Leave it to beaver season 3? (1 Viewer)

[marcSo]

I have a sick feeling at the thought of universal throwing in the towel on Leave It To Beaver.With the first 2 seasons sitting on my shelf and being able to watch them at my leisure.The thought of the other 4 seasons not being released makes me lose a lot of interest with the hole tv on dvd thing.perhaps because this is my most wanted show on dvd.I am not sure what it is it just leaves me with a bitter feeling. sorry.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Fortunately most of my favorite classic TV shows on DVD have already been released (Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, Honeymooners, Twilight Zone), and those that haven't, appear to be doing so in the future (Mary Tyler Moore S5-7, Bob Newhart S4-6, Odd Couple, Get Smart)...Leave it to Beaver is also one of my "must haves"...the problem with LITB is the fact that it went 6 seasons, and though it has gotten plenty of exposure in syndication on TVLand and other stations, apparently sales for seasons 1 and 2 (for whatever the reason) didn't seem to suit Universal. I just hope they don't totally abondon the series, as they appear to have done with Dragnet (after the '67 season no new seasons on the horizon), Quincy, M.E. (after releasing Seasons 1 and 2, no more seasons have been announced) and other classic shows as well. Beaver is a great show that actually got better with each successive season. Let's just hope there's only been a slight delay in an announcement, because I'm afraid that the longer we go without any word on future releases, the slimmer the chance of this show being completed on DVD. :frowning:

 

[David Von Pein]

Chin up, LITB faithful! The final 4 seasons will get released. I have no official word on that; but I'm as confident on this in my own head as I was when I said the same thing re. TMTMS (when some people tossed in Mary's towel too after two full years without a Season #2).

I don't know how much this next comment means (possibly zilch), but I'll toss it on the stoop anyhow --- It seems to me that Universal is treating the LITB franchise with an extra degree of respect due to the fact they went out of their way to produce a "Limited Edition Gift Set" for Season 1.

Would they have done that for a "throw-away" series, so to speak (with few follow-up seasons to come)? Well, perhaps....but has it happened before that a Gift Set LE release turned out to be the lone season (or one of very few) released of a certain TV series? Maybe it has...I don't know.

But, in any event, Beaver will materialize. I have faith. And so does Larry Mondello. (He has to...or else he gets no more free apples from my doorstep, I'll tell ya that right now, by God!)

 

[Greg_S_H]

I believe the voices in your head! I don't mind a bit of a delay, though, as it takes a while to save up money when it comes from the pockets of upside-down airmen.

 

[David Von Pein]

True. But be careful not to try and pass off one of those buttons as a coin. The shopkeep frowns on that type of deception.

 

[Gary OS]

Let me preface my comments here by saying I hope it obvious to all the regulars that I absolutely love LITB. Right now it's at the top of my favorites list, as far as dvd series that are in the midst of being released. And since I actually enjoyed the show more as it progressed, I really want to see the rest of the seasons.

Having said all that, and without desiring to come across as a pessimist, I'll comment on a few points that have been raised. First, I don't believe that Universal's original intent means a whole lot when it comes to whether or not they will follow up with shows. They did give LITB deluxe treatment, and I too thought that signaled a stronger commitment to the series. But, and I think Gord or David will back me up here, sales are the bottom line. Perhaps Universal thought that LITB would bring in a lot more money than it has. I don't know at all. Frankly, until Gord's message last night about Uni's classics being poor sellers, I thought LITB had done pretty well. But I had no facts or stats to back this up. I had only followed the sales of the set on Amazon. But we all know that's not a legit indicator of how well a series has sold. So I'm at the mercy of others to give me this info. Since Gord has inside sources, I generally am going to take his word on something like this. And like I said, although Universal might have begun with good intentions for LITB, money is the bottom line and if the sales don't meet certain projections I can see the company tanking a show. Hate to say that, but it wouldn't be unheard of.

The MTMS example is actually an example of just how precarious things can get. The fact of the matter is that FOX, after jumping in early to the classic DVDonTV world, overpriced the first season of the MTMS and it came very close to destroying the rest of the series (release wise, I mean). FOX actually did shelf the show! It was a no go all the way! Only after a long layoff did we get extremely lucky enough to have a second set released. That show was dead, and got a second chance. But that is the exception, not the rule. I don't necessarily expect LITB to be given the same chances that the MTMS was given. I wish it would be given that kind of leeway, but I don't know that it will.

I didn't intend to write such a long post. And I want to have faith that the show is fine and that Universal will announce the next season release any day now. But I think we might be at the crossroads with this series. 2 seasons out of six isn't too big of an investment so far from Universal. I've always thought that if we could get to Season 3, the chances of them finishing off the series would be much greater. And a Season 4 release would basically cinch it. But only 2 seasons? That's not enough to make Universal feel they are "committed" to the entire run.

Gary "I do wish Gord would come on here and let us know something about the status of this series - whether the news be good or bad - anything is better than nothing" O.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I wanted both seasons really bad, but I thought they were overpriced. I'm waiting for a sale.

That's what hurt "Mary Tyler Moore" Season One -- the high price. (I think it was an outrageous $60 SRP.)

It's the same old story -- wouldn't any company rather sell 1,000,000 sets at $30 than 500,000 at $40?

 

[Michael Alden]

I really don't think people are that cheap that a $10 price difference would mean half the people interested wouldn't purchase something.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Yes David, but let's not forget, Larry also unexpectedly did not come back for future seasons either. Let's hope the show fairs better than Larry did.

 

[Michael Alden]

Well, might have been something strange going on in the Mondello family since his "mother", if she really was his mother, had him when she was over 50 years old.

 

[MatthewA]

It was $50, and considering they didn't pay for "White Christmas," it was steep. I bought it anyway.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

It's not a matter of being "cheap." Unlike you, most people have to live within a budget. Unlike you, most people only have so much money to spend on DVDs, necessity of life though they are.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

And his father was never home.

 

[Mike Frezon]

...AND she was living a double life as Dick Grayson's Aunt Harriet...

 

[Michael Alden]

Hey, I have a budget! I only alot myself $200 a week for DVDs, CDs and records. Can't scrimp on the necessities!

 

[Carlos Garcia]

LOL! That's funny. Get Smart alots for my entire DVD budget for 2006...But I have to have it. Beaver season 3 will have to wait til 2007, but I hope it gets released along with the rest of the series.

 

[Gary OS]

Golly gee. I the absence of Gord and/or Dave coming onto this thread and giving us something is speaking volumes to me right now. They obviously have no good news to share, which can only mean that a schedule with LITB isn't going to follow that bi-yearly releasing that we had hoped for. What a shame. What a shame...

Gary "knowing what's going on with this series is my #1 priority at this point in all my dvd collecting. I really want to know why this series has slowed down" O.

 

[Mike Frezon]

C'mon Gary...what would Ward tell you:

Ward: Son, sometimes there are going to be disappointments in life...and you have to face them head on.

Gary: 'pointments, Dad?

Ward: Uh, dis[/i]appointments, Beaver...er, Gary. Now look, you can't control what others do...but you can go out there and do your best. Now why don't you go and play outside until dinner's ready.

Gary: (beaming) Okay, Dad. [Walks to door.] Hey Dad, did you ever get 'pointed about stuff when you were a kid?!

Ward: (thoughtful) You bet, Beave...er, Gary. You learn though as you get older that it's not so much the disappointments themselves, but how you handle them that makes the difference.

Gary: (screwed-up expression/turns thoughtful) Yeah, Dad! Thanks! (happy) [Runs out of door putting on baseball cap. Door slams. Ward flinches.]

 

[Joe Lugoff]

At least you got two seasons. "Father Knows Best," whose last three of its six seasons covered the same years as "Beaver's" first three of its six seasons (1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-50), was much more popular (and Emmy-winning) than LITB (finishing its run at Number 6 -- Beaver never cracked the Top 25). And Jim Anderson was an even more dedicated and involved father than Ward Cleaver was, if such a thing is possible. And yet the prospects of there being even one season of FKB are close to absolute zero.

 

[TravisR]

Actually, I think they'd come in and say that they had no news. They may have news that they can't talk about yet so the silence may be a good thing.