Shout Factory Press Release: Maude: The Complete Series (1 Viewer)

[Jack P]

I think the abortion episode highlights a point I was trying to make earlier about the problem of presentation of that subject in a sitcom. If it had been Adrienne Barbeau getting the abortion the episode would likely have been just as much hated initially by those of pro-life opinions but long-term it would not IMO have given the show the kind of stigma for people like myself who can more easily skip over the most offensive episodes (to me) of AITF like the "Draft Dodger" episode and concentrate more on the episodes I do like that I think represent classic comedy divorced from the agendas. If its a guest character or a supporting character who does something that IMO is not the kind of subject that lends itself to the genre of a sitcom, period, then you might be able to get away with it but if you're going to do it with the central character you're creating a long-term impression that can decide whether you feel like you really want to come back for more after seeing that. AITF is a show where I know better what to expect from the characters whereas with "Maude" it's like a sense of "I can't trust this show again after that".


I don't begrudge "Maude's" availability on DVD and I'm glad those who wanted it are enjoying it. No matter what one thinks politically, all of us want our "freedom of choice" to be as wide as possible when it comes to TV on DVD!

 

[Professor Echo]

It's funny how this same discussion comes up in one thread or another every year or so. Before wading in once more, I admit to loving both Maude and All in the Family.

For the people who just don't like either show, I can understand how that might be. The topicality is almost always in service of character, but there are still real issues discussed and I accept that some people aren't comfortable with those subjects in a comic format. I also understand the decibel problem. There is a whole lot of people yelling at each other on both shows. For me, I don't object to the volume when I find the lines funny and the characterizations engaging. But it doesn't work for me across the board; for example, I have never really enjoyed The Jeffersons or One Day at a Time from the Lear factory because I find the conflicts loud and strident without the same interest in what's beneath it. (No disrespect intended to fans of those shows--they were well made and had fine moments. I'm just saying that I understand how the style of comedy can be outside one's individual taste.)

The argument I have more trouble understanding is the one that separates Maude from AITF. Both shows always begin from the assumption that, politically speaking, the liberal character's principles are right. Both shows frequently go on to call out that liberal character for not living up to those principles. If anything, Maude gets a much harder time than Mike because she is the protagonist and is shown up in nearly every single episode.

The central character on AITF is a political conservative, but I don't see the evidence that the series was somehow more balanced in its political debate than Maude. There is a lot of affection for Archie in his presentation on AITF, but he is never ever treated seriously for his views. He never makes a well-reasoned political point against Mike; we are meant to see the good in him despite the way he thinks, not because of it. (One interesting issue-oriented moment comes in the episode mentioned earlier after Edith dents a car with a can of peaches. Archie wants to tape record a conversation with someone and Mike asserts that it would be a violation of the man's fourth amendment rights. Archie says he knows he has a lot going against him: he's white, Protestant, and hard-working. "But can't you find one lousy amendment to protect me?" It's not any kind of real political argument, but it's the ultimate insight into how Archie sees the world. He perceives everyone as getting free help except for him and then he takes out his frustration on exactly the wrong people.)

At the same time, Arthur Harmon is treated similarly on Maude. His politics are treated as a punchline (though no more than Archie's are), but he is frequently shown as a good person and loyal friend to both Walter and Maude. In a late episode, he wants to picket a gay bar, but [SPOILER ALERT] when it turns out the bar is just outside the city limits and therefore not in violation of any zoning laws, he drops the plan entirely. Maude is hugely surprised and impressed, calls him a man of principle, and says she is proud to be his friend.

Both shows seem to espouse the same politics, go after the same hypocrisies among liberals, and offer the same illustrations of disliking conservative politics while still being able to love and even admire conservative individuals. Humor is obviously a matter of taste, so one can surely like one series and dislike the other. But I'm not sure that one series can be designated as more "fair" or more politically balanced than the other.

Nice to see thinking that isn't all one way or another, i.e. black and white. Would that the world, even our little one here at HTF, could follow your example more. Thanks for a great post.

 

[phenri]

The opinions about Lear sitcoms in general are very polarizing. Many like them and many dislike them for the same reasons.


It makes for a very interesting discussion IMO.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The next person that ventures into political talk with have his posting privileges suspended. The Moderator Staff had enough of certain members trying to push the envelope when it comes to this topic. You want to talk politics about the 1970s or any other decade then do so on some other forum. We don't care if it's about Norman Lear's political slant with his TV shows, we're not having that type of discussion on this forum!

 

[LeoA]

Did some reading up on Norman Lear last night, and see that The Facts of Life was produced by one of his production companies. I wonder how much involvement he had, if any? I definitely see some corollaries there with exploring issues, although in that instance, I find the end product much more entertaining.


Regardless of anyone's opinions, he definitely left quite an impact in the world of television (And I believe, movies as well since I've seen several that he was behind like Divorce American Style and Cold Turkey, both starring Dick Van Dyke).


I also didn't realize that he was still alive and apparently keeping busy.


Have any of these DVD sets gotten him involved to provide commentaries or similar bonus features? Seems a shame anytime such opportunities pass by.

 

[MatthewA]

Lear stopped supervising the production of his shows in 1978, the year Maude ended*, because he no longer had any time to do so; Alan Horn, now head of Disney's film department, took over, and then a bunch of people whose names and tenures escape me right now replaced him. But until he sold the company to Coca-Cola—but not before buying Avco Embassy Pictures—Lear's influence was still there but uncredited and indirect except for the flops AKA Pablo and Palmerstown USA.

*Bea Arthur walked out, just like on Golden Girls. Hanging In is this show's Golden Palace.

 

[Kasey]

I also didn't realize that he was still alive and apparently keeping busy.


Have any of these DVD sets gotten him involved to provide commentaries or similar bonus features? Seems a shame anytime such opportunities pass by.

The MAUDE set contains recent interviews with Lear and his autobiography hit bookstores not too long ago so he is still very much alive and active.

 

[JohnMor]

Speaking of hilarious, non-issue episodes ( ), I just rewatched "Viv's First Funeral." That never fails to crack me up. So many great lines and pitch perfect performances.

 

[Brian Himes]

Carol Burnett spoofed the show as Broad, and unfortunately only the first minute has made it to YouTube.

MeTV just showed this Thursday night and I taped it. So, after I converted it and saved it to my computer for a future DVD, I uploaded the full sketch to YouTube. Here it is:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDG1OBh7C1g&feature=youtu.be

 

[FanCollector]

Thanks for sharing that. I hadn't seen it before. It's cute, and they've obviously watched the show. The running joke about Philip made me laugh.

 

[Kasey]

I liked how Carol said "Caa-rol" just the way Bea always did.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

That was hilarious! I like how they incorporated all her one-liners.

 

[JohnMor]

I had completely forgotten about that sketch, but Isabel's line about her name being New Jersey brought it all back. LOL. I haven't seen that since it first aired.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Is this Carol Burnett sketch on any of the discs in the Time Life mega-set?

 

[Brian Himes]

No, it has not been released on DVD. The only way to get it is to tape the syndicated Carol Burnett & Friends shows.

 

[MatthewA]

MeTV just showed this Thursday night and I taped it. So, after I converted it and saved it to my computer for a future DVD, I uploaded the full sketch to YouTube. Here it is:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDG1OBh7C1g&feature=youtu.be

This reminds me: If we can't talk politics, can we still talk about this show's relationship to Good Times and the Henry/James Evans thing*?

*H.J. doesn't have the same ring to it, honestly, And things got weirder there when once I saw them reading an Ebony magazine with The Jeffersons on the cover.

 

[classictvfan40]

MeTV just showed this Thursday night and I taped it. So, after I converted it and saved it to my computer for a future DVD, I uploaded the full sketch to YouTube. Here it is:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDG1OBh7C1g&feature=youtu.be

I had never seen that before. Thanks for uploading it. I started watching the show on MeTV but they kept showing the episodes I already had on DVD. I hope this episode appears in the future in the Carol Burnett release. i didn't even know Isabel Sanford had appeared on Carol Burnett Show.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just got my Maude complete series collection yesterday (right on the wide release date!) and can't wait to dig-in soon!

 

[Hasslein]

Edited scenes because of music clearances is my biggest concern. This reviewer, although he says he didn't watch everything, states he seems to think all is intact. I really disagree with him when he says that Maude is the best sitcom of 70's, though.


http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/66872/maude-the-complete-series/

 

[Brian Himes]

I'm just about to finish the entire series and each episode has clocked in at 24-25 minutes. There doesn't seem to be anything missing. There is a lot of music in this series. Aside from the three music heavy episodes, just about every other episode has someone singing a bit of a song, reciting the lyrics to a song or music playing (usually radio or TV). I wasn't conscience of how much music was really used in this show when I first watched it years ago. To get this series complete, Shout had to fork over some bucks.