Universal TV Box Sets - Outside R1 (1 Viewer)

[John H Ross]

Forgive me if this thread should be in the Regional DVD section, I just thought it would be more appropriate to the TV section.

As Universal sets become less and less reliable, I'm thinking of buying from my local HMV (in England) rather than from Amazon US even though I prefer the NTSC format, original speed, etc.

Just two quick questions really:

1. Does anybody have, for example, the Columbo sets in the UK? And, if so, can they confirm if the original Universal logos at the end of each episode are intact, unlike R1 where they've been removed?

2. I just sampled the R2 (UK) version of The A-Team Season 2 and the little pre-episode trailers are missing :-( Is there ANYWHERE outside of R1 that presents these episodes as they were originally aired without faults/pauses/slips/scratched discs, etc?

Thanks,

John

 

[James.M]

I've got A-Team and Magnum PI seasons 1-2 on R1. What problems have you had with them? You might find with a different DVD player they work fine.

I have got season one of Columbo on R2 and it does have the proper universal logo at the end of the eps. The old one.

 

[John H Ross]

Does anyone have season 2 of Columbo on R2 (UK) and, if so, is the original Universal logo intact at the end of that set too?

I'm still in 2 minds about R1 vs R2 on these sets. I like the single sided discs in R2 but I like that you get the air dates, episode synopses and teaser on R1. But then R1 sets seem prone to problems. Argh!

John

 

[chrisBeckett]

John, I have only just discovered this thread so the information may be way too late. If not, I have season 2 of Columbo on R2 (UK) and the original Universal logos are intact at the end.

 

[Jeff Willis]

I don't havc the Columbo R2's but I recently bought the Bionic Woman S1 set in R2. It's the originally-aired eps intact with all lead-in's, etc. I also recently bought the miniseries Rich Man Poor Man R2 set. The main reason that I bought these 2 R2 sets is not knowing when/if they'll be released in R1. As of now, they're the only R2 sets in my collection. I wait for the majority of my TV/DVD buys for R1 releases but for these 2, I guess I couldn't wait I noticed that they were both one-sided DVD's. What's the correct terminology..."DVD 9s'"?

 

[John H Ross]

YAY! This is fantastic news - THANKS! I was poised to pick this up, along with the newly released S3, and now it's a no-brainer.

I hate how the music cuts off sharply at the end of the R1 discs... classic Universal logo here I come!

(Not that I have anything against the new logo you understand, what with it being composed by Jerry Goldsmith and all, I just don't want my television as it was originally aired).

JR

 

[chrisBeckett]

It seems in most cases the R2 Universal TV Box Sets are from the original materials resulting in the logos being intact, and for Seasons 2 and 3 of Quantum Leap the original music being intact.

This is good, especially as you point out Jeff the R2 versions may be the only ones available and you at least have everything intact. Not so good if better prints exist elsewhere. Hopefully that is rare, as apart from Six Million Dollar Man - although not bad, Bionic Woman shows how it should look - all the other R2 Universal's I have look very good.

 

[Ethan Riley]

It's not FAIRRRRR that they get all our guilty-pleasure U.S. tv shows 100 years before WE do. Bah!

 

[Michael Alden]

Thanks for this post. It reminded me to order RMPM Book 1, which I had been meaning to do. Amazon UK had it for like 68% off and even with the air mail shipping, I got it for under 16 pounds. Now if we can get them to release Book 2!