Why the poor quality on the Brady Bunch DVD sets? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TV Watcher · 02-25-2006, 10:04 PM

I don't understand why the Brady Bunch DVD collection contains almost bootleg video quality in alot of frames . Couldn't Sherwood have insisted that they correct certain frames by using the original masters?

It's bad enough the 4 volumes have no extra features but at least offer the best video quality. Gilligan's Island for example was digitally remastered and looks great.

gilligan fanatic · 02-25-2006, 10:06 PM

you're right, the GI set does look great, but I think the Brady Bunch quality is fine. Its not superior but it looks better than it does on TV.

scott_bolger2001 · 02-25-2006, 11:05 PM

I have always thought that the quality was fair enough on the DVD sets.

Jack1000 · 02-27-2006, 02:45 AM

Here is the answer to this question,

The problem is that after The Brady Bunch was sold to syndication markets, Paramount started editing the episodes. It is believed that, they took those edits from the ORIGINAL master tapes, when they should have preserved the original versions, made copies for syndication, and done the edits from the copies while vaulting the original versions.

When Paramount started doing the DVD's, they no longer had the original prints of some of the scenes, so they had to go back to 16mm and 35mm back up prints to put those in the DVD's so that the episodes would be complete. Every show made has these back-up prints that are locked in the vaults in case the original prints get lost or damaged. Since the original negatives either no loger exist, are lost, or are damaged beyond repair, it was eaither: use the back up prints with the grain or not have complete episodes. Paramount chose the former, because they had no other options.

The lack of the fill-in squares on the vacation episodes suggests that the vacation prints were taken from a mini-series syndication package, which was a 90-minute episode each of Grand Canyon and Hawaii. Someone at Paramount obviously removed the fill-in squares before the tag scene believing that it would have better continuity when packaged as a "mini-series." Back up prints were used to restore the episode to "almost complete." However, 20-seconds of dialogue found in TV Land and Syndicated prints IS missing from "Pass The Tabu."

Fill in squares are also missing from "Love And The Older Man." "Greg Gets Grounded" appears to be complete in content. However, the fill in squares, which normally appear after the drive in scene also do not appear. That scene is blended in and it goes directly to the tag scene of Carol and Mike in bed and Greg asking to forget about living by exect words, followed by the end credits. Very strange, the question is why? This does explain why this episode on DVD comes in at about 24:50 when the others average 25 minutes.

"The Teeter Totter Caper" is also about 30 seconds shorter than the other episodes on Season 3. But as to why, this is unknown. This episode did air on New Years Eve night in 1971, so it might have been slightly time-compressed for that but we can't be sure.

You are still getting a HUGE improvment in quality over the TV Land/Syndicated prints of The Brady Bunch, which have different edits. It is however a shame that the original prints could not be used across the board. They used beautiful restored prints for The Munsters (I have the complete series) and Leave it to Beaver (Season 1) put out by Universal . Gilligan's Island (I have the complete series) looks just stunning from Warner Home Video on DVD!

It's Paramount's fault for cutting up the master tapes on the first syndication cycle. I heard that Happy Days has the same issue on DVD, and unfortunately, if The Odd Couple comes out, it will likely suffer the same fate. What a shame!

Jack

Bachu · 02-27-2006, 05:40 PM

You would think that a show that ran for 5 years would get better treatment for a dvd release than a show like the Munsters which ran for just one or two seasons. It is amazing the way some shows are treated like rubbish when it comes to a dvd release.

staypuftman2004 · 02-27-2006, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bachu

You would think that a show that ran for 5 years would get better treatment for a dvd release than a show like the Munsters which ran for just one or two seasons. It is amazing the way some shows are treated like rubbish when it comes to a dvd release.

gilligan fanatic · 02-27-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bachu

You would think that a show that ran for 5 years would get better treatment for a dvd release than a show like the Munsters which ran for just one or two seasons. It is amazing the way some shows are treated like rubbish when it comes to a dvd release.

I don't know if the Munsters was a good example because how well it does in syndication and the fans still around. I have a show that ran one season on DVD called Dusty's Trail and that is in good quality. That is one where I don't understand why its on DVD.

02-25-2006, 10:04 PM	#1
TV Watcher Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 57	Why the poor quality on the Brady Bunch DVD sets? I don't understand why the Brady Bunch DVD collection contains almost bootleg video quality in alot of frames . Couldn't Sherwood have insisted that they correct certain frames by using the original masters? It's bad enough the 4 volumes have no extra features but at least offer the best video quality. Gilligan's Island for example was digitally remastered and looks great.

02-25-2006, 10:06 PM	#2
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	you're right, the GI set does look great, but I think the Brady Bunch quality is fine. Its not superior but it looks better than it does on TV.
	__________________ Matt Filmaf ~ Twitter ~ Last.FM

02-25-2006, 11:05 PM	#3
scott_bolger2001 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Posts: 179	I have always thought that the quality was fair enough on the DVD sets.
	__________________ "Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been." Come Visit The Brady Kids Homepage!

02-27-2006, 02:45 AM	#4
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Here is the answer to this question, The problem is that after The Brady Bunch was sold to syndication markets, Paramount started editing the episodes. It is believed that, they took those edits from the ORIGINAL master tapes, when they should have preserved the original versions, made copies for syndication, and done the edits from the copies while vaulting the original versions. When Paramount started doing the DVD's, they no longer had the original prints of some of the scenes, so they had to go back to 16mm and 35mm back up prints to put those in the DVD's so that the episodes would be complete. Every show made has these back-up prints that are locked in the vaults in case the original prints get lost or damaged. Since the original negatives either no loger exist, are lost, or are damaged beyond repair, it was eaither: use the back up prints with the grain or not have complete episodes. Paramount chose the former, because they had no other options. The lack of the fill-in squares on the vacation episodes suggests that the vacation prints were taken from a mini-series syndication package, which was a 90-minute episode each of Grand Canyon and Hawaii. Someone at Paramount obviously removed the fill-in squares before the tag scene believing that it would have better continuity when packaged as a "mini-series." Back up prints were used to restore the episode to "almost complete." However, 20-seconds of dialogue found in TV Land and Syndicated prints IS missing from "Pass The Tabu." Fill in squares are also missing from "Love And The Older Man." "Greg Gets Grounded" appears to be complete in content. However, the fill in squares, which normally appear after the drive in scene also do not appear. That scene is blended in and it goes directly to the tag scene of Carol and Mike in bed and Greg asking to forget about living by exect words, followed by the end credits. Very strange, the question is why? This does explain why this episode on DVD comes in at about 24:50 when the others average 25 minutes. "The Teeter Totter Caper" is also about 30 seconds shorter than the other episodes on Season 3. But as to why, this is unknown. This episode did air on New Years Eve night in 1971, so it might have been slightly time-compressed for that but we can't be sure. You are still getting a HUGE improvment in quality over the TV Land/Syndicated prints of The Brady Bunch, which have different edits. It is however a shame that the original prints could not be used across the board. They used beautiful restored prints for The Munsters (I have the complete series) and Leave it to Beaver (Season 1) put out by Universal . Gilligan's Island (I have the complete series) looks just stunning from Warner Home Video on DVD! It's Paramount's fault for cutting up the master tapes on the first syndication cycle. I heard that Happy Days has the same issue on DVD, and unfortunately, if The Odd Couple comes out, it will likely suffer the same fate. What a shame! Jack
	Last edited by Jack1000; 03-02-2006 at 07:00 PM.

02-27-2006, 05:40 PM	#5
Bachu Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 10, 2005 Posts: 809	You would think that a show that ran for 5 years would get better treatment for a dvd release than a show like the Munsters which ran for just one or two seasons. It is amazing the way some shows are treated like rubbish when it comes to a dvd release.