings. Roman's character is shown to be unlikable which no doubt plays a part in her ultimate conviction.

Starting towards the end of season one, almost every episode through the end of the run, takes on a controversial subject matter. Second season is when the show really takes off and becomes the classic that it was.

An interesting side note. The prosecutor is played by JD Cannon, most famous for playing the coward Lloyd Chandler, who witnessed Helen Kimble's murder in The Fugitive and one of the jurors was Louise Latham, who played his wife Betsy in The Judgment Part 2.