The Pretender (1 Viewer)

[PopBodhi]

I'm thinking about buying the first season of this show. I've never watched it, so I'm wondering about the quality of the show in addition to the quality of the DVD presentation.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Doug^Ch]

I can enthusiastically recommend The Pretender. I too never watched it during its broadcast run, but have enjoyed the first two seasons tremendously. Most shows stand on there own, but there are also great continuity threads that reward the person watching from the beginning. The quality of the video is very good, but the studio decided to use DVD18s, which have been problematic for some people. I have not had any problems with them on this particular show. The second season is presented in anamorphic wide-screen, and to my eyes looks great. Try the show; I think that you will enjoy it.

 

[Eve Brown]

I highily recommand the show. I had seen a few episodes when it ran on NBC but didn't have time usually since it was on Saturdays, really started watching when they show reruns on my local station. I enjoyed it so much that i picked up some of the dvds when i was in France a couple years ago since it wasn't out yet here. Was getting ready to order the rest when the annoucement came for a release here. It most be selling well to because the 3rd (of 4)release will be out in under a year.

 

[Bob Hug]

If, after reading the above two endorsements, you're still on the ropes about The Pretender, be aware that Fox released the first two episodes of the series on a sampler DVD last year. There was a rebate form for $10 off the purchase of the full season set of "The Pretender" included in the sampler, but I believe that the rebate expired at the end of December 2005.

 

[PopBodhi]

Thank you for the responses. I'll be buying this one.

 

[Eve Brown]

I have the sampler that i could mail to u for $5

 

[PopBodhi]

You're too sweet. However, I've now purchased both the first and second seasons. I'm addicted - can't wait until next Tuesday!

 

[MikeStanbridge]

Did you pick up season 3? I am loving it. I love this show.

 

[PopBodhi]

I have the first three seasons and I do enjoy this show. However, a couple episodes in the second season pixelate. I posted a "trouble with" thread and nobody responded. I was quite disappointed by the lack of response. At one point I e-mailed TV Shows on DVD - no reply. BTW, I'm pursuing it myself now and I believe I will have it resolved soon. It's too bad the DVD forums aren't as much help as they were a few years ago. In my opinion, TV Shows on DVD has no excuse for ignoring a visiter to their site.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

It's not they don't ignore emails from its visitors. I just picked up seasons 1 and seasons 2 from Best Buy form $15 each and every time I've contacted Dave and Gord about a question or new story I've always received a response from them. You just have to be patient when contacting them.

They respond better when your message is respectful and courteous.

 

[Nick Zbu]

I'm interested enough now to put down some cash on a blind buy. Especially since the BB sale is still going on through today. I may indulge.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

well, i bought season 1 from circuit city, for $15 due to price matching bought season 2 from best buy and got a raincheck for season 3 and season 4 comes out in two weeks. ehehe

 

[David_Blackwell]

The commentaries are so-so on season four.

 

[Jeff Willis]

I recently bought the remaining DVD sets of the Pretender S3-4. I've had S1 & 2 for several years but hadn't started watching S2 until this weekend.


I got a surprise when I looked at the aspect ratio's for S3-4 at Amazon, expecting 1.33:1. I started watching the 1st disc on S2. It's also formatted to 1.78:1 ratio. Since this series was airing from '96 - '00 with S2 in '97, I was expecting the 1.33:1 format.

S2 looks great so far but I had thought that the first TV show filmed in 1.78:1 was in '01 or maybe late '00.

Does anyone know the story on this series and the S2-4 seasons being formatted in 1.78:1 on the DVD sets? Was this series originally shot in 1.78:1 or were the S2-4 DVD sets cropped to appear WS format? I'm guessing that the DVD sets are cropped but it's not apparent to me as I don't have the originally-aired copies to compare.

 

[Steve_Pannell]

I'm not sure about The Pretender but for what it's worth The X Files, season 5 aired in 1997 and that was its first season to be shown in 1.78:1.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_Pannell I'm not sure about The Pretender but for what it's worth The X Files, season 5 aired in 1997 and that was its first season to be shown in 1.78:1.
Thanks, I had forgotton about the X Files. I have S1 of that one but haven't bought further as I'm early into S1's viewing, not sure about collecting further on the show.


That's interesting about the same year, '97, and the commonality of 1.78:1 formats with the 2 show's DVD sets. Perhaps that's when some of the major studio shows began to shoot some series in WS.