Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (7 Viewers)

[Lecagr]

I've always wondered about December Bride as well. It was a popular show in it's time , and ran for a 5 seasons , and then went into syndication for quite a while . Obviously , it probably wouldn't appeal to the young generations , but what's left of the boomer bunch would probably enjoy seeing it again.
It was a Desilu show , and disappeared from TV for the mostly part during the 1970s . It has never been on home video in any form , not even VHS. Maybe it's time for the current owners of the show to dust it off and get it onto an oldies TV station like Antenna , or Me -TV.
Anyone know who owns the show at this point ?
BTW, Pete And Gladys was a "spin-off" of December Bride .

Yes, I mentioned December Bride because Pete & Gladys is a spin off of it. Seems really strange to me that December Bride hasn't had an official DVD release of any kind. I suppose it could still happen although it's getting a little late in the game now. If official DVD's aren't going to happen, running the episodes on one of the oldies channels would be an acceptable alternative.

 

[Lecagr]

Ben Casey, My 3 Sons and Our Miss Brooks were all part of the MOD program which is now in limbo. Bonanza and Gunsmoke were not and should be continued via Paramount at some point soon. Hopefully the MOD titles will find a home.

I'd like to see Ben Casey continue on DVD. I haven't ordered season 1 yet but plan to do so eventually. Maybe I shouldn't wait much longer in case it goes out of print, I imagine this could be possible considering the unknown status of the CBS MOD program.

 

[LeoA]

What's a good outlet to order these from? The mishaps with Our Miss Brooks that one or two of our members were posting about a while ago has me less than enthusiastic at buying seasons 3-5 of My Three Sons from Amazon in one big purchase.

 

[Lecagr]

Does the 2nd season of Burke's Law still have a chance to be released on DVD? I'd also be in for the half season series Amos Burke Secret Agent, I'd like to have that one too. What do others think the chances are of these being released?

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Does the 2nd season of Burke's Law still have a chance to be released on DVD? I'd also be in for the half season series Amos Burke Secret Agent, I'd like to have that one too. What do others think the chances are of these being released?

Probably not if there happens to be a pop song or two somewhere...

~Ben

 

[LouA]

It's not just black and white shows that are lacking so far in 2020. Not very many Tv shows in general .
The fact that CBS will finish Gunsmoke soon is a major cause for celebration!!

 

[Neil Brock]

December Bride is one of several long running series from the 50s which was never transferred to any tape format and fell by the wayside over the last several decades. Our Miss Brooks was in that category as well until ME-TV bought it and paid for the transfers. In order for DB to be seen again, the same thing would have to happen, It would need a network to buy it. That's what happened with a bunch of the westerns as well, like Death Valley Days, Tales of Wells Fargo, etc. If you want to see the show again, or any of the others, like The Lineup, 50s Dragnet, etc., best bet is to try lobbying a network to pick it up.

 

[Gary OS]

This is why Timeless was such a godsend for many of us. An independent owner who happened to personally love old TV westerns. His love for the genre was what gave us so many fantastic DVD sets over the past 2 decades. Without someone "on the inside", either an advocate who will go out and purchase the rights for decent prints of older shows OR a company/station willing to spend money on transfers, many of the great b&w classics will be lost to us forever.

Unfortunately, we are so quickly disconnecting from the past that I don't see much hope for revisiting most of these series in the future. There's no incentive with the younger crowd who are now in charge and no market as those of us who'd purchase such things die off. To say things look dire is a severe understatement.


Gary "and that's your encouraging, uplifting post of the day" O.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

This is why Timeless was such a godsend for many of us. An independent owner who happened to personally love old TV westerns. His love for the genre was what gave us so many fantastic DVD sets over the past 2 decades. Without someone "on the inside", either an advocate who will go out and purchase the rights for decent prints of older shows OR a company/station willing to spend money on transfers, many of the great b&w classics will be lost to us forever.

Unfortunately, we are so quickly disconnecting from the past that I don't see much hope for revisiting most of these series in the future. There's no incentive with the younger crowd who are now in charge and no market as those of us who'd purchase such things die off. To say things look dire is a severe understatement.


Gary "and that's your encouraging, uplifting post of the day" O.

This is why you all really should lament the fact that I personally didn't win that half-billion-dollar lottery jackpot from a year-and-a-half ago. While I can't say with certainty that I'd try to start my own home video company, I'd seriously attempt to pursue potential avenues to personally fund restoration, digital transfer and legal clearances for some choice series (starting with T.H.E. Cat (yeah, a color show, I know), 1950s Dragnet, Suspicion, Panic, Bus Stop and M Squad), if such a thing is possible with properties largely owned by multinational corporations.

 

[Neil Brock]

This is why you all really should lament the fact that I personally didn't win that half-billion-dollar lottery jackpot from a year-and-a-half ago. While I can't say with certainty that I'd try to start my own home video company, I'd seriously attempt to pursue potential avenues to personally fund restoration, digital transfer and legal clearances for some choice series (starting with T.H.E. Cat (yeah, a color show, I know), 1950s Dragnet, Suspicion, Panic, Bus Stop and M Squad), if such a thing is possible with properties largely owned by multinational corporations.

Better luck this year!

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Better luck this year!

We could use some!

 

[bmasters9]

Unfortunately, we are so quickly disconnecting from the past that I don't see much hope for revisiting most of these series in the future. There's no incentive with the younger crowd who are now in charge and no market as those of us who'd purchase such things die off. To say things look dire is a severe understatement.

In other words, the video companies/studios are run now by those who favor what's on now much more than what was on then-- is that it?

 

[Gary OS]

In other words, the video companies/studios are run now by those who favor what's on now much more than what was on then-- is that it?

Yes, but it’s all about the greenbacks. Current or recent TV is far more well known with the buying market than older fare, which has a diminishing market. So those in charge go for both what they personally know, and what they believe will sell best. And the answer to both is modern TV, not vintage TV. And certainly not black-and-white TV shows.

Gary “a sad reality to be sure” O.

 

[bmasters9]

So those in charge go for both what they personally know, and what they believe will sell best. And the answer to both is modern TV, not vintage TV. And certainly not black-and-white TV shows.

Or even color classics, like Barney Miller or The Streets of San Francisco.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

I hope this will not mean there won't be anymore B&W TV shows on DVD ever again.

~Ben

 

[Gary OS]

I hope this will not mean there won't be anymore B&W TV shows on DVD ever again.

~Ben

Yep. That’s what it means. There will never, ever, ever be one more release of a b&w TV series, from any studio or media company that exists now or will ever exist. Guaranteed.


Gary “obviously that’s a joke” O.

 

[John Karras]

Maybe the next thing to be all-the-rage will be studios releasing current shows in b/w as part of a "retro madness" initiative

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Yep. That’s what it means. There will never, ever, ever be one more release of a b&w TV series, from any studio or media company that exists now or will ever exist. Guaranteed.


Gary “obviously that’s a joke” O.

I wonder if that means any of those shows not digitally remastered will be purposefully destroyed or are simply blocked from release??? I hope not!

~Ben

 

[Harry-N]

CBS AllAccess streaming version of its new TWILIGHT ZONE is available to stream in black & white or color.

 

[Matt Hough]

CBS AllAccess streaming version of its new TWILIGHT ZONE is available to stream in black & white or color.

If I remember correctly, the Blu-ray of the set also allows for that choice. The DVD (which I reviewed) only offers the color transfers.