Pre-Order Mission: Impossible: The Original TV Series (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Wiseguy]

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Good news! I wish they could release The Wild Wild West on BD too!​

And put the fourth-season episodes in the correct order.

 

[bmasters9]

And put the fourth-season episodes in the correct order.

Why are they out of order?

 

[ScottRE]

They should be in airdate order, which is the standard for season releases. That means, though, the Gordon episodes are mixed with non-Gordon episodes. I get that in cases like that it might make more sense to have all of the episodes Ross Martin missed in one batch so the substitue partners made sense (and kept the Charles Aidman episodes consecuitive as well). Naturally, the CBS network programmers mixed them to lessen the loss a bit and try to keep the ratings steady. I know that doesn't matter on home video, but these releases in the US recreate the original viewing experience.

I'm of two minds on it, dependong on how much of a difference air date order vs production actually makes a difference. Very few shows really siffer since the series were episodic, but some do flow better in production order. Land of the Giants' first half of season one comes to mind and Star Trek's early season evolution would be more comfortable if the episodes were arranged differently.

 

[Museum Pieces]

They should be in airdate order, which is the standard for season releases. That means, though, the Gordon episodes are mixed with non-Gordon episodes. I get that in cases like that it might make more sense to have all of the episodes Ross Martin missed in one batch so the substitue partners made sense (and kept the Charles Aidman episodes consecuitive as well). Naturally, the CBS network programmers mixed them to lessen the loss a bit and try to keep the ratings steady. I know that doesn't matter on home video, but these releases in the US recreate the original viewing experience.

I'm of two minds on it, dependong on how much of a difference air date order vs production actually makes a difference. Very few shows really siffer since the series were episodic, but some do flow better in production order. Land of the Giants' first half of season one comes to mind and Star Trek's early season evolution would be more comfortable if the episodes were arranged differently.

One of the many benefits at ripping at original quality on a hard drive is the ability to easily put episodes in production order. I did that with TOS-R, and I plan to do that here.

Can't wait for this set.

 

[Wiseguy]

They should be in airdate order, which is the standard for season releases. That means, though, the Gordon episodes are mixed with non-Gordon episodes. I get that in cases like that it might make more sense to have all of the episodes Ross Martin missed in one batch so the substitue partners made sense (and kept the Charles Aidman episodes consecuitive as well). Naturally, the CBS network programmers mixed them to lessen the loss a bit and try to keep the ratings steady. I know that doesn't matter on home video, but these releases in the US recreate the original viewing experience.

And the same thing was done on Mission: Impossible's final season when Lynda Day George went on maternity leave (like Artemus Gordon, her character was also sent on assignment to Washington, DC). Her episodes (the first three of the season filmed) alternated with her replacement's episodes (Barbara Anderson of Ironside) making it look like she went to Washington several times and kept returning. Barbara Anderson's first episode was used as the season premiere leaving Lynda Day George's episodes to air later. Also, like The Wild Wild West there were a couple of episodes with neither character mixed in with the rest.

Two other notes about The Wild Wild West: Unlike Mission: Impossible, when Lynda Day George returned, The Wild Wild West filmed a reunion scene when Ross Martin returned for the final three episodes. Of course, the previous episode was one of the episodes he filmed earlier so the reunion aspect was ruined. And the final episode of the season broadcast (without Ross Martin or an official government partner) was supposed to air earlier (with one of Ross Martin's final episodes scheduled to air last), but President Eisenhower's death on that day pre-empted prime-time programming (including the final episode of Star Trek which wasn't aired until June) so it was rescheduled as the final episode; thus the series ended without Ross Martin.

Similarly, two seasons of the original Hawaii Five-0 are affected by this issue, although not as noticeable: Actor Al Harrington (Ben) was let go (some say fired) in mid-seventh season and his replacement, more or less, was Doug Mossman as Frank (both of these actors have appeared on the new Hawaii Five-0). So, theoretically, all of the Ben episodes should be seen first, followed by the Frank episodes (although it was never specifically stated that Ben left other than his credit no longer appeared in the opening; and, again, there were some episodes that featured neither character). One of Ben's episodes was shown as the last episode making it look like he was present during the whole season.

Also, during the last season the same thing happened with newcomer Lori Wilson (played by Sharon Farrell) who also disappeared mid-season with no explanation. But again, her episodes alternated with non-Lori episodes (but credited) and episodes after she left (uncredited). One of her episodes was shown the week before the finale "Woe to Wo Fat."

 

[ScottRE]

One of the many benefits at ripping at original quality on a hard drive is the ability to easily put episodes in production order. I did that with TOS-R, and I plan to do that here.

Can't wait for this set.

I have the DVDs ripped in production order and the laserdiscs in airdate, so I have the best of both.

Funny how they actually used an excuse for Lynda Day George's absences when, of all shows, Mission: Impossible didn't need one. Jim Phelps could have just picked a different agent on and off until LDG was ready to return.

Hawaii Five-O was nortorious for dropping cast members without explanation. Only Chin-Ho got an exit story. Not even Danno got a word and he was arguably the most popular character. They lost their catchphase when James MacArthur left.

 

[JohnHopper]

And put the fourth-season episodes in the correct order.

Find below the two orders for that season 4.

 

[Wiseguy]

Find below the two orders for that season 4.

View attachment 80416

One thing wrong there: as I mentioned in a previous post, the death of President Eisenhower pre-empted "The Night of the Tycoons." As a result it was shown as #24 after "The Night of the Plague," the new #23. I noted that same error on the epguides.com listing and had to email them about it. They have since corrected it.

 

[Wiseguy]

I have the DVDs ripped in production order and the laserdiscs in airdate, so I have the best of both.

Funny how they actually used an excuse for Lynda Day George's absences when, of all shows, Mission: Impossible didn't need one. Jim Phelps could have just picked a different agent on and off until LDG was ready to return.

Hawaii Five-O was nortorious for dropping cast members without explanation. Only Chin-Ho got an exit story. Not even Danno got a word and he was arguably the most popular character. They lost their catchphase when James MacArthur left.

The issue wasn't that Hawaii Five-0 actors left without explanation it was that whoever scheduled the episodes seemingly wanted to make it look like the actor was on the whole season and that the production order shows the true picture.

As far as James MacArthur was concerned he didn't give them much choice. Unlike Kam Fong, he didn't announce he was leaving (they perhaps would have filmed a concluding episode for him if he had). As I understand it, he was on a post-season vacation and just decided not to return making them scramble to come up with a premiere that introduced the new character at the last minute (the season premiere was not the first to be filmed) I have the impression Jack Lord was pissed at MacArthur for not returning.

 

[Wiseguy]

I have nothing concrete on the time of "The Contenders", but I believe that the DVD episode times are correct and are the full program. Many times in those days, a two-parter would have been followed by a preview of the second part, which would have eaten up some time. Perhaps that preview is missing.

As for the second part, it could have been that for the first airing, the full and complete opening sequence with Jim and the tape was aired, but was later edited for a repeat broadcast.

Also, it was October in Presidential election year. Back in those days, there was a CBS Sunday Night News that ran for 15 minutes at 11:OO ET. Perhaps they expanded it to twenty minutes during October?

Why does everything have to be so complicated bordering on conspiracy? They either made a mistake and grabbed the wrong version of the episodes (possibly the edited version shown on FX in the 1990s) or they couldn't find the originals in time and used the edited version. Both happen all the time. The tape sequence in part 2 episodes are usually edited from part 1 (e.g., a long approach of Jim Phelps to get to the tape location is usually shortened for part 2 unless the episode is running short) but since it is on the DVD that has to be the scene as originally shown. They certainly couldn't have edited five whole minutes out of it.

As far as the preview scenes from next week, although they are a part of the official running time, none of the episodes on the DVD have them, so that can't be the explanation. And, again, they certainly didn't last five minutes. And, even if the preview for part 2 was five minutes long, why is part 2 five minutes short, as well, exactly the same length as part 1, and no other episode on the set?

 

[Wiseguy]

Not according to the packaging shots that have been released

Why isn't Lynda Day George mentioned? She is the only actor who was in the opening credits who isn't. She certainly was in more episodes than "The Doctor." And I never noticed before that the Canadian rating is different in the final season. Do they think that year is more violent?

 

[bmasters9]

As far as James MacArthur was concerned he didn't give them much choice. Unlike Kam Fong, he didn't announce he was leaving (they perhaps would have filmed a concluding episode for him if he had). As I understand it, he was on a post-season vacation and just decided not to return making them scramble to come up with a premiere that introduced the new character at the last minute (the season premiere was not the first to be filmed) I have the impression Jack Lord was pissed at MacArthur for not returning.

Would the lack of notice that James MacArthur was quitting be what made Jack Lord mad at him?

 

[Harry-N]

Why isn't Lynda Day George mentioned? She is the only actor who was in the opening credits who isn't. She certainly was in more episodes than "The Doctor." And I never noticed before that the Canadian rating is different in the final season. Do they think that year is more violent?

Why does everything have to be so complicated bordering on conspiracy? They made a mistake.

But at least you're posting about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and not THE WILD WILD WEST. I'd be willing to bet there's a thread on that series somewhere here...

 

[Wiseguy]

Would the lack of notice that James MacArthur was quitting be what made Jack Lord mad at him?

Since Jack Lord had unofficially taken over production by this time, yes, I think an actor causing production problems would get him mad. Keep in mind that this is the same actor who had previously gotten two actors fired (Zulu and Al Harrington) for really trivial matters.

 

[Wiseguy]

Why does everything have to be so complicated bordering on conspiracy? They made a mistake.

But at least you're posting about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and not THE WILD WILD WEST. I'd be willing to bet there's a thread on that series somewhere here...

That's what I said, a mistake. Others have come up with different theories ignoring the simplest one.

I wasn't the first to mention The Wild, Wild, West. I have every right to comment on other posts.

 

[Harry-N]

I have every right to comment on other posts.

Of course you do. It's just a bit disappointing to get a message that a new post has occurred in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE thread, and then to read that it's yet another post about THE WILD WILD WEST.

I have nothing against that series, nor your right to discuss it with others. But it might be good manners to take your discussion to a proper thread. It costs absolutely nothing to start a thread here - just a little bit of effort and forethought.

 

[bmasters9]

Of course you do. It's just a bit disappointing to get a message that a new post has occurred in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE thread, and then to read that it's yet another post about THE WILD WILD WEST.

I have nothing against that series, nor your right to discuss it with others. But it might be good manners to take your discussion to a proper thread. It costs absolutely nothing to start a thread here - just a little bit of effort and forethought.

Excellent advice, @Harry-N-- threads are clearly labeled for what they are, and it is indeed bad manners to spam them with content that is other than what the threads are labeled for (IMO).

Of course, the occasional off-topic (OT) post is fine (also IMO).

 

[Harry-N]

Of course, the occasional off-topic (OT) post is fine (also IMO).

Of course.

 

[phil*]

Is it a certainty that even though these discs will be presented in a 4:3 format, there will STILL be black bars on either side?

 

[David Weicker]

Is it a certainty that even though these discs will be presented in a 4:3 format, there will STILL be black bars on either side?

The Blu-Ray standard is a 16x9 image. To display 4x3 content, there would need to be some blockage of the image. Now conceivably, the blockage could be side bars of another color (Disney used to do this). Or the image could be unbalanced - content just on one side, with a bar on the other. But pretty much every 4x3 blu-ray has had two side black bars.

I'm not aware of any professionally produced Blu-Rays that stretched 4x3 content to 16x9.