I just read on the Happy Days board that L&S on DVD will not go beyond Season One. Does anybody know if this is true? That would really stink. The best episodes have not been released.

paramount is not willing to fork out the bucks for the music rights the season ones didn't sell the way they wanted so as of right now its a dead issue
funny thing is i don't remember l&s having a whole lot of music.
look on the lighter side at least season one of l&s was a full season
happy days was only 16 episodes we will probably never see anymore hd dvds

It all depends if this was actually read from an offical site. I can't believe anything unless I see it's truthful. But with the way things have been going, as in the 1st season of L&S came out in like what...? Last Oct. or something? It looks like there may not be a release of the 2nd season, usually doesn't take this long for these to come out.

It all depends if this was actually read from an offical site. I can't believe anything unless I see it's truthful. But with the way things have been going, as in the 1st season of L&S came out in like what...? Last Oct. or something? It looks like there may not be a release of the 2nd season, usually doesn't take this long for these to come out.


I don't know about Paramount's release record, but Sony /Tri-Star releases have a godawful waiting period between releases.

The 17th of this month will be a year since its release, so things aren't looking too good.

paramount is not willing to fork out the bucks for the music rights the season ones didn't sell the way they wanted so as of right now its a dead issue
funny thing is i don't remember l&s having a whole lot of music.
look on the lighter side at least season one of l&s was a full season
happy days was only 16 episodes we will probably never see anymore hd dvds

Laverne and Shirely's first season was not a full one- it only had 15 episodes.

Auggh!!!! I wish they'd release the dvd NOW!!! Anyone ready 2 send Paramount some nasty hate mail re: "What's the hold up on HD, M&M, L&S" Sony is doing the same w/Who's The Boss too, it's VERY IRRATATING-that dvd came out last year & the WTB fans want WTB out! (same w/us HD/L&S/Mork & Mindy fans!

Tiff7

Well i'm getting out my pen and paper, lol. I'm not letting this slide with out at least letting them know that I got pissed. LOL. I should give them the links to this thread and the one on the Happy Days one, they'll see how fans are dissapointed. But then again, still there's really no exact word from Paramount. I just know that it's been a long time since the first season came out but Cindy Williams had said they were working on it from what I read in her guest book...??

That isn't gonna help any unfortunately. DVD companies generally stick with their decisions no matter what, because, the only thing that matters, unfortunately, when a DVD is released is....


THE INCOME OF MONEY FOR THE RELEASE TO THE COMPANY.



pat

That isn't gonna help any unfortunately. DVD companies generally stick with their decisions no matter what, because, the only thing that matters, unfortunately, when a DVD is released is....


THE INCOME OF MONEY FOR THE RELEASE TO THE COMPANY.



pat
actually this rumor WILL affect Paramount's income - if you consider that they are still trying to sell Season One, and that a LOT of people, including fans and people that are just "on the fence" will NOT buy a show when they find out that there won't be any future releases...

This is a ridiculous amount of time to wait.

This is a ridiculous amount of time to wait.
agreed!

(and nice to see you back :wave:

This is a ridiculous amount of time to wait.

Cheryl! :bighug: I agree too, it is a ridiculous amount of time to wait; unless we're thinking about something different. I was assuming that you were saying it was a ridiculous time to wait for the next season.

Cheryl! :bighug: I agree too, it is a ridiculous amount of time to wait; unless we're thinking about something different. I was assuming that you were saying it was a ridiculous time to wait for the next season.


Yeah, I go AWOL...sometimes you have to smack me in the head to get my attention. Just PM me if I do that again, lol!

Okay, lol. I know that I got through all the tapes you let me borrow, they're here and safe; same with your bro's DVD. Is the church group getting together at all soon?

Yeah, I go AWOL...sometimes you have to smack me in the head to get my attention. Just PM me if I do that again, lol!

Okay, lol. I know that I got through all the tapes you let me borrow, they're here and safe; same with your bro's DVD. Is the church group getting together at all soon?

I don't know yet. They are returning today from being in North Carolina for a week.

Oo, what were they doing there? lol

I don't know yet. They are returning today from being in North Carolina for a week.

Oo, what were they doing there? lol

It was a church camp type thing...

Anyways, getting back on subject because we want to set a good example for the newbies ;)

I told my brother about the LAS sets not being done and he thought it was stupid.

Well I don't know the truth right now if it's going to be continuing or not, I just know that it would make me angry if they didn't continue.

It was a church camp type thing...

Anyways, getting back on subject because we want to set a good example for the newbies ;)

I told my brother about the LAS sets not being done and he thought it was stupid.

Well I don't know the truth right now if it's going to be continuing or not, I just know that it would make me angry if they didn't continue.

My fingers and toes are crossed for another LAS release!!!

Maybe if they had put some kind of "Extras" on this release, it would have sold better than it did!!

Maybe if they had put some kind of "Extras" on this release, it would have sold better than it did!!

I know! It was the first release, it should have had SOMETHING!

I think it should have been promoted much more. I didn't see anything on TV about it, then again I don't watch much TV but still. And they could have done some kind of reunion movie and promoted it through there as well. Lots of things could have happened but no one took the chance on it.

Maybe if they had put some kind of "Extras" on this release, it would have sold better than it did!!

I think it should have been promoted much more. I didn't see anything on TV about it, then again I don't watch much TV but still. And they could have done some kind of reunion movie and promoted it through there as well. Lots of things could have happened but no one took the chance on it.

It wasn't promoted as much. On the FRASIER dvds it advertises LAS, Happy Days and Mork & Mindy....I'm hoping that will help the sales.

Good! My one friend had said she saw aq preview for it for some DVD she bought. And I just keep thinking how it's not fair, not fair to not finish up the series out on DVD since there's all these other shows that are; I feel bad. lol. They shouldn't start out with selling a first season of something if they're not going to continue it at all, such the mentality of Paramount.

It wasn't promoted as much. On the FRASIER dvds it advertises LAS, Happy Days and Mork & Mindy....I'm hoping that will help the sales.

definately could use SOME promotion, ads on TVLand, Nickelodeon or LifetimeWomens? another reunion? ANYTHING?

Oh definately! If anyone else is writing to the company like me, put that in there as well!

definately could use SOME promotion, ads on TVLand, Nickelodeon or LifetimeWomens? another reunion? ANYTHING?

The DVD sets of Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days are NOT discontinued. Paramount is actually still working out the rights to the shows, some of which have to do with music but also with producers, actors, etc.

The plan is for Paramount (a company that stands to GAIN a lot of $$ overall by releasing their vast catalogue, even if they have to fork over a couple of million for each season set of each show) to release practically their whole collection of shows, some of which are beloved classics. This sort of thing takes time. It typically can't be worked out for each show individually but more as a package deal. Since the two shows are related continuity-wise (Laverne & Shirley spun off from Happy Days), the people involved who stand to make $$ are more or less the same, and some of them even cross-overed onto the other show.

Also, these episodes have to be touched up for release. They're very old and need to be redone in terms of sound as well as picture. This, again, adds to the expense. Shows like Friends don't have this problem since the show is so new and is shot digitally. There is no touching up that needs to be done on it.

I know it's irritating and it may take longer than we want it to, but they are trying to work things out so that the shows WILL be released. Some of you make it sound like they're looking for reasons NOT to release them. They don't stand to gain anything by keeping them in the vaults, especially with all the bootlegging that goes on.

And this should also explain why there were no extras included on the DVD sets, be it in the form of interviews, commentaries, or bloopers. Such items add to the expense of each set, and Paramount has already had to pay out mucho bucks to even release the first season DVDs. They figured that the only way to include extra features and still make a profit would mean having to hike up the price of each DVD set. They didn't want to do that since they figured that these shows, although classics, wouldn't sell enough to justify the expense.

Like it or not, as much as we love these shows, they're not guaranteed best-sellers like the current hits of the day. Fans of these shows tend to be much older and and thus are more frugal with their money (especially in these expensive gasoline days) and are less likely to blow $45 to $50 on each set (both shows combined would be almost $100!) than the average late teen/early 20 year olds who don't mind spending $45/$50 on Seinfeld and Friends. Some of us diehards may see ourselves spending that kind of money on Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days, but we're the exception here, not the rule.

They learned of how FOX lost money by doing this very thing with the first season set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. That set had features galore, including commentaries, commercials for the show, a documentary and a trivia game hosted by the show's stars. It sold for over $45 and stood. It took FOX over 3 years to try again with Season 2 (after much lobbying and complaining from fans), but this time the features were kept to a minimum and the set was sold for $25 to $30. Rumor has it the show is doing better this go-round.

In any case, please be patient. If the shows were dead, an announcement would have been made officially on www.tvshowsondvd.com . It hasn't happened so we're in the clear. It may take another 1/2 year or so before Seasons 2 and beyond are released, but we'll get them nonetheless. Be happy about that...

Ed

Wow. Thanks for bringing some light to this thread, Ed. Are you the same Ed that's on Cindy's guest book? ;) But yes, good news indeed!

The DVD sets of Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days are NOT discontinued. Paramount is actually still working out the rights to the shows, some of which have to do with music but also with producers, actors, etc.

The plan is for Paramount (a company that stands to GAIN a lot of $$ overall by releasing their vast catalogue, even if they have to fork over a couple of million for each season set of each show) to release practically their whole collection of shows, some of which are beloved classics. This sort of thing takes time. It typically can't be worked out for each show individually but more as a package deal. Since the two shows are related continuity-wise (Laverne & Shirley spun off from Happy Days), the people involved who stand to make $$ are more or less the same, and some of them even cross-overed onto the other show.

Also, these episodes have to be touched up for release. They're very old and need to be redone in terms of sound as well as picture. This, again, adds to the expense. Shows like Friends don't have this problem since the show is so new and is shot digitally. There is no touching up that needs to be done on it.

I know it's irritating and it may take longer than we want it to, but they are trying to work things out so that the shows WILL be released. Some of you make it sound like they're looking for reasons NOT to release them. They don't stand to gain anything by keeping them in the vaults, especially with all the bootlegging that goes on.

And this should also explain why there were no extras included on the DVD sets, be it in the form of interviews, commentaries, or bloopers. Such items add to the expense of each set, and Paramount has already had to pay out mucho bucks to even release the first season DVDs. They figured that the only way to include extra features and still make a profit would mean having to hike up the price of each DVD set. They didn't want to do that since they figured that these shows, although classics, wouldn't sell enough to justify the expense.

Like it or not, as much as we love these shows, they're not guaranteed best-sellers like the current hits of the day. Fans of these shows tend to be much older and and thus are more frugal with their money (especially in these expensive gasoline days) and are less likely to blow $45 to $50 on each set (both shows combined would be almost $100!) than the average late teen/early 20 year olds who don't mind spending $45/$50 on Seinfeld and Friends. Some of us diehards may see ourselves spending that kind of money on Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days, but we're the exception here, not the rule.

They learned of how FOX lost money by doing this very thing with the first season set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. That set had features galore, including commentaries, commercials for the show, a documentary and a trivia game hosted by the show's stars. It sold for over $45 and stood. It took FOX over 3 years to try again with Season 2 (after much lobbying and complaining from fans), but this time the features were kept to a minimum and the set was sold for $25 to $30. Rumor has it the show is doing better this go-round.

In any case, please be patient. If the shows were dead, an announcement would have been made officially on www.tvshowsondvd.com . It hasn't happened so we're in the clear. It may take another 1/2 year or so before Seasons 2 and beyond are released, but we'll get them nonetheless. Be happy about that...

Ed

Wow. Thanks for bringing some light to this thread, Ed. Are you the same Ed that's on Cindy's guest book? ;) But yes, good news indeed!

You're most welcome, and nope, I am not the same Ed. What is Cindy's webpage? I'd like to re-visit it. The poor thing's guest book has every other response lambasting her for nasty comments about paid military. Of course, we know it's not our Cindy Williams who made those nasty remarks, but would that the general public knew that. She must be sick of responding to it by now. Perhaps she should have a caption on the mainpage that addresses the matter so that people know about it first thing.

In any case, I'm glad I was able to help clear up the DVD confusion...

Ed

Yes, Cindy is getting a lot of that Military crap; she gets sick of it after awhile but there's no way she can stop it :( And her site is www.cindywilliams.com from the last time I checked ;)


You're most welcome, and nope, I am not the same Ed. What is Cindy's webpage? I'd like to re-visit it. The poor thing's guest book has every other response lambasting her for nasty comments about paid military. Of course, we know it's not our Cindy Williams who made those nasty remarks, but would that the general public knew that. She must be sick of responding to it by now. Perhaps she should have a caption on the mainpage that addresses the matter so that people know about it first thing.

In any case, I'm glad I was able to help clear up the DVD confusion...

Ed

Yes, Cindy is getting a lot of that Military crap; she gets sick of it after awhile but there's no way she can stop it :( And her site is www.cindywilliams.com from the last time I checked ;)

Thanks for the URL. I feel kind of silly for not even knowing it.

As for the military thing, I really feel Cindy should have a message on the mainpage of her site so that people going in know right away that she is not 'that' Cindy Williams. I know it'd be a tad drastic but I think in the long run it'd be better than having to address it every time some uninformed but well-meaning person attacks her for it. It wouldn't have to be put in lights or anything. Just a disclaimer of sorts that's visible enough so that she'd be spared more verbal onslaughts.

Ed

You're welcome! And with the Military thing, I don't think that they would even see the message; they just post on her guest book right away before really looking at the other posts to know that there's just been a mix up with the two women.

Thanks for the URL. I feel kind of silly for not even knowing it.

As for the military thing, I really feel Cindy should have a message on the mainpage of her site so that people going in know right away that she is not 'that' Cindy Williams. I know it'd be a tad drastic but I think in the long run it'd be better than having to address it every time some uninformed but well-meaning person attacks her for it. It wouldn't have to be put in lights or anything. Just a disclaimer of sorts that's visible enough so that she'd be spared more verbal onslaughts.

Ed

Poor Cindy.:( I haven't been to her site in a long time. Maybe I should stop by and take a look.

Fans of these shows tend to be much older

I have been watching Laverene and Shirley since I was 4, 5,6 years old. I'm only 21

Fans of these shows tend to be much older

I have been watching Laverene and Shirley since I was 4, 5,6 years old. I'm only 21

So? What's your point? I said that 'Fans of these shows TEND to be much older.' Did I say that ALL fans of these shows are older? No I did not.

There are always exceptions. My point in saying so was to explain why sales for Laverne & Shirley are NOT a sure thing, and I still stand by that. Most people your age would be more inclined to spend $45/$50 on Friends and Seinfeld Season sets than they would on older shows like Laverne & Shirley. That is a fact. Just because you would doesn't change that. There are always some who prove to be the exception, and I'm glad you're one of them, but they're not nearly enough in number to justify Paramount's expense in working out music licenses and royalty contracts along with the costs of touching up the old episodes. Older releases like Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days and the like have to be a bit more strategic in how they go about selling the DVDs. Sometimes that means skimping down on extras (which, let's face it, extras do cost money).

So that was my point. What was yours?

Ed

This makes me wonder, how are sales for the show "Taxi" going? I would think they'd be pretty darn good since Tony Danza promotes it a lot on his show.

well, its NOT news from Paramount, but there was a recent story that shed's some light on the situation:

story here: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6273056.html

corresponding www.TVShowsonDVD.com story here: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4309

Delay for some TV DVD season sets
When season-one discs underperform
By Susanne Ault 10/14/2005

OCT. 14 | Many TV series are now into their fifth or sixth seasons of DVD release, but several shows seem stuck in first gear.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has yet to roll out a second set of Malcolm in the Middle after launching the first-season set in 2002. After much hoopla over the mid-2004 launch of Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy, Paramount Home Entertainment has yet to bow subsequent seasons.

High costs and low sales seem to be the culprit in most such cases, as music clearances on TV titles can get prohibitively pricey with no guarantees of big sales.

One mid-sized chain brought in 900 copies of Happy Days and failed to sell more than 100 in the first week, said a retail source.

“If it doesn’t sell off 30% to 40% in the first week, you know it’s not going to happen,” a chain exec said.

At Amazon.com, the most requested title these days is a second-season set of Twin Peaks, a DVD franchise Lions Gate Home Entertainment launched in 2001.

Lions Gate licensed Twin Peaks from Spelling Entertainment, which has since been purchased by Viacom. That placed the title at Paramount Home Entertainment, which has yet to re-activate the franchise.

To get around high costs, studios commonly have subbed in cheaper TV soundtracks for subsequent-season sets, but that practice has drawn some consumer ire. So retailers suggest studios consider other cost-shaving practices, such as packaging two seasons in one for some of the dormant titles.

“It’s healthy to have a decent lag time between discs, but if there’s too much time in between, there might be a drop off in interest,” Virgin Entertainment Group buyer Chris Anstey said. “What amazes me is that no matter how obscure or generic a TV show might be, there’s always someone who’ll buy it. As long as the studios recognize this, they can manufacture modest quantities and generate respectable sales.”

Gord Lacey, creator of TVShowsOnDVD.com, said some consumers hold off buying first-season TV DVD sets until further sets are announced.

“If season one doesn’t sell, the studio won’t release season two, but the problem with fans is that they’ll say they won’t buy something until a studio seems committed,” Lacey said.

Fred Meyer buyer Randy Schaff would love to see combo packaging of separate but related TV shows, such as Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days, the stars of which each appeared on both shows.

“I think you have to change the concept if the first one doesn’t work,” Schaff said. “Combine Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley at a different price point … [or] take the best episodes of certain seasons and put them into something at a lesser price point.”

Fox had slow sales with its first 2002 release of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But a second-season set came out this past July and a third-season set is scheduled for January.

“We went out there ahead of everyone else with classic TV,” Fox senior VP marketing communications Steve Feldstein said. “And it took awhile for people in the industry to catch up.”

As for potential future sets of Malcolm in the Middle, he noted, “We’re constantly evaluating everything in our library.”

Tower believes it sold less than 500 copies each of Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley. But the chain would like to see future episodes on disc.

“Why can’t they cram as many [episodes] as possible on as few DVDs as they can?” Tower national advertising manager Terrel Porter-Smith said. “They can release it complete and it’s done for some of these lesser shows. Not only are we running out of room, but consumers are running out of shelf space in their homes.”

Currently, the most popular way to release TV DVD is individual full-season sets.

Paramount did not comment on potential subsequent sets for Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy or Twin Peaks.

Newbury Comics suggests iffy TV series be released during Christmas. Even sales of popular series, such as Seinfeld, have stifled when released outside of heavy purchasing periods.

“Season four [of Seinfeld] sold between a third to a half of what the second box set [holding season three] did,” Newbury buyer Ian Leshin said. “Those first two boxes sold at Christmas [2004] and were huge. The fourth was in May. But with season five, I’ve ordered more copies than four, because I’m sure we’ll get extra business.”

Personally, Leshin is crossing his fingers for a second Twin Peaks set.
“It can upset consumers, because they view it as, ‘You release season one, so you owe us to release the rest of it,” TVShowsOnDVD’s Lacey said. “It’s a fact that TV shows bring people all these feelings and emotions. They aren’t thinking of it as a business but just something to enjoy.”

So? What's your point? I said that 'Fans of these shows TEND to be much older.' Did I say that ALL fans of these shows are older? No I did not.

There are always exceptions. My point in saying so was to explain why sales for Laverne & Shirley are NOT a sure thing, and I still stand by that. Most people your age would be more inclined to spend $45/$50 on Friends and Seinfeld Season sets than they would on older shows like Laverne & Shirley. That is a fact. Just because you would doesn't change that. There are always some who prove to be the exception, and I'm glad you're one of them, but they're not nearly enough in number to justify Paramount's expense in working out music licenses and royalty contracts along with the costs of touching up the old episodes. Older releases like Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days and the like have to be a bit more strategic in how they go about selling the DVDs. Sometimes that means skimping down on extras (which, let's face it, extras do cost money).

So that was my point. What was yours?

Ed


Ed do u think another reason for low sales can be L&S never being aired locally in some States? Plus combine that with the fact that this show hasn't been on cable in years and that lots of tv fans who are in the 15-25 age bracket never ever seen the show in their life. I think that can be another reason on why not a lot of copies were sold

L&S needs to be released at a CHEAPER price!

I wish they'd release the dvds already! This is annoying! I have L&S on video from Columbia House but haven't watched the dvd's in ages! :)

Tiff7
http://www.freewebs.com/tiff_lisatony7/
I updated my site last week, it looks awesome! Please sign the guestbook! Thanks! Luv y'all! Post some pics y'all, this board needs some! :)

If everyone will call Paramount @ 323.956.5000 and ask for the Home Entertainment Dept and BOMBARD them with calls, they will make a note of it and if the pressure is there, enough calls come in, the demand is high, I believe we can get them to move on it and release L&S Season 2, 3, etc. The guy I spoke with was very nice but he said to please call in. It does make a difference! They need to know the demand is there!!! Bombard them weekly!!! We can do it! :)

well, its NOT news from Paramount, but there was a recent story that shed's some light on the situation:

story here: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6273056.html

corresponding www.TVShowsonDVD.com story here: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4309this also explains why some companys release "BEST OF" sets.

Isn't there also an issue with Paramount/Viacom/Whoever not having complete rights to the music used in some of the eps ( a reason why many are not shown in syndication or on LRW)? Since the royalties laws changed several years ago, some VHS and DVD versions of older shows (case in point, the beloved WKRP) have been released with re-recorded music in the back grounds since TPTB didn't want to pay any additional royalties.

Has anyone else heard about this?

Shotzette

Quoted from above:
"do u think another reason for low sales can be L&S never being aired locally in some States?"
This question was not aimed at me, but I would like to add, what about stations that seem to show the later L&S episodes more ? In Chicago, it seems like they show the eps based in Hollywood more than the Milwuakee ones - is it cheaper for the station to show these ?????? (I usually flip it off when I see all Laverne in the opening credits, and no Shirley.)

Also, I liked the comment from above article:
"Not only are we running out of room, but consumers are running out of shelf space in their homes.”
---Could you imagine the shelf space if these were VHS tapes ?

Amazon.com just put Season One on sale for $19.97!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000291Q3O/qid=1143006464/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-4078447-0901554?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

Amazon.com just put Season One on sale for $19.97!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000291Q3O/qid=1143006464/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-4078447-0901554?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

It's been such a long time since The Complete First Season was released on dvd. Will they ever release Season 2 or have they pretty much cancelled any plans to release more sets? Anybody know? :confused: