TimeLife Releases The Best Of Cher (1 Viewer)

[Brian Himes]

TimeLife has released a Best Of Cher DVD collection that features Cher's 1978 TV Special, Cher . . . Special, and her 1979 TV Special Cher & Other Fantasies and some other things. The big selling point is that it also contains 10 episodes of Cher's 1975 Show. Here's a link:

The Best Of Cher

Sadly, this is not all sunshine and roses with this set. What TimeLife has done is port over the 2/12/75 (listed as 2/9/75), 3/16/75, 4/27/75, and 5/11/75 episodes from the previously released The Best Of Sonny & Cher set. There are 6 episodes that have not been released on DVD until now. However, a few of these have been shown on VH1 in the past. The episodes that have been shown on VH1 that are included are 2/16/75, 4/20/75, 5/4/75, and 11/16/75. So, these will be longer versions that have not been released before. There are also the 3/9/75 and 5/18/75 episodes that have not been seen in any form since the original airings.

Also, there is no indication that these episodes will be complete and uncut. If the Sonny & Cher set is any indication, I believe that every episode will pretty much be edited in some way. I wouldn't expect any of these episodes to have a running time over 45 minutes. Most will probably clock in around 40-42 minutes. Bummer but for the episodes that have been shown on VH1, these will be upgrades.

This set has a cost of $99.99.

Ok, now here is the real bummer to the whole thing. There is a Deluxe Edition that includes the previously released Best Of Sonny & Cher set. However, TimeLife has pulled a really dirty trick. This version of the Best of Sonny & Cher removes the above mentioned duplicate Cher episodes (2/12/75, 3/16/75, 4/24/75, 5/11/75), keeps the previously released 11/9/75 episode and substitutes 4 new to DVD episodes of Cher. Those episodes are 4/6/75 (previously shown on VH1 in a 30 minute version and Get TV in a longer version), 9/28/75, 10/26/75 (both of which have not been seen since their original airing) and 11/23/75 (previously shown on VH1 in a 30 minute version and Get TV in a longer version). The Deluxe Edition costs $199.99.

So, if you want all 10 of the previously unreleased Cher episodes you have to buy the Deluxe Edition. If you bought the original Best Of Sonny & Cher set, this will just duplicate almost the entire previously released episodes. And at $200.00 no less. The only thing new in the Sonny & Cher set is the 4 episodes of Cher that I listed above (4/6/75, 9/28/75, 10/26/75, and 11/23/75). Kind of stinks if you ask me but there you go.

Not the best news for those of us that bought the previous set but great news for anyone that didn't pop for the first set. They can get both and not duplicate anything.

 

[cherisland]

Thank you for posting this. I purchased the basic Best Of Cher DVD set from them, then realized what you have mentioned and was quite upset as I would indeed like to have those additional 4 Cher episodes that they switched onto the Sonny & Cher I Got You Babe Dvd set, which I also purchased last year. I actually called TimeLife's customer service department and was told there was nothing that they could do about it but suggested I send an email to their customer service explaining the entire complicated situation, which I also did. I am not optimistic that anything will be done, but feel it would be wonderful if they offered those two discs up to people who have already purchased both sets at $99.99 each. It is absolutely disgraceful that a fan should have to repurchase the Best Of Cher Deluxe DVD set for another $199.90 just for those additional 4 Cher episodes. At the very least they should offer them as a 2 disc separate set for fans that already have the Sonny & Cher set.

Like you said, for fans that have yet to purchase the Sonny & Cher I Got You Babe DVD set, the Deluxe version of Best Of Cher is definitely the way to go. I am happy they are releasing more episodes but like you said, they pulled a really dirty trick altering the I Got You Babe set for this Deluxe version.

TimeLife has released a Best Of Cher DVD collection that features Cher's 1978 TV Special, Cher . . . Special, and her 1979 TV Special Cher & Other Fantasies and some other things. The big selling point is that it also contains 10 episodes of Cher's 1975 Show. Here's a link:

The Best Of Cher

Sadly, this is not all sunshine and roses with this set. What TimeLife has done is port over the 2/12/75 (listed as 2/9/75), 3/16/75, 4/27/75, and 5/11/75 episodes from the previously released The Best Of Sonny & Cher set. There are 6 episodes that have not been released on DVD until now. However, a few of these have been shown on VH1 in the past. The episodes that have been shown on VH1 that are included are 2/16/75, 4/20/75, 5/4/75, and 11/16/75. So, these will be longer versions that have not been released before. There are also the 3/9/75 and 5/18/75 episodes that have not been seen in any form since the original airings.

Also, there is no indication that these episodes will be complete and uncut. If the Sonny & Cher set is any indication, I believe that every episode will pretty much be edited in some way. I wouldn't expect any of these episodes to have a running time over 45 minutes. Most will probably clock in around 40-42 minutes. Bummer but for the episodes that have been shown on VH1, these will be upgrades.

This set has a cost of $99.99.

Ok, now here is the real bummer to the whole thing. There is a Deluxe Edition that includes the previously released Best Of Sonny & Cher set. However, TimeLife has pulled a really dirty trick. This version of the Best of Sonny & Cher removes the above mentioned duplicate Cher episodes (2/12/75, 3/16/75, 4/24/75, 5/11/75), keeps the previously released 11/9/75 episode and substitutes 4 new to DVD episodes of Cher. Those episodes are 4/6/75 (previously shown on VH1 in a 30 minute version and Get TV in a longer version), 9/28/75, 10/26/75 (both of which have not been seen since their original airing) and 11/23/75 (previously shown on VH1 in a 30 minute version and Get TV in a longer version). The Deluxe Edition costs $199.99.

So, if you want all 10 of the previously unreleased Cher episodes you have to buy the Deluxe Edition. If you bought the original Best Of Sonny & Cher set, this will just duplicate almost the entire previously released episodes. And at $200.00 no less. The only thing new in the Sonny & Cher set is the 4 episodes of Cher that I listed above (4/6/75, 9/28/75, 10/26/75, and 11/23/75). Kind of stinks if you ask me but there you go.

Not the best news for those of us that bought the previous set but great news for anyone that didn't pop for the first set. They can get both and not duplicate anything.

 

[mrz7]

Thank you for posting this. I purchased the basic Best Of Cher DVD set from them, then realized what you have mentioned and was quite upset as I would indeed like to have those additional 4 Cher episodes that they switched onto the Sonny & Cher I Got You Babe Dvd set, which I also purchased last year. I actually called TimeLife's customer service department and was told there was nothing that they could do about it but suggested I send an email to their customer service explaining the entire complicated situation, which I also did. I am not optimistic that anything will be done, but feel it would be wonderful if they offered those two discs up to people who have already purchased both sets at $99.99 each. It is absolutely disgraceful that a fan should have to repurchase the Best Of Cher Deluxe DVD set for another $199.90 just for those additional 4 Cher episodes. At the very least they should offer them as a 2 disc separate set for fans that already have the Sonny & Cher set.

Like you said, for fans that have yet to purchase the Sonny & Cher I Got You Babe DVD set, the Deluxe version of Best Of Cher is definitely the way to go. I am happy they are releasing more episodes but like you said, they pulled a really dirty trick altering the I Got You Babe set for this Deluxe version.

I would hold off buying (if you can). Time-Life is notorious to release smaller sets to retail within 6 months of their initial sets. "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" was released (as a 5 disc set) to retail 6 months after they did the bigger set that included "Cher" solo shows and the "Sonny And Cher later show (after they divorce). Although these shows were not included in the 5 disc retail set, I bet they will do another 5-6 DVD set of "Cher" solo shows to retail later.

Time-Life is a good company, but they sure like to confuse these sets with shows on different DVD sets. They did this a lot with "The Carol Burnett Show" DVD sets. When I saw Carol Burnett live (when she was in Chicago), someone in the audience asked her about that....she really didn't know the answer, but she stated that her guess was that the "music copyright" issue there is a lot of red tape and they produce sets once they get a group of shows that have been cleared. With that saying, Time-Life made multiple sets of "The Carol Burnett Shows" over a course of 4 years (her contract with them). As Time-Life (Starvista) was able to clear music for a bunch of shows, they would make a new set. They had several sets broken out after the first initial big box set was released. Some of these smaller sets were from the initial set broken out to retail in bits and pieces. About a year later they released another smaller set that was called "Carols Crackups" that contained all new shows that were not in the initial box set. Then they released a "50th Anniversary" set that included the "Final" show and some other new shows (that were edited unfortunately) along with some repeated shows from the 2 big initial sets they released (The Lost Episodes (Seasons 1-5) Big Box set were released in the 4th year of Carol's contract with Time-Life (Star Vista)

"Laugh In" was similar, however Time-Life were able to release complete seasons in a big set intially, then releasing each season solo to retail 6 months later. I think the main reason "Laugh In" was easier for Time-Life to clear complete seasons was mainly due to this variety show had way less "music" then "The Carol Burnett Shows" and the "Sonny and Cher " and "Cher" solo shows.

Just be patient if you can.....I bet any money they will release "Cher" solo show in a 5-6 DVD set (excluding the bonus material/concerts, which I have already) to retail around Christmas time or later. Time-Life released the initial set of "Sonny and Cher" around August of last year. By February of this year the smaller 5 Disc version (without the bonus material) came out to retail and was much cheaper. If you don't care about the bonus material, go for the cheaper sets. Because 9 out of 10 times, the bonus stuff will eventually make it out to retail in a different smaller set (but you have to do your research/homework.....sometimes if your lucky, one of the forum members on this site will post this information already on how these sets are broken out....that's part of what I learned when dealing with collecting the "The Carol Burnett Shows").

Time-life did this method of selling these sets with "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Laugh In", they will do the same with "Sonny and Cher" as well......that's how they do business and I have a feeling these shows (Sonny and Cher) must be under a contract for 2-4 years with Time-Life. More will eventually come out to retail in smaller (and cheaper) sets.

 

[rmw650]

Just another way for TL to milk this and any other series they can for that extra buck.

 

[Brian Himes]

I would hold off buying (if you can). Time-Life is notorious to release smaller sets to retail within 6 months of their initial sets. "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" was released (as a 5 disc set) to retail 6 months after they did the bigger set that included "Cher" solo shows and the "Sonny And Cher later show (after they divorce). Although these shows were not included in the 5 disc retail set, I bet they will do another 5-6 DVD set of "Cher" solo shows to retail later.

Just be patient if you can.....I bet any money they will release "Cher" solo show in a 5-6 DVD set (excluding the bonus material/concerts, which I have already) to retail around Christmas time or later. Time-Life released the initial set of "Sonny and Cher" around August of last year. By February of this year the smaller 5 Disc version (without the bonus material) came out to retail and was much cheaper. If you don't care about the bonus material, go for the cheaper sets. Because 9 out of 10 times, the bonus stuff will eventually make it out to retail in a different smaller set (but you have to do your research/homework.....sometimes if your lucky, one of the forum members on this site will post this information already on how these sets are broken out....that's part of what I learned when dealing with collecting the "The Carol Burnett Shows").

Time-life did this method of selling these sets with "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Laugh In", they will do the same with "Sonny and Cher" as well......that's how they do business and I have a feeling these shows (Sonny and Cher) must be under a contract for 2-4 years with Time-Life. More will eventually come out to retail in smaller (and cheaper) sets.

Yes, they will probably release a solo Cher set to retail. That is not the point. If and when they do, the chances of them including the 4 new shows that they placed in the original Sonny & Cher set is pretty small. They will most likely include just the 10 episodes (4 of which have already been released) of Cher minus all of the bonus features. TimeLife is notorious for holding back the bonus stuff when these things go retail.

It's not really a matter of TimeLife being a good company or not. What they've done here is really rotten. There is no other way to look at it. Sorry, but $200 for 10 new episodes plus the 18 that I already bought is a bit much. It's a really rotten way to do business and it leaves a bad taste. I bought the set, but believe me, I was not at all happy about it.