The Shout! Factory Appreciation Thread [Archive] - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TV_Fan

12-18-2008, 09:58 PM

I love Shout! Factory. They're pretty much the only company that listens to its fans. There were many posts on their forums asking for Mr Belvedere. Low and behold it's announced it will be coming. Many Punky fans stated how they wanted the final two seasons. Season three didn't sell as well as expected but they didn't let fans down and released the fourth & final season. They're the only company that answers it's consumers on the message boards even when they're complaining & airing their grievances. They give explanations for why subsequent seasons of shows aren't planned for release. Look at the WB chats. They give the same answers over and over year after year. If only the major studios would follow Shout! Factory's lead.
Shout! Factory rules!

ryan423

12-18-2008, 10:06 PM

I would love if they licensed the final two seasons of the Fresh Prince and the final 4 of George Lopez! It would be amazing if they got the rights to Family Matters and some of the '90's Nick shows.

Buffyboy323

12-19-2008, 03:28 AM

Let's give it up for this DVD company. They are releasing shows that many of us thought would not come out:

California Dreams
Mr. Belvedere
My Two Dads
Rhoda
Blossom

Plus, they've picked up many shows that were abandoned, like Son of the Beach and Adam-12.

With the recent pick up of Rhoda, I wouldn't be surprised if Shout at least tries to release the rest of The Bob Newhart Show.

I LOVE THIS COMPANY!!!!!!
I definitely give Shout! Factory a thumbs up! I can't believe My Two Dads, Blossom and California Dreams are actually coming to DVD. I'll be first in line to buy them on the days they come out. I might pick up Mr. Belvedere as well.

Buffyboy323

12-19-2008, 03:32 AM

The SportsNight anniversary release from Shout Factory is AWESOME, and let's not forget, they brought us the DVDs of Freaks & Geeks too!
And don't forget last year's amazing My So-Called Life set . :)

bluthree

12-19-2008, 10:15 AM

Yeah Shout is great. I thought they did a great job with Punky Brewster. I'm also happy with The Father Know's Best DVD's. Hopefully Shout will release season 3 soon?
Theres still some shows that I have yet been released on DVD. I still hoping Webster will come to DVD some day?
And how about Street Hawk?

Robert 13

12-19-2008, 11:30 AM

Wow! They have a lot of shows coming out. None are of interest to me but it gives me hope that they may pick something up that I am waiting for. Here's hoping they pick up:

Hazel
The Patty Duke Show
It's A Living
Flo
Alice
What's Happening Now!!

Buffyboy323

12-19-2008, 04:30 PM

bencasey

12-19-2008, 04:47 PM

You people do understand they are announcing all Fox shows, right? And you do know that Sony and Warner do not license out shows ever, right? So, just curious why you would post asking about shows from Sony and Warner that you want them to put out when they will never happen. :confused:

That said, why is nobody mentioning how they abandoned The Bill Cosby Show and Ironside, which by the way are a thousand times better shows than any of the stuff mentioned above.

repeatshistory

12-19-2008, 05:10 PM

That said, why is nobody mentioning how they abandoned The Bill Cosby Show and Ironside, which by the way are a thousand times better shows than any of the stuff mentioned above.

Not that you have an opinion or anything... LOL!!! ;)

repeatshistory

12-19-2008, 05:13 PM

You people do understand they are announcing all Fox shows, right? And you do know that Sony and Warner do not license out shows ever, right? So, just curious why you would post asking about shows from Sony and Warner that you want them to put out when they will never happen. :confused:

That said, why is nobody mentioning how they abandoned The Bill Cosby Show and Ironside

I'd say that SOME of us don't necessarily have all that information, that some of us were 'blue-skying' and asking for things we may or may not get.

And I'd say that nobody mentioned the shows because it's an appreciation thread. :D

MickeyMac

12-19-2008, 05:37 PM

Shout Factory has done some great work, and I'm glad they are putting out some pre 1969 shows on DVD.:cool:

JulieSomoski

12-19-2008, 05:44 PM

Shout! Factory is simply amazing - and now with the announcement of Rhoda Season 1 in April, they've completely amazed me. it already sounds like a great set, and there's barely any details about it. Not only that, but Spin City, California Dreams, Mr. Belvedere, Blossom, My Two Dads, along with many other amazing titles.

Now if only they could tackle The Wonder Years on DVD - it's easily my #1 most wanted show on DVD, and this would be my first choice of company to put it out.

TV_Fan

12-19-2008, 06:39 PM

ikhuri

12-19-2008, 08:51 PM

YOU do know that My Two Dads is a Sony show right? YOU do know that Slimer & The Real Ghostbusters being released by Time Life is a Sony show right? So uh yeah, Sony DOES license shows out.

Malcolm & Eddie was also a Sony show.

Imad

Adamantium

12-19-2008, 11:37 PM

I've made up a list of all the Shout! Factory releases that I own.

The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (Complete Series)
All-American Girl (Complete Series)
The Bill Cosby Show (Season 1)
Captain N: The Game Master (Complete Series)
Captain N and the New Super Mario World (Complete Series)
Father Knows Best (Season 1)
The Legend of Zelda (Complete Series)
McHale’s Navy (Seasons 1,2,3,4) *complete*
Men Behaving Badly (Complete Series)
Punky Brewster (Seasons 1,2,3,4) *complete*
Son of the Beach (Season 2) *complete*
Spin City (Season 1)
Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (Volumes 1,2) *complete*
That Girl (Seasons 1,2,3)
The Weird Al Show (Complete Series)

My sister owns "Freaks and Greeks" and "My So-Called Life" and she'll be getting "Sports Night" soon.

I hope they release the final season of "The Bill Cosby Show." I enjoy it, and heard that it was coming out last year. But they pushed it back and never rescheduled. :(

But for the most part Shout is great!

PlayOn

12-20-2008, 02:01 AM

i've never heard of Shout! until i was scrolling in the '80s sitcoms and saw they were releasing Mr. Belvedere and thought they sounded interesting, seeing as how that show hasn't been released. not even in "best of..." (to my knowledge at least) then i read this thread and saw they've been around for a while and what compassionate people they are for actually listening to the public unlike so many others (i sent an email to the company that puts out the FOL sets a few months ago, asking them to release season 4 or if they were going to and STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING!! :mad: i mean, not even a reason why they weren't, if they didn't plan to. nothing!) maybe i can cram the Shout! board with FOL requests. lol.
and yes. here's to The Wonder Years, The Cosby Show and all those great shows that maybe can see the light of day soon.
:cheers:

ekkostar

12-20-2008, 09:06 AM

I'm not really that big a fan of Shout Factory because some of their releases look like unprofessional like bootlegs you'd find at conventions at such. This has always been my issue with them but at least they're making an effort with Mystery Science Theater 3000. I was never happy with the Sonic the Hedgehog (yes, the Saturday Morning one) set and the fan art accompanying it (Talk about unprofessional), I wish they would have used stock concept art and storyboards instead.
I do wish that Shout would finally work with Paramount/NBC to get The Bronx Zoo on DVD just so I could have it, though (Because you know there's not enough demand for the big company to distribute it).

Kristen

12-20-2008, 04:05 PM

I've never bought any Shout! DVD's before, but that's definitely going to change in April when Rhoda comes out! :) I'm excited, b/c everything I've heard about them says that they're a really good company who cares about the fans.

- Kristen

Buffyboy323

12-20-2008, 07:14 PM

xmulderx

12-21-2008, 01:12 AM

simon & simon is also a universal show... so it is not just fox.

cajunhillbilly

12-21-2008, 11:47 AM

I have several Shout Factory sets in my collection. All 4 seasons of McHales Navy. All but the last season of That Girl and i understand that will be out in 09. Yes they stopped producing Ironside, which is a shame, but if you have a region free dvd player you can get season 3 from Australia. (What is with them still having region codes in a global market place anyway?)

Robert 13

12-22-2008, 12:05 PM

There was a notice posted a while ago that Sony was shopping some shows around that they were willing to license out. The specific shows were not revealed but there was definite excitement around them. I think Shout! would do a fantastic job with FOL and it would be a big seller for them. Apparently, there are many FOL fans out there. :)

bluthree

12-28-2008, 08:43 AM

treky

01-02-2009, 04:07 AM

I'd be EXTATIC!!!:) :) if they'd release "THE PATTY DUKE SHOW", "THE JACK BENNY SHOW" & "BURNS AND ALLEN".

OKCRay

01-05-2009, 05:21 AM

Shout Factory has also produced the World Series highlight films over the past several years. Their 2005 World Series DVD issue was outstanding, as was their DVD release for the 2005 Houston Astros season.

B Ward

01-13-2009, 06:31 PM

Wow. I have to admit, I just stumbled upon this chat thread. Good times. Hi, everyone. My name is Brian Ward and I'm one of the DVD producers at Shout! Factory. You'll also find that I'm the guy most likely to answer your questions at our own forum.

I'll say that BenCasey really doesn't know what he's talking about, though I will admit he's most likely disgruntled over our lack of follow-ups to Ironside. Still, there were two very large deals made toward the end of last year. He's right. There are a number of FOX titles being released by Shout! Factory. But you're also right. There are a number of SONY titles being released by Shout!, as well.

One or two of the items mentioned above MAY even be on our plate for 2009, though I can't say which. I'll leave it to our publicity folks to make those announcements. I will say, however, that FOL is not currently on our slate. Still, it's certainly worth looking into.

Thanks for all the kind words. We're working hard to make sure you're all pleased with the Shout! Factory releases and are always looking to improve, so feel free to drop those comments either here or at our forums.

Thanks again and a very Happy New Year to you all!

Brian

robyrob

01-13-2009, 07:20 PM

thanks for the information Brian, there are a lot of people waiting to hear what Shout is going to bring us next ! :)

B Ward

01-13-2009, 08:20 PM

thanks for the information Brian, there are a lot of people waiting to hear what Shout is going to bring us next ! :)

I'm not entirely sure what I'm allowed to say. I've always kinda been a rogue that way. But I will say that we've been having a lot of fun with our upcoming MST3K:XIV, Simon & Simon: Season 2, My Two Dads, Mr. Belvedere, Room 222, California Dreams, The Paper Chase, Malcolm & Eddie, Rhoda and more...!

We've also begun work on one or two series that are going to be HUGE in '09. But I KNOW I'm not allowed to say anything about those. Yet.

Brian

TV_Fan

01-13-2009, 09:09 PM

I don't think it's been mentioned before in this thread, but I'd definitely love to see Shout! pick up Silver Spoons from Sony. Also The Fall Guy (complete with music) from Fox since neither company seems to want to continue beyond their first season releases. Also a complete series Starman set (from Sony) would be excellent.
Really looking forward to March for Mr. Belvedere!

B Ward

01-13-2009, 09:19 PM

You're not the only one who wants to see The Fall Guy, especially. I own the first season and really wanna see it completed!

ryan423

01-14-2009, 10:42 AM

Too bad you guys at Shout! didn't pick up 8 Simple Rules and Boy Meets World before Lionsgate did because at this point, I'm doubting a chance at completing either series. I'd also love to see Shout! license out Wb shows like the Fresh Prince and George Lopez and finish them off!

repeatshistory

01-14-2009, 02:03 PM

It would be truly lovely if Shout! would take a look at acquiring WKRP, so that perhaps it would be done RIGHT, and not be the travesty that is 'The First Season'.

B Ward

01-14-2009, 03:06 PM

The WB is an entirely different monster. They are considerably less interested in licensing shows out. It's not impossible, I would imagine. But it is HARD.

As for WKRP, I honestly don't see a way that it could be done "RIGHT." The music clearances are astronomical. We talked about it at one point and thought we had a system in which it would be possible, but even that required a lot of "ifs" to fall right into place. It's an ambitious project for any company and I don't envy anyone with those expectations.

Kristen

01-14-2009, 11:26 PM

Brian, I'm really excited about the Rhoda release. Glad you guys took that away from Fox. I've been wondering, will there be any extras on that set? I know the episodes are the main thing, but I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to get Valerie Harper to do an interview or something!

- Kristen

Retro76

01-15-2009, 01:01 AM

Yes, I say hats off to Shout Factory for releasing two of my all-time favorite shows, That Girl and The Electric Company. i really do hope SF releases the final season of That Girl and more volumes of The Electric Company (and with episodes not seen on Noggin and possibly on Itunes).

cajunhillbilly

01-15-2009, 09:06 AM

Any timeframe for the release of the last season of That Girl? I want to complete my collection.

Lee G

01-15-2009, 01:19 PM

Shout Factory is OK, they try to issue older shows which have a select fanbase. These types of shows get passed over by other studios, and Shout Factory tries to fill the void. But they need to issue season two of The Bill Cosby Show, it's not good to leave a series incompleted.

B Ward

01-15-2009, 02:10 PM

I agree that it's not good to leave series incomplete. The Bill Cosby Show is a toughy. One would have thought that Bill Cosby's first "sitcom" would have sold a ton. But, unfortunately, this is a series known only by those who watched it when it first aired, as it was never in syndication. So sadly, it did not sell nearly as well as everyone anticipated.

I will make one thing very clear, though. Shout! Factory is more than willing to carry on with the second season. We even have additional bonus material in the can. However, we've found it to be nearly impossible to sell it to retailers. See, the unfortunate fact is that we don't sell directly to the fans. We sell to stores to sell to you. And if they're not interested in buying, we can't afford to spend the money it would take to produce the sets.

The Bill Cosby Show isn't entirely off the table, but I wouldn't expect the completion of the series in 2009. We've got A LOT of huge titles that we're currently working on and extremely excited about that will monopolize a lot of our time. But it's definitely being kept warm on the back burner.

As for That Girl's final season, Brian Blum has already officially begun work on it. He's in constant contact with Marlo Thomas and is putting together the packaging and bonus content now. Expect it sometime in the next few months.

Rhoda is an incredible show and we're really getting into it. Can't reveal a lot about bonus material just yet (that's the job of our publicity department), but I can say there will certainly be some.

Hope this answers a few of your questions. I'm running into a packaging meeting for one of our more "secret" projects now, but I'll check back in soon.

Thanks, guys!

repeatshistory

01-15-2009, 02:36 PM

Lee G

01-15-2009, 02:53 PM

I figured that The Bill Cosby Show season one didn't go over too well with lower than projected sales, thus the delay for season two. I am just glad I already have the entire series, uncut airings I taped from TV years ago and some episodes are from uncut 16mm prints.

The Bill Cosby Show was indeed in syndication, it aired uncut during the mid 70's to early 80's on WBBM-TV Chicago (the source of most of the episodes in my collection) and then it aired for awhile (edited, not uncut) on the old CBN cable network. It probably aired in a few other markets also, but those are the two I know of.

Perhaps Shout Factory could start selling their products directly to the fans, thus not having to worry about retail outlets being disinterested in the product, resulting in the item not seeing the light of day. It's a tough economy right now also, but something should be done to create the product, advertise and target sales to the patiently waiting fans which are seeking it's release, which likely would result in a more profitable distribution.

McHale's Navy and That Girl must sell pretty well because they continue to issue the seasons. Those shows ran for 4-5 seasons and have a larger fan base. But with a show like The Bill Cosby Show which had a shorter run and is not as well remembered, you have to run ads to let people know the product is available. Advertising would attract the old fans of the show, and probably create some new ones too. I wonder how good season one of Rhoda will sell. Without advertising my guess is the numbers won't be all that great, sales of The Mary Tyler Moore Show haven't been terrific so why would Rhoda do any better? Room 222 is another one, will be interesting to find out how well it sells. We'll see.

ryan423

01-16-2009, 02:10 AM

Brian, you don't know how great it is to see someone from a company like Shout come and discuss ideas and feedback with the fans.

Out of curiousity, what was the reasoning for releasing the first two seasons of california dreams together and if it's to get them out faster, can we expect, if it sells well, a seasons 3 & 4 dvd set in the 2009 time frame? Being only 5 seasons, I hope if it sells well we can have the whole series by the end of 09 or early '10.

factsoflife

01-16-2009, 03:22 AM

Let's give it up for this DVD company. They are releasing shows that many of us thought would not come out:

California Dreams
Mr. Belvedere
My Two Dads
Rhoda
Blossom

Plus, they've picked up many shows that were abandoned, like Son of the Beach and Adam-12.

With the recent pick up of Rhoda, I wouldn't be surprised if Shout at least tries to release the rest of The Bob Newhart Show.

I LOVE THIS COMPANY!!!!!!

I agree Shout Factory is AWESOME! i just wish they would pick up "The Facts Of Life" and "227" so those two series could continue on DVD!

factsoflife

01-16-2009, 03:24 AM

They deserve credit for giving us the shows we want!! :rock:

I agree! they also released "my so-called life" which made many people happy.

TV_Fan

01-16-2009, 01:35 PM

TeeVeeCloset

01-16-2009, 01:56 PM

It's very nice that a rep from Shout is answering honestly about consumer questions.....Yes add me to the list of interested parties for the suggested site that could sell directly to the fans, example finsihing off "Bill Cosby"...some years back Rhino had exactly that under the title Rhino Handmade, these were very limited runs of titles that didn't have a mass market appeal......we also wouldn't expect anything fancy, "Bill Cosby 2" could come in just paper sleeves with hardly any artwork if any....as long as the series was uncut we would be happy and perhaps Shout could get a re-arrangement on license $$$ since less units would be produced. I understand that the recent "Mr. Peepers 2" from "Smore" actually only had 500 units manufactured as "Smore" also has some difficulty in getting low profile shows on store shelfs.....

lastly Brian can we possibly get a definative answer to why the shout collections of "Ozzie & Harriet" are edited versions, the best answer I have so far that I believe to be true, is that the cut "Disney" airings with the 1985 copyright that were used were remastered already and the uncut versions aren't which might be cost prohibited to remaster.
now I'll get greedy....is it possible to find out what interest if any from the Nelson estate is there in the short lived 1973 "Ozzie's Girls"...I contacted their legal rep and got very mixed responses.

factsoflife

01-16-2009, 01:58 PM

B Ward

01-16-2009, 03:00 PM

In order to give fans more bang for their buck, we decided to release a five-disc collection of California Dreams, including the first two seasons. We did this for a couple of reasons.

First, while we all loved Heidi Lenhart as Matt Garrison's sister, Jenny, there are a great number of fans out there who love Jay Anthony Franke and Jennie Kwan as Jake and Sam, who don't appear until season two.

The second reason is simply the number of episodes in season one, 13, which could have been done in a "measily" two-disc set. Likewise, season two only had 18 episodes. Neither would have felt like a worthy set, in our opinion.

Hope you guys enjoy the set. I just finished up the final edit on the reunion featurette, which is--by far--one of my favorite featurettes of my career thus far. Those guys were a ton of fun and clearly love each other so much. I think it shows. You'll all have to let me know!

In regards to Ozzie & Harriet, in many cases, these are the masters that have survived throughout the years. We've been compiling high-quality masters from the studio and well as the family for our releases. We've done our best to make sure that we have as complete of masters as possible. I'm sorry, if we've come up short in some cases.

Blossom was A LOT of fun to work on. I grew up on this series every week, so it was especially exciting to produce the set. We even got most of the cast to return for bonus material, including three featurettes and a handful of commentaries. I have high hopes for this one. It's one I'm especially proud of.

Facts of Life is one I'll drop into the next acquisitions meeting. Don't know what kind of luck we'll have in pursuing it, but it's always worth another shot. I say "another" because, yes, it's been approached before with no success. Might as well try, though, huh?

Thanks, guys!

JulieSomoski

01-16-2009, 04:11 PM

Thanks for keeping up updated, Brian! You guuys at Shout! Factory are beyond awesome.

I'd love to see Facts of Life get a few more seasons under the belt soon. There's 9 seasons, and so far only 3 are out. And just wondering - has shows like The Wonder Years and Family Matters ever come up over at Shout? These shows will be hard to get out, but if one company can tackle the task, it would be you.

Adamantium

01-16-2009, 05:10 PM

Thank you, Brian, for coming here and answering questions. This is really cool. I wish I had a question, but most of them have been answered here already, lol.

Just saying, a SONY show I want finished on DVD is "Ned & Stacey." There are only two seasons, and the first came out in 2004 (or '05). I figure SONY has no plans to release the final season.

I didn't want to come here and pitch a lot of shows I want finished on DVD, but dang it, I'm only human and you work for a DVD company, lol.

The already mentioned Season 2 of "Ned & Stacey" (from Sony)
Seasons 4 & 5 of "Taxi" (from Paramount)
Seasons 5 & 6 of "The Bob Newhart Show" (from FOX)
Seasons 1 - 5 of "Hey Dude" (from Paramount) - This one is a biggie for me!
Seasons 1 & 2 of "Car 54, Where Are You?"... That one seems to be right up Shout's lane. This is one I really want. And when you released "McHale's Navy" I was thinking maybe we'd see this title in the near future. But it hasn't happened yet.

There are more, but I'm drawing a blank.

I know this next one is a long shot, but since I'm making a list, I'll put it. I believe there's some legal issues with this one but... The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis!

Again, I can't thank you enough for coming here. It's great to talk to someone who works for a DVD company, especially one as great as Shout! Factory.

I'm looking forward to California Dreams, Blossom, Mr. Belvedere, Rhoda and to a lesser extent My Two Dads. I will buy them all. Hopefully on their first day out. But it seems like where I live (in Ohio) it's hard to find Shout titles in the stores. So I have to either order them at Amazon, or by a miracle I find them in the stores.

bmasters9

01-16-2009, 05:19 PM

I'd also like to see Shout! do "Trapper John, M.D." Hopefully that will be among future acquisitions.

factsoflife

01-16-2009, 06:12 PM

I wish Shout Factory could find a way to release "A Different World" season 2. I recall at one point they had planned to release ADW but then something happened with the ownership rights and they couldn't release it. I would love it if those sets were finally able to be released.

factsoflife

01-16-2009, 06:18 PM

Here are some other shows i wish shout factory would work to release:

some of the Aaron Spelling properties from the 1980's and 1990's like Malibu Shores, Savannah, Models Inc., Pacific Palliases all of which had and prob still have loyal audiences and would probrally sell very well. Malibu Shores was very popular among teens when it was on, even though ratings were low and i know tons of people dying to see it again! One season wouldn't cost sooooo much to produce on DVD.

Savannah was insanely popular in it's two seasons on the WB and created two major stars of it's day: Jamie Luner and George Eads. Jamie Luner became an actress that worked solidly in the 1990's and George Eads went onto CSI. That show is great and deserves a DVD release.

Desinging Women: Sony keeps promising that they'll release DW but they never seem to get around to it. I'd love to see someone release a full season set of this show.

Cybill: recently a Best Of set was issued (i'm not sure if it was by shout factory or not), which is great and all, but to enjoy this series one must see full seasons!

The Division: Nancy McKeon and Bonnie Bedelia starred in this series on LIFETIME about a group of detectives in an all female police department in San Fransisco. It ran for several seasons on lifetime and was a massive hit for the cable network.

Lastly, i'd love it if Shout Factory could see it in their hearts to get the rights to release the remaning seasons of Murphy Brown, a great property that needs to be seen again!

mwalker587

01-16-2009, 06:28 PM

Shout Factory does a great job with its dvd releases. I really enjoyed the "SCTV" dvds.I recently picked up "Father Knows best season 2" I'd love to see the entire series released on dvd. I'm looking forward to "Blossom","California Dreams",and "MR. Belvedere". I think it would be great if Shout Factory could release "Just The Ten Of Us" and "Small Wonder" in the future.

macphoen

01-16-2009, 09:24 PM

So there will be some extras on "Rhoda"... fantastic news. Thanks Brian. I still remember the VHS compilations Fox put out in the '90s and almost picked one up then at Borders when I saw the music disclaimer. I know I already asked this on the forum, but both my mother and I are huge fans of this spin-off, and wanted to ask if the music will be intact. We still can't get over that this will be released by Shout.

I haven't suggested this before myself, but have you looked at the highly-requested and my all-time favorite sitcom, "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place"? It's #11 on TVShowOnDVD.com. This is another one I've waited a very long time for, and I've talked to a number of people about it. I was also part of the fan community in the past (though sadly the website is no longer in existence and there were two mailing lists). We're all generally concern about the music (which serves a purpose) and that there be no edits. I would love to see Shout! released this in its original (uncut) ABC form, which is what the fanbase is asking for and with Ryan Reynolds, Traylor Howard, and Nathan Fillion among the cast, this would definitely be a big seller for you to help offset any high costs to cover the securing of the original broadcast music.

I know this next one is a long shot, but since I'm making a list, I'll put it. I believe there's some legal issues with this one but... The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis!

It's a legal rights issue with the Max Shulman estate. This was actually the first series I suggested to Shout! over on the community forum (before this was known). I continue to shake my head in disbelief over this hold-up between the heirs and Fox.

And speaking of Fox again, it would be nice to finally own the rest (starting with Season 2) of "The Fall Guy" with the original music!

On the behalf of the Roadies (fans of the ABC television series "October Road") and Tom Berenger fans, I was wondering if you are pursuing USA Network's short-lived western/crime drama "Peacemakers" from 2003.

Also, what about the ABC/Disney Channel short-lived series "Flash Forward"? Are there any further updates for fans of Adrian Pasdar's NBC/Pax cult series "Mysterious Ways"?

That's all the inquiries I have and thank you for taking time to answer questions here as well. I saw that there was an appreciation thread over here, so wanted to add my own appreciation to you and to Shout! Factory. Been curious if anyone from Shout! has seen the threads under "Classic TV I’d love to see on Shout! Factory DVD" for "Peacemakers" (and I know someone will be asking me if there's been a response to the demand on that one) and "Flash Forward".

JulieSomoski

01-17-2009, 12:45 PM

I think another one fans, including myself, would like to see continued on DVD is Murphy Brown, just one of WB's abandoned titles. Music may be a problem, but it really shouldn't be that big if an obstacle to overcome.

Lee G

01-17-2009, 01:45 PM

Shout Factory won't get a full thumbs up from me until they issue season two of The Bill Cosby Show. And I suspect some DVD episodes of That Girl may be edited. A few episodes have a shorter than normal running time and I question if perhaps those episodes are edited.

robyrob

01-20-2009, 08:21 AM

well, here's MY wish list from Shout!:

- Season 3-on of "Too Close For Comfort"
- Season 2 of "Ned & Stacey" (from Sony)
- Seasons 4 & 5 of "Taxi" (from Paramount)
- Seasons 5 & 6 of "The Bob Newhart Show" (from FOX)
- Seasons 1 & 2 of "Car 54, Where Are You?"

...and probably a lot more i can't think of right now

Jude The Obscure

01-20-2009, 11:50 AM

I'm hoping that they will continue on with Father Knows Best!

Robert 13

01-21-2009, 12:06 PM

well, here's MY wish list from Shout!:

- Season 3-on of "Too Close For Comfort"

I second that request. It would be great if Shout could license this out from DLT. It hasn't been seen in a long time until WGN-America aired a few episodes. Before that, Rhino was trying to release it and then something happened before they could get Season 3 out. Lydia Cornell wasn't even sure what happened.

B Ward

01-21-2009, 02:42 PM

Adamantium

01-21-2009, 05:55 PM

Wow. A lot of requests. Thankfully, many of them are right up Shout's alley and at least one or two are on our radar already.

There are also a few titles I'd love to see released. I, for one, own the first season of Ned & Stacey, which I thought was considerably better a character for Debra Messing than Will & Grace. But what can I say? I was a sucker for Ned's biting sarcasm.

I'll look into the shows not currently being examined by the powers that be now. Thanks, guys!

Hey, a "Ned & Stacey" fan! I started watching it for Thomas Haden Church, because I loved him on "Wings." Yeah, I think Debra Messing is better here than on "Will & Grace", but that doesn't mean much coming from me because I'm not a W&G fan, lol.

Oh, and for the record, I Third the request for "Too Close for Comfort." I forgot about that one when I made my list.

Adamantium

01-21-2009, 06:01 PM

I told my sister about this thread and she wants me to mention that she wants to see Big Wolf on Campus on DVD. It used to air on FOX Family Channel in the late 1990s. And I don't think she's seen it since. Everytime I tell her about some DVD news and I say "Guess what's coming to DVD?" She always replies "Big Wolf?!?" And I always have to tell her no. :D

B Ward

01-21-2009, 06:18 PM

Wow. I know my television and I have to admit, I have NO knowledge of Big Wolf On Campus. I'll have to look into it.

Adamantium

01-21-2009, 06:29 PM

Wow. I know my television and I have to admit, I have NO knowledge of Big Wolf On Campus. I'll have to look into it.

I personally have never seen a full episode. It's a show my sister loved. It was kind of like Teen Wolf, a jock high school student named Tommy turns into a werewolf (and back into a teen at will). However, the breakout character of the show was Tommy's best friend, a silly goth named Merton (played by Danny Smith). I believe it was a Canadian show and made about 65 episodes. Like I say it used to air on FOX Family Channel in the late 90s and was phased out early on when they became ABC Family.

quincywagstaff

01-22-2009, 12:51 AM

I haven't suggested this before myself, but have you looked at the highly-requested and my all-time favorite sitcom, "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place"? It's #11 on TVShowOnDVD.com. This is another one I've waited a very long time for, and I've talked to a number of people about it. I was also part of the fan community in the past (though sadly the website is no longer in existence and there were two mailing lists). We're all generally concern about the music (which serves a purpose) and that there be no edits. I would love to see Shout! released this in its original (uncut) ABC form, which is what the fanbase is asking for and with Ryan Reynolds, Traylor Howard, and Nathan Fillion among the cast, this would definitely be a big seller for you to help offset any high costs to cover the securing of the original broadcast music.

I would also be glad to see "Two Guys & a Girl" released. When the show aired on ABC, I never watched it, since from what I heard, it was just a "Friends" knock-off. Saw it for the first time a few years later on repeats on some cable network and I was very surprised how funny the show was. With Ryan Reynolds having gone on to be a movie star, it's strange no one has tried to cash in by releasing this series on dvd.

Also, would love to see more "Maude" released. Sony gave us one season a few years ago, then nothing since. Or "Fernwood 2-night" with Martin Mull and Fred Williard, one of the funniest series ever created. Taking notes, Brian?:lol:

Kristen

01-22-2009, 01:04 AM

B Ward

01-22-2009, 02:19 PM

Taking notes, Brian?:lol:

More than you could possibly imagine.

Vahan

01-22-2009, 07:21 PM

B. Ward, you may know me over at the Shout Factory boards as zaxxar. Over there, I asked you if you checked to make sure that episodes on seasons 1 & 2 of would Mr. Belvedere would unedited, because I really hate edited episodes, and I also gave you a little bit of info on how to tell the unedited episodes apart from the edited ones. My question is, have you finally managed to confirm with Brian Blum on that?

The reason why I asked this question earlier was because I was concerned about the runtime (the runtime in that one press release on tvshowsondvd said 660 minutes). When I saw that runtime, it automatically made me think that edited episodes would be an issue (it may not necessarily mean that, but that's what it seemed like to me).

Also, slightly off-topic here, but while I was looking at the info regarding the DVD in the store section of this site, I noticed that the only special feature on there is "The Guy Who Plays Mr. Belvedere Fan Club" skit, from "Saturday Night Live" in 1992. Are you sure that's all that will be included as extras? It would be great if the extras also consisted of new interviews with some of the cast members. "Mr. Belvedere" was one of those shows where the cast didn't really move on to much after the show had ended, and because of that, a lot of people who loved the show during its original ABC run have been wondering whatever happened to them.

Believe me when I say that I want to know ahead of time on that, so that my mind will be at ease.

B Ward

01-22-2009, 07:40 PM

I have not been able to confirm whether or not the masters themselves are edited, though I know we received them from the studio itself, who usually makes every effort to provide original broadcast masters rather than syndicated. Unfortunately, when it comes to certain television series of yesteryear, it's hard to find original broadcast masters, because studios never anticipated home video releases and kept only syndicated masters. Still, I'll continue to prod.

I will say, however, not to take the running time in the press release as a sign. Often, the press releases are written and released prior to the set's completion and uses approximate running times that are pretty broad.

As for bonus material, there will be new interviews with members of the cast included in the set. There MAY even be an easter egg on one of the discs (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

JulieSomoski

01-22-2009, 07:48 PM

I'd like to second (or maybe third, LOL) the requests for Murphy Brown! Warner Bros. doesn't seem all that interested in continuing, so it might be worth looking into. But please, PLEASE, if you do a acquire it, don't replace the music. Murphy without Motown just isn't Murphy. ;)

Anyway, there's my two cents. Thanks again for taking all our questions/suggestions! It's awesome that you guys actually care what we think. :)

Thanks for backing me up, Kristen. Of all the shows I'd like to see continued on DVD - from The Drew Carey Show (which I'd also like to suggest while I'm at it) and Growing Pains, and Who's the Boss?, to Mad About You, Maude, and Facts of Life - Murphy Brown is at the top of my list. This show has 10 seasons to go, and one on DVD is just not enough.

repeatshistory

01-22-2009, 07:48 PM

Hey, Brian, I asked you this over on the Shout! boards, but I didn't know whether you saw it or not. Would Shout! consider licensing Remember WENN from American Movie Classics? I know this Emmy-award winning show should sell very briskly for you. It has a loyal, hardcore following out there. And with AMC's success with Mad Men and other originals now, they should consider dipping back into the pool.

TV_Fan

01-22-2009, 08:05 PM

Eric Paddon

01-22-2009, 09:10 PM

No S3 release of "Ironside" while Australia gets it = no joining in the chorus of undying praise for Shout from me. And no sale on any other title they put out other than "Adam-12" (though maybe I should have my doubts about whether that will continue!). I am through buying titles I wouldn't have given any consideration for but for the naive thought that I would guarantee further releases of what I wanted to see continue by helping the company as it were only to see a long stream of stonewalling, false hopes raised and then ultimately dashed, and taking on additional titles of equal length while "Ironside" remains stuck in the limbo void (liberate it by giving it to Timeless which has a better regard for doing Universal shows of older vintage!) is only further insult to injury as far as I'm concerned.

factsoflife

01-22-2009, 09:16 PM

i would love to see Shout Factory release "Moesha" on DVD because well that show is awesome and should be on dvd!

Also, i'd love it if you could see it in your heart to convince the higher ups to get "Ally McBeal" out on DVD! that show is too good to not be on DVD! Also it would be nice to get the remaining seasons of "Picket Fences" out. I know Ally could cause a problem with music rights, but some of the music could be replaced as long as it's not the songs Vonda is singing in the episode. Just get the rights to those songs and replace everything else!

Also, Boston public would be great to see again!

Vahan

01-22-2009, 09:26 PM

I have not been able to confirm whether or not the masters themselves are edited, though I know we received them from the studio itself, who usually makes every effort to provide original broadcast masters rather than syndicated.

Just out of curiosity, is the studio in question 20th Century Fox?

But anyways, thanks for at least shedding some light on the upcoming DVD release.

factsoflife

01-22-2009, 10:15 PM

Wow. A lot of requests. Thankfully, many of them are right up Shout's alley and at least one or two are on our radar already.

Can you confirm if one of those two series is "The Facts Of Life" or "Desinging Women"? i'm sure it's not something you can confirm, but just know you would make MANY people happy if you got the remaning Facts of Life episodes out as well as if you were to release "Desinging Women" in full season sets! espeically if they were original network episodes!

Also, i'd like to add "Sisters" starring Sela Ward and Swoosie Kurtz to the list of shows that Shout should release!

Kristen

01-23-2009, 12:18 AM

Thanks for backing me up, Kristen. Of all the shows I'd like to see continued on DVD - from The Drew Carey Show (which I'd also like to suggest while I'm at it) and Growing Pains, and Who's the Boss?, to Mad About You, Maude, and Facts of Life - Murphy Brown is at the top of my list. This show has 10 seasons to go, and one on DVD is just not enough.
No problem, Julie! As soon as I saw Murphy mentioned in this thread, I knew I had to speak up. It's the Murphy in me. ;)

Ooh, and I would be the happiest person in the world if Shout! picked up Designing Women! Sony has been keeping us waiting on season sets for way too long.

- Kristen

Skywalker

01-23-2009, 01:21 AM

My Wish List:

Taxi - Season 4
Working Stiffs - The Complete Series
Boston Common - The Complete Series
Ned and Stacey - Season 2
Too Close for Comfort - Season 3
Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place - Seasons 1 & 2
The Norm Show/Norm - Seasons 1 & 2
Dear John - Season 1
The Ropers - The Complete Series
Three's a Crowd - The Complete Series
Head of the Class - Season 1

As far as I'm concerned, Shout! already has the award for best TV DVD Releases of 2009 already. If someone had said a year ago that shows like Mr. Belvedere, Blossom and My Two Dads would be coming to DVD I would have thought they were crazy, but thanks to Shout! Factory, anything is possible. I hope they'll continue to release more lesser known shows in the future. :cool:

factsoflife

01-23-2009, 01:58 AM

one more that needs to be continued is DHARMA & GREG. they released the first season and that was such a tease because we've never seen another season released since!

Robert 13

01-23-2009, 11:39 AM

Wow. A lot of requests. Thankfully, many of them are right up Shout's alley and at least one or two are on our radar already.

...I'll look into the shows not currently being examined by the powers that be now. Thanks, guys!

Any chance Shout would release some one-season wonders like Angie, One in a Million with Shirley Hemphill or Checking In with Marla Gibbs. :)

Lee G

01-29-2009, 05:40 PM

When looking at the episode run times of That Girl season four, some episodes are over 25 minutes, others are around 24:30 or so give or take a few seconds, and a few episodes are less than 24 minutes. That doesn't seem right to me, I will assume some of these episodes are edited unless Mr. B Ward can provide an explanation.

The Dick Van Dyke Show from Image Entertainment also has episode run times that vary, but those episodes are all supposed to be uncut. Perhaps That Girl is also uncut, but there are some episodes in each season that don't match the expected running time and I question if those episodes may be edited.

Retro76

01-29-2009, 06:27 PM

Lee G

01-29-2009, 07:01 PM

Wasn't there supposed to be a logo at the beginning of each episodes indicating that the show was in color. It featured the THAT GIRL logo with a border around it?

You may be right about that, but my main concern and suspicion is that episode content may be incomplete in some of these shows. For example, there is one season two episode that runs a full minute shorter than normal. While it's possible the episode just ended up a minute short originally, it seems more likely that a minute was cut from the episode. A few episodes from season three run short also and I question if perhaps those are edited.

OKCRay

02-02-2009, 07:01 AM

One series I'd love to see SHOUT! Factory release is IT'S YOUR MOVE, with Jason Bateman. Only lasted one season but would be a sure-fire hit (if only for the legendary two-part "Dregs of Humanity" episode!). :)

B Ward

02-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Lee G

02-02-2009, 04:43 PM

It's not my project, so I cannot be absolutely sure. However, I can say definitively that Marlo Thomas has been working with us very closely on the That Girl sets and has provided many--if not all--of the masters herself.

That is interesting, just unusual that the run times of the episodes vary so much, especially with the 4th season. With TV, basically every second of time is accounted for, both program time and advertising time. They assign so much time for the program, and the rest goes to advertising. Older shows are longer because there was less time assigned to commercials back in the day. So the episodes should all pretty much have the same exact running time give or take a couple seconds, unless there's an explanation why some episodes run shorter.

B Ward

02-02-2009, 06:59 PM

That is interesting, just unusual that the run times of the episodes vary so much, especially with the 4th season. With TV, basically every second of time is accounted for, both program time and advertising time. They assign so much time for the program, and the rest goes to advertising. Older shows are longer because there was less time assigned to commercials back in the day. So the episodes should all pretty much have the same exact running time give or take a couple seconds, unless there's an explanation why some episodes run shorter.

I am aware of many episodes of many television series--particularly older series--that have varying episode run times, simply because of the nature of the script. While today, most scripts equal roughly 1 min per page of dialogue, this wasn't always the case and some scenes can be directed or performed quicker or slower, resulting in episodes drastically longer or shorter than others.

ikhuri

02-02-2009, 07:03 PM

Are there any plans for Shout Factory to lease the game shows from Navarre, now that BCI is no more?

JulieSomoski

02-02-2009, 07:32 PM

Are there any plans for Shout Factory to lease the game shows from Navarre, now that BCI is no more?

That's a great idea - I'd love to s some more volumes of Price is Right and Match Game on DVD.

TeeVeeCloset

02-02-2009, 07:40 PM

Lee G

02-03-2009, 11:26 AM

I agree with both of you, remember my pal Lee G, that the 60's had alot of contests and promotions, etc, especially abc, so I would believe that an episode could be different lenghts, as long as its not by more than a minute....BUT...on the other hand if the masters were provided by Marlo herself than the aformentioned "That Girl in Color" bumber should be at the beginning, which I clearly remember seeing even in some syndication prints. I personally don't mind them missing, but it would have been fun to have them included.....I LOVE SHOUT FACTORY, it is the best company releasing classic TV right now, along with MPI, but it sounds very odd that our friend here from shout says marlo provided the episodes, they would be provided by the studio source, the filmed masters would be in a vault, I know Marlo owns the show....it just sounds odd to me for a series that was so heavily in syndication.

I just find it strange that there is basically a 2 minute difference between the shortest and longest episodes on the season four DVD of That Girl. I had first thought perhaps the shorter episodes were time compressed, but that doesn't appear to be the case. My suspicion is that some of the shorter episodes are edited, but not being an expert on the series I can't say for sure. All I can do is judge by the running times of the episodes. Despite this controversy, it's great That Girl has come to DVD and I look forward to the last season to complete the series.

Adamantium

02-03-2009, 02:35 PM

I bought and watched my "Blossom" DVD. It's a great show and I can't wait to get season three. I also loved the bonus features. I know I just know Brian Ward from this thread, but it was still cool to see his name on the DVD. I'm like "It's Brian!" LOL.

So Brian, were you actually the guy who interviewed them? And was the guy who played Anthony unavailable for this or did he just not want to do it? His absence was felt.

TV_Fan

02-03-2009, 07:24 PM

Adam, or Brian, or anyone, can someone confirm that the Blossom set is actually closed captioned? The review here on sitcomsonline says that it is, but people on amazon are saying it's not.

B Ward

02-03-2009, 08:14 PM

Adam, I appreciate the words. I was, in fact, the guy interviewing the cast, Don Reo and Sherry Thompson. Sadly, we were unable to reach Michael Stoyanov ("Anthony") for an interview. Doesn't mean we've stopped trying for possible inclusion on future sets, but you're right; his lack of presence was definitely felt by all. Still, I think the sets turned out fantastically well. I had a lot of fun revisiting the series (since I grew up watching it) and I think season three will be an equal dose of nostalgic fun.

TV Fan, the set is definitely captioned. No subtitles. But the English captions are there.

Thanks, guys!

quincywagstaff

02-03-2009, 09:52 PM

A big thank you to Shout for the latest Mystery Science Theater volume. Just got it yesterday and am really enjoying the episodes. I actually liked this volume better than 13 (even without a cool toy) since most of the movies were much funnier, and also enjoyed the interview with Joe Estevez. And the box says that it was produced by a Mr. Brian Ward (whoever that is). Looking forward to Vol. 15!

Vahan

02-04-2009, 12:09 AM

Hey Brian, you mentioned to me earlier that the studio that provided the masters for Mr. Belvedere seasons 1 & 2 usually makes every effort to provide unedited episodes. I'd like to know this: Is the studio in question 20th Century Fox, or is it ABC/Disney? When TV_Fan asked Fox if they own the rights to the show, they said that they don't and that ABC/Disney owns it. How can that be true if Fox is the one that produced the 3 Clifton Webb movies, and released them on home video? And did Shout! have to pay any money to the Gwen Davenport Estate to release this show on DVD?

Also, are you familiar with the 3 unsold pilots from the 50's and 60's? There was one with Hans Conried, another with Victor Bruno, and another with Victor Borge. Those pilots would be great for any future DVD releases for the show.

For the upcoming release, did you interview any of the cast, or did Brian Blum do all that?

Finally, was Mr. Belvedere one of those shows that you grew up watching back in the day, like Blossom was? And just to make sure, are you also familiar with the fact that it was shot in videotape?

Sorry if that was a lot of questions LOL. The truth is, I care very much about the way this upcoming DVD release will be handled, and I don't want you guys to screw up so badly on this, or on any other future DVD release for the show.

Thank you.

B Ward

02-04-2009, 07:23 PM

I'd like to know this: Is the studio in question 20th Century Fox, or is it ABC/Disney? When TV_Fan asked Fox if they own the rights to the show, they said that they don't and that ABC/Disney owns it. How can that be true if Fox is the one that produced the 3 Clifton Webb movies, and released them on home video?

Also, are you familiar with the 3 unsold pilots from the 50's and 60's? Those pilots would be great for any future DVD releases for the show.

For the upcoming release, did you interview any of the cast, or did Brian Blum do all that?

Finally, was Mr. Belvedere one of those shows that you grew up watching back in the day, like Blossom was? And just to make sure, are you also familiar with the fact that it was shot in videotape?

Sorry if that was a lot of questions LOL. The truth is, I care very much about the way this upcoming DVD release will be handled, and I don't want you guys to screw up so badly on this, or on any other future DVD release for the show.

Thank you.

Wow. No pressure or anything. ;)

While it was a show I grew up watching, it was Brian Blum's project and he was responsible for all of the bonus material for the set.

I'm not sure if he knew about the unsold pilots. I can let him know, though.

And thirdly, it is a FOX-owned show. At least, that's who we licensed it from. As for the logic behind who owns what, never look at who produced it. Or who aired it, for that matter. They're not always the current owners. Properties switch hands all the time. It's never easy to track down.

I think Blum did an excellent job with the set. I haven't seen it all, but of what I have seen, I've renewed my fandom.

Hope you agree!

factsoflife

02-05-2009, 04:15 PM

factsoflife

02-05-2009, 04:19 PM

B Ward

02-05-2009, 04:30 PM

Hey B Ward,

i was wondering if you had any information on the situation with "A Different World", Season 1 was released by Shout back in like 2005 and was set to release season 2 but suddenly it was pulled off the shelves because of a copyright dispute, but Shout always said they would release the season 2 set but it never did happen. what happened with that? any chance it could still get a release? as i recall it was pulled just days before it was to be released. what's up with that?

and what about 227? will we ever see a second season of that show?

We're about to start working on the third season of Blossom, but there hasn't been an official release date set or anything.

As for A Different World and 227, those were not Shout releases, so I can't speak to them. Didn't produce them and didn't release them. Sorry.

factsoflife

02-05-2009, 05:00 PM

We're about to start working on the third season of Blossom, but there hasn't been an official release date set or anything.

As for A Different World and 227, those were not Shout releases, so I can't speak to them. Didn't produce them and didn't release them. Sorry.

Thanks for answering my questions! i'm sorry for the confusion i though ADW and 227 were released by Shout Factory!

factsoflife

02-05-2009, 05:04 PM

Thanks for answering my questions! i'm sorry for the confusion i though ADW and 227 were released by Shout Factory!''

I did some research and 227 was released by Sony Studios and it apears ADW by some company called Urban Works, which i've never heard of!

JulieSomoski

02-05-2009, 06:00 PM

''

I did some research and 227 was released by Sony Studios and it apears ADW by some company called Urban Works, which i've never heard of!

Yeah, ADW was released by UrbanWorks, which has since morphed into First Look Entertainment, which released seasons 3-8 of The Cosby Show.

But while we're at it, I'd love to see more 227 and ADW - add them to my Shout wistlist! :D

TV_Fan

02-05-2009, 07:19 PM

Hey Brian, can we expect the final volume of Swamp Thing this year?

B Ward

02-06-2009, 02:45 PM

Repeatshistory, we've never considered Remember WENN before, but may look into it. I'll pass it along to the powers-that-be for consideration. Thanks for the suggestion!

TV Fan, we don't currently have a date planned for Swamp Thing, but not because we're abandoning it. To be honest, we have some titles coming up that may compete a little too much with the third season of Swamp Thing, not because they're about muck creatures-turned super heroes, but because we want that same audience to pay close attention to the new titles (trust us, they're awesome). Once we've launched those, we may look into releasing the final season.

Thanks, guys!

TV_Fan

02-06-2009, 03:08 PM

TeeVeeCloset

02-06-2009, 05:03 PM

To Brian Ward,

Even though "That Girl 5" is probably just about done and at the factory incase it isn't.....what is the possibility of the one time rankin bass produced one hour cartoon special titled "That Girl In Wonderland" which Marlo was heavily involved with as a final season bonus feature??????

B Ward

02-06-2009, 06:37 PM

what is the possibility of the one time rankin bass produced one hour cartoon special titled "That Girl In Wonderland" which Marlo was heavily involved with as a final season bonus feature??????

Sadly, there is no possibility. We actually have looked into it. Several times, in fact. But there are certain rights and legal issues that prevented us from putting it onto any of the That Girl releases.

Sorry, TeeVeeCloset.

Pavan

02-06-2009, 06:53 PM

Just to let everyone know...we have a "Seven Questions" interview in the works with Mr. Ward and Mr. Blum! If all goes well, look for it very soon. Shout! deserves kudos for great DVDs and also for being very generous with everything. So be on the lookout! Thanks again Brian!

TeeVeeCloset

02-06-2009, 07:05 PM

Sadly, there is no possibility. We actually have looked into it. Several times, in fact. But there are certain rights and legal issues that prevented us from putting it onto any of the That Girl releases.

Sorry, TeeVeeCloset.

Well of course that is a very sad and disappointing answer, BUT it is a direct and fast answer which I extremely always appreciate...my best as always to you Mr. Ward and everyone at SHOUT! Now someone start working on Father Knows Best, Season 3!......lol.....seriously!

B Ward

02-06-2009, 08:02 PM

Now someone start working on Father Knows Best, Season 3!......lol.....seriously!

Someone's already started. ;)

Jude The Obscure

02-06-2009, 08:02 PM

:yeahthat

Thanks Brian for giving us fans consideration.

Is there any word on another Ozzie & Harriet set?

TeeVeeCloset

02-06-2009, 08:18 PM

Someone's already started. ;)

WOW!!! EXCELLENT!!! Keep those episodes of "Window On Main Street" coming too if at all possible.....there is also a very strong group of christmas themed episode collectors and we are all hoping we will someday see the christmas themed "Window" episode also as an extra......boy aren't we greedy!!!...lol....

great news Brian and thanks for such wonderful answers, I can honestly tell you I own at least 35 different Shout TV DVD sets and am a very serious collector as many others here are as well........

quincywagstaff

02-10-2009, 08:47 PM

TVShowsonDVD.com is reporting that Shout Factory will be releasing Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Season 1, later this year. There will be cast interviews and other special features included.

B&W fan

02-10-2009, 11:39 PM

Keep those episodes of "Window On Main Street" coming too if at all possible.....there is also a very strong group of christmas themed episode collectors and we are all hoping we will someday see the christmas themed "Window" episode also as an extra

First off, thank you Brian for making my day, week and month with that news about FATHER KNOWS BEST SEASON 3. Can't wait!!!!

Secondly, I'm one of those radical Christmas-themed TV episode collectors and I want to "amen" TeeVeeCloset's request that you include the Christmas episode from WINDOW ON MAIN STREET on your next set if at all possible. I can't tell you how happy that would make many people I know.

Brian, I'd also throw in a vote for more OZZIE & HARRIET too. I love your 50's and 60's material, and hope we don't lose any of that in place of 70's, 80's, or 90's stuff. I like those shows too, but my first love is with the older material and I hope Shout continues to supply us with plenty of it.

Take care,

B&W "keep up the great work, Brian" Fan

B Ward

02-11-2009, 02:29 PM

Lee G

02-11-2009, 06:47 PM

We've definitely taken note of the Christmas episode of Window On Main Street. I have passed that note to the set's producer, Brian Blum. If we can track it down, it would likely appear on a set closer to the holiday season.

Glad you guys are enjoying the sets.

Brian

Let's get season two of The Bill Cosby Show out there. The second season is the last one anyway, it will soon be going on three years since the first season came out. That is much too long of a wait. Release season two at least in a limited number so fans who bought season one can complete their collections. The second season has what I think is the funniest episode of the series, The Barber Shop.

Eric Paddon

02-11-2009, 08:07 PM

Release "Ironside" S3 and restore some credibility with those of us who feel Shout! lost it on this.

And I'm not surprised that there isn't any sign of movement on S3 of "Adam-12" yet either.

B Ward

02-11-2009, 10:01 PM

And I'm not surprised that there isn't any sign of movement on S3 of "Adam-12" yet either.

Would you be surprised to know that while there hasn't been any sign of movement, we've already begun work on Adam-12 S3? Look for it this year.

Naysayers...

ryan423

02-12-2009, 12:56 AM

I know it only lasted two years, but I think along with Blossom, Joey Lawrence fans like myself would love to see Brotherly Love on dvd. It was on Disney through 2004 or so, then when they got into more and more original programming, it vanished. I'd also love to see Smart Guy on dvd!

Lee G

02-12-2009, 09:33 AM

cajunhillbilly

02-12-2009, 09:52 AM

How did you get the complete series?

TV_Fan

02-12-2009, 10:33 AM

It wouldn't surprise me if The Bill Cosby Show season two never gets issued. Shout Factory has been spinning their wheels much too long not getting this out there. Shame on them for that. I am just glad I already have the complete series, but others are not as fortunate and the 2nd season should be issued so fans who bought season 1 can complete their collections. The season 1 DVD is good except the sound is poor on episodes 2, 3, and 17.

How can anybody reasonably expect a company to release sets that don't sell? I kow fans of The Bill Cosby Show & Ironside are upset, but it's not Shout's fault that consumers don't buy the products. No company would put out a product & NOT want it to sell. Shout has already said there's still a chance sometime in the future these shows could get more releases. If this was any of the major studios the shows wouldn't get a 2nd look. Shout! has shown great willingness to take a chance on lower selling shows that have been abandoned by the majors. Look at Adam 12 & Simon & Simon.
Shout! is my favorite DVD releasing company. Keep up the good work!

Eric Paddon

02-12-2009, 11:24 AM

The "Ironside" issue is a sore subject because for fans of that show, it comes off as absurd that Australia would have enough confidence in S3 to release it for R4 but the US market has to go the boot route (and I have done so for S3-5 since I will not let my viewing choices be dictated by the studios and companies). Perhaps if there were no Australian release (and don't tell me to get a region-free player, I can't) there'd be less bad feeling.

Lee G

02-12-2009, 11:41 AM

How did you get the complete series?

Uncut episodes which I recorded from TV during 1982-83. Most of the episodes are from that source, some others are from uncut 16mm prints. Video quality is not great but is decent, some episodes look better than others. Audio level is good on all the episodes.

Lee G

02-12-2009, 12:04 PM

I kow fans of The Bill Cosby Show & Ironside are upset, but it's not Shout's fault that consumers don't buy the producs.

If Shout Factory would do more to advertise their products, perhaps more units would be sold. With some of these older shows, advertising is needed to let people know the product is available. I will admit that The Bill Cosby Show has a smaller fan base, ever since his 80's sitcom came out it has taken attention away from his earlier and in my opinion better sitcom. Since Shout committed to this series and issued season one, I then believe season two should have been issued in a timely manner. The series has only two seasons anyway, so let's get the second one out there and finish the series so fans can complete their collections. At least issue the second season in a limited number if the first season undersold expectations. I have read many times season two is still "being planned" or "is on the back burner." I will believe it's coming out if I see an official announcement.

Pavan

02-12-2009, 12:57 PM

Honestly no other studio would have released The Bill Cosby Show, would they? Kudos to Shout!

Lee G

02-12-2009, 01:55 PM

Honestly no other studio would have released The Bill Cosby Show, would they? Kudos to Shout!

I actually would have liked to see MPI issue The Bill Cosby Show. I don't think they would have abandoned the series like Shout has. MPI did a great job with Family Affair, uncut episodes and the 5 seasons were issued rather quickly. I imagine those DVD sets didn't exactly sell like gangbusters either, but MPI stuck with it to the end.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 04:20 PM

I have read many times season two is still "being planned" or "is on the back burner."

That backburner has cooled. There are no current plans to release the second season of The Bill Cosby Show. You guys don't understand just how few some of these things have sold. And it's not like we've forgone advertising. We've had a great deal of web adverts, major magazine and newspaper print ads, entire articles written about the series in both magazines and newspapers, and televised campaigns on shows like Entertainment Tonight and the like. We can't afford front-out placing in stores like Best Buy and Target, true. But how many independent companies can? Seriously. Go to Best Buy and tell me how many independent labels you see facing out on the New Release shelf. Those placements aren't cheap.

But, ultimately, there is a minimum run required for our plant to create the series for us and The Bill Cosby Show sold well BELOW that. So why would we put out a series that we know we're going to lose money on? Just to complete the series? I don't get the logic. And I'm a completist!

So who's fault is it that The Bill Cosby Show or Ironside didn't sell? Ours? Doubtful. We created great content. We even got Bill Cosby to sit down with us to talk about it for bonus content! And we've advertised as best we can for the money we have. We can't afford televised ads. And, honestly, when was the last time you saw a TV ad campaign for a classic TV series? And, no, Seinfeld: The Complete Series isn't a "classic series." The retailers? Not really. They've included them in their weekly and monthly circulars (y'know, the printed pages most people ignore or throw away). And they believed in them enough to buy them from us. The consumers? I can hardly blame customers for not wanting to spend money on DVD sets right now.

Could it also be that, statistically, this particular audience doesn't spend regular money on television series on DVD? Could be. Long before I produced DVDs for Shout!, I managed a DVD/VHS retail store. And our customers, usually, were people with income that was spent a little more regularly on weekly and monthly DVD product, and those people had a tendency to lean more toward their 20s and 30s. Hardly the age group for hardcore The Bill Cosby Show or Ironside fans.

Of course there will be exceptions. There will be people who'd pay whatever whenever for their favorite shows from the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, or today on DVD. I'm one of 'em! But, sadly, it's not the norm. Not for any generation.

So am I shocked that Ironside hasn't sold well? No. In today's market, what sells the best? Contemporary series, like Lost and Battlestar Galactica. Genre titles, especially. If The Facts of Life, a series in syndication almost since its initial run, doesn't sell well, why would a little-known series Bill Cosby shot prior to his mega-hit '80s sitcom?

In conclusion, we tried. We threw it against the wall. With gusto. But it wasn't quite ready and it just didn't stick. We still own the licenses. We love the shows. So we legitimately want to explore things yet again. But we're not the only company to put things back into the vaults. You've all pointed this out in posts above. So, it's a little unfair for you to suggest that we are or are evil, moneygrubbers because we did. We're simply careful, because we have to be. Frankly, I love this company. And I'd like it to be around for a while. So we can't be making off-the-cuff or rash decisions, just to make a small number of people (remember the sales) happy.

This was a long tirade, I know. And I apologize. But I'm as passionate as you are.

Eric Paddon

02-12-2009, 05:01 PM

It's one thing when Universal, the original copyright holder puts something in the vault. When a company that licenses a title then decides all is on hold, that's something else. You might as well just decide the time is now to cut the losses for good and leave the door open for another label to give it a shot.

When I see Timeless stick to the end with a show like "Laredo" and go the extra mile for other Universal titles like "Wagon Train" and "M Squad" it makes it far less palatable to then see that a more important Universal title is now suffering from the kind of limbo that isn't the one I can more easily understand where no license has been granted ("Kojak", "Dragnet", "McMillan And Wife", "McCloud") but one where the licensor is just going to sit on it for who knows how long.

And yes, the precedents of MPI sticking to the end with "Family Affair" and "The Doris Day Show" while Image committed upfront to do all of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" right out of the box, at times can also make it a little harder to accept the fact that when just *one* release is all that's left for something to be completed as in the case of "The Bill Cosby Show" it should stay locked up while a host of other titles get started up.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 05:22 PM

I'm telling you right now, I know MPI. And they DO NOT spend what we do to license shows. They don't have to sell nearly as much to turn a profit.

And you're right. It is different when Universal vaults a show. Much different. Because they already own the show. They didn't pay through the nose to license it. We did. So on top of the money we paid to get permission to put it out, we put in money to create the discs, and then market them. So we lost more than they, when those shows weren't successful. For them, the blow on their nails and throw the digibetas back into storage. For us, there are meetings upon meetings upon meetings. We have more invested. So it's not stupid or lazy. It's gut-wrenching.

Oh, and if I go outside and start asking folks about The Dick Van Dyke Show, they'd know it faster than they'd know The Bill Cosby Show. The unfortunate fact is that when his name is in the title, most people immediately gravitate toward The Cosby Show. Recognition helps sell DVDs. People have to remember and love the show. If you have to remind them the show exists, they're less inclined to drop the money on owning the box set.

Lee G

02-12-2009, 05:42 PM

That backburner has cooled. There are no current plans to release the second season of The Bill Cosby Show.

Business is about the bottom line but those who bought The Bill Cosby Show season one should not be left hanging waiting for the 2nd and final season. It is not their fault if the 1st season undersold. And if Shout did any marketing campaign for the series, I didn't see it. What I am saying is, the 2nd season is the last one anyway, so why not just bite the bullet, release it in at least a limited number of sets and be done with it. As I mentioned previously, I'm just glad I already have the complete series. If the 2nd season DVD remains unissued, I'll be fine with my personal collection of the series.

Sony is spinning their wheels too with a couple series, Flying Nun season 3 and All In The Family season 7 are not yet available.

Vahan

02-12-2009, 05:49 PM

Pavan

02-12-2009, 05:52 PM

Lee G, you are using one show out of their entire releases as an example. Shout! has released subsequent seasons of everything else and has the best track record of any studio.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 06:00 PM

Adamantium

02-12-2009, 06:11 PM

And we hope it shows, rather than simply tossing the sets out there to market on the cheap.

It does show. You guys do a great job, hence this Appreciation Thread.

I'd like to have season two of "The Bill Cosby Show" as well. But I understand what you're saying.

Maybe in the future, for all two season show just release the whole series in one big box set. ;)

BTW, I just purchased season two of "Father Knows Best" yesterday. I finally found it at an FYE in the mall. I like the show, it's not an immediate buy for me. In other words, I don't have to have it the day it comes out and since I couldn't find it, I just didn't get it. But like I say, I finally got it.

TV_Fan

02-12-2009, 06:12 PM

In fairness, there are a handful of series we've had to abandon for now. But, I think--for the most part--you'll see that we've done a pretty good job. And the fact that we've tried to fulfill desires for bonus materials and the like is something worth taking into account.

I have a legitimate love for these shows. We're TV geeks. And we hope it shows, rather than simply tossing the sets out there to market on the cheap.

Brian it certianly does show and as you can tell from this thread, there are certainly a lot more people who appreciate Shout! than those who don't. You just can't please everyone.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 06:18 PM

Thanks, guys. And Blum's already hard at work on the next Father Knows Best title. Should be a good one.

Pavan

02-12-2009, 06:19 PM

And fans out there, thanks to Brian we have a great interview coming up with them!

Lee G

02-12-2009, 06:21 PM

Lee G, you are using one show out of their entire releases as an example.

I am a fan of The Bill Cosby Show and would like to see the 2nd season issued on DVD. I'm sure there are others who share the same opinion. Shout has done well issuing the seasons of That Girl and for that I give them a thumbs up.

Eric Paddon

02-12-2009, 07:41 PM

As bad as the current status of The Bill Cosby Show and Ironside are, trust me. It's nothing compared to the abandonment tactics of the bigger studios like Sony, Fox, Warner, and Universal, just to name a few.

When the big studio abandons the title, one can still hope it will get licensed. When the third party that licenses the title abandons it, all remaining hope goes out the window since there's evidently not going to be any effort to let another party pick up the material but instead they still want to hold onto the rights forever just so they can one day think about redoing it. My own subjective view is that it's much worse in the end.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 08:20 PM

We don't purchase the show. We lease it, for lack of a better word. At the end of the term, the rights to the show revert back to the studio. If the studio wants to license it to someone else, they can. For that matter, if someone comes to us and says they'd like to sub-license it, we can do that, too. We've done it with other titles. The classic animated series, The Littles, is an example.

So not all hope is lost.

repeatshistory

02-12-2009, 09:27 PM

T (and don't tell me to get a region-free player, I can't)

Honestly, dude, you have NO IDEA how easily and cheaply you can get a region-free DVD player. Most of the inexpensive 'off-brand' models (example: Apex) are actually region-free players, because they sell exactly the same models to the US market that they sell to the Asian markets, the European markets, the South Pacific markets, and the UK market.

quincywagstaff

02-12-2009, 09:42 PM

Hey Brian, nice job getting "Parker Lewis". Been waiting for ages for this little gem to be released.

Eric Paddon

02-12-2009, 10:04 PM

There was a reason I said don't tell me to get one and it looks like I have to give it.

I can't get a region free-player because I already own multiple machines for other reasons that are more important (transferring VHS to DVD) and they take up all the available space in my house. Replacing one of those machines for a region-free is also not practical because of what I'd have to do to access the wires needed to connect them which is a one-day job of moving a massive wall unit that houses a lot of other things, so *that* is why I'm not getting another machine. It has nothing to do with how expensive they are or aren't.

B Ward

02-12-2009, 10:32 PM

Hey Brian, nice job getting "Parker Lewis". Been waiting for ages for this little gem to be released.

It's one I've actually been actively trying to get a hold of for the past couple of years. It'll be nice to have on the shelf.

repeatshistory

02-13-2009, 04:26 AM

Eric Paddon

02-13-2009, 05:36 AM

Some of us can only set aside limited space for DVD players. And once that limited space is used up, that's it and it's rather pointless to then go out looking for another one just to play one set from R4.

Boot purchases for S6-8 have been made since I'd have to wait for a certain place to freeze over before I'll ever see them done legitimately. And that's money better spent on my part than on a number of other titles getting a first release from my standpoint.

Lee G

02-13-2009, 09:17 AM

I'm telling you right now, I know MPI. And they DO NOT spend what we do to license shows. They don't have to sell nearly as much to turn a profit.

This is why I say MPI would have been a better issuing studio for The Bill Cosby Show. Had they issued this, I think we would have both seasons by now, no problem.

Getting back to That Girl, the DVD's are nice but I still question if some episodes may be edited, especially the 4th season set where the episode run times are all over the place. But I have not seen comments anywhere from buyers who report edits in the episodes. So the issue remains a mystery. In any case, I look forward to season five.

Robert 13

02-13-2009, 01:25 PM

I have to say I've been mighty impressed with what Shout! has been able to announce lately. Nothing of interest to me...yet...but I definitely applaud them with putting out great tv-on-dvd for fans. So here are some shows I would love to see released on the Shout! label, if possible.

It's A Living
Hazel
What's Happening Now!!
Bagdad Cafe' (with Whoopi Goldberg & Jean Stapleton)
9 to 5 (the series) - both versions - original & syndicated

And if one-season wonders are ever considered...
One in a Million (with Shirley Hemphill)
Mona McCluskey (with Juliet Prowse)
Gloria (with Sally Struthers)
Babes (with Wendie Jo Sperber)

Thanks for a great job Brian! And for posting here on the boards. :)

TeeVeeCloset

02-13-2009, 01:29 PM

I LOVE SHOUT FACTORY as stated many times along with MPI, the two best companies releasing classic little known shows with little but strong hard core audience followers.......I agree with both parties regarding the long thread regarding Cosby 2.....I suggested this at least 30 posts ago, Brian I will directly ask you since so far you always answer in a professional and timely manner........would Shout consider creating a website only purchase of cosby 2 or similar abandoned shows for the hard cores that want it?....bare bones set, no artwork, no fancy boxes....we both know to manufacture a retail store set of lets say 100,000 units it costs shout about $15 a set or less...now if cosby 2 were offered bare bones through a website like the old Rhino Handmade for lets say $65 for season 2....I would buy it....yes many will yell shout is gounging, but lets put that debate aside.....you have the distribution rights....I understand S'more's Mister Peepers 2 only had 500 units made and that was for limited retail........If you made 100 sets of cosby 2 and sold them at $65 a piece, they would be instant collectors items and you would make a profit and the hard cores would pay and be happy......thoughts??????

B Ward

02-13-2009, 01:51 PM

Getting back to That Girl, the DVD's are nice but I still question if some episodes may be edited, especially the 4th season set where the episode run times are all over the place. But I have not seen comments anywhere from buyers who report edits in the episodes. So the issue remains a mystery. In any case, I look forward to season five.

We can confirm that since you originally brought up your concern over the running time, Brian Blum went back to the source--Marlo Thomas--and has gone through the episodes diligently. Four of the masters we were originally provided were, in fact, short. These have been replaced.

Now I can say, with great authority, you will own every minute of every episode of That Girl when S5 is released this year.

would Shout consider creating a website only purchase of cosby 2 or similar abandoned shows for the hard cores that want it?....bare bones set, no artwork, no fancy boxes....we both know to manufacture a retail store set of lets say 100,000 units it costs shout about $15 a set or less...now if cosby 2 were offered bare bones through a website like the old Rhino direct for lets say $65 for season 2....

It's an idea. Here's the problem. No one, except for a handful of folks at Shout! Factory and the licensor knows how much money was spent on The Bill Cosby Show. When we licensed it, we believed in the series so much, we spent a lot of money for it. In addition to that, we agreed to clean the masters up, going so far as the original prints. Several times. Look at S1 and you'll see that there's barely a hair or spec of dirt on that image. Anyone that knows how restoration works will tell you that cost Shout! a ton. Then, you had the standard cost of creating the set (menus, encoding, authoring, packaging, production, etc.), and finally, the marketing. It also costs money to set up the direct-to-consumer website. We're not just covering the production at plant costs. We're trying to recoup what was spent overall. So while $65/piece would cover the cost of producing the set at the plant, it wouldn't even begin to cover licensing, restoration, and the authoring of the DVDs themselves.

EDIT: I've decided to amend my post, because I went to the powers-that-be regarding this. It's a bigger discussion, overall, but one worth having again. By absolutely NO means am I saying we're working on a website right now. But there is a discussion that needs to take place. And I'll get on that and keep you guys informed. Fingers crossed.

TeeVeeCloset

02-13-2009, 02:33 PM

We can confirm that since you originally brought up your concern over the running time, Brian Blum went back to the source--Marlo Thomas--and has gone through the episodes diligently. Four of the masters we were originally provided were, in fact, short. These have been replaced.

Now I can say, with great authority, you will own every minute of every episode of That Girl when S5 is released this year.

It's an idea. Here's the problem. No one, except for a handful of folks at Shout! Factory and the licensor knows how much money was spent on The Bill Cosby Show. When we licensed it, we believed in the series so much, we spent a lot of money for it. In addition to that, we agreed to clean the masters up, going so far as the original prints. Several times. Look at S1 and you'll see that there's barely a hair or spec of dirt on that image. Anyone that knows how restoration works will tell you that cost Shout! a ton. Then, you had the standard cost of creating the set (menus, encoding, authoring, packaging, production, etc.), and finally, the marketing. It also costs money to set up the direct-to-consumer website. We're not just covering the production at plant costs. We're trying to recoup what was spent overall. So while $65/piece would cover the cost of producing the set at the plant, it wouldn't even begin to cover licensing, restoration, and the authoring of the DVDs themselves.

EDIT: I've decided to amend my post, because I went to the powers-that-be regarding this. It's a bigger discussion, overall, but one worth having again. By absolutely NO means am I saying we're working on a website right now. But there is a discussion that needs to take place. And I'll get on that and keep you guys informed. Fingers crossed.

Thanks Brian,

Just for personal customer relations, you get an A+++, another timely and professional answer.....hopefully my suggestion will lead to some healthy discussions at shout as you suggested.

BTW....great news about room 222 1, father knows best 3, that girl 5, & Adam 12 3....I will be buying all!

robyrob

02-13-2009, 02:59 PM

We can confirm that since you originally brought up your concern over the running time, Brian Blum went back to the source--Marlo Thomas--and has gone through the episodes diligently. Four of the masters we were originally provided were, in fact, short. These have been replaced.

Now I can say, with great authority, you will own every minute of every episode of That Girl when S5 is released this year.

It's an idea. Here's the problem. No one, except for a handful of folks at Shout! Factory and the licensor knows how much money was spent on The Bill Cosby Show. When we licensed it, we believed in the series so much, we spent a lot of money for it. In addition to that, we agreed to clean the masters up, going so far as the original prints. Several times. Look at S1 and you'll see that there's barely a hair or spec of dirt on that image. Anyone that knows how restoration works will tell you that cost Shout! a ton. Then, you had the standard cost of creating the set (menus, encoding, authoring, packaging, production, etc.), and finally, the marketing. It also costs money to set up the direct-to-consumer website. We're not just covering the production at plant costs. We're trying to recoup what was spent overall. So while $65/piece would cover the cost of producing the set at the plant, it wouldn't even begin to cover licensing, restoration, and the authoring of the DVDs themselves.

EDIT: I've decided to amend my post, because I went to the powers-that-be regarding this. It's a bigger discussion, overall, but one worth having again. By absolutely NO means am I saying we're working on a website right now. But there is a discussion that needs to take place. And I'll get on that and keep you guys informed. Fingers crossed.
has Shout considered looking at any ideas similar to Amazon's or anyone else's "Unboxed" service, where lower-selling sets would actually be sold as a download?

I have no idea if this has been a profitable idea for anyone doing it, but if the licensing has already been acquired and you remove the production costs from the equation it might be a way to recoup some of the costs on a less profitable series.

Lee G

02-13-2009, 03:20 PM

factsoflife

02-13-2009, 03:29 PM

I am offically in love with Shout Factory! this year they released Blossom Season 1&2 and now i just read the OFFICAL announcement on Tvshowsondvd.com that they are releasing DESINGING WOMEN SEASON 1! i am so excited! i love shout factory!

Lee G

02-13-2009, 04:39 PM

I know Shout has been working on issuing more recent shows from the 80's & 90's, but I can't get into those as I am strictly 50's, 60's & 70's TV. To me, that was the golden era of TV, although in the late 70's things already started going downhill.

One thing I'd like to add about The Bill Cosby Show, the season 1 DVD episodes do look sharp, a lot went into the restoration process although a couple episodes have poor sound. Shout invested a lot with this series, but I think they overestimated by quite a bit the number of units the series would sell. The sad fact is, The Bill Cosby Show has a limited fan base. Although it had a rather brief 52 episode run, it was a great show with well written episodes and Cosby in his prime at his comedic best. It's unfortunate the show is underappreciated, I really think the overwhelming success of The Cosby Show unjustly took a lot of attention away from Cosby's original TV sitcom. Would more advertising by Shout have made a difference? Probably, but perhaps still not enough to turn a profit since apparently a lot of cost went into issuing the show. Hopefully the 2nd season will eventually be available, the series deserves completion on DVD.

Check out The Bill Cosby Show page on TV.com. I am the one who provided the series summary and synopsis for all the episodes.

B Ward

02-13-2009, 05:20 PM

So if I understand this correctly, all the DVD episodes of That Girl are uncut despite some episodes running shorter than normal. Would you be able to post Brian the episode titles which were short originally then replaced for inclusion on the DVD? Thanks for the info.

No, no... The episodes don't run shorter any longer. They are now the complete episodes. And I don't know which ones they are. It's Brian Blum's project. Sorry.

Lee G

02-13-2009, 05:42 PM

No, no... The episodes don't run shorter any longer. They are now the complete episodes. And I don't know which ones they are. It's Brian Blum's project. Sorry.

Sorry Brian, I'm a tad confused now. Are you saying the That Girl DVD sets originally had some edited episodes but those have now been replaced and DVD sets being produced currently now have all uncut episodes? Do I need to replace any of my DVD sets?

B Ward

02-13-2009, 05:46 PM

Sorry Brian, I'm a tad confused now. Are you saying the That Girl DVD sets originally had some edited episodes but those have now been replaced and DVD sets being produced currently now have all uncut episodes? Do I need to replace any of my DVD sets?

The current set, which had running times shorter than the others, was looked into. Four of those masters were shorter than the original broadcast. Those were replaced prior to the set going to the plant for manufacturing. So there won't be anything wrong with your discs when you buy them on release day.

Lee G

02-13-2009, 05:58 PM

The current set, which had running times shorter than the others, was looked into. Four of those masters were shorter than the original broadcast. Those were replaced prior to the set going to the plant for manufacturing. So there won't be anything wrong with your discs when you buy them on release day.

When you mention "the current set" do you mean season 4 or season 5? Season 4 has inconsistent run times of the episodes.

TeeVeeCloset

02-13-2009, 06:26 PM

has Shout considered looking at any ideas similar to Amazon's or anyone else's "Unboxed" service, where lower-selling sets would actually be sold as a download?

I have no idea if this has been a profitable idea for anyone doing it, but if the licensing has already been acquired and you remove the production costs from the equation it might be a way to recoup some of the costs on a less profitable series.

I for one would vote a big NO to the "download" idea and am still pushing for the idea of a "no frills, no artwork or fancy packaging sets" being offered on a custom basis though a type of "Shout serious collectors" exclusive website.

TeeVeeCloset

02-13-2009, 06:40 PM

When you mention "the current set" do you mean season 4 or season 5? Season 4 has inconsistent run times of the episodes.

My pal Lee, I really believe Brian is only talking about the upcoming season 5 as being totally complete as they were able to replace minor edited episodes with complete versions before season 5 went to the pressing plant....it was probably thanks to this thread and all the discussion and the listening that Shout has done from this hardgroup of supporters like you at this thread....as for past seasons, I believe what has been done, is done.....but overall, we must admit they did a great job of releasing the That Girl series, but yes a few edited episodes will always remain in seasons 1 thru 4...but it is the exception and not the rule.

Lee G

02-13-2009, 07:13 PM

My pal Lee, I really believe Brian is only talking about the upcoming season 5 as being totally complete as they were able to replace minor edited episodes with complete versions before season 5 went to the pressing plant....it was probably thanks to this thread and all the discussion and the listening that Shout has done from this hardgroup of supporters like you at this thread....as for past seasons, I believe what has been done, is done.....but overall, we must admit they did a great job of releasing the That Girl series, but yes a few edited episodes will always remain in seasons 1 thru 4...but it is the exception and not the rule.

Yep that's what I was thinking too, he's talking about season 5 only. Unfortunate if we have to live with a few edited episodes in seasons 1-4, I would like to know why that happened. But yes it's still great to have That Girl on DVD and if the 5th season will be all uncut episodes that at least will be a plus. Thanks good friend for your input. :)

Eric Paddon

02-13-2009, 07:21 PM

TeeVeeCloset

02-13-2009, 07:28 PM

In the event "Adam-12" reaches its fourth season in releases, it is worth noting that one episode from that season was continued on an episode of the short-lived Robert Conrad series "The D.A". "The D.A." episode was "The People vs. Saydo" and involved the prosecution of a criminal apprehended by Reed and Malloy in the Adam-12 episode (Robert Conrad guested in the Adam-12 episode to supervise the arrest).

VERY INTERESTING and as usual the serious collectors come through with the info SHOUT needs to know about....I know they are only working on season 3 now, BUT Brian our pal at SHOUT start passing on the above info and look into licensing that episode as a bonus for the season 4 release in 2010 or so...lol......I'm sure an episode from a short lived Robert Conrad series from nearly 40 years ago can be tracked down in a few hours.....lol......seriously......lol

B Ward

02-13-2009, 07:39 PM

In the event "Adam-12" reaches its fourth season in releases, it is worth noting that one episode from that season was continued on an episode of the short-lived Robert Conrad series "The D.A". "The D.A." episode was "The People vs. Saydo" and involved the prosecution of a criminal apprehended by Reed and Malloy in the Adam-12 episode (Robert Conrad guested in the Adam-12 episode to supervise the arrest).

That is interesting. I'll let Blum know about it. We would have to license the episode, which can be difficult, since you have to clear each of the actors from that series. But it would make a pretty fantastic bonus episode. Thanks for the heads-up, Eric.

Ron Ron

02-13-2009, 08:01 PM

Wow. I have to admit, I just stumbled upon this chat thread. Good times. Hi, everyone. My name is Brian Ward and I'm one of the DVD producers at Shout! Factory. You'll also find that I'm the guy most likely to answer your questions at our own forum.

Thank you Brian for making it possible for some of my favorites to be released on DVD.

I did buy PUnky Brewster, Blossom, and now can't wait for Designing Women. I will also be picking up Rhoda and My Two Dads.

Here is my wishlist...it is long...LOL

Alice
Flo
All in the family..the remaining seasons
Facts of Life
227
Who's the Boss
Growing Pains
The Ropers
Maude
Hart to Hart
Without A Trace
The Jeffersons
Trapper John M.D.
Leave it to Beaver
Falcon Crest
The Colbys

I know some have been released by other companies but were never completed. I know there is more on my list but I have drawn a blank...LOL.

Thanks to Shout and its great work on releasing so many great shows on DVD!!

Adamantium

02-13-2009, 08:51 PM

New Request:

I want Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on DVD.

I'm only talking about the original Rangers series, which by my calculations are the first three seasons (of the still running series). The first season is 60 episodes, so I figure the release would be Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Season 1, Volume 1, containing the first 30 episodes. Obviously, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Season 1, Volume 2 would contain the last 30 episodes. Seasons two and three are also long (season 2 has 52 episodes), so those would be split season sets as well. That would be six Power Rangers sets!

I'm feeling Nostalgic, lol.

Please...

Ron Ron

02-13-2009, 09:05 PM

I forgot to add that I picked up Season 2 of Simon & Simon. It is a great DVD! I am enjoying it a lot.:D

Lee G

02-13-2009, 11:00 PM

My pal Lee, I really believe Brian is only talking about the upcoming season 5 as being totally complete as they were able to replace minor edited episodes with complete versions before season 5 went to the pressing plant....it was probably thanks to this thread and all the discussion and the listening that Shout has done from this hardgroup of supporters like you at this thread....as for past seasons, I believe what has been done, is done.....but overall, we must admit they did a great job of releasing the That Girl series, but yes a few edited episodes will always remain in seasons 1 thru 4...but it is the exception and not the rule.

One episode of That Girl that I suspect may be edited is the season four episode- The Night They Raided Daddy's. The short running time of 23:35 is one indicator, and the start of the episode doesn't look right to me, perhaps something was edited there. But I'm not an expert on these episodes, so I judge by the running times and watch the shorter episodes closely to see if I can detect anything unusual where something may be cut.

factsoflife

02-13-2009, 11:06 PM

I just ordered the Blossom set and i can't wait for it to show up in my mailbox so i can watch it!

I love Shout Factory, i already own all 4 Punky Brewster sets and will be buying "Desinging Women" when it is released!

02-14-2009, 02:20 PM

This. Is. AMAZING!!

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Peyton-Place-DVDs-Announced/11313

Eric Paddon

02-14-2009, 02:45 PM

Just to follow-up on the "Adam-12/D.A" crossover this is the full information on the two episodes in question.

The "Adam-12" episode "The Radical" (also known as "The Sniper" in some reference guides) aired 10/6/71. The "D.A." episode "People vs. Saydro" aired 10/8/71. Martin Milner and Kent McCord appeared in the "D.A." episode too since the matter of whether there was "probable cause" to arrest the suspect as we saw in the "Adam-12" episode was at the heart of the case.

Also, regarding another good bonus suggestion for a future "Adam-12" set is the S3 "Dragnet" episode "Internal Affairs-DR20" in which Sgt. Friday and Officer Gannon interview Reed and Malloy in connection with an investigation. (Of course picking up the rest of "Dragnet" for release would also be a worthy idea, especially since S2 has most of the classic episodes of the late 60s run like "The Christmas Story").

JulieSomoski

02-14-2009, 03:13 PM

WOW - so you guys are doing Designing Women too? This is amazing. You guys at Shout! are absolutely amazing, putting out so many sought-after series.

Looking forward to DW! Now lets hope you can license a few other series, especially from Sony, and Warner too, down the line - Murphy Brown, Who's the Boss?, Drew Carey Show, Mad About You, 227, and many more.

factsoflife

02-14-2009, 03:20 PM

Kristen

02-14-2009, 06:50 PM

I'd like to second the mentions of Murphy Brown and Who's The Boss? Both shows have been abandoned by their current companies, and I def. think Shout could do a much better job with them!

LeoAmes

02-14-2009, 10:29 PM

It's an idea. Here's the problem. No one, except for a handful of folks at Shout! Factory and the licensor knows how much money was spent on The Bill Cosby Show. When we licensed it, we believed in the series so much, we spent a lot of money for it. In addition to that, we agreed to clean the masters up, going so far as the original prints. Several times. Look at S1 and you'll see that there's barely a hair or spec of dirt on that image. Anyone that knows how restoration works will tell you that cost Shout! a ton. Then, you had the standard cost of creating the set (menus, encoding, authoring, packaging, production, etc.), and finally, the marketing. It also costs money to set up the direct-to-consumer website. We're not just covering the production at plant costs. We're trying to recoup what was spent overall. So while $65/piece would cover the cost of producing the set at the plant, it wouldn't even begin to cover licensing, restoration, and the authoring of the DVDs themselves.

I found my way here due to the unofficial announcement of season 3 of Adam-12 (Great news!) at tvshowsondvd.com, and was somewhat puzzled by that post. I'm not a fan of the show, in fact I didn't even know it existed, being only familiar with his later show.

But aren't most of the cost you mention, what would be termed as sunk cost? You've already paid for the license, your agreement from the sounds of it included restoring the 2nd season, you've already created assets like menus and a website for season 1 that could be reused and slightly modified for season 2, etc.

How does that really come into play when deciding on a second season? The money's already been spent. I would think only things like the production cost and such that you'd endure if you made the decision to go forward with it would be factored into your decision. The money already spent seems meaningless, since its not coming back.

Shouldn't the cost you'd actually face if you decided to go ahead with it be the only cost you'd factor into the decision? It might even be profitable after you remove cost that's already been paid like the licensing fee, perhaps letting you reduce the amount you lost overall in the project.

I'm sure what I'm saying was taken into account already, was just curious to maybe hear more about it.

cajunhillbilly

02-14-2009, 10:56 PM

DallasFan

02-15-2009, 12:47 AM

Let me also suggest the remaining seasons of Diff'rent Strokes.

I love the idea!! I would also love to see the rest of One Day At A Time seasons released.

ikhuri

02-15-2009, 01:06 AM

Add Silver Spoons & Benson to the list.

Imad

factsoflife

02-15-2009, 01:53 AM

let me add Suddenly Susan and Veronica's Closet to the list of shows that shout should look at releasing! and if Desinging Women is successful maybe you could release the short-lived spin-off "Women Of The House" starring Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker? or maybe include those episodes (there aren't many) as bonus material on the final DW Season DVD.

Tymps

02-15-2009, 08:26 AM

I was completely shocked to see that Shout will be releasing Peyton Place. At 514 episodes, plus two tv movies, it's an ambitious project, but a worthy series that I look forward to supporting. I never thought it would see release due to it's age, length and the fact that it's a soap opera. Soaps aren't represented well on DVD, but with this, Falcon Crest and Knots Landing coming, maybe the tides are turning.

I have a question...what made yall consider Peyton Place of all shows? Yall haven't released any other soaps or anything similar. Because of my deep love for the series I will support it, but I'm not to hopefully for it's chances of success. Will people remember and want Peyton Place? Can it sustain success long enough for the series to be released? I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed.

Maybe it can be a success similar to Dark Shadows.

gilligan fanatic

02-15-2009, 11:53 AM

I've been watching Father Knows Bets on DVD the last few weeks. Great stuff. I am really liking Shout. I got Mchales Navy too.

DallasFan

02-15-2009, 12:00 PM

factsoflife

02-15-2009, 12:07 PM

Ummm..did I miss something?? When is Falcon Crest coming out?? I would LOVE to see it out on DVD.:D

yeah when is falcon crest coming this is the first i've heard of that!

DallasFan

02-15-2009, 04:36 PM

I just found this on an AOL Video...dont know if it is true.

It's finally happening!! Falcon Crest will be released on DVD. In a message dated Jan 16, 2009, WARNER BROS. Entertainment (Germany) informed the German Falcon Crest Fanclub (DFCF) board of directors season 1 will be released on DVD towards the end of April 2009. No bonus material will be included.

quincywagstaff

02-15-2009, 04:44 PM

I believe "Falcon Crest" is about the be released on dvd in Germany (not sure where I read that, but I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it), but I hadn't heard that it was announced for U.S. release yet. But the fact that a season one dvd exists at all probably moves it one step closer to getting released here.

factsoflife

02-15-2009, 07:28 PM

DallasFan

02-15-2009, 08:35 PM

It's a travesty that Germany gets Season 1 of Falcon Crest before the US fans do.

JulieSomoski

02-15-2009, 09:09 PM

Seriously, you guys at Shout are beyond amazing. Peyton Place, Designing Women, Blossom, etc. are all sought-after series that I wouldn't have expected any other studio to take up.

Might as well start a list for shows we want on DVD (since I only named a few):

Murphy Brown
Who's the Boss?
Growing Pains
Facts of Life
One Day at a Time
Diff'rent Strokes
Benson
Silver Spoons
Drew Carey Show
All in the Family/The Jeffersons
Maude
Mad About You
Perfect Strangers
227
Amen
What I Like About You

Any others?

I'd also like to add a personal want: The Mole. I love this show - could just be the best and smartest reality show ever. I'd love to see season 2 on DVD. And of course we don't expect you guys to take control of every property I listed, but a few would definitely be great! Once again, you guys rock!

Eric Paddon

02-15-2009, 10:23 PM

I've resisted compiling my own list of titles I'd like to see because my own feeling is that other titles started I would like to see finished first instead. However, as much as I feel strongly about the matter of "Ironside" and "The Bill Cosby Show" I will at least for now be willing to put that aside and mention other titles that are worthy of attention.

Dragnet (especially with Adam-12 restarted).
McMillan And Wife
McCloud (These latter two would only require a small 3 disc set per "season")
Kojak
The Big Valley

And in the category of shows never issued before on DVD

Ellery Queen (1975-76) (One season only, so just one set)
Operation Petticoat (1977-78) (Could also be a one set release. Highlighting Jamie Lee Curtis in the cast could also be a selling point)
Switch
Marcus Welby, M.D.
It Takes A Thief
Tarzan (1966-68)

factsoflife

02-16-2009, 01:04 AM

Might as well start a list for shows we want on DVD (since I only named a few):

Maude

Amen To That! Amen!

ryan423

02-16-2009, 03:26 AM

factsoflife

02-16-2009, 11:10 AM

hey shout, since you're giving us California Dreams, what about releasing two other great NBC saturday morning shows from the 1990's "Hang Time" and "City Guys". those were both excellent shows!

TV_Fan

02-16-2009, 11:28 AM

Here's another suggestion to Shout! I'd love to see Shout! pick the up the unreleased Sid & Marty Krofft shows. I know Universal is doing a re-release of the original "Land of The Lost" for the upcoming "Land of the Lost" movie, but still no one has released the 90's remake. Also Rhino never got around to releasing season 2 of "Sigmund & the Sea Monsters". I'd love the see "Far Out Space Nuts" with Bob Denver released & "The Lost Saucer" with Jim Nabors.
These are very nostalgic shows for a lot of people who grew up watching them. I know Shout! would do a better job than Rhino did!

mlingerfelt

02-16-2009, 09:01 PM

Any chance Shout would release CPO Sharkey?

mlingerfelt

02-16-2009, 09:26 PM

hey Brian I haven,t been on here in awhile. I bought S2 of ADAM-12. I was impressed. thank you for releasing Adam-12. I would like to see CPO Sharkey,Chico and the Man, S3 Different Strokes released. and also Whats Happening Now. thank you kindly for what you do and for listening to us. also more seasons of Who,s The Boss.

B Ward

02-17-2009, 02:21 PM

But aren't most of the cost you mention, what would be termed as sunk cost? You've already paid for the license, your agreement from the sounds of it included restoring the 2nd season, you've already created assets like menus and a website for season 1 that could be reused and slightly modified for season 2, etc.

Good question. Yes, a lot of it is sunk cost. However, in order to release a second volume of The Bill Cosby Show, we'd have to sink even further to create and manufacture the actual S2 DVDs and packaging. A website was never created for S1. It was only a suggestion by folks that we release S2 via Direct-to-Consumer means.

One thing most people may not yet understand is that we don't create the DVDs in-house. We higher DVD authoring houses to create menus, encode episodes, and build the DVD navigation. We then pay QCers to watch those masters and encodes and go through the navigation to make sure it's all there and right. One would think that if we did it in-house, it would all be encompassed by our salaries, which would be awesome. But, sadly, we'd still have to pay those vendors thousands of dollars to create the discs, then thousands of dollars to a package designer to even simply alter the S1 packaging to fit S2, and then even more thousands to physically manufacture a run.

We've actually not come close to recouping our original expenditures. So spending even more money to complete the series would put us even further into the hole.

Hope that helps answer the question.

hey shout, since you're giving us California Dreams, what about releasing two other great NBC saturday morning shows from the 1990's "Hang Time" and "City Guys". those were both excellent shows!

Those were great shows, but we're honestly testing the waters with California Dreams to see if a series similar to, but not nearly as popular as Saved By The Bell can sell on DVD. Once we have our answer, maybe we can pursue the licenses to the other series. FINGERS CROSSED!

ryan423

02-17-2009, 03:12 PM

I just hope California Dreams doesn't end up a show that is only gets one dvd release. Rare shows like this at least deserve a dvd release. But I'll understand if it doesn't sell well.

Brian, will there be any kind of promotion for this? Some ad time during Saved by the Bell might help. But being an ind. company, I dont expect it.

Lee G

02-17-2009, 03:16 PM

TeeVeeCloset

02-17-2009, 04:12 PM

Good question. Yes, a lot of it is sunk cost. However, in order to release a second volume of The Bill Cosby Show, we'd have to sink even further to create and manufacture the actual S2 DVDs and packaging. A website was never created for S1. It was only a suggestion by folks that we release S2 via Direct-to-Consumer means.

One thing most people may not yet understand is that we don't create the DVDs in-house. We higher DVD authoring houses to create menus, encode episodes, and build the DVD navigation. We then pay QCers to watch those masters and encodes and go through the navigation to make sure it's all there and right. One would think that if we did it in-house, it would all be encompassed by our salaries, which would be awesome. But, sadly, we'd still have to pay those vendors thousands of dollars to create the discs, then thousands of dollars to a package designer to even simply alter the S1 packaging to fit S2, and then even more thousands to physically manufacture a run.

We've actually not come close to recouping our original expenditures. So spending even more money to complete the series would put us even further into the hole.

Brian you know I sincerely appreciate your quick and honest responses BUT....hopefully the "rhino handmade" type of website is still up for consideration...but we are still suggesting bare bones....we don't even need a box, they can be in just plastic cases with paper inserts, of course we want them to play correctly especially if the cost to the serious collector is $65 or more....BUT again I think your manufacturing costs or the people you are dealing with are too high...as a professional company yes you would pay high costs, for quality product, etc........But we are talking a limited run of 500 sets at best......I'm not suggesting Shout create a bootleg website, but as a collector of underground releases of TV and music.....bootleg companies (not the ones out of canada) put out 1000 unit dvd sets all the time with beautiful menus, they play perfectly, they are authored, etc......this is usually a couple of guys in a warehouse.....Again I'm not suggesting or comparing Shout to a bootlegger, and the boots don't pay license fees, but as the poster said, you already have the license, you already remastered, so doing a limited 500 set run with a menu, can't be that expensive if a couple of guys with a few beers put out really quality underground product all the time. Check out the numerous beatles bootleg sets on ebay, etc, like Chronology by "Picture Perfect", or all the "Mister Claudel" Beatle Releases as well. I bought a 60's "The Alvin Show" boxset that had full color silk screened disc artwork, beautiful menus, beautiful quality.....it is very well known that among serious bootleg collectors we actually say...."if a studio put this out, it wouldn't be as good"
__________________

B Ward

02-17-2009, 04:49 PM

BUT again I think your manufacturing costs or the people you are dealing with are too high...as a professional company yes you would pay high costs, for quality product, etc...

Respectfully, you don't know what we pay. In reality, we've got companies that charge us WAY less than most in the industry, because they love being associated with these shows and we give them a lot of work.

But you're taking the production numbers and saying that they should be covered by a $65-ish price tag. While it might cost, we'll just say $20 (because that was a number thrown out by someone earlier), per set to manufacture, those aren't the only costs we're trying to recoup. That's what I'm trying to say, gang.

You guys have NO IDEA how much I wish I could give you guys realistic numbers without losing my job. The simple fact is that a lot more money goes into it than you're actually thinking about.

In addition, you reference bootleggers sitting around a warehouse with a beer in hand, pumping out quality DVDs. That may be. But they're DVD-Rs. They're transferring episodes from VHS to their home computers, popping the encodes into DVD Studio Pro, and burning DVD-Rs. That's not how professional discs work. There's no burning involved. You won't go to a plant and find 100-disc DVD burners. The authoring house outputs a DLT, a tape on which the menus, navigation information and encodes stored. Those DLTs are put into a machine which creates a glass master. That's right. It's made of glass. From this glass master, they create a production stamp. Then, the same way anything would in a manufacturing plant, the discs go one-by-one under this stamp. The stamp comes down and presses the information into the discs as millions of divets. There are no lasers. There are no burners. There are no beers.

So, naturally, they're going to pay less than we do. Not only did they not pay the hundreds of thousands of dollars to license a show, they took VHS tapes, pumped them into a computer, and created cheap DVD-Rs. That's not how we work.

B Ward

02-17-2009, 05:04 PM

My apologies. I should have quoted the entire thing. I simply hate the bulk of repeating everything said. I have revised my original post to explain how the bootlegger's DVDs vs. ours match up.

Again, I sincerely apologize for the shortness of my response.

TeeVeeCloset

02-17-2009, 05:10 PM

Respectfully, you don't know what we pay. In reality, we've got companies that charge us WAY less than most in the industry, because they love being associated with these shows and we give them a lot of work.

But you're taking the production numbers and saying that they should be covered by a $65-ish price tag. While it might cost, we'll just say $20 (because that was a number thrown out by someone earlier), per set to manufacture, those aren't the only costs we're trying to recoup. That's what I'm trying to say, gang.

You guys have NO IDEA how much I wish I could give you guys realistic numbers without losing my job. The simple fact is that a lot more money goes into it than you're actually thinking about.

In addition, you reference bootleggers sitting around a warehouse with a beer in hand, pumping out quality DVDs. That may be. But they're DVD-Rs. They're transferring episodes from VHS to their home computers, popping the encodes into DVD Studio Pro, and burning DVD-Rs. That's not how professional discs work. There's no burning involved. You won't go to a plant and find 100-disc DVD burners. The authoring house outputs a DLT, a tape on which the menus, navigation information and encodes stored. Those DLTs are put into a machine which creates a glass master. That's right. It's made of glass. From this glass master, they create a production stamp. Then, the same way anything would in a manufacturing plant, the discs go one-by-one under this stamp. The stamp comes down and presses the information into the discs as millions of divets. There are no lasers. There are no burners. There are no beers.

So, naturally, they're going to pay less than we do. Not only did they not pay the hundreds of thousands of dollars to license a show, they took VHS tapes, pumped them into a computer, and created cheap DVD-Rs. That's not how we work. And if that's what you think we're spending our money on, you are very sadly mistaken, sir.

You know I sincerely respect you, but I actually have taken offense to your very last sentences......I have worked in the TV industry for 29 straight years and am a passionate and extremely knowledged collector...I understand where you are coming from but you are "sadly mistaken" with what the underground market is accomplishing these days...I said I am not talking about the numerous horrible bootleg canadian companies.......I referenced a few popular boot companies......maybe some other posters (especially beatles fans) can add their knowledge as well....I am not talking about DVD-R's, or burners, or VHS transfers. These bootlegs are manufactured in limited runs, quality is perfect, animated menus, full laser artwork, full box liner notes......so please if you haven't seen the actual products I speak of, do not tell me I am sadly mistaken.....I clearly said I won't and would never compare SHOUT to a bootlegger, I was just saying it is being done extremely professionally these days at a very low cost. Or ask Rhino Handmade how many units of the Monkees "Headquarters Sessions" were made and at what cost....I paid over $100 for it over their website.......I'll stop here WITH MUCH RESPECT as I do not even want to get close into getting into any "wars" with you.....I have too much Shout product in my home and will continue to support the company with a passion.

B Ward

02-17-2009, 05:15 PM

TeeVeeCloset

02-17-2009, 05:33 PM

I haven't seen these boots. And I can't figure out how they're being mass produced by plants. The only thing I could think of is that they're public domain. In which case, they're not actually bootlegs.

Can you give me the titles and "companies" that are doing this?

Sorry, I jumped on you and I revised my response prior to you putting this most recent one up.

Very cool....we are both typing and communicating at the same time....I did give examples.......no I am not talking about public domain titles...I did reference companies and Beatles titles in the original post.....of course they don't have websites.....but can be found on the auction sites......Picture Perfect......Mister Claudel......Yellow Dog....Yes obscure sometimes fly by night or change the name of the company each day but the quality is superior and some titles actually have been written up in goldmine and rolling stone, sometimes leading to arrests of course....lol....you need to have the original pressings, because yes the bootlegs are then bootlegged! I for one would love to have cosby 2 but I'm not even that passionate about it, I just think it would be cool if Shout offered sometype of collectors website for even more obscure titles at higher prices and limited runs.....believe me with all the upcoming SHOUT product along with the amazing MPI announcements of yesterday....I am more than happy.....my best to you Mr. Ward and again much respect.

Lee G

02-17-2009, 05:37 PM

I estimate the cost is well into the five-figure territory, perhaps even six-figures. Considering the restoration work that went into the episodes, plus the cost that went into the creation of the DVD's and production of the DVD sets. It's unfortunate but I think perhaps Shout Factory overestimated how many sets The Bill Cosby Show would sell, and went full speed ahead with the project. But thumbs up to them for their effort. I like this show, always have and always will, but sadly this has become a mostly forgotten, underappreciated series. Aside from a healthy run in syndication on classic TV stations (which I doubt will ever happen) I don't foresee anything occuring to change that fact.

MPI seems to do things a little more low-budget, I like the job they did with Family Affair. The plastic cases that hold the DVD's are nice and sturdy, the discs are housed securely inside the cases. Nice menus on the DVD's. The episodes don't appear to be restored, the video is generally sharp, a tad on the grainy side but the colors look great and the audio level of the episodes is superb. There are bonus features also. The episodes do look their age, which I see as a plus because it provides a nostalgic 60's atmosphere when viewing the episodes. Best of all- the shows are unaltered and uncut, a splendid job by MPI all around. The only thing missing is synopsis for the episodes, but the seasons do contain an episode sheet with episode titles. If MPI had been the issuing studio for The Bill Cosby Show, I imagine we would have the complete series by now and not having this discussion.

TeeVeeCloset

02-17-2009, 08:04 PM

To totally lighten up this healthy discussion, since after all we are only talking DVD's! I'm sure if Mr. Cosby was reading any of this, he certainly should be very proud of his first now seemed forgotten solo series and in the age of the first african american president, which many thought would never happen, perhaps Mr. Cosby could pony up the dough himself to put season two out to
assure generations to come will forever be able to discover this legend's forgotten 1960's dramedy.

Its funny really... if this series was currently on BET, TV One, ION, etc....as much as Sanford, Jeffersons, Good Times, etc.....multiple companies would be fighting to release it........I've always said "It's Monkey see, Monkey do" when it comes to program scheduling and DVD releases, they go hand in hand.....but fortunately SHOUT and MPI have changed that and are releasing shows that are considered gone forever in this ever changing world of television.

My best to everyone.........

PS....Is urban works still around?

robyrob

02-17-2009, 08:48 PM

In addition, you reference bootleggers sitting around a warehouse with a beer in hand, pumping out quality DVDs. That may be. But they're DVD-Rs. They're transferring episodes from VHS to their home computers, popping the encodes into DVD Studio Pro, and burning DVD-Rs. That's not how professional discs work. There's no burning involved. You won't go to a plant and find 100-disc DVD burners. The authoring house outputs a DLT, a tape on which the menus, navigation information and encodes stored. Those DLTs are put into a machine which creates a glass master. That's right. It's made of glass. From this glass master, they create a production stamp. Then, the same way anything would in a manufacturing plant, the discs go one-by-one under this stamp. The stamp comes down and presses the information into the discs as millions of divets. There are no lasers. There are no burners. There are no beers.

So, naturally, they're going to pay less than we do. Not only did they not pay the hundreds of thousands of dollars to license a show, they took VHS tapes, pumped them into a computer, and created cheap DVD-Rs. That's not how we work.

i have no idea what professional authoring costs, but it is a little confusing to the average person who can create animated menus and author disks at home with pretty decent -looking graphics in a couple of hours; you sort of expect that the pros would have it down to a relatively cheap and quick process by now - especially with some of the bare-bones releases they have out there for some major studio shows (check out some of the FOX sets :barf: ).

the average consumer just has no idea what the process actually costs, so we are left to assume that someone is just being greedy or cheap and leaving the fans to hold the bag when their much loved, but under-selling shows get abandoned by the studios.

B Ward

02-17-2009, 09:41 PM

That's certainly understandable.

I guess the best way to put it is that if I were doing it on my own, it would cost a lot less. I could slap together some random photos of the cast members or maybe even a screen grab from the show and apply some generic buttons. And I could basically do it for the cost of my working at Shout! Factory. Pieceacake.

But that also puts us on par with the bootleggers. While you guys would be perfectly happy with bare bones menus and packaging, that's not really the reality of retail, in general. Customers want the packaging to look nice on their shelves. They want the discs to be housed in a protective sleeve that gives little to no chance of scratching the discs, let alone anything worse. They want collectible booklets that give full episode descriptions, lists of guest stars, etc. They want bonus materials.

And I want to give them all of that. So my menus are not on par with bootleggers. At the very least, they're eagles! Some are even holes in one. Because we use artists. People who went to school to apply these talents. Or, at least mastered the software on their own. They're worth paying what we do. And, honestly, they're worth more. We give them a minute fraction of what the studios do. As a result, from time to time, if SONY calls 'em up and says they have an emergency, they put our stuff down for a minute or two. But the end result is almost always AWESOME.

I know you guys aren't necessarily looking at a lot of the titles I've personally produced. From the lists you guys have given me, I'm doubting you've watched much from the Sonic The Hedgehog line. But how 'bout Sports Night? Or My So-Called Life? Those menus are way better than anything I've seen an indie bootlegger do. Or a smaller company like MPI.

I could be wrong, but in my mind--as a consumer, myself--I want the entire DVD to be worth the price I paid in stores. I want the bonus materials, menus and packaging to reflect those made by fans of DVDs in general, but of the show specifically.

Just my opinion.

Eric Paddon

02-17-2009, 10:34 PM

quincywagstaff

02-18-2009, 12:48 AM

I could be wrong, but in my mind--as a consumer, myself--I want the entire DVD to be worth the price I paid in stores. I want the bonus materials, menus and packaging to reflect those made by fans of DVDs in general, but of the show specifically.

Just my opinion.

Naturally, the first thing consumers want are complete, unedited episodes of a show. That's the bottom line. But when a company takes the time to include extras like interviews or episode commentaries or booklets, it tells me that 1) the producers respect the product they're putting on the shelves and 2) they respect the consumers who are buying their product. That's a concept that's all too rare in business, where the prevailing concern is to cut every corner to push up the profit margin. Shout goes against the grain by trying to give the customer as impressive a product as it realistically can produce and still make money. You guys deserve a lot of credit.

Just an aside Brian, I don't know if you produced the SCTV volumes, but they are hands down about the best DVD releases I own. Exactly the kind of release a show like that deserves.

repeatshistory

02-18-2009, 02:50 AM

Bonus materials can be nice, but they are not a necessity for a good solid TV on DVD release. For most of us, the opportunity to have good quality uncut episodes, when we're now used to seeing mass butchery from the cable channels that show these shows (seeing six minutes gone from many an hour long show) or using unacceptable alternatives like speed-up, is usually all that's needed and I'd rather see fewer frills in the presentation if the end result is just getting a good quality uncut set out on disc in the most timely way possible.

Let me be the voice of (slight) dissent here. I ADORE special features on shows. If it's a show I love or loved, I want to know all I can about it, the stars, the creators, the directors, heck the best boy and the key grip for all I care! I have passed up retail versions of shows that I loved when they originally aired because of poor or non-existent special features. Just as an example, I passed up the DVD release of 'Quark' partially because they tried to pass of 'minisodes' of another series as 'special features' and partially because they had NO background features whatsoever about the show, cast, creators, etc. I will take ANY background, commentary tracks, documentary shorts, promotional ads, etc. that I can get my grubby little paws on! :D

By the way, Brian, your SportsNight anniversary edition was SPECTACULAR. You're correct in assuming that your menus and animation are second to none. I am very impressed with all of the things Shout! has to offer, either your work, or any of the other folks there, even if all of them aren't my 'cup of tea.' (But a lot of them certainly are!)

I have worked in the entertainment industry for a VERY long time myself, and unfortunately, I don't believe that the public understands the time, money, and overhead that actually goes into producing such amazing product. I too, have made myself sets with lovely animated menus, etc., and even created an 'episode guide' or two for myself, but I know that they are nowhere near what a pro house can put out. That's not to say that with the same resources and investment I couldn't pull it off, just that it is INDEED an expensive proposition.

I work in the theatrical performance industry and also as a disc jockey, and people are constantly asking, "Why does that cost so much?" "Why do you charge such a high rate?" Not realizing that I'm paying for actors, writers, costumers, costumes, props, performance and rehearsal space, the music that we play when I disc jockey (we PAY for our music, and for the ASCAP/BMI fees), and for all of the time and money I spend to maintain my office, phone, insurance, and website.

With music rights, performer rights/permissions/fees, creator rights, network rights, production company rights, corporations-that-own-the-show rights and fees, production cost, and the retail mark up (generally 100% or better) etc., it actually surprises me sometimes that I can get things so CHEAPLY.

bmasters9

02-18-2009, 08:18 AM

I also want a DVD release of a television series to be worth the money that I put into it, not just in episodes, but also in presentation. "Dallas," for example, started out very nicely, with its first two seasons (actually, the miniseries and the first regular season) presented as a neat 5-disc (double-sided) affair, with all the discs in a neat row, plus commentary on several outings, and a "Soaptalk" special on the series. Now, the remaining seasons look to be presented as no-frills 3-disc affairs, with none of the classy packaging of the earlier releases. It is amazing how a series that started out so well in presentation can drop off in that department by the latter seasons (or so it seems).

Eric Paddon

02-18-2009, 01:48 PM

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy bonus features too. Being a fanatic of the original (i.e. the real) "Battlestar Galactica" I love the fact that it's chock full of more than two hours of deleted scenes from various episodes, has a documentary and commentary on the pilot. *However* if spending all kinds of extra money on bonus presentations for the first season of a multi-season show has the potential to jeopardize the release of more seasons as seems to have been done with "The Bill Cosby Show" then sorry, I would have taken a bare-bones S1 of that show if that helped to ensure I'd then see a S2 release of uncut episodes.

I'll also add that I think refusing to buy a series one is interested in because of weak bonus features like the "minisodes" can come off to others like cutting one's nose to spite one's face. I wanted "Quark" on DVD so I could see good quality episodes and discard my boot set. Seeing a quality image DVD release letting me see in more vivid detail the guest shot of Barbara Rhoades (one of the most beautiful women of 70s TV) is worth more than *any*bonus features from mystandpoint!

JulieSomoski

02-18-2009, 07:04 PM

Adamantium

02-18-2009, 08:40 PM

Since we're one the topic of bonus features, I'm kind of disappointed in the Rhoda bonus features, there only being one of them (the reunion/documentary-type extra). I was hoping for a little more - bloopers, promos, anything?

And this is just me, but I only really care about reunion/documentary-type extras. I barely (if ever) watch bloopers or promos. My favorite are featurettes with the cast, and commentary. Now any of the John Ritter shows have funny bloopers because John Ritter was hilarious on those (I'm thinking "Hearts Afire").

Now that's not to say I wouldn't watch promos if they were on there. I'd like to see every episode get a promo. But I usually skip over those on my "That '70s Show" sets.

Oh and Brian, once again..... MIGHTY MORPHIN' POWER RANGERS! I want them, lol. I want them bad.

B Ward

02-18-2009, 09:00 PM

Since we're one the topic of bonus features, I'm kind of disappointed in the Rhoda bonus features, there only being one of them (the reunion/documentary-type extra). I was hoping for a little more - bloopers, promos, anything?

Honestly, we would've been happier with more, too. Unfortunately, unlike That Girl, which is owned by Marlo Thomas and has a wealth of bonus material, Fox had nothing for Rhoda. Knowing that, we're going in with a little more in mind for subsequent seasons, but we were simply up against a deadline with this one and could get it all in time.

Hopefully, you'll see more down the line with later seasons.

TV_Fan

02-18-2009, 09:50 PM

I for one am just really glad to be seeing Rhoda coming to DVD, especially given Fox's history with the Mary Tyler Moore Show. More extras would be nice later but I'm glad that you guys at Shout! at least got something in to start with the first season.

Vahan

02-18-2009, 09:57 PM

Hopefully, the episodes will be unedited, because when the show was released in select episodes on VHS, they were all edited versions, and the wedding episode, was the 2-part version, instead of the original one-hour version.

However, the store listing, and the press release, did announce the wedding episode being a "special one-hour episode", so hopefully that's a good sign.

B Ward

02-19-2009, 01:57 PM

I actually think we did very well with getting the complete episodes of Rhoda. I will forwarn you that there are some occasional tape problems, simply from the age and storage of the material, but I don't think it'll distract from your entertainment too much. We actually spent months going through masters, returning them and bringing new ones in, and have found the absolute best that Fox and a couple private collectors have to offer.

As for the bonus material, the interview with James L. Brooks especially was a dream come true for me. It was a lot of fun. He's a great guy and I think it comes off rather well in the piece.

It's a pretty good set. I'm happy with it and I think you will be, too.

TV_Fan

02-19-2009, 02:05 PM

factsoflife

02-19-2009, 04:45 PM

physically manufacture a run.

Those were great shows, but we're honestly testing the waters with California Dreams to see if a series similar to, but not nearly as popular as Saved By The Bell can sell on DVD. Once we have our answer, maybe we can pursue the licenses to the other series. FINGERS CROSSED!

Here's my thoughts: California Dreams will probrally sell a decent amount of DVD's but as i think about it it's possible that hang time and city guys may not because they aren't as commonly known. I don't expect CD to be a huge seller but to sell more than enough to make a profit from.

Robert 13

02-19-2009, 04:54 PM

Any chance "The Facts Of Life", "What's Happening Now!!" or "Hazel" could be prospective releases for Shout?

factsoflife

02-19-2009, 04:54 PM

Brian Ward,

I literally just finished watching my entire set of the Blossom DVD i just bought and i must say it was EXCELLENT! You guys went above and beyond the call of duty with this release! not only did you guys give us the unedited episodes but the picture quality and sound quality was FANTASTIC, you guys did an awesome job with that. The art and packaging was SUPERB and the special featuers were amazing. i love that you were able to get almost the entire cast to sit down (minus an unavailable michael stoyanov) it was great.

If you guys feel that this set sells well enough and you opt to release the remaining seasons i'll DEFINETLY be buying a copy of it. My only hope though is that as you get to the final seasons that you do whatever you can to persuade Finola Hughes to sit down for a feature interview. I am a major fan of hers from both Blossom and General Hospital and would love to see her sit down. though that's a minor wish.

one other thing to suggest: maybe you could do a featurette on all the fantastic guest stars that Blossom had, in this set alone they had Leah Remini, Salt-N-Pepa, Vendella, Tiffani Amber Thissen, AJ Langer, Brooke Thiess, C+C Music Factory, Tori Spelling and others...

Excellent Job on This Set!

JulieSomoski

02-19-2009, 05:09 PM

Honestly, we would've been happier with more, too. Unfortunately, unlike That Girl, which is owned by Marlo Thomas and has a wealth of bonus material, Fox had nothing for Rhoda. Knowing that, we're going in with a little more in mind for subsequent seasons, but we were simply up against a deadline with this one and could get it all in time.

Hopefully, you'll see more down the line with later seasons.

It's all understandable - I'm also just happy you guys are releasing this show. The episodes are by far good enough, but the documentary/interviews will make it even better! Thanks Brian.

B Ward

02-19-2009, 06:55 PM

one other thing to suggest: maybe you could do a featurette on all the fantastic guest stars that Blossom had, in this set alone they had Leah Remini, Salt-N-Pepa, Vendella, Tiffani Amber Thissen, AJ Langer, Brooke Thiess, C+C Music Factory, Tori Spelling and others...

Thanks, FactsOfLife. I'm glad you're enjoying the set.

As for the featurette, you and I think a lot alike. It was something I wanted to do for the first set, but sadly, it was shot down by the powers that be at the studio. In order to feature guest stars in things like featurettes, etc., we need clearances from those guests, which can often be difficult. So, unfortunately, I don't know that we'll be able to do anything like this. It's been a little while since I saw it, but I'm fairly positive we touched on it briefly in the main featurette. That may be all we get.

Still pursuing those options, though!

McGillicuddy

02-19-2009, 10:37 PM

Bill Cosby does quite a lengthy commentary on the BCS dvd season 1. He explains the show was cancelled because NBC wanted to have a "laugh-track" and he refused. He thought it was senseless because the show was shot on location, not in front of a studio audience.

factsoflife

02-20-2009, 01:45 AM

Thanks, FactsOfLife. I'm glad you're enjoying the set.

As for the featurette, you and I think a lot alike. It was something I wanted to do for the first set, but sadly, it was shot down by the powers that be at the studio. In order to feature guest stars in things like featurettes, etc., we need clearances from those guests, which can often be difficult. So, unfortunately, I don't know that we'll be able to do anything like this. It's been a little while since I saw it, but I'm fairly positive we touched on it briefly in the main featurette. That may be all we get.

Still pursuing those options, though!

you are right one of the actors briefly mentioned that the show attracted a lot of guest stars that were unusual for the type of show they had.

I have to say this was one of the most wonderfully put together sets i've ever seen! Shout Factory is FANTASTIC!

I hope this sells well so we can see more seasons released!

factsoflife

02-20-2009, 01:48 AM

Brian Ward,

when Shout decides to release a series do they buy the rights to all seasons right away in prepration of releasing all the seasons or do they wait and see how the first set sells before getting the rights? for example with Blossom, do you buy all the seasons at once in hopes of season 1 selling well or do you wait to see how the set sells before purchasing the rights to future seasons? if you buy them right away do you worry about having to take a loss if the set fails to sell well?

Adamantium

02-21-2009, 01:15 AM

I just bought "Sports Night" on DVD. I know I'm late at buying it, but it's another great release from Shout!

Brian, um, Space Cases. That's another show I want on DVD.

I wish Shout was in charge of doing "Wings". We're getting the last season in a couple months, but there have been no bonus features at all and the picture quality isn't the best. Oh yes, if only Shout was in charge of "Wings."

Kristen

02-21-2009, 01:30 AM

I second that comment about Wings! I think the fans really have been cheated as far as extras go. But at least we'll have all the seasons. That's more than can be said for a lot of shows.

I'm very much looking forward to owning Rhoda. It'll be nice to see that again. And I can't tell you how glad I am that someone's finally releasing Designing Women! I thought I'd grow old waiting for Sony to do it, hehe.

- Kristen

TV_Fan

02-21-2009, 11:50 AM

I wish Shout! would have handled Alf. There's no way we would have ended up with those monstrosity releases that are out there now.

Vahan

02-21-2009, 11:59 AM

I wish Shout! would have handled Alf. There's no way we would have ended up with those monstrosity releases that are out there now.

After Lion's Gate got away with lying about the syndicated versions being in better condition, they don't deserve to be in the TV on DVD industry again.

It's a good thing Lion's Gate isn't releasing Mr. Belvedere. Can you imagine what they would have done to it? That show is not even remotely worthy of them! LOL

Speaking of Mr. B, I've read that the original pilot episode opening credits will be reinstated.

Also, those previews that Shout! put up on their site, they both open and end with the color shot of Belvedere on the street holding up the Pittsburgh sign (as seen in season 1 & 2's opening). That opening will be reinstated as well.

TV_Fan

02-21-2009, 02:30 PM

After Lion's Gate got away with lying about the syndicated versions being in better condition, they don't deserve to be in the TV on DVD industry again.

It's a good thing Lion's Gate isn't releasing Mr. Belvedere. Can you imagine what they would have done to it? That show is not even remotely worthy of them! LOL

Speaking of Mr. B, I've read that the original pilot episode opening credits will be reinstated.

Also, those previews that Shout! put up on their site, they both open and end with the color shot of Belvedere on the street holding up the Pittsburgh sign (as seen in season 1 & 2's opening). That opening will be reinstated as well.

Totally excellent. Shout! hasn't let me down yet. I can't wait to get the Mr B set :D

Pavan

02-21-2009, 02:44 PM

My review will be up soon. Hopefully by the end of the week. I have other reviews to do first. See my comments so far on the Belvedere board.

McGillicuddy

02-21-2009, 06:26 PM

What shows has Lions Gate released?

bmasters9

02-21-2009, 08:55 PM

For one, besides "ALF," they've released all of "Moonlighting."

Adamantium

02-21-2009, 10:45 PM

Lions Gate has also released Will & Grace, Saved by the Bell and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

TV_Fan

02-21-2009, 11:33 PM

To be fair, I blame Paul Fusco as much as Lions Gate for butchering Alf. Lions Gate did a great job with Moonlighting, releasing it complete with all original music. The only reason they did such a good job is because the show's creator was behind it's release & demanded all original music be included, etc. No such luck with Alf. Paul Fusco didn't want to give up any money for the restoration of Alf so the fans got shafted.
Regardless, this thread is about Shout! and what a great company they are. It just goes to show that most companies that release DVDs do not care about their fans the way Shout! does.

Jack Gomez

02-24-2009, 02:28 AM

Shout! really does a great job. Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared have some of the best extras out there. It's great to hear that they'll be doing Parker Lewis Can't Lose. I really hope they get some of the cast to do sit down interviews and commentaries. I'd love to see what the cast looks like today. Some of them haven't been seen since the series like the guy who played Frank Lemmur. Oh and let me echo the statements of everyone else who wished they did the ALF dvds. Lionsgate did a terrible job. The best thing about them were the menus.

My wishlist for Shout! would be:

Dennis the Menace (b&w 1960s tv series)
You Can't Do That On Television
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Maya (1960s tv series)
The Outsiders (1990s tv series)
Misfits of Science
Hey Dude
Whiz Kids
Planet of the Apes (1970s tv series. This was released on dvd, but the company didn't include the footage of new scenes Roddy McDowall filmed in the 80s when the show was rebroadcast on tv.)