Hey, I just got to thinking. Since the rights holder for the original uncut episodes of Mama's Family isn't allowed to release them on DVD. Why don't they just restore the episodes using the syndicated prints and original broadcast copies. The did something similar to this with I Love Lucy.

When they restored the I Love Lucy episodes they had to use rare 35mm prints of broadcasts. They went and looked Missing footage like missing scenes and dialogue. They even painstakingly cleaned up each episode. One example of a restored scene is the episode "Lucy Does A Tv Commercial". In the Scene where Lucy is inside the tv she uses the plug for Phillip Morris cigarettes.

They could do the same for Mama's Family. Like I Love Lucy they could keep the syndicated openings attached to the episodes and just include the Alister Quince openings as bonus material. In I Love Lucy they did this. They used the heart on satin opening instead of the originals. This way they could match the later syndicated episodes.