Mama's Family 30th Anniversary (1 Viewer)

[Vahan_Nisanain]

You said you had tapes going back 30 years, during the original run. I'd like to know which episodes they are.

 

[Ethan Riley]

I have all of Mama in vhs except 4 season 5 eps. I will have to see the DVDs to find out what's missing.

 

[justegofficial]

In case anyone is interested, I contacted Time Life via their Facebook page, asking them about the collector's box the complete series set comes in and what it looks like inside. I knew the box itself wasn't going to be your standard cardboard box just big enough to hold all the seasons in their standard Amaray cases because on ShopNBC's special where they were selling an exclusive package of the first two seasons with extras, the booklet - or "Family Album" - which was supposed to be exclusive to the complete series set but was part of this special package, was much larger than your standard DVD case.

They sent me two pictures - one of the box closed and one of it opened, with the following description:

"The booklet is 7x9 and the box is 7.5x9.5. The booklet nestles in the front like a picture in a frame and the box shuts with a wrap-around cover and magnetic clasp.
The DVDs sit in a cut-out inside the box. So, they are smaller than the booklet."

I asked them if I could share the pictures and they said yes. I've posted them on my website here: http://thefanperspective.justeg.com

The fact that the box is so unique, might explain the manufacturing problems that lead to the delay of the set.

I pre-ordered my complete series set the day they first announed it, so mine will be among the first shipment, scheduled to be shipped tomorrow. As soon as I receive it, I plan to post a very lengthy review at that same link where the pictures are now. I'll try to address everyone's questions about the runtimes, edits and special features, too.

EDIT: When I pre-ordered the set, I chose the installment billing and after checking my bank account a few minutes ago, I noticed that the first payment was taken out today by Time Life! It's really on its way (or will be tomorrow) and I can't wait for it to finally get here!

 

[MONSTOYS]

I'm curious, has anyone else besides me have 2 edited episodes in the first season?
CELLMATES and MAMA's BOYFRIEND. Please let me know, I'm curious, maybemy set was defective.
thanks!

 

[justegofficial]

I really hope those two episodes aren't the syndicated versions. That would be unfortunate. When I heard there was a chance they might be, I pulled out my old VHS tapes of Mama's Family that I taped from TBS years ago (back when they were TBS Superstation) so that when my set comes I can compare.

Time Life keeps saying that Season 1 is uncut, that no cuts were made in Season 1 and these are the original broadcast masters. I don't know, maybe everyone involved thought they were the original broadcast masters - the DVD producers and Joe Hamilton's son - but for whatever reason, the syndicated versions were used? I can't think of any other reason. I hope that IF those are the syndicated versions, the original uncut masters can be found and a disc replacement program can be set up to fix this. It's one thing to have edits due to music (something that's unfortunate, but unavoidable for whatever reason) but using syndicated episodes (whether on purpose or by mistake) is something that needs to be addressed (if possible).

 

[darkrock17]

I really hope those two episodes aren't the syndicated versions. That would be unfortunate. When I heard there was a chance they might be, I pulled out my old VHS tapes of Mama's Family that I taped from TBS years ago (back when they were TBS Superstation) so that when my set comes I can compare.

TBS aired only snydicated episodes of Mama, so I don't know what was cut out of seasons 1 & 2. TBS did however air Mama For Mayor with Harper Days Are Here Again and Flaming Forties with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy intact.

 

[justegofficial]

TBS aired only snydicated episodes of Mama, so I don't know what was cut out of seasons 1 & 2. TBS did however air Mama For Mayor with Harper Days Are Here Again and Flaming Forties with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy intact.

Yeah, I meant that I would watch my syndicated versions taped from TBS and compare them to the ones on the DVD - which are hopefully longer and have more scenes, but if they are identical, then the versions on the DVD are probably the syndicated version (I really hope that's not the case).

 

[darkrock17]

Yeah, I meant that I would watch my syndicated versions taped from TBS and compare them to the ones on the DVD - which are hopefully longer and have more scenes, but if they are identical, then the versions on the DVD are probably the syndicated version (I really hope that's not the case).

Fingers crossed that seaons 1 & 2 run somewhere along 24-25 mins. Did you also get the Mama's Favorites DVD's as well?

 

[justegofficial]

Fingers crossed that seaons 1 & 2 run somewhere along 24-25 mins. Did you also get the Mama's Favorites DVD's as well?

I'm going out tomorrow to see if my local stores have the "Mama's Favorites" DVDs. In some of the descriptions online, they list as a bonus, newly created introductions from Vicki Lawrence - since these were her favorites - wherein she provides "insights" into each episode. If that's the case and these intros don't appear in the Complete Series Set, we hardcore fans might just have to buy these single-disc releases, too, if we want all the bonus material that was filmed for Mama's Family's DVD presentation, even if we're buying episodes we already own.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Thanks for the pics, Just. The packaging is far more elaborate than I'd guessed. Just a few more days for both of us!

 

[justegofficial]

Sure, Ethan. I'm still surprised they sent me the pictures in the first place. The uniqueness of the box's design probably explains why there were manufacturing problems that lead to the initial delay (but I'm just guessing).

Also, I just thought I'd let you all know, I checked the status of my order on Time Life's website and it says it's been shipped! There's a Fedex tracking number there, but it doesn't work yet.

-E.G.

 

[Ethan Riley]

I ordered mine about 3 weeks ago. I'm hoping it's here at least by Saturday so I can look it over the weekend, otherwise I'll have to wait...

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I ordered mine about 3 weeks ago. I'm hoping it's here at least by Saturday so I can look it over the weekend, otherwise I'll have to wait...

I ordered mine August 30th, still thinking the release date was September 2.

But, August 30th was still early enough to get the set shipped today.

 

[gogo.there]

Pathetic the snot nosed young execs were too stupid to use the MAMA'S FAMILY theme (since they were too cheap to spend $ 5,500.00 for the rights to HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN) over the mama campaign scenes, cause then, yes we would not hear Mama's voice BUT at least we would have the video for the scenes + same goes for the Bugle Boy scene too. (the jail episode too)

I swear execs these days have no brains or common sense whatsoever.

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

Pathetic the snot nosed young execs were too stupid to use the MAMA'S FAMILY theme (since they were too cheap to spend 5500 for the rights to HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN) over the mama campaigining scene, caus ethen, yes we would not hear Mama's voice BUT at least we would have the videos for the scene + same goes for the Bugle Boy scene too. I swear execs these days have no brains or common sense whatsoever.

Give this guy a cigar for speaking intelligence.

 

[justegofficial]

I'm glad people who ordered them so close to the release date don't have to wait much longer than those of us who pre-ordered early. I pre-ordered mine the day it was announced so I'm really anxious to get it. I checked the status of my shipment via FedEx's website and it's estimated to arrive here tomorrow by 8pm (I upgraded to overnight a week or so ago, after the delay was announced), so I should have my intial review up on my website (thefanperspective.justeg.com) by Friday morning.

Also, I went out today to see if I could find the "Mama's Favorites" DVDs and they didn't even have the season sets at my local Walmart, Target or KMart. If anyone finds them and buys them, could you post here whether or not they contain special introductions from Vicki Lawrence where she talks about why those episodes are her favorites?

 

[Ethan Riley]

Pathetic the snot nosed young execs were too stupid to use the MAMA'S FAMILY theme (since they were too cheap to spend 5500 for the rights to HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN) over the mama campaigining scene, caus ethen, yes we would not hear Mama's voice BUT at least we would have the videos for the scene + same goes for the Bugle Boy scene too. I swear execs these days have no brains or common sense whatsoever.

Wait...who's saying Bugle Boy was cut?

 

[Jason_V]

Pathetic the snot nosed young execs were too stupid to use the MAMA'S FAMILY theme (since they were too cheap to spend $ 5,500.00 for the rights to HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN) over the mama campaign scenes, cause then, yes we would not hear Mama's voice BUT at least we would have the video for the scenes + same goes for the Bugle Boy scene too. (the jail episode too)

I swear execs these days have no brains or common sense whatsoever.

Hang on...isn't that a little much? Why are we reduced to name calling now? That kind of thing belittles your/our argument. If I were with TL and read this thread, I would leave and never come back.

 

[gogo.there]

Hang on...isn't that a little much? Why are we reduced to name calling now? That kind of thing belittles your/our argument. If I were with TL and read this thread, I would leave and never come back.

Learn the context of what was said, nobody was being called a name, the words used were descriptive of their actions not them as people. If people like them can not take criticism then their parents raised winey kids who think it is not ok to call people on the carpet for the lax descion making. Which is horrible, if you make errors you need to be told. Stop being so PC, that is sickening.

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

Learn the context of what was said, nobody was being called a name, the words used were descriptive of their actions not them as people. If people like them can not take criticism then their parents raised winey kids who think it is not ok to call people on the carpet for the lax descion making. Which is horrible, if you make errors you need to be told. Stop being so PC, that is sickening.

A sane, smart poster. We need more people like you.