View Full Version : TV series released on DVD with cut episodes


Lee G
07-23-2007, 12:18 PM
I don't know what the rest of you think, but this is a big pet peeve of mine. In most cases, I don't think there is any good reason to give customers cut episodes. I'm not a big collector of many different shows, but of the ones I have, I DREAM OF JEANNIE, GOMER PYLE USMC, and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN have some cut episodes on the DVD's. I'm sure a lot of other shows have this problem also. I think it is inexcusable. One show that they did a nice job with the episodes is THE BRADY BUNCH. Apparently, a lot of work was involved in getting the uncut episodes on the DVD. The same respect should be applied to all TV shows that get issued on DVD.

Another problem with TV series that get issued on DVD: Some shows get released and then they abandon the show after a few seasons. LEAVE IT TO BEAVER and GREEN ACRES are two examples of that. If the shows don't sell enough DVD's, the studios will abandon the show and fans who have bought the DVD's are given the shaft with unreleased seasons.

LittleMissGenius
07-24-2007, 11:08 PM
I know some studios release cut episodes because that's all they have. Sometimes they can only get the right to syndicated episodes so, that's what they release. I'm sure they know diehard fans get irritated by that but, I guess they figure something is better than nothing.

I totally agree about the way they release a show and then simply stop. It's annoying. I'm a huge Mama's Family fan and they've only released season one and now keep saying they 'might' release further seasons. Their excuse is that fans are complaining about the syndicated episodes being released instead of the network versions. Personally, I think that's an excuse on their part and they just don't want to release them any more.

"Old" (or classic) isn't cool and doesn't always equal big bucks to studios. That's what they look at in the end. There are loads of classic shows that would sell very well if given the chance. Hollywood is just too obsessed with youth and being hip to notice.

bencasey
07-25-2007, 02:10 AM
I know some studios release cut episodes because that's all they have. Sometimes they can only get the right to syndicated episodes so, that's what they release. I'm sure they know diehard fans get irritated by that but, I guess they figure something is better than nothing.

You don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. Your statement is wrong on so many levels I don't have the time to detail them all. You are just parrotting the bull**** excuses that studios give out when they are too lazy, stupid or cheap to go to the original source elements.

Dr. Thong
07-25-2007, 05:52 PM
If the episodes are edited in any way, then what's the point of buying them on DVD?? The reason I buy TV shows on DVD is to get back the stuff that TV stations have hacked out of syndicated reruns over the years.

If they can't release them uncut, in their original state, then the studios have no business releasing old shows on DVD.

bmasters9
07-25-2007, 06:37 PM
I had thought of following on with "Hawaii Five-O" S2, but now I hear that not only will a controversial episode--"Bored, She Hung Herself"--not be included, but also that some of the outings have been edited from their original presentations, which means, of course, syndicated. Even "MacGyver" would be better than that.

bmasters9
07-27-2007, 11:43 AM
If the episodes are edited in any way, then what's the point of buying them on DVD?? The reason I buy TV shows on DVD is to get back the stuff that TV stations have hacked out of syndicated reruns over the years.

If they can't release them uncut, in their original state, then the studios have no business releasing old shows on DVD.

You just summed up what I was about to say about it. A lot of us buy television series on disc because we want to see what certain older series were like when they were originally on (or see the latest seasons of current series). Problem is, with edited episodes, music replacement, the whole kit n' kaboodle, it's getting harder and harder to revisit television's past without aggravation. It's like the DVD packagers want us to see older series their way (with all the edits and music replacement) instead of the way that we remember the series.

TVFactFan
07-27-2007, 11:58 AM
That's my mama season 1 and 2

Jeffersons season 2 and 4

Cosby show season 1

Three's company season 4

Mikado
07-27-2007, 12:10 PM
If the episodes are edited in any way, then what's the point of buying them on DVD?? The reason I buy TV shows on DVD is to get back the stuff that TV stations have hacked out of syndicated reruns over the years.
If they can't release them uncut, in their original state, then the studios have no business releasing old shows on DVD.
Yup, pretty much what I was going to say, also, they should use the best restored prints available. On the other hand, I can't blame a company for not releasing later seasons of a series on DVD that isnt selling....these companies are in business to make money, not friends, it would be rediculous to release DVDs that are only losing them money.

Lee G
07-27-2007, 01:48 PM
I can't blame a company for not releasing later seasons of a series on DVD that isnt selling....these companies are in business to make money, not friends, it would be rediculous to release DVDs that are only losing them money.

You might have a different opinion if a company gives up on one of your favorite shows before releasing all the seasons.

I would think that studios consider the popularity of a given show when releasing it on DVD, and produce a respective number of DVD sets in order to match the expected sales and minimize any profit loss. If the demand is higher than expected, they could always produce more sets. If a studio produces overly large quantities of DVD sets of a show that's in demand for just a certain segment of the population, then that is their own stupidity and fans of the show who made the purchase shouldn't be the ones to suffer with the remainder of the series unreleased.

Dr. Thong
07-27-2007, 05:44 PM
You just summed up what I was about to say about it. A lot of us buy television series on disc because we want to see what certain older series were like when they were originally on (or see the latest seasons of current series). Problem is, with edited episodes, music replacement, the whole kit n' kaboodle, it's getting harder and harder to revisit television's past without aggravation. It's like the DVD packagers want us to see older series their way (with all the edits and music replacement) instead of the way that we remember the series.

It's almost as though they're George Lucas-izing them. Yeah, I want these shows in their original state. Part of the fun is seeing scenes you remember from the original telecasts that have been cut out over the years.

If they're going to release them on DVD edited, I might as well just tape the episodes off TV or trade with someone who already has.:rolleyes:

bmasters9
07-27-2007, 09:14 PM
It's almost as though they're George Lucas-izing them. Yeah, I want these shows in their original state. Part of the fun is seeing scenes you remember from the original telecasts that have been cut out over the years.

If they're going to release them on DVD edited, I might as well just tape the episodes off TV or trade with someone who already has.:rolleyes:

I'd like to know what you mean by "George Lucas-izing." Sounds like an apt description of some of the shameful television discs that have come out recently (at least, I think they're shameful).

Mikado
07-27-2007, 09:19 PM
You might have a different opinion if a company gives up on one of your favorite shows before releasing all the seasons..
Well, i'm not saying id be thrilled about it but, If they were losing money on the series, I wouldnt expect them to continue.

noveel
07-28-2007, 08:59 AM
Many studios only maintain the cut syndicated eps because that's where the $ came from before DVD sales. The studios never thought DVD sales would bring in money. They only maintained the cut eps and probably let a lot of the original episodes deteriorate. Some don't want to have spend extra $ to restore the uncut episodes.

noveel
07-28-2007, 09:00 AM
If the episodes are edited in any way, then what's the point of buying them on DVD?? .

They probably expect that the average buyer won't notice.

noveel
07-28-2007, 09:02 AM
Yup, pretty much what I was going to say, also, they should use the best restored prints available. On the other hand, I can't blame a company for not releasing later seasons of a series on DVD that isnt selling....these companies are in business to make money, not friends, it would be rediculous to release DVDs that are only losing them money.

Would you pay more for these DVDs that don't sell much? That's the only way they would be profitable to the studios.

Dr. Thong
07-28-2007, 11:03 AM
I'd like to know what you mean by "George Lucas-izing." Sounds like an apt description of some of the shameful television discs that have come out recently (at least, I think they're shameful).

Maybe it's not that extreme, but what I mean is that by replacing original music and changing original elements for whatever reasons, they're changing the feel of the original shows.

When George Lucas first unveiled the upgraded versions of the Star Wars trilogy ten years ago, I thought it was kind of cool. When he kept changing them with each home video release, I began to wish he'd never changed them in the first place.

This is what's great about the internet - you can find out before you buy something if it's been altered from it's original form. Generally, the information is known for weeks prior to the release date.