Is the b&w era of TV on DVD slowly coming to an end? (9 Viewers)

[benbess]

A few days ago I had a more tiring day than usual at work. At home, on a whim, I watched a black and white episode of the Andy Griffith Show on Netflix. It's in hd and looks startlingly good, like you're in the same room with them almost. And the show was surprisingly good and funny too. Opie had lost a race and was mad and sad about it, and Andy was teaching him about being a good loser. Then Barney did some funny stuff. It was a good episode from the 2nd season.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

As for me, IT'S ABOUT TIME isn't that bad, I found out the later épisodes are dull because it was kinda like The Beverly Hillbillies (adaptation to a modern setting). I prefer the early épisodes with the prehistorical setting. MY MOTHER THE CAR is another sitcom that isn't bad as far as I'm concerned.

I always heard terrible reviews about My Living Doll. It's in a book called, The Worst TV Shows Ever (as is My Mother, the Car), but I found the show to be funny and imaginative, plus Julie Newmar was a knockout and easy on the eyes!

 

[Silverking]

I wonder if we are now entering the winter of releases for the old b/w shows. Things seem to be fairly dry lately for announcements & as has been pointed out in this thread, a lot of the material has already been mined.If Shout, by their own admission, are moving away from these releases it may impact Timeless. I note Timeless are putting out several volumes of old 'B' Sci-Fi-Horror movies & matbe they feel its time for a change of direction. CBS have put out most of their big hitters, TGG haven't followed up their ZIV releases & the other outlets have never really put out too much.It leaves only Warners & they have plenty of fish to fry in other directions so the issue of their old B/W catalogue is painfully slow.We've had a good run so I'm not complaining but I think the future will be a lot bleaker for the old series.

 

[Gary OS]

I wonder if we are now entering the winter of releases for the old b/w shows. Things seem to be fairly dry lately for announcements & as has been pointed out in this thread, a lot of the material has already been mined.If Shout, by their own admission, are moving away from these releases it may impact Timeless. I note Timeless are putting out several volumes of old 'B' Sci-Fi-Horror movies & matbe they feel its time for a change of direction. CBS have put out most of their big hitters, TGG haven't followed up their ZIV releases & the other outlets have never really put out too much.It leaves only Warners & they have plenty of fish to fry in other directions so the issue of their old B/W catalogue is painfully slow.We've had a good run so I'm not complaining but I think the future will be a lot bleaker for the old series.

B-I-N-G-O, Chris. I see it the same way. Hope we are both wrong.


Gary "guess I'm just a pessimist by nature" O.

 

[JoeDoakes]

So much has come out in the past year alone, I think it's pointless to worry/complain about the future. At some point, I think we'll finally see the big dam break (hopefully) -- and by that I mean that CBS will either find a way to offer its huge catalog to the public or will start to do some licensing.

 

[Professor Echo]

Warners has taken the first major studio leap into streaming besides the failed Disney attempt awhile back, and with their marketing expertise, I have no doubt it will gradually, eventually succeed. They turned the MOD paradigm into a success against all odds, so I have a feeling that once Warners sets their focus on something, they achieve it, for better or worse. It seems that even their Archive MOD releases have diminished since the channel started and I expect this to continue. They are investing their future on streaming and, like it or not, that's where most vintage series will end up as the offerings and prices increase.

Look for other studios to either start their own streaming channels or join the Warners one. Shout already has an ON DEMAND relationship with Dish Network, possibly others, so they can also start their own streaming service if their licenses warrant. Producer-Director Roger Corman has started his own streaming channel via YouTube and this trend will continue as the technology shifts.

I predicted all this on HTF about three years ago, but I am not happy to see my prediction coming true. If you want physical media, buy it now before it becomes such a boutique item that you can no longer afford it.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I still see streaming as a replacement to the DVD Rental Market and not for collectors. I think they are 2 very distinct markets and they always have been going back to when VHS was for renters and Laserdisc was for collectors. I see streaming continuing to dimish DVD/Blu-Ray releases to an extent but not ending them. The majority of collectors still want physical media and will not fully embrace streaming. If collectors are holding money out studios will continue to take it. I believe this is the main reason DVD is still going despite being read its last rites back when Blu-Ray came out in 2006 and the streaming market followed shortly after.

 

[Rob_Ray]

If Warners switches to streaming only, they will be the losers in my house. Oh sure, I would probably pay the $10 per month fee they charge if that's all that becomes available, but right now, I'm spending closer to $50 every other week for Archive DVDs.

 

[LouA]

I always heard terrible reviews about My Living Doll. It's in a book called, The Worst TV Shows Ever (as is My Mother, the Car), but I found the show to be funny and imaginative, plus Julie Newmar was a knockout and easy on the eyes!

I agree and same goes for It's About Time

 

[LouA]

I wonder if we are now entering the winter of releases for the old b/w shows. Things seem to be fairly dry lately for announcements & as has been pointed out in this thread, a lot of the material has already been mined.If Shout, by their own admission, are moving away from these releases it may impact Timeless. I note Timeless are putting out several volumes of old 'B' Sci-Fi-Horror movies & matbe they feel its time for a change of direction. CBS have put out most of their big hitters, TGG haven't followed up their ZIV releases & the other outlets have never really put out too much.It leaves only Warners & they have plenty of fish to fry in other directions so the issue of their old B/W catalogue is painfully slow.We've had a good run so I'm not complaining but I think the future will be a lot bleaker for the old series.

TGG just released Ripcord, so we may see more ZIV releases from them.

 

[BobO'Link]

When talking about "bad" old TV shows like It's About Time, My Living Doll, My Mother the Car, and others you really need to look at what the opposition was during the season(s) the show aired. In many cases there was so much "higher quality" programs that titles which otherwise might have made the "Good" grade look very sub-par at that time.

For example: the 64/65 season which saw My Living Doll airing was chock full of high quality fare. My Living Doll was unfortunate enough to be scheduled opposite Bonanza. That pretty much was a death slot. Other programs that season were Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., TAGS, Combat, Peyton Place, Ozzie & Harriet, The Beverly Hillbillies, Dick Van Dyke, The Munsters, Donna Reed Show, Perry Mason, Bewitched, My Three Sons, The Addams Family, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., The Outer Limits, Gilligan's Island, My Favorite Martian, Lassie, The Virginian, The Fugitive, Dr. Kildare, Hazel, and others. About half of that list is of shows that started during that season. I'd say it was pretty stiff competition.

The 65/66 season which saw My Mother the Car is similarly full of programs which make many other programs look "bad" when they might have survived in lesser seasons. My Mother the Car opened against both Rawhide and Combat. Other new shows that season were The Wild Wild West, Hogan's Heroes, Batman, The Smother's Brothers Show, Lost in Space, I Dream of Jeannie, Get Smart, The Big Valley, and Honey West. That's not even mentioning that many of the programs I listed for the 64/65 season were returning. WOW! Those 2 years were *very* good years for TV viewers! I still remember not being able to decide just what I wanted to watch on many nights. It was *that* good!

*EDIT* to fix typo and get correct season info...

Even poor old It's About Time was *still* up against many of those powerhouse programs in the 66/67 season. It, like several of the first run series that season, just couldn't hold a candle to those still running classics and handful of new high quality fare so became "one season wonders". One season wonders include T.H.E. Cat, The Time Tunnel, Green Hornet, and Space Ghost. New series that season include: Family Affair, Mission Impossible, The Monkees, The Rat Patrol, Star Trek, and That Girl for another season of difficult to make viewing choices.

The 67/68 series I originally listed is not really applicable to the 3 titles above but still a viable comparison. Some one season shows from 66/67 that were not so bad: The Mother's In Law, Good Morning World, Custer, and The Second Hundred Years come to mind. But here are a few of the other new series that season: Laugh In, The Carol Burnett Show, Ironside, It Takes a Thief, and The Prisoner. Yep... yet another season full of difficult choices on many evenings.

Anyone notice that's 4 really *great* years of TV in a row? That's coming off another 5-8 years of *really* good TV seasons. How often do you get years like those today?

Considering what's currently offered by most of the networks I'd say those 3 in particular could hold their own in today's market...

Bad is relative...

 

[Professor Echo]

Bob, you mean 66/67 for the season with IT'S about time and the others, not 67/68. Typo.

 

[maskedmala]

Bob, really good analysis. I'll take these three: My Living Doll, My Mother the Car and It's About Time to add to my collection for sure

 

[Joe Lugoff]

It's not really a typo, because all the shows discussed were from the 1967-68 season.

It's About Time's competition for 1966-67, as far as new shows are concerned, includes Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Family Affair, The Monkees, The Invaders, That Girl, Tarzan and the beloved, immortal classics The Tammy Grimes Show, The Jean Arthur Show, Pistols 'n' Petticoats and Rango.

I don't know. Competetion or not, I still say It's About Time stunk.

 

[BobO'Link]

Bob, you mean 66/67 for the season with IT'S about time and the others, not 67/68. Typo.

Thanks! I got off on the TV listings and just didn't notice! I edited the post to fix that and include the correct competition.

 

[BobO'Link]

It's not really a typo, because all the shows discussed were from the 1967-68 season.

It's About Time's competition for 1966-67, as far as new shows are concerned, includes Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Family Affair, The Monkees, The Invaders, That Girl, Tarzan and the beloved, immortal classics The Tammy Grimes Show, The Jean Arthur Show, Pistols 'n' Petticoats and Rango.

I don't know. Competetion or not, I still say It's About Time stunk.

For that year it sure did but it had pretty stiff competition. I watched that one during original run and really enjoyed it before they changed the premis and had them time travel to "the present". That move pretty much killed it for me but I'll still take It's About Time over the majority of what's presented today.

 

[Neil Brock]

The change in premise improved the show from abominable to mediocre. The second format wasn't nearly as stupid.

 

[Professor Echo]

Joe is right, I meant to say that Bob mistyped the year for IT'S ABOUT TIME, but NOT the other shows, which were indeed 67/68. Thus this correction and retraction for my earlier correction and retraction. What does any of this have to do with FRONTIER CIRCUS anyway? The single greatest show in the history of ever.

 

[Regulus]

For that year it sure did but it had pretty stiff competition. I watched that one during original run and really enjoyed it before they changed the premis and had them time travel to "the present". That move pretty much killed it for me but I'll still take It's About Time over the majority of what's presented today.

When today's TV shoes are compared to fiascoes such as It's About Time and My Mother the Car it tells a lot of the status of Today's TV Programming.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I agree. I'd waste 30 minutes on It's About Time or My Mother the Car (and probably regret it bitterly), but I wouldn't waste any time at all on today's shows.