Gunsmoke: Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[jdee28]

The transfers in the set are grainy. Not as grainy as Untouchables Season 2, but still. Rawhide Season 3 is a bit grainy as well; not as grainy as Gunsmoke though.

Apparently, only Perry Mason gets the Perry Mason treatment from CBS/Paramount; stellar transfers with grain levels reduced. Season 3 Perry Mason looks flawless! Unfortunately for the other B&W drama shows they release, grain reduction is something they don't do as much of.

It would be nice to see them treat all their B&W shows with the same care!!

 

[Justin Boggan]

The majority of the remaining original fanbase will be long dead by the time they are done releasing the series.


I asked somewhere else if certain episodes or seasons even exist anymore and the reply I got was:

 

[Corey3rd]

A lot of times, it's not a case of grain reduction. Perry Mason wasn't shot under the same conditions of The Untouchables, Gunsmoke and Rawhide. Most of the episodes spent plenty of time in Mason's office and the courtroom. The DP wasn't having to push the film so the grain doesn't have to be so big and noticeable. You are talking about hour long dramas squeezed a lot of screen time into a short production time. So they aren't spending too much time adjusting the lights.

 

[Phyll]

Maybe they could put out two big boxsets, the Chester Years and the Festus Years or something like that. I think that is what they should do with Law and Order too. That way we don't have to wait forever. I am 45 and I will probably die before they put all of Gunsmoke out.

 

[JLKINSER]

Could you post the CBS/Paramount syndication site link?
Thanks

 

[Bob Hug]

CBS Television Distribution Syndication Bible

 

[jdee28]

I was able to speak with someone in the know of what's up at CBS/Paramount. Currently, Gunsmoke Season 3, Volume 2 is scheduled for May. However, there's currently no mention for any releases after that. If folks would like to see Gunsmoke Season 4, Volume 1 pop up in December 2009 or January 2010, then I strongly suggest picking up the May release and telling friends to. Writing might work as well.

Unfortunately, at the moment, Gunsmoke Season 3, Volume 2 will not be paired with Rawhide Season 4, Volume 1. While subject to change, there are no Rawhide releases on CBS/Paramount's schedule for the near future :frowning:

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I used to think that supporting releases aided in getting future releases on the radar, I'm not so sure about that, I think these are corporate decisions, ones that would be made whether we buy the release or not. Gunsmoke and Rawhide are two of my favorite series going right now so I rightly expect them to get discontinued.

 

[Gary OS]

LOL. Now you sound like me, Dave.

Gary "it's funny and sad at the same time" O.

 

[smithb]

Have any of these older western had a complete run on DVD (that had more then three seasons)? Any thoughts of any that will/might? I'm a big fan of Rawhide, becoming a fan of Gunsmoke and a slew of others. I just started on Big Valley tonight (only a season and a half and thats it).

It just seems like the TV western genre is not getting much respect. I'm glad to have what I can get but it sure would be nice to have more seasons of many of these.

 

[jdee28]

I think only Wanted: Dead or Alive and Wild, Wild West are the two TV Westerns with multiple seasons to see all their episodes released on DVD.

I wish Rawhide or Gunsmoke would pop up on the Encore Western Channel again; that way people could see all the episodes uncut, and with very good picture quality. (Encore Westerns did run the 1 hour B&W Gunsmokes from 2002-2005.) Until then, I'll continue to enjoy Maverick and Cheyenne, both of which are currently running on there.

 

[smithb]

I'll have to admit, I haven't watched anything on broadcast TV for some time, other then some sports. We got used to NetFlixing so many shows but I've even cancelled that do to my backlog of purchased DVDs. I like watching at my own time and pace.

Until hitting TV forums I didn't realize how many of the old shows are broadcast on cable, like Encore. I thought TVLand was the only thing going. I'm going to have to trade my cable box in for a DVR so I can start recording because typically what I would have wanted to watch wasn't on at a time available to me.

 

[jdee28]

An official announcement for the rest of Season 3, to be released May 26th:

Gunsmoke DVD news: Announcement for Gunsmoke - The 3rd Season, Volume 2 | TVShowsOnDVD.com

 

[Roy Wall]

Thanks for the Update. I eagerly await any and all releases of the John Meston era of Gunsmoke.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Pardon me crashing this thread, but I couldn't resist passing along this upstart milestone ...

'Simpsons' to Be Longest Running Series

What does it say that Seasons 1-(11?) of The Simpsons are already available and Gunsmoke is still working on Season 3? What does it say about America that Bart Simpson is now a more iconic figure than Matt Dillon? (Maybe we shouldn't ask)

Well, okay, I know what it says commercially speaking, but it does make one pause in a moment of quiet nostalgia.

But no doubt Bart will thumb his nose as he glides by on his skateboard into a 21st season.

And, come on, you know you'll laugh, too.

 

[Corey3rd]

While the Simpsons might be on TV for more seasons, Gunsmoke still has about 100 more episodes in the can. Simpsons will have to go 5 more years to match that.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

And when they reach that, the milestone will move to actual hours on prime time TV? (Gunsmoke had mostly hour episodes).

I think the 20-season mark was the big kahuna here. The fact that The Simpsons will pass that mark doesn't diminish Gunsmoke's greatness, but it's just a remarkable achievement in this day and age of television to have any kind of longevity. And it was a prime time cartoon that did it. Stranger things...

 

[smithb]

And to think I may have only seen about three episodes of the Simpsons in all those years.