I saw this today in Walmart. Is it any different (other than the packaging)from the first complete series release?

$60 Bucks for a complete Mama's Family release?! For that price, it should include DVD extras, audio commentary, The Making Of Feature, A Full Documentary, and a $50 bill inside!!

$60 Bucks for a complete Mama's Family release?! For that price, it should include DVD extras, audio commentary, The Making Of Feature, A Full Documentary, and a $50 bill inside!!

Lol, about the $50 bill.

I am kind of curious to see if Warner’s re-release would have the handful of episodes edited for music restored.

Coool!!! Love that sassy old gal

Coool!!! Love that sassy old gal

Same here, but anybody who pays $60 Wallmart bucks for this is getting ripped off!

I am kind of curious to see if Warner’s re-release would have the handful of episodes edited for music restored.

I highly doubt it.

Same here, but anybody who pays $60 Wallmart bucks for this is getting ripped off!

Depends. These days, with DVDs on their way out, I wouldn’t ever pay more than $39 for any entire series. But, for those who really love the show, $60 isn’t completely off the charts. Rip-off Barnes & Noble charges like $150 for some complete series-haha good luck with THAT!

I saw this today in Walmart. Is it any different (other than the packaging)from the first complete series release?

I saw the Warner set today at Walmart and read the back cover. It looks like this re-release is just a bare-bones set, without the extras that come with the Time-Life/Starvista complete series release. The run time for Season 1 listed on the Warner version is about 40 minutes less than the Time-Life version which suggests that it comes without the bonus features. It might even be the "edited for syndication" cuts which were restored in the Time-Life set. So if you are thinking of getting the complete series, best stay away from the Warner set and stick with the Time-Life release, regardless of price.

The Warner re-release from Wal-Mart appears to be the same masters that MeTV uses with the glossy look to them. However, I did notice that “Harper Days Are Here Again” from “Mama for Mayor” is intact as well as Mama’s “Singin’ in the Rain” bit from “Mama in One.” If I recall correctly, those were edited out of the Time-Life sets.

I wonder if the new set is the syndicated versions for seasons 1 & 2.

It still amazes me that a huge company like Time Life couldn’t clear all the songs for the set. Yet, Warner Bros. manages to clear ALL music with their releases.

The Warner re-release from Wal-Mart appears to be the same masters that MeTV uses with the glossy look to them. However, I did notice that “Harper Days Are Here Again” from “Mama for Mayor” is intact as well as Mama’s “Singin’ in the Rain” bit from “Mama in One.” If I recall correctly, those were edited out of the Time-Life sets.

Just curious - Do the re-released DVDs include the edited for syndication version of season 1 and 2, or do they include the unedited (except for music) versions that were used in the Time-Life sets? The unedited versions have a completely different exterior of Mama's house, so it should be easy to tell.

^I’m wanting to know the same thing. It’d be epic if the new set had the original aired versions with no music edits.

I'm curious too. Will plonk down the cash if the music is back!

I went out and bought this set after reading the thread this morning. While I haven't watched the entire set, I can confirm that seasons 1 and 2 of this re-release are indeed edited. No Harvey Korman intros or images of the old house used in the intro or outro. The intros are from the syndicated version of the show and the runtimes don't exceed 21 minutes and change. The only bonus is that all of the music is included in this set. They used the versions that currently air on TV, which include the music. Not impressed with this set but hey it is cheaper than the Time Life versions which have recently gone out of print.

I already own the series from Time Life so I'm not too bothered. For the price they charge for the re-release I don't feel like I wasted my money either. For those who haven't gotten the Time Life version, this one does the job in terms of price and simplicity since it is a really bare bones set.

You can also go to Amazon if you'd like to purchase the Time Life versions while they are still available.

At some point I'll do a video review on YouTube to highlight the differences between the sets so people know that this is no simply a discounted Time Life set without the extras/bonuses.

I appreciate you taking the time to give us the details on this set. I do have the TimeLife big box and I had hopes that this would be a more complete re-release. Nice that the music is included and I will get it just for that when/if the price dips some.

I do still wonder.. does the re-release retain the video look of the TimeLife set, or has it been "film-ized" or widescreened like the ME-TV ones?

Sucks that WB released the syndicated cuts but with the music and TL has the unedited versions with music cuts. Looks like they could’ve gotten together to release an actual COMPLETE set.

No Harvey Korman intros or images of the old house used in the intro or outro.

Thank goodness Time Life gave us Alistair Quince! (and thanks also for letting us know the details of the new bare-bones set)

And if the old house isn't used in the closing themes, then that means the wonderful character-specific dialogue playing over the closing themes must be out, too. That was something I had no idea had been in the original run, and which I was thrilled to hear in the Time Life set.

I’m seriously considering buying the new set just so I can have seasons 3-6 with the original music. Those seasons were already made for syndication so there shouldn’t be anything edited.


So, if we have the TL set AND the new WB set, the only episodes edited will be:
“Mama’s Boyfriend” - Syndicated episode used On TL set
“Cellmates” - Syndicated episode used on TL set
"Obscene Call" - "On the Road Again"
"Ellen's Boyfriend" - "Second Time Around" instrumental played on violin
"Gert Rides Again" - "Chariots of Fire" and "Ain't Misbehavin'"
"Mama for Mayor Part 1" - "Harper Days" and "Moonlight Becomes You"
"Mama for Mayor Part 2" - "Harper Days"



Another plus (I’m assuming) is the music used on the menus won’t be so dang loud like on the TL set.

I went out and bought this set after reading the thread this morning. While I haven't watched the entire set, I can confirm that seasons 1 and 2 of this re-release are indeed edited. No Harvey Korman intros or images of the old house used in the intro or outro. The intros are from the syndicated version of the show and the runtimes don't exceed 21 minutes and change. The only bonus is that all of the music is included in this set. They used the versions that currently air on TV, which include the music. Not impressed with this set but hey it is cheaper than the Time Life versions which have recently gone out of print.



Thank you for giving us the lowdown on the Re-release. I suspected that Warner would be using the edited-for-syndication cuts for seasons 1 and 2, since they own those and not the so-called Joe Hamilton cuts which are the unedited versions that Time-Life used. It's nice they have all the music, but I still prefer the T-L release since it has all the cut footage from seasons 1 and 2 as well as tons of special features and the family album.

Thank you for giving us the lowdown on the Re-release. I suspected that Warner would be using the edited-for-syndication cuts for seasons 1 and 2, since they own those and not the so-called Joe Hamilton cuts which are the unedited versions that Time-Life used. It's nice they have all the music, but I still prefer the T-L release since it has all the cut footage from seasons 1 and 2 as well as tons of special features and the family album.

It’s best to own both sets so you can have the TL set with the good seasons 1 & 2 episodes and the WB set for the completely unedited seasons 3-6.

I now own both sets and plan to keep it that way. Now I can toss my bootlegs because I only kept them for the musical numbers.

This particular set does not seem available outside of Walmart's in store display. I looked on Ebay, Amazon and other retailers and no one had it listed. Even Walmart's website does not list this version unless they simply recycled the image for the time life set on their listing.

Every other venue is selling the Time Life version.

I’m seriously considering buying the new set just so I can have seasons 3-6 with the original music. Those seasons were already made for syndication so there shouldn’t be anything edited.


So, if we have the TL set AND the new WB set, the only episodes edited will be:
“Mama’s Boyfriend” - Syndicated episode used On TL set
“Cellmates” - Syndicated episode used on TL set
"Obscene Call" - "On the Road Again"
"Ellen's Boyfriend" - "Second Time Around" instrumental played on violin
"Gert Rides Again" - "Chariots of Fire" and "Ain't Misbehavin'"
"Mama for Mayor Part 1" - "Harper Days" and "Moonlight Becomes You"
"Mama for Mayor Part 2" - "Harper Days"



Another plus (I’m assuming) is the music used on the menus won’t be so dang loud like on the TL set.

The menus are basic and don't contain any music.

I now own both sets and plan to keep it that way. Now I can toss my bootlegs because I only kept them for the musical numbers.

This particular set does not seem available outside of Walmart's in store display. I looked on Ebay, Amazon and other retailers and no one had it listed. Even Walmart's website does not list this version unless they simply recycled the image for the time life set on their listing.

Every other venue is selling the Time Life version.
I saw a copy on eBay earlier today. I added it to my watchlist but someone bought it before I could afford it. It was $40.

I also want to toss my bootlegs. I’m looking forward to acquiring this WB set.

I really wish some company could put out season 2 full network versions, with music. Season 2 is a mess on Time-Life. IIRC other than the ruined Mayor episodes, there are music edits in Ellen's Boyfriend (maybe), Obscene Call (Willie Nelson snippet of On The Road Again), and maybe Aunt Gert. Somebody correct me please, I probably have some of this wrong (edit: sorry--just saw post 20!).

Re the way these episodes look (I'm actually glad I DVD recorded season 3 thru 6 off TBS--the color's a little dull but they look better than MeTV)--I think Warner's has remastered these to HD (80s videotaped shows don't have good enough resolution for HD), so you have the lousy look and the jittery credit crawls on MeTV (probably from reconverting the HD back to SD for MeTV).

I found a few of the WB sets on Ebay for those who can't find it at their Walmart or don't have one close by. They are a little cheaper but I'm always weary of Ebay because it flooded with official looking bootlegs. More sellers specialize in bootlegs than official merchandise there.

Yeah I nearly got taken on a Dark Shadows set on Ebay...it was a bootleg. I steer clear of it.

If there was a way of getting the Time-Life versions onto my DVD recorder, I could edit the music back onto them. But my DVD recorder would block them due to copy protect on the DVDs.

It’s best to own both sets so you can have the TL set with the good seasons 1 & 2 episodes and the WB set for the completely unedited seasons 3-6.

I bought a bootleg set a few years before the Time-Life release which I kept after learning about the music edits, so no need to double-dip; otherwise I would probably have considered getting the re-release.

I think this re-release was the result of Time Life losing their DVD rights to the show. They probably wanted to offer an alternative without the bells and whistles. There was no promotion for this set or any sort of acknowledgement the WB had this in the works. I don't blame them though because Time Life presented a product that they could not compete with unless they released it without any flaws.

I bought a bootleg set a few years before the Time-Life release which I kept after learning about the music edits, so no need to double-dip; otherwise I would probably have considered getting the re-release.

I'd almost be willing to buy a bootleg if I could get season 2 with network versions and all the music. Seems to me somebody ought to be able to put something like that together.

I'd almost be willing to buy a bootleg if I could get season 2 with network versions and all the music. Seems to me somebody ought to be able to put something like that together.

I have the complete series recorded from TBS but I have no way of making a copy.

I have the complete series recorded from TBS but I have no way of making a copy.

I think he's speaking in a "wishful thinking" way, of splicing the missing music edits back into the original network episodes.

Yep, he is.

I have 3 thru 6 from TBS (which as was said before, wouldn't be edited because they're syndication length), and I'm very happy with them. It's just season 2 that's a problem. Season 1 doesn't have any music edits, I don't think.

I know people with computer know-how. I need to get those few episodes with music edits onto a DVD that doesn't have copy protect. Then I can edit the music back in.

^This I intend to do once I have both sets. There aren't really that many episodes to fix. Only problems will be the jail episode will still be the cut version and the Korman intros that are missing will still be. No one has been able to locate off-air copies of those.

^This I intend to do once I have both sets. There aren't really that many episodes to fix. Only problems will be the jail episode will still be the cut version and the Korman intros that are missing will still be. No one has been able to locate off-air copies of those.

Also “Mama’s Boyfriend” is syndication version.

Mama's Family is one of those rare shows that I'd never thought would end up on DVD due to music rights. When WB released season 1 with edited episodes, I said to myself that they would not sell really well. As I expected, the backlash was swift and WB didn't produce anymore seasons. Fast forward to 2013 when Time Life releases the complete series. I was excited beyond belief but disturbed by all of the music edits. It was nice to see the Korman intros and recaps, but upsetting that some of the music numbers I knew and loved had to be removed. I wasn't too upset but it did feel strange. I hung on to my bootleg collection just for the musical numbers. Now we jump into 2019 and a brand new set gets released by the same company that abandoned it all of those years ago without any sort of bells and whistles. The episodes are edited but include the music which was a happy medium for me. While no perfect set exists at the moment between these two sets I now have the perfect collection.

While Time Life messed up on the music, they still presented a quality product that is worth every penny. WB realized they couldn't make big buck off edited episodes so pricing it under $100 was a good marketing strategy. More people will buy it just to see what the set is all about and not feel like they were ripped off.

At the end of the day all of these collections beat the trash that Logo claims is Mama's Family after all of those edits.

Warners probably negotiated the music rights for all formats, years ago. When Joe Hamilton Prods. originally produced the show, they probably negotiated the rights only for the original broadcast. Along comes Time-Life--big bucks for that 5 seconds of On The Road Again, and the music of Happy Days Are Here Again, Singin' In The Rain, etc., etc. My theory has been, produce 2 versions of a DVD set, one with the music edits, and a higher-priced version with the music intact. I'D PAY IT, probably many who are fans would pay it!

On a larger scale these music rights seem to be way more trouble than they used to be, now affecting some syndicated TV playback. Something really needs to be done with copyright laws--these people deserve their royalties, but it's gotten out of hand.

Warner's transfers of Mama were also done years ago so that is money saved, unlike TL who had to pay for new transfers of the 1" masters. What better way for TL to save some dough on an already expensive set than to cut some songs (and just enough to maximize profits) that don't change the episode content?

TL did it with the Gleason sets, too. Almost to the point of having no show (54 minutes cut to 28?!). Gleason's variety show likely got butchered to cover the cost of shipping and transferring the original quad tapes which can be expensive and a royal pain to get right.

Just picked up the WB set at Walmart. Can’t wait to watch seasons 3-6 unedited!!

So so so so awesome finally being able to see “I Feel Pretty” and “Singin’ in the Rain”! I’ve had the TBS versions recorded for a long time but I’m so happy to finally own the official releases with no music edits! Between the WB set and the TL set, we now have a complete series set. I just wish TL could go back and fix season 2.

What's the difference between the TBS version and the new set, on S3-S6? TBS version had Singin' in the Rain. (It would be nice to have them without logos, popups, and the announcer blabbing over the credit, though.) Also how is the picture quality? As I mentioned before, the TBS versions have kind of washed-out color.

What's the difference between the TBS version and the new set, on S3-S6? TBS version had Singin' in the Rain. (It would be nice to have them without logos, popups, and the announcer blabbing over the credit, though.) Also how is the picture quality? As I mentioned before, the TBS versions have kind of washed-out color.

The WB set has great picture color just like what they show on MeTV. The only downside is the jittery credits at the end. All in all, I’m satisfied with the WB set for seasons 3-6.

To be on the safe side I went out and bought another one from a different Walmart because this item seems like an exclusive for them. If they ever sell out there may be no other place to secure a legit copy from. I wanted to have 2 copies just in case I come across a defective disc as I'm watching these episodes from seasons 3-6. I would hate to have a faulty disc and not be able to replace it because they don't carry the product anymore.

To be on the safe side I went out and bought another one from a different Walmart because this item seems like an exclusive for them. If they ever sell out there may be no other place to secure a legit copy from. I wanted to have 2 copies just in case I come across a defective disc as I'm watching these episodes from seasons 3-6. I would hate to have a faulty disc and not be able to replace it because they don't carry the product anymore.

Not a bad idea. Fortunately I’ve had time to view all of the seasons 3-6 discs and all of mine work fine so I don’t need to buy another set.

The WB set has great picture color just like what they show on MeTV. The only downside is the jittery credits at the end. All in all, I’m satisfied with the WB set for seasons 3-6.

I've heard the jittery credits are a result of HD mastering, and converting back to SD. Videotape masters of 80s shows don't have enough resolution for HD.

Re the songs cut on Time Life, I just looked up Ain't Misbehavin' and it was released in 1929 (as was Happy Days Are Here Again)! Good heavens, there's no way that's not public domain. That whole routine couldn't be re-dubbed, evidently, so they just cut the whole thing.

And the few seconds of Chariots of Fire and On The Road Again...how expensive could it have been to license those?

I managed to find a way to edit the 5 season 2 episodes with music issues. So I have edited the MeTV episode portions with the music into the episodes where the music is missing. All the episodes came out looking fairly good, and complete. The episodes are now around 24 minutes in length.

That sounds cool. I hope you didn't have to do too much work to edit that. I've thought about doing something similar but I just feel like it is not worth my time. I have my bootlegs and the newest set by Warner Bros so I've never been too upset by the edits in the musical numbers by Time Life.

I have my bootlegs and the newest set by Warner Bros so I've never been too upset by the edits in the musical numbers by Time Life.

Same here.

Hi.

After reading all the posts on this thread, I have come to the conclusion that the new WB set has the same music edits from Season 2 as the TL set does. Right? However, Seasons 3-6 have all original music intact. Right? If certain episodes are edited from Season 2 in the WB set, and the episodes on that set are the MeTV Masters, why couldn't the music edits from season 2 be restored back into the episodes on the WB set?

I read that one of you was able to edit the missing music parts back into those certain Season 2 episodes from MeTV. That's fabulous! I too, am going to be doing that. I'm also going to buy the WB set so I'll have (at least for now, until I can get network versions of Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend from Season 1), a 98% complete and uncut set. Hopefully, one of you or someone else not on this forum can provide me with original network versions of Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend that they recorded off the air when they originally aired. Perhaps someone has a VHS tape of them that they recorded back around that time. I have a VCR to play it on if anyone has a VHS tape with those original uncut episodes.

Please confirm whether or not there are music edits from Season 2 on the WB set. Thank you very much.

Rob Bendtzen

Hi.

I just thought of another question to ask about the WB set. How many discs are included in the set?

The WB set does not contain music edits at all.

Hi.

After reading all the posts on this thread, I have come to the conclusion that the new WB set has the same music edits from Season 2 as the TL set does. Right? However, Seasons 3-6 have all original music intact. Right? If certain episodes are edited from Season 2 in the WB set, and the episodes on that set are the MeTV Masters, why couldn't the music edits from season 2 be restored back into the episodes on the WB set?

I read that one of you was able to edit the missing music parts back into those certain Season 2 episodes from MeTV. That's fabulous! I too, am going to be doing that. I'm also going to buy the WB set so I'll have (at least for now, until I can get network versions of Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend from Season 1), a 98% complete and uncut set. Hopefully, one of you or someone else not on this forum can provide me with original network versions of Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend that they recorded off the air when they originally aired. Perhaps someone has a VHS tape of them that they recorded back around that time. I have a VCR to play it on if anyone has a VHS tape with those original uncut episodes.

Please confirm whether or not there are music edits from Season 2 on the WB set. Thank you very much.

Rob Bendtzen

The main drawback to the Warner re-release is that it contains to edited for syndication version of the season 1 and 2 episodes, while the T-L set has those cuts restored. There are also two bonus discs which contain around 10 hours of special features.

Good luck trying to find the unedited versions of Mama's Boyfriend or Cellmates. VCR's were still pretty new in 1983 and very expensive so they were few and far between.