This is the part that upsets me... I always enjoyed the Nancy Drew episodes more. But thats ok... The Hardy Boys was always good too... so I will still get Season 3 if/when they decide to release it.
Pete, Tim, thanks for the info. I did some "Google'ing" and I came up with another actress's name: "Janet Julian". I'm guessing that it's the same person as Janet Louise Johnson?
Anyway, thanks for the info! Does William Schallert continue the role as Nancy's Dad in S2? He's been one of my favorite actors during that era and earlier in a lot of 60's series.
While Season 2 features a different intro than Season 1 (albeit with the same music), Season 3 features a disco-fied version of the theme with a "Charlie's Angel's"-style intro. Not for all tastes, as it's pretty cheesy, but I like it.
I agree...strange that they weren't combined. Maybe some hidden legal issues? Who knows with this DVD market. One thing it does, is we get to get "in touch" with our "patience meters"
I think I know why Seasons Two and Three weren't combined; in fact, I think I know why we're seeing Season Two released at all:
It turns out that the same week that Season Two is coming out, a new Nancy Drew movie will be released (looks very lame, based on the trailer I saw) from Warner Bros. starring Julia Roberts' niece.
So apparently, Universal is just trying to tie-in Season Two with the movie (hence Nancy's huge presence on the Season Two box, dwarfing the Hardys).
No doubt Universal will do the same thing for Season Three when Ben Stiller's Hardy Men spoof comes out in a year or two.
Although I *hate* Hollywood's trend in recent years of "updating" classic shows, if it means we get what we want on DVD, so be it! However, it's a shame that a lot of great stuff won't come out because they're not considered "hot" to today's youth, etc.
sounds about right... and I hope you are right about Season 3 coing out with The Hardy Men.
I am curious about this new Nancy Drew movie though... any chance you have a link to the trailer?
EDIT: Never mind... I found the trailer... and don't look like anything to get excited about... to say the least. Though looks like my daughter would love it... so I will probably have to see it with her... and buy the DVD for her.
I think you are spot on with the timing of the release. Additionally, Warner Bros. is releasing on DVD the 4 Nancy Drew films from the 30's that starred Bonita Granville.
I don't think the 3rd season belongs with the 2nd. Aside from there being no Nancy Drew, the program changed from being a light, teenage mystery show to an adult crime drama. Also, the supernatural overtones were dropped. If you liked episodes from the first two seasons like The Mystery of Witches Hollow, HB & ND Meet Dracula, The House on Possessed Hill, Voodoo Doll, The Disappearing Floor, etc., you won't find much similar to those in the 3rd. I haven't watched my video tapes of the 3rd season in over 10 years, but I seem to remember the only interesting episode being the one with David Gates (Defection To Paradise).
The 3rd season came up with some gimmicky premise in which the Hardy Boys went to work for Jack Kelly and the FBI as special agents investigating unusual cases that the government couldn't solve. This completely moved the series away from the essence of the books, which was adhered to fairly well in the first 2 seasons.
True, the "Justice Department agents" storyline was such a departure from the previous seasons and the books that it turned off a lot of viewers.
However, I actually liked the change. I thought it was cool that the characters "grew up" a bit; Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson were getting older, so it seemed like a natural progression for the boys to get government jobs where they were *assigned* cases rather than just falling into them. Also, in the first episode of Season Three, Joe is planning to get married. Even with these "adult" changes, the show was still interesting and fun, just different.
Interestingly enough, about ten years after the show ended, a new series of paperback Hardy Boys adventures called Casefiles incorporated many of the elements of Season Three: espionage, mature themes, etc.
At any rate, I hope that the "adult" Season Three of The Hardy Boys will be released when The Hardy Men movie comes out, so we can finally have the entire series on DVD!
And....since Season Three had only ten episodes, how about filling things out with some bonus features like new interviews and commentary from Shaun & Parker and producer Glen A. Larson, gag reel, etc.
I'm joining the party late, but I'm thrilled that we're getting season 2 of Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew.
I've been rationing out the episodes on the first set - one every few months -fearing that we might never get any more. I'd hope it's now likely that the releases are completed with a third set somewhere down the line.