Norman Lear is one of the most legendary and well-known producers of all-time, and now you can see how 7 of his most famous comedies got their starts. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has put together a collectible box set featuring these seven shows with the first seasons of each. We get the first seasons each of All in the Family (13 episodes), Maude (22 episodes), The Jeffersons (13 episodes), Good Times (13 episodes), Sanford & Son (14 episodes), One Day at a Time (15 episodes), and Mary Hartman Mary Hartman (first 25 episodes). If you noticed, besides Maude and Mary Hartman, all of the first seasons were between 13-15 episodes, as they started off during midseason. Maude started in the fall and Mary Hartman was a first-run syndicated series and didn’t air on network television.

These first seasons have already came out on their own, but in addition to that we get new packaging and 6-hours worth of new interviews featuring Norman Lear and many stars from these shows and also lost pilots and bonus episodes.

Read our review by Pavan here:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/thenormanlearcollectiondvdreview.html

Please post any questions or comments about this set.

The special features are great, but this set is a HUGE slap in the face to any of Lear's faithful fans who have collected most or all of these sets already. Once again, loyal consumers are screwed over by the DVD company who cares more about reaching out to people who haven't bought any of the individual seasons and about pleasing them. You want to really make me happy, Sony? Release season seven of All in the Family, season seven of The Jeffersons, season two of Maude, etc. And put those features on THOSE sets. For me, the production of these extras and the inclusion of them on this grandiose, expensive set is too little, too late, Sony. The worst DVD company by far.

If anybody happens to have this set, would you mind posting the first pilot online? I'm just dying to see it!