http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7208

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7208


I don't think I will buy it in that month but I may get it before the summer is out

man this is GREAT NEWS!!!

...but that cover art stinks :lol:

This is the news we have been waiting for.... very exciting! I can't wait...

:trio this is Awsome News that Benson is coming out on DVD

Im still slapping my self to make sure that it is real and not just a dream.

Last weekend I watched all 65 episodes of "What's Happening!!" and "What's Happening Now!!" is set to come out on DVD. This past week, I watched all 90 episodes of "Soap" and now "Benson" is being announced. I think I'll have a "Three's Company" marathon with all the episodes so that "Three's a Crowd" will get announced. ;)

Seriously, though, I'm glad Benson is coming.

It's about time this show comes out on DVD. I can't wait for show to come out on DVD.

Lisa (BensonFan), I'm sure you're dancing in the street! It's about time Benson got its due. :)

:trio I know that I have been doing the dance of Joy when I got the news that Benson is coming out on uly 24, 2007

Lisa (BensonFan), I'm sure you're dancing in the street! It's about time Benson got its due. :)

Yes, yes, YES!!!!

It's about time!!!

:happyface

This going to be a good summer of DVD watching. First, Whats Happening Now and now Benson. I'm too excited. Who knows maybe Amen is next?

man this is GREAT NEWS!!!

...but that cover art stinks :lol:

I don't really think it's all that bad, BUT I do think the word "Benson" should appear as it does in the credits (see my avatar) and not the way they have it.

(Edit: Come to think of it, my avatar in general would make for awesome cover art--except Clayton didn't appear in Season 1. They could replace him with Marcy.)

This going to be a good summer of DVD watching. First, Whats Happening Now and now Benson. I'm too excited. Who knows maybe Amen is next?
Amen was a cool show. I especially loved Rolly. I could never figure out why 227 got a DVD release and not Amen. :confused:

The cover art is tentative. The official announcement is still weeks away.

:trio what does tentative mean

:trio what does tentative mean

From Merriam-Webster's online dictionary:

Main Entry: ten·ta·tive
Function: adjective
Pronunciation: 'ten-t&-tiv
Etymology: Medieval Latin tentativus, from Latin tentatus, past participle of tentare, temptare to feel, try
1 : not fully worked out or developed <tentative plans>
2 : HESITANT , UNCERTAIN <a tentative smile>
- tentative noun
- ten·ta·tive·ly adverb
- ten·ta·tive·ness noun

;)

:trio Thanks

Wow, *dare* I hope that I might get both "Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Benson" on DVD this year??

I will try to remain calm about this excellent news, but it would be really really cool if true!

:-D

:trio Benson season 1 comes out a week befor my Birthday

The cover art is tentative. The official announcement is still weeks away.

Is it very often that they decide to change the cover art to something else? It seems that the tentative cover art is usually what they end up going with (at least in my limited memory with regards to this).

Is it very often that they decide to change the cover art to something else? It seems that the tentative cover art is usually what they end up going with (at least in my limited memory with regards to this).
They did change the Bewitched Season 4 cover art slightly. The overall design and background pictures were the same, but they changed the big photo of Elizabeth Montgomery in the center. See for yourself.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=6270

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=6304

Hey Monika, thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't even noticed that. Apparently they decided to use a different picture of Liz. Interesting! :)

i think that they DO actually change cover art for sets pretty often - it seems like they like to "leak" out the tentative artwork, and if there is a major uproar from the fans, they are more likely to change it...

i think that they DO actually change cover art for sets pretty often - it seems like they like to "leak" out the tentative artwork, and if there is a major uproar from the fans, they are more likely to change it...

The more I look at it, the more I do hope they pick something different. Go back and look at that picture--that's not even the Governor's mansion. What is that, something out of Disney World? :lol:

I also hope they're uncut. It'd be nice to hear the conversations that didn't make it b/c the channel needed time for commercials.

I also hope they're uncut. It'd be nice to hear the conversations that didn't make it b/c the channel needed time for commercials.
Unlike Happy Days and WKRP, Benson doesn't need to worry about music licensing rights...so I too hope these eps will be uncut.

:trio I have been waiting a long time for Season 1 of Benson to out on DVD a long Time

I sure hope the episodes are uncut. I didn't get to see the first 3 seasons in their original run.When I was a kid we lived out in the sticks and are sorry little black and white TV couldn't pick up the local ABC station,sadly all we could get was the Dukes of Hazard. Any way in 1982 when I was 12 I went to live with my grandparents. Luckily my grandma loved Benson, it was her favorite show and on top of that they had a big color TV.

I can't imagine the episodes not being uncut. I would think they would be the full, uncut episodes in their entirety. We should also see the original intro with Benson being chased by the dogs and hosed by the gardener (anyone else remember that?) :)

And, I'm really hoping they might throw in a few bloopers, but that might be asking a bit much, especially if they add the retrospective featuring Robert Guillaume. Let's keep our fingers crossed that S1 does well and we'll see S2 and beyond. Maybe then we'll get some bloopers or other interesting features. :D

Robert Guillaume just rocks. I'd love to know if any recordings exist of him as Phantom of the Opera (he took over the role on Broadway when Michael Crawford left); I'd love to hear them!! He was awesome as the voice of Rafiki in the Lion King. For that matter, Rene A. was awesome too as the chef in the Little Mermaid!! :lol:

Robert Guillaume just rocks. I'd love to know if any recordings exist of him as Phantom of the Opera (he took over the role on Broadway when Michael Crawford left); I'd love to hear them!!

You may be in luck---try this site:

http://music.aol.com/artist/robert-guillaume/205184/album/phantom-of-the-opera/334946?uid=5630

It gives you the option of downloading songs from there.

You may be in luck---try this site:

http://music.aol.com/artist/robert-guillaume/205184/album/phantom-of-the-opera/334946?uid=5630

It gives you the option of downloading songs from there.
Thanks Lisa! I'll check it out.

Thanks Lisa! I'll check it out.

No problem! Let me know what you come up with! :D

Press Release with extras info and NEW artwork:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Emmy® Winner Robert Guillaume
Gives New Meaning to the Phrase “The Butler Did It”

BENSON:
THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

DVD Debuts July 24 Featuring 24 Episodes on Three-Discs
and Exclusive Bonus Features


Culver City, CA (May 14, 2007) – Created by television powerhouse Susan Harris (TV’s “The Golden Girls”) and starring five-time Emmy nominee Robert Guillaume, Benson: The Complete First Season makes its DVD debut on July 24 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The collection features all 24 politically-flavored episodes from the long-running comedy series’ first season in a three-disc set. The exclusive bonus materials include a video introduction by Guillaume, a Benson series retrospective, and a photo gallery. The DVD will be available for $29.95 SRP.

Robert Guillaume played one of the most popular supporting characters on Soap, as the insolent butler to wacky Jessica Tate (the brilliant Katherine Helmond, who makes a guest appearance this season). His scene-stealing portrayal of the acerbic character resulted in his winning a Best Supporting Actor Emmy (he would be nominated five more times as Best Actor, winning another statuette in 1985). ABC spun the character off into the title role in Benson, debuting on September 13, 1979. The premise entailed Jessica sending Benson off to help her inept cousin, Governor James Gatling (James Noble), run the Governor’s mansion. Other characters included Katie Gatling (Missy Gold), the governor's adorable daughter; Benson’s nemesis Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), the stern German housekeeper; Marcy Hill (Caroline McWilliams), the governor's secretary; and John Taylor (Lewis J. Stadlen), the governor’s political aide.

Over the course of its 7-season, 154-episode run, Benson was nominated for a total of 17 Emmy Awards, winning three, as well as four Golden Globe nominations (including three Best Actor nods for Guillaume).

Benson: The Complete First Season episodes include:

Change (Pilot)
Trust Me
President's Double
Benson in Love
Conflict of Interest
The Layoff
Snowbound
Jessica
Don't Quote Me
War Stories
Ghost Story
Taylor's Bid
One Strike, You're Out
Just Friends
Chain of Command
Bugging the Governor
Kraus Affair
Checkmate
Cold Storage
Old Man Gatling
Power Play
Takin' It to the Streets
The Army Wants You
Marcy's Vacation


DVD Special Features Include:
• Digitally Remastered Audio and Video
• Full Screen Presentations
• Video Introduction with Robert Guillaume
• Benson Series Retrospective
• Photo Gallery
• Audio: English (Stereo)
• Bonus Previews
• Closed Captioned

BROADCAST YEAR: 1979 - 1980

Benson: The Complete First Season has a run time of approximately 597 minutes and is not rated.

i like the artwork - but they got the # of episodes in the series wrong :lol:

MUCH better cover art!!

Agreed! That cover art is MUCH better.

Thank you, Sony. :D

That IS a cool design. Kudos to Sony for changing it. :thumbsup:

I Give Sony 2 Thumbs up for bring Benson to DVD

I like the extras but I really hope they can get some footage of a few cast members talking about the show. Robert Guillaume is going to be 80 years old later this year and James Noble is already 85. Let's hope they don't wait another few years on Season 2 and (God forbid) one or both of these men are no longer around. The time to do something like this is NOW.

I think that is what the Benson Series Retrospective is...with cast and crew talking about the show.

Thanks--yes, that would make sense. :)

Man I love that cover desigh.

I'm hoping they'll put the episode titles on the back of the cover (like for instance, on the "Frasier" DVDs).

I just realized we have not seen the back of the DVD cover--what do you think it looks like? Plain with episode titles or maybe a few smaller cast pics?

Sony uses slim cases. So the episode titles would be on the back of those. The back of the box will images and set info. It'll be released soon.

thanks for the info

Sony uses slim cases. So the episode titles would be on the back of those. The back of the box will images and set info. It'll be released soon.

"Slim cases"? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what does that mean (I don't own any other Sony shows to know)?

Sony uses slim cases. So the episode titles would be on the back of those. The back of the box will images and set info. It'll be released soon.

I asked before what slim cases are, but nevermind, I have "Bewitched" and "Seinfeld", so I looked at those and I know what they are now.

By the way, do you think we'll be able to see the rest of the box images before July 24th?

I'm bumping this thread....I'm excited about the DVD coming this Tuesday!! :D

Does anyone want to do episode threads for Season 1? We can discuss each episode, maybe one episode per Friday or something like that. I think that would be cool but only if we can get enough people to participate (and this board has not been too active lately but maybe the DVD release will change that. I hope.)

Count me in for ep discussions! :-)

Count me in for ep discussions! :-)
Me too!! I am looking forward to seeing this show from the beginning. It debuted exactly a week before I was born in 1979.

Didn't Didi Conn's character give birth in an elevator later in the series?? That's the only episode I remember well - it's been so many years since I've seen Benson!! :eek: :lol:

Count me in

Me too!! I am looking forward to seeing this show from the beginning. It debuted exactly a week before I was born in 1979.

Didn't Didi Conn's character give birth in an elevator later in the series?? That's the only episode I remember well - it's been so many years since I've seen Benson!! :eek: :lol:


Yes, she did. :D

And I'm glad we'll have some participants. I think we'll have some fun with this! :)

2 day's until Benson comes to DVD.