Can someone please explain why two different studios released Mama's Family - The Complete Series on DVD in 2017 and 2019?

1. What are the differences between the two releases?

2. Which one is the better DVD release?

Rights/distribution issues.

The Complete Collection from Time Life/StarVista in the big box has mostly complete NBC shows (two are still syndie eps as the masters were declared lost). This set has lots of music replacements (for instance, "Harper Days are Here Again" from Mama for Mayor pt1 and 2 is cut completely!) and edits to remove short scenes with music clearance issues. Episodes are full-frame, proper sized for old tv's.

The 2019 set is all syndicated, edited episodes with shorter run times and whole scenes cut for time, which means we lose the Harvey Korman intros for the NBC seasons. However, this set has (pretty sure, anyway) ALL music intact and scenes that were cut from the previous release that had song bits (Mama singing "I Feel Pretty", for one). Episodes after season 2 are presented in a zoomed-in, widescreen format and are de-interlaced, like you might see on ME-TV, reducing the videotape look and introducing a film-like appearance (and a bit of frame judder during the rolling credits).

Add the 2 sets together and you basically get complete episodes, except for the two that remain edited b/c of lost masters (Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend).

Rights/distribution issues.

The Complete Collection from Time Life/StarVista in the big box has mostly complete NBC shows (two are still syndie eps as the masters were declared lost). This set has lots of music replacements (for instance, "Harper Days are Here Again" from Mama for Mayor pt1 and 2 is cut completely!) and edits to remove short scenes with music clearance issues. Episodes are full-frame, proper sized for old tv's.

The 2019 set is all syndicated, edited episodes with shorter run times and whole scenes cut for time, which means we lose the Harvey Korman intros for the NBC seasons. However, this set has (pretty sure, anyway) ALL music intact and scenes that were cut from the previous release that had song bits (Mama singing "I Feel Pretty", for one). Episodes after season 2 are presented in a zoomed-in, widescreen format and are de-interlaced, like you might see on ME-TV, reducing the videotape look and introducing a film-like appearance (and a bit of frame judder during the rolling credits).

Add the 2 sets together and you basically get complete episodes, except for the two that remain edited b/c of lost masters (Cellmates and Mama's Boyfriend).

So overall the Time Life/StarVista sounds like the better set.

I bought the season 1 DVD many moons ago. I bought the second season about a year ago and I love the original runs of this show. The intro, the original house, the extended full scripts and jokes. Even in the end when the credits run they are still telling jokes. However the scenes that have music like Mama for Mayor, Obscene Phone Call, and Aunt Gert Rides Again have overdubbed tracks.
Is there a season 1 DVD that you can buy separately that is uncut like the season 2 one they released years ago. The original release of the DVD has the syndicated versions.
These are like lost treasures because we have all grown up with the Pasadena house. People forget or do not know the original Harper house. This is why Mama for Mayor has a different looking house on the outside.

I didn't know that season 2 had been released years ago, uncut.

What I did was edit all the missing music back in, using MeTV airings. Even that short Willie Nelson snippet.

As for the missing music in the syndicated seasons, I just kept my TBS recordings from back in the early 2000s.

I didn't know that season 2 had been released years ago, uncut.

What I did was edit all the missing music back in, using MeTV airings. Even that short Willie Nelson snippet.

As for the mussing music in the syndicated seasons, I just kept my TBS recordings from back in the early 2000s.
Yes. I think I read somewhere they did a re-release of the first season uncut. I saw Vicki at a meet and greet once and she said fans would always come up to her and demand a full show with all the jokes. I don't want to buy an entire series, mostly interested in the NBC years. I was floored when I watched Season 2 with all the additional footage. They cut so much out for syndication. The episodes make much more sense too because there is dialog missing that is crucial to the plot.

So Amazon lists three "Complete Series" sets for Mama's Family- 2014, 2017 and then the 2019 set where the entire series is in a plastic case.

Are there any differences between the 2014 "set" and the 2017 "set"? I honestly don't know which I have. I have the Time Life set I know in some form because I bought it when it first came out from Time Life, and then I have the 2019 set I bought at Wal-Mart several years ago because I liked the "compact" case design. To be honest I've never even watched that one so I didn't realize there was a difference in the content.

I think when the big box with Mama's portrait was re-released by StarVista, you could get a signed cover version for an extra fee early on. Don't think there's any content difference there on the shows or extra features.

I think I halfway figured this one out, but I'm not 100% sure.

The first versions released by Time Life has 24 discs, with a 7th case holding two "bonus" DVDs.

There is a second version after that with the same box essentially, only it just has the 6 season DVD sets included. The two "bonus" discs are omitted.

The last version is the "newer" release with what I presume to be the edited versions. It has 15 DVDs.