Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (4 Viewers)

[LouA]

In the interest of fairness, I should note that the WBA has released and will be releasing several b/w sets this year. We've got Dr. Kildare, Cheyenne, Maverick, Sugarfoot and Bronco. Hopefully we'll see some other releases that I'd be more inclined to purchase. Things like The Dakotas, Colt '45, 77 Sunset Strip or something from MGM like The Islanders or even National Velvet (if they have the rights to them).

It'd also be nice to see either or both of Timeless and TGG give us another run of b/w series that haven't aired in some time. But I'm not optimistic on that front, unfortunately. The only thing I'm holding out hope for is The Rebel from Timeless. A friend of mine has taken it upon himself to work some special magic that pretty much never fails to get a series headed our way. I can't divulge his secret, but trust me - his track record is uncanny.


Gary "keeping my fingers crossed for a strong second half of 2014 in the b/w releases scene" O.

Has BRONCO been announced?

 

[Randy Korstick]

Right Now Bronco is an Exclusive to ImportCDs and DVDPlanet just as Sugarfoot Season 1 was last summer. Its available in late July. It will most likely be available on the WA site 2-3 months after that.

 

[Gary OS]

Right Now Bronco is an Exclusive to ImportCDs and DVDPlanet just as Sugarfoot Season 1 was last summer. Its available in late July. It will most likely be available on the WA site 2-3 months after that.

Thanks, Randy. I knew I had heard about it somewhere but just couldn't remember the details.


Gary "glad to know The Dakotas is coming for sure down the road" O.

 

[smithbrad]

Right Now Bronco is an Exclusive to ImportCDs and DVDPlanet just as Sugarfoot Season 1 was last summer. Its available in late July. It will most likely be available on the WA site 2-3 months after that.

Unfortunately, it is possible things have changed a bit. Neither ImportCDs or DVDPlanet has it listed anymore. And while DeepDiscount does list it, it has no defined release date (unless 12/31/2025 is a release date). Maybe it was delayed, maybe WB is going to release in-house first, or maybe the vendors just jumped the gun and posted it too soon for WB.

 

[LouA]

Unfortunately, it is possible things have changed a bit. Neither ImportCDs or DVDPlanet has it listed anymore. And while DeepDiscount does list it, it has no defined release date (unless 12/31/2025 is a release date). Maybe it was delayed, maybe WB is going to release in-house first, or maybe the vendors just jumped the gun and posted it too soon for WB.

I went to Import Cd looking to order it - I was wondering if they would have a Ty Hardin autograph like they did with Sugarfoot Season 2, but couldn't find it there at all. I'd guess WBA will carry this exclusively for a while . This is a show I'm really looking forward to -haven't seen much of it in years.

 

[Professor Echo]

In a recent correspondence with Timeless regarding a possible defective disc in their TOMBSTONE TERRITORY set (which ultimately turned out to my player and not the software), I inquired about THE REBEL and the very nice rep told me they are actively searching for acceptable quality episodes in order to release the complete series. And I will add that writing them again and getting such prompt, polite responses proves to me that they are not fully under Shout's heel yet.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I just noticed that it is no longer listed as well. Any of your answers are possibilities. My guess is they just posted it too soon or the masters weren't quite ready yet. It looks like they plan to continue to give these sites some exclusives with a short window before it appears on the WA site.

Unfortunately, it is possible things have changed a bit. Neither ImportCDs or DVDPlanet has it listed anymore. And while DeepDiscount does list it, it has no defined release date (unless 12/31/2025 is a release date). Maybe it was delayed, maybe WB is going to release in-house first, or maybe the vendors just jumped the gun and posted it too soon for WB.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Bronco: Season 1 is back up for Pre-Order at ImportCDs and DVDPlanet so I'm guessing they originally put it up before WA wanted them to. It doesn't have a real release date currently but one can assume that the original date of July 29th is still correct. This will most likely appear on the WA site 2-3 months later after the exclusive window just as Sugarfoot did.

 

[smithbrad]

I wouldn't mind still seeing it released by WB exclusively first with the previously mentioned July release just the official release from everyone else. WB has a way of pushing things out with little fanfare and notice. Not saying it will, but it still could.

 

[oldtvshowbuff]

State Trooper fans, take notice. Separate sets of S1 and S2-3 were released a few years back. Now, a repackaged collection of all three seasons will be released by Timeless with a bonus disc with Rod Cameron guest starring on four different western series, Tales of Wells Fargo, Laramie, Men From Shiloh, and Alias Smith and Jones. I won't need to double dip though, but I'll need to get Men From Shiloh to get a Rod Cameron episode.

 

[LouA]

State Trooper fans, take notice. Separate sets of S1 and S2-3 were released a few years back. Now, a repackaged collection of all three seasons will be released by Timeless with a bonus disc with Rod Cameron guest starring on four different western series, Tales of Wells Fargo, Laramie, Men From Shiloh, and Alias Smith and Jones. I won't need to double dip though, but I'll need to get Men From Shiloh to get a Rod Cameron episode.

Interesting how a company like Timeless can make more money re-releasing shows like State Trooper, than they can by licensing other old B &W shows like the ZIV shows. Shows like Riverboat , Reastless Gun, Whispering Smith , Will Sonnett , get multiple releases, while other old shows like The Peoples Choice , Adventures In Paradise, Waterfront never get a release.

 

[Gary OS]

Interesting how a company like Timeless can make more money re-releasing shows like State Trooper, than they can by licensing other old B &W shows like the ZIV shows. Shows like Riverboat , Reastless Gun, Whispering Smith , Will Sonnett , get multiple releases, while other old shows like The Peoples Choice , Adventures In Paradise, Waterfront never get a release.

I think these re-releases are a direct result of the Shout takeover. It's really sad, to say the least.


Gary "still hoping for The Rebel, but that hope dwindles just a little bit with each passing day" O.

 

[HenryDuBrow]

Maybe it's in vain, but I still wish Timeless would revisit The Texan, and correct the lighting on all those brighter episodes and perhaps in the process find some missing episodes to include. That would make an awesome well worth it re-release, ala The Restless Gun.

 

[Silverking]

They have just re-released 'The Texan', whether or not they have adjusted the lighting I can't say, though I doubt it.

They have put it out as 'The Complete Series' - however it is the same as the earlier release & no new episodes are included.
Bit of a fraud really.

 

[Gary OS]

They have just re-released 'The Texan', whether or not they have adjusted the lighting I can't say, though I doubt it.

They have put it out as 'The Complete Series' - however it is the same as the earlier release & no new episodes are included.
Bit of a fraud really.

Of course, we know who is calling the shots now (as opposed to several years ago).


Gary "the takeover has really diminished the output from Timeless over the last year or so" O.

 

[Jack P]

The only thing more pointless in re-issuing stuff they did before when the packaging savings isn't going to amount to much, is when they reissue a title already released twice before by another company ("I Spy").

I admit I'm a bit antsy that with Four Star titles no longer on the inaccessible list that neither Timeless nor VCI is taking a chance on getting "Burke's Law" restarted which remains my #1 grail B/W title now, which encompasses suspended and unreleased shows.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I still wish they would reissue season 3 and 4 of Laramie since those were done before they had access to Universal copies and were from private collections and most them syndicated prints.

 

[Professor Echo]

M SQUAD and CHECKMATE deserve much better releases than what they got. It's great that they got released at all and both are watchable, though sometimes only by a weak margin. These are two excellent shows that hold up very well all these years later and shame some of the bigger studio detective series that were being done at the same time. I would love for Timeless to go back and clean both of these releases up, securing uncut prints and with as good of transfers as A&E did with another Revue series, MIKE HAMMER. Unfortunately, it won't happen.

 

[ChrisALM]

Yes - Timeless has really slowed down. What a shame! And TGG Direct seems to have stopped releasing the ZIV stuff. With those two pretty much out of the picture, we really need another company to take up the slack. There are still many B/W shows out there that I would be happy to purchase. The Life of Riley with William Bendix is one I really would like to have.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

State Trooper fans, take notice. Separate sets of S1 and S2-3 were released a few years back. Now, a repackaged collection of all three seasons will be released by Timeless with a bonus disc with Rod Cameron guest starring on four different western series, Tales of Wells Fargo, Laramie, Men From Shiloh, and Alias Smith and Jones. I won't need to double dip though, but I'll need to get Men From Shiloh to get a Rod Cameron episode.

Nice of them to add the bonus disc of shows, but I'm satisfied with the individual releases so I won't double dip either. I'd have been happier if the news had been that they were going to release City Detective. With State Trooper and Coronado 9 already out, this would have completed the trilogy of Rod Cameron series from that era.