Where is "Hill Street Blues" & "St Elsewhere"???!!! (2 Viewers)

[Jeff_HR]

IMHO : Two of the 10 greatest shows ever on television

Too bad that the Studio that controls them hasn't a clue.

 

[Mike Frezon]

For some reason, I believe DVD sales of St. Elsewhere...and probably Hill Street Blues too, would be much greater than the studio would anticipate.

These are shows that left certain scenes firmly etched in viewer's heads. I know my wife and I are still quoting scenes between Ehrlich and Dr. Craig which we haven't seen in about 20 years.

Even though I just threw out a whole bunch of 80s TV on Beta tape during a basement cleanout, any tape that had a St. Elsewhere episode made it into the "save" box. Two episodes which were a favorite (and made it onto my Beta library!) involve Edward Herrmann as the hospital's founder and some very youthful Doctors Craig, Auschlander and Westphal.

Bring on the St. Eligius gang as soon as you can!

 

[Jeff_HR]

I continue to be amazed at the extraordinary numbers of TV programs being released, many very good & many very BAD. But it just burns my behind to no end that these two wonderful shows remain locked away in a vault.

 

[Paul Stanley]

Isn't St Elsewhere the show that has that dude named Gonzo who lives in a camper in the hospital parking lot, and an older Trapper John from MASH?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Paul: Um, no. That was Trapper John, MD. The title character, played by Pernell Roberts who was also Adam on Bonanza, was based on the MASH character.

 

[Daniel DeLawter]

I was looking for these series' the last few days after watching some Kingdom Hospital. I wish they would both be released, I'd buy em all.

 

[Jeff_HR]

It is nice to know there is at least ONE other fan out there. :frowning:

 

[Jeff Willis]

It is nice to know there is at least ONE other fan out there.

Rest assured, Jeff, here's another "Jeff" that wants HSB released badly. I really liked the early seasons with the original Desk Sarge (Michael Conrad....but what was his character name in the show? I forget...was it "Phil Esterhaus" or something like that?) I haven't seen this show in syndication in a while. Is it being aired currently anywhere and with "non-syndicated" eps?

 

[Jeff#]

That's right, Jeff. Phil Esterhaus was played by Michael Conrad. Then when Conrad died of cancer in late 1983 there were several episodes with cops Howard Hunter (actually demoted from Lieutenant to desk Sgt until eventually being promoted back to Lt. again), Sgt. Lucy Bates, and even Henry Goldblume (all on the show for all 7 years) briefed the other cops in the station house at the beginning of the show.
Early in 1984 the task permanently went to a new regular played by another old guy: Robert Prosky, who played veteran Sgt. Stan Jablonski. While Esterhaus always said "Let's be careful out there!", the more abrasive Stan's line was "Let's do it to them, before they do it to us!" Eventually he got in trouble for that, and couldn't say that anymore.
Dennis Franz and Joe Spano were regulars on both Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, but according to Spano's IMDB listing, he was only on the newer Blue for 2 years -- again playing a detective.
On Hill Street, Franz first appeared during the Esterhaus era in early 1983 in a story arc in which he played a crooked detective named Benedetto. Two years later he came back as the unconventional, but honest Norman Buntz. There was even a comedy-drama spinoff of Hill Street Blues in 1987 called "Beverly Hills Buntz" with his character and Bruce Weitz (who was great on Hill Street as Mick Belker) teaming up as private eyes in California!!
I never got into NYPD Blue though, because even though it undoubtedly has a great cast and stellar writing, the handheld camerawork style of filmmaking that became the trend on TV crime shows in the 1990s is downright naueseating to watch! At least Hill Street Blues kept the handheld stuff to a minimum.....limited to the beginning of the show during the stationhouse briefings. It was much easier to watch visually as a whole.

 

[R. Kay]

Jeff# :

A # of incorrect info:

Joe Spano Played Mark Paul Gosselar's dad on NYPD Blue. His character may have been a detective at one point, but his role was of a bad news dad, and he was never a regular.

Bruce Weitz was not in the spinoff 'Beverly Hills Buntz'. Buntz's partner was formerly a snitch on Hill Street Blues. His name was Sid Thurston played by Peter Jurasik.

Regardless : WE WANT HILL STREET ON DVD!

 

[Jeff#]

Sorry about that! I wasn't an NYPD Blue watcher, but I was looking at Joe Spano's biography on the IMDB. This is what it had:

NYPD Blue" (1993) TV Series .... Det. John Clark, Sr. (2001-2003)

Beverly Hills Buntz I read about but never got to see, because back then I had another show on the same time it aired.

You're right about Sid the Snitch partnering up with Norman Buntz though. I remember those two frequently doing business on Hill Street Blues, so it made sense to team them again for the unsuccessful spinoff.

 

[Jeff Willis]

because even though it undoubtedly has a great cast and stellar writing, the handheld camerawork style of filmmaking that became the trend on TV crime shows in the 1990s is downright naueseating to watch

I agree, although I like the 1st 2-3 Seasons of NYPD Blue. I never was a fan of that "innovative" camera motion thing.
Thanks for the HSB info. I'd guess you're a "fanatic" like I am of another 2 series (my very un-suttle signature on this site :b )
After Michael Conrad passed away I wasn't as much of a follower of the series. What was the season where the new Desk Sgt started? It was never the same after "Phil" was gone..."Let's be careful out there!"

 

[Jeff_HR]

Regardless : WE WANT HILL STREET ON DVD

I WANT "St Elsewhere" TOO!

 

[Jeff#]

Thanks for the HSB info. I'd guess you're a "fanatic" like I am of another 2 series (my very un-suttle signature on this site

Nah, I'm not buying this on DVD. I just used to enjoy Hill Street Blues from daily TV reruns, on both local TV in the 1990s and TV Land during that same period.

 

[David Lambert]

Other shows, such as St. Elsewhere, haven't made it to DVD because it isn't clear in older contracts who owns the DVD rights, particularly shows that were jointly produced by companies that might have since been sold, panelists said.

I expect Hill Street Blues is probably right in the same boat with it. Sorry everybody. :frowning:

 

[Doug Wallen]

That information is just criminal, HSB was the first realistic police show aired and it didn't resemble anything I had ever seen before. I was totally taken in with just the pilot. Couldn't wait to see if Hill and Renko were alive or if JD could actually work while intoxicated.

I hope someone can figure out the rights issue so this show could be made available. There were a few vhs releases of the pilot and other memorable episodes in the late 80's to early 90's I believe of "Blues" and "St. Elsewhere".

 

[Jeff_HR]

Well I am ANGRY beyond words!!!!!!! There is so much ABSOLUTE HORSE MANURE that is released on DVD and these two quality shows can't escape the vault!!!!!!!!
So there are rights problems. The problems with "Miami Vice" got worked out, why can't someone put their nose to the grindstone & get this problem resolved? Or does no one really give a SH*T!

 

[Jeff_HR]

Any news about possible releases of these two series or are they to continue locked away in the vault forevermore?!? :frowning:

 

[LizH]

I find it a bit disconcerting that the fate of one show may control another.
I personally couldn't give a damn about NYPD Blue, but would be on Hill Street in a second. Hill St. is vintage TV that has a fanbase of older viewers, while NYPD is what, 25 years later?

I think you've just hit the nail on the head as to why HSB and SE aren't being released.
In the studios' minds, older viewers don't buy DVDs (At the very least, they don't buy nearly as many as young people do.) Ergo, shows like HSB and SE tend to be passed over for release. :frowning:

 

[Tony Kwong]

Hill Street Blues is considered a "older" show, has about 150 episodes. 7 seasons. That's a lot of show to release. I could be wrong but, dont think there is enough demand as of yet. Based on TVshowsonDVD.com it's typically rank in the 100's. I want this series, but I dont blame them for not wanting to releases it. This show is high enough profile that I doubt it will be licenced to other distributors nor have I ever seen them do this. I can hope for is maybe a releases in another region. I'm happy enough with those Third Watch Collection 1-2 on R2 DVD.