THE DONNA REED SHOW: SEASON 5 (1 Viewer)

[Greg2356]

You're very welcome, Bob, I'm glad you enjoyed the article!

 

[Greg2356]

To: Swan4022-> You're quite welcome! And Yes I agree, Barbara Avedon did a great job in writing her story lines for "The Donna Reed Show." I too was surprised about her creating "Cagney & Lacey" A very talented writer!! And the "Big Sixteen" episode she wrote for Donna's series was all you said it was... This particular episode had always left a lasting impression on me!

 

[Greg2356]

To: HunterMan/Drew-> You're also quite welcome! The article was indeed well written and like you say, nice and positive!! As for Season 6, I haven't lost hope yet until Mary writes to me and says NO Deal! As of now, they are still working on some type of a deal. Have a Great Day!

 

[Greg2356]

To BobO'Link-> You're very welcome, Bob! I'm glad you enjoyed what was written about the Season 4 DVD and what the process had been to put it all together! Thanks for letting me know you had truly liked this article!!

 

[Ron1973]

Greg, I don't have too many memories of the show. It never syndicated here and we didn't have cable as a kid out here when it was on the N@N run. I did catch one episode when we were visiting Nashville in the 80's I believe. You have an obvious dedication to the show and that's what our old shows need is for someone to be a voice for them. It sounds like a show worthy of a blind buy.

FWIW, I was just asking my mother about it. She loved it and said it was a great show.

 

[HunterMan]

To: HunterMan/Drew-> You're also quite welcome! The article was indeed well written and like you say, nice and positive!! As for Season 6, I haven't lost hope yet until Mary writes to me and says NO Deal! As of now, they are still working on some type of a deal. Have a Great Day!

Good to know that there is still a little hope with a possible deal for a Season 6 DVD release...I truly hope a deal is made! There really is no reason the last 3 seasons cannot be put out as well. But time will tell.

 

[Greg2356]

To: Ron1973-> Hi Ron! Yes it's true, I have always loved "The Donna Reed Show." It is difficult to explain, but it gave me everything I was seeking in a family show! I am sorry you have never gotten a true opportunity to enjoy this television series. If you like warm family stories where comedy is mixed in and the cast members seem like they are truly related, then you will absolutely love "The Donna Reed Show!" And your Mom is very correct when she says,"It was a great show."Thank you so much Ron for your very nice comments, you really made my day!

 

[Jeff Willis]

Greg, I don't have too many memories of the show. It never syndicated here and we didn't have cable as a kid out here when it was on the N@N run. I did catch one episode when we were visiting Nashville in the 80's I believe. You have an obvious dedication to the show and that's what our old shows need is for someone to be a voice for them. It sounds like a show worthy of a blind buy.

FWIW, I was just asking my mother about it. She loved it and said it was a great show.

Ron,

I don't go out on a limb often and offer a guarantee, but this show's a sure thing for you as a blind-buy.

It's tied with The Fugitive for my all-time best blind-buy series and is easily the best all-around sitcom I'm watching for the 1st time on the DVD's.

They hit the mother lode when casting the "family". I remember my sister growing up and our spats This show's an amazingly accurate portrayal, from my experiences, of that era's 'boomer bro/sis family.

Greg's post sums it up perfectly.

S1 is also my favorite sitcom opening theme...

 

[Greg2356]

Thanks for sharing Greg! That's a very nice article!

Bob: This is the third time, I've tried to answer you! I answered you twice on page 9 with using a very peculiar method to do so... You see, my computer was a Wreck, but now I have finally gotten it straightened out!!You're very welcome Bob in regards to my sharing the article concerning the putting together of 'Season 4' from "The Donna Reed Show!" I am so very glad you enjoyed the article!!

 

[BobO'Link]

Bob: This is the third time, I've tried to answer you! I answered you twice on page 9 with using a very peculiar method to do so... You see, my computer was a Wreck, but now I have finally gotten it straightened out!!You're very welcome Bob in regards to my sharing the article concerning the putting together of 'Season 4' from "The Donna Reed Show!" I am so very glad you enjoyed the article!!

I wondered what was up. I saw both of those!

 

[Greg2356]

"The Donna Reed Show" cast members in the toasting of a successful Season 6!
From Left to Right:
Donna Reed, Bob Crane, Ann McCrea, and Carl Betz

 

[AlanP]

Never enjoyed the series after Shelley left though... Just me

 

[LouA]

Never enjoyed the series after Shelley left though... Just me

Shelly was a big part of the chemistry of the show. It did lose something when she left.

 

[DaveHof2]

Nope, not just you. I feel the same way. And Tricia was a very poor substitute as a character. TV's first Cousin Oliver.

 

[AlanP]

I was only interested in the Shelley years! Never watched after she left only when she did guest spots

 

[Bob_S.]

I don't know. I don't think Tricia was as bad as cousin Oliver. Granted she was no Shelley but I still enjoyed the show. I have the 2 episodes that Sony released in the General Mills cereal and I enjoyed them very much. Can't wait for the day the last 3 seasons get released. Hopefully I'm still around!

 

[swan4022]

I too have always found Tricia's introduction (and, Mary's departure) an awkward transition. From a continuity standpoint, there are several episodes that aired after she joins the family where she does not even appear (I assume filmed prior to Tricia). But I found the interview at the end of Season 5 with Paul and Patty Petersen to add new appreciation for her presence. They reminisce about the episode where Mary finally accepts Tricia as her sister (quite touching), and also how Patty was going to sing on the show if not for the JFK assassination (the song was going to be about him, so I guess that would have been for Season 6). I'm glad they were able to include the interview as a bonus in the Season 5 set, as well as a couple audio clips of songs that were intended for the show but didn't make it in.

Just like in real life, families change, I guess we have to accept change even in the fantasyland of the Stone family who we all love to visit.

 

[DaveHof2]

Just like in real life, families change, I guess we have to accept change even in the fantasyland of the Stone family who we all love to visit.

True, but one of the strengths of the series for me is its slice-of-life stories, which rarely get into some of the more outlandish aspects of other family sitcoms. That's why it is somewhat jarring for this very believable family to have a stange kid follow them home from the park that winds up living with them.

 

[MattPeriolat]

Any hope of securing the rights to reissue seasons 1 and 2? Those are commanding serious money on the secondary market and I know collectors who missed them would love another bite.

 

[phenri]

Hello from "The Donna Reed Show" insider. lol.. Mary Owen has let me know that Seasons 6-8 are still being held up! MPI had a very positive meeting with a man from Sony Pictures, but then they turned over negotiations to someone else concerning MPI getting the rights to release seasons 6-8 on DVD. The person they turned over these talks to appears to have a poor attitude and lousy disposition in general. She doesn't want to talk about this subject and won't even answer any emails from MPI. She says if they don't make a big deal about getting these Donna Reed Show seasons and make a simple agreement, Sony will consider letting MPI release seasons 6-8 on DVD. MPI will try to negotiate again with "Sony Pictures" in the month of March. And the reason for this delay with MPI trying to convince Sony to let them release these seasons is because "Sony Pictures" right now is in the middle of downsizing and will be firing a lot of their employees. So this month of February is pretty much a mess for "Sony Pictures" studio.In the meantime, there is some better news to report: MPI is going to be working on Seasons 1-3 in regards to "The Donna Reed Show" and re-releasing them on DVD. Some fans didn't really approve of the technical quality on Seasons 1-3 which were done by another studio, so MPI is planning to improve the technical quality of these first three seasons which concern "The Donna Reed Show." I am excited about this...

According to the post above from February, MPI will be re-releasing Seasons 1-3 with improvements.