What's new

Rawhide - Stalled/Abandoned? (1 Viewer)

Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
39
Real Name
Larry
I'm new to this forum, but not to TV on DVD, and--having been burned by CBS-Paramount before with HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL--when I hadn't seen any listings for Season 4, I was beginning to fear the worst; something I felt impossible considering Eastwood's presence.

My wife and I have been scarfing down RAWHIDE faster than Wishbone's cooking and, although Season 3 is fantastic, I've been looking forward to some tremendous episodes to come. In fact, I really don't see a discernible dip in quality, but rather a powerful, amazingly consistent vehicle for great storytelling and great actors. Episodes as diverse as the allegorical "Incident of the Four Horsemen", with John Dehner and Claude Akins, the borderline thriller "The House of the Hunter", as well as "Deserter's Patrol", "Corporal Dasovic", "Dogfaces", "The Lost Herd", "The Book" and on and on. Quite simply, I think it's the finest western TV has produced. I want my RAWHIDE.

Now let me naively ask: can anything be done? I suppose there'll be nothing like THE FUGITIVE outrage; that seemed to work. Are there that many more fans for that show? If anyone has any thoughts on letter writing or any other grassroots thing, please let me know--I'd pitch in in a heartbeat. If it's futile, well--just looks like we don't get to Sedalia. Great forum, by the way.
 

Carabimero

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
5,207
Location
Los Angeles
Real Name
Alan
Welcome to the forum Larry.

The outrage over THE FUGITIVE came from its being destroyed by music changes, not from sluggish release schedules. That's why it had the steam behind it.

But yeah--the best thing you can do is support the series with your wallet and write Paramount Home Video and CBS (two separate letters). A handwritten, mailed letter goes a long way (it truly does).
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
39
Real Name
Larry
Thanks Carab! Already done the former, and will definitely do the latter. I don't even have a beef with the half-seasons. Though I'd prefer entire seasons, I never let that stop my purchase--I'm just happy to have them. And I've never seen the episodes look that darn good.

And you're right, of course, as yet this is nothing like that music score debacle. And I truly hope you're right that it's just "sluggish."
 

Gary OS

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
5,995
Location
Florida
Real Name
Gary
Good to have you, Larry. I think you are spot on with the comparison of HGWT. CBS/Paramount has been a real mixed bag for me personally. They've released some big time personal favorites over the years and have treated most of them well. But they've also got abandonment issues that can't be overlooked. For instance: HGWT, The Untouchables, Love American Style and probably a few others that are on the fringe of going too long without any release or at least release news, like Petticoat Junction & My Three Sons (which they butchered in the same manner as The Fugitive anyhow).

RAWHIDE has absolutely been stalled/abandoned at this point. No question about that. It's off the table for the foreseeable future. I'm not opposed to a well written letter, but I think that it would take a massive amount to make a dent and I don't believe this dvd series has that type of following. If it did, it probably wouldn't be stalled to begin with. Sorry to seem so pessimistic, but we both know the studio has and will continue to stall series that aren't bringing in the numbers they want/expect. In the case of RAWHIDE, the sting is terrible for me because it really is one of my all-time favorite series.

Gary "again, good to have you with us, Larry - keep posting" O.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
5,765
Real Name
David Scarpa
Well to me HGWT is as egregious and Rawhide I love them both equally, I wish someone would pick up HGWT maybe a shout factory or someone, why would CBS turn down licensing money, At this point I'd take unremastered copies just to have them, I've been watching some shoddy VHS transfers for the old Mike Hammer series with Darren McGavin lately, sometime content rises above transfer.
 

Alan Tully

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
4,627
Location
London
Real Name
Alan
All these stalled/abandoned shows on DVD, makes you wonder if they're ever going to come out on Blu-ray. So while you're updating, keep hold of those DVD's - but I'm sure you know that.
 

Carabimero

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
5,207
Location
Los Angeles
Real Name
Alan
If it was a favorite show of mine, I'd write a letter whether I thought others would or not. If everyone takes the attitude a single letter won't help, well, guess what--they'll end up being right.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
39
Real Name
Larry
Thanks for the welcome, Gary, and yeah I figure I've got nothing to lose by writing a letter, so what the hey. I don't think I've written one since I wrote to Image about NAKED CITY. After that, they came out with three 12-episode sets; now, I'm not saying there was a correlation, but who the hell knows? (and of course, that was the extent of their release)

It does surprise me that the numbers aren't (apparently) better on RAWHIDE. Like others have said; you'd think Eastwood would have given it some security.
 

jdee28

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
1,098
Real Name
John
CBS/Paramount's releasing schedule has always been ridiculous. 8 years to get the complete series? Now perhaps 10 or more with it being stalled? Please.

I'd rather write to Encore Westerns and get them to pick up the show and run it like they did Gunsmoke a few years ago and are now doing with Cheyenne and Maverick; complete, uncut, with very nice transfers. Then it wouldn't take a decade to see the entire series. A high licensing fee was behind Encore Westerns not renewing their contract to show Gunsmoke; hopefully CBS/Paramount doesn't price all their shows that way. It would be great to see Have Gun - Will Travel on there as well.
 

Carabimero

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
5,207
Location
Los Angeles
Real Name
Alan
If we all spent the same time and energy to write and mail letters to the studios that we spend on these message boards complaining, studio mailboxes would be full.
 

Jack P

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
5,593
Real Name
Jack
I'm past the point where I get burned up over an abandoned title any longer because the broken trail is too extensive for me. "Dragnet" (to not see a second season of that sticks in my craw the most), "McMillan And Wife", "The Big Valley", and most recently "Ironside" by Shout! (those who are so quick to praise them for the new titles they are started, be on your guard since they will drop a title and leave you hanging for a long time before you know for certain it's gone) and many others in between. I think the only reason why I'm more philosophical about it now is because (1) I've managed to find some good unmentionable versions of certain missing titles and (2) even in released titles there's enough diversity to keep me watching for a long time to come for which I am grateful in this day and age when cable channels have become worthless when it comes to finding reruns of classic shows.
 

Carabimero

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
5,207
Location
Los Angeles
Real Name
Alan
It's just like TV series getting cancelled. You make an investment by watching for months, like I did with Crusoe, and Blammo!--it's gone. Off the air. But I don't get mad at NBC for that--if enough people were watching, the 13-episodes mini-series would've been picked up.

Likewise, why would I get mad at Shout? If enough people were buying Ironside, we'd get season three. It seems short-sighted and downright unfair to blame Shout. I'm grateful for the two high-quality sets they did release.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
5,765
Real Name
David Scarpa
Yes but expectations have go to be too high for these series, I mean come on how many HGWT fans are there left? But I can't imaging the elements sitting in the vaults will aquire too many licensing fees Either, where I expect the Boon to classic televison product will be in services like Hulu, Itunes etc. Even now there are seasons of television shows like Lou Grant etc on Netflix and Itunes that are not even available on DVD. This is where the product will go as they try to fill these services with product. Now there are so many debates on here on Physical media Vs Downloards, but Look if Itunes and My Apple TV/Ipod are the only places I can watch HGWT, more seasons of Rawhide, or Hulu /Netflix lets me stream these any time I want then to me that's better than never seeing them.
 

Gary OS

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
5,995
Location
Florida
Real Name
Gary

This hobby can definitely be very frustrating for that very reason, Jack. Like you, I've learned to live with it, but right now RAWHIDE is #1 on my most sought after titles and I'm none too happy with this decision by CBS/Paramount. Unless/until I can find solid alternatives, this one is going to sting.

Gary "I have feared abandonment for this show since it first premiered on dvd" O.
 

Jack P

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
5,593
Real Name
Jack
Too often, Gary, we get just enough of a taste on DVD to make us realize how great the potential of the hobby is, but never enough to leave us satisfied or feel close to that level of contentment we think we'd be at where we could say "I've got all I really need and anything else is just icing on the cake from here on in".

"Dragnet" is for me a true classic show and it's second season happens to be its most important one, with the remake of the classic Christmas episode from the 50s (to me this is one of the most important programs in TV history from my standpoint). It's third season is not that good, so if I ended up with a stall-out again after one more release it wouldn't hurt anywhere near as much as it does now with just one season released. With Universal, you can only hope for a licensing (I'm amazed Shout didn't consider picking this up seeing as they did "Adam-12"), or some other outside factor that might get a title restarted. "Quincy" I think is coming back solely because Universal thinks they can get the customers who bought all five seasons of "The Odd Couple" and Universal will go back to a title if there's a current movie tie-in to exploit (if "The Hardy Men" movie comes to pass, then I would expect the final season of "Hardy Boys" to finally get to DVD just as the Nancy Drew movie is what got us S2 of "Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" after a long hiatus).

WIth CBS/Paramount, it shouldn't surprise us that sooner or later there'd be a new round of titles that would be abandoned, because after all, those of us who are still wondering where the last two seasons of "Taxi" went, saw that show never become part of the CBS/Paramount renaissance period of mass releases.
 

jdee28

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
1,098
Real Name
John
CBS does have the first season of Have Gun-Will Travel streaming for free on their website. Hopefully, it'll allow for more people to discover and become fans of the show. It would be great if one day they had all seasons streaming on there, as well as Rawhide. It is the wave of the future. My father, in his 60s, actually found and watched episodes of Have Gun-Will Travel on the CBS website. I offered him my DVDs of the show, but he prefers to watch it online!
 

Jack P

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
5,593
Real Name
Jack
And that's not a development I welcome when I don't have the ability to create my own disc from a stream (like I can do with You Tube downloads). I don't like watching episodes on my computer since every time I do, it means I can't do any work on it.
 

Gary OS

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2004
Messages
5,995
Location
Florida
Real Name
Gary

I have to agree with you on this one, Jack. I can appreciate that others are fine with watching their favorite shows on the computer, but I'm not. I want to watch in the living room on my large screen TV. Not only that, but I like having physical property in my possession in this case. If the show can only be accessed via some online source (like Netflix, which I have) and I can't download it onto my computer then it doesn't feel like I own it. If that network goes down for any reason, I can't access it. Plus, I have to keep paying month after month after month for the service and access. I just don't like that. It's not the same as me owning a physical copy that I can get and use and take with me wherever I go and whenever I like.

Gary "I'd reluctantly accept downloading if I had the option of burning onto dvd for myself, but not if it stays tucked away somewhere in cyberspace all the time" O.
 

Dave Scarpa

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
5,765
Real Name
David Scarpa

Well there are alternatives for doing so and I own two of the Apple's Apple TV, and Western Digital's WD HD TV, the latter is a bit less sophisticated but accepts a much wider range of format types, I go from Xvid's encoded for my player right to the WDTV and they look stunning upconverted to 1080p, Itunes HD downloads also look very nice, even their SD stuff's not bad, and you just stream content to your box. No if they can come up with a Univversal format playable on all platforms with some type of universal DRM tied to the owner specifically, I have no problems paying a buck an episode or so for the shows that will never come to a physical medium.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,624
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top