Has anyone ever written to WGN and asked them - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Rezny@gmail.com · 01-05-2011, 07:15 PM

Why they do NOT carry the Black and White first two seasons of "Bewitched"?Because WGN does not know what they're missing.Just curious.

DemandYourPickle · 01-05-2011, 10:25 PM

I haven't. But I'm going to!

Bonsai · 01-05-2011, 11:28 PM

With the exception of venues that are devoted to preserving classic TV, i.e. Nick-at-Nite...TVLand...etc., syndication of Bewitched has generally ignored the first 2 seasons. In the mid to late 70's I watched Bewitched on weekday afternoons for YEARS without ever seeing a B&W episode and had no idea that anyone besides Sandra Gould had ever played Gladys Kravitz.

For a good while after TV shows went to color in 1965/1966, there was a feeling that nobody wanted to see B&W anymore-----and for a little bit that was likely true. No excuse for it nowadays, though, as it's "classic" rather than "obsolete." In fact, I purposely bought the B&W DVD's for Seasons 1 & 2 because I wanted them as they were originally produced.

(and, yes, all you purists out there, I know the opening credits are a gray-scaled version of the 1966 color opening and that all the sponsor material is missing )

I think what happened is that the syndication package was put together during the time that the B&W eps were considered undesired and there was never any motivation to change that afterwards as it is an OLD product and they had 6 seasons worth of material to work with anyway.

I don't agree with that point of view, but you know how money-monkeys can be! Thank God that Nick and TVLand not only went after rights for the rest of the eps., but PROMOTED them--------anybody remember their "not seen since the original run" commercials??

Bonsai · 01-05-2011, 11:46 PM

While writing the above reply, I kept thinking this all sounded very familiar...anyone interested may also want to check out this thread:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=272781

ansara1 · 01-06-2011, 02:22 PM

It is interesting they don't show the entire series - especially since they show the b/w episodes of I Dream of Jeannie...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonsai

While writing the above reply, I kept thinking this all sounded very familiar...anyone interested may also want to check out this thread:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=272781

MickeyMac · 01-06-2011, 07:49 PM

Do you really think WGN will respond???

Just saying

Bonsai · 01-07-2011, 11:43 AM

No, I don't think they'll respond.......as great a show as Bewitched was (and is), from a superstation programming perspective it's nice entertaining filler. Weren't they showing it around 10:00 on Sunday nights............don't be surprised if it suddenly comes on unscheduled while they're waiting out a Cubs rain delay!

01-05-2011, 07:15 PM	#1
Rezny@gmail.com Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 20, 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 2,675	Has anyone ever written to WGN and asked them Why they do NOT carry the Black and White first two seasons of "Bewitched"?Because WGN does not know what they're missing.Just curious.

01-05-2011, 11:28 PM	#3
Bonsai Gilligan Ambassador Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 356	With the exception of venues that are devoted to preserving classic TV, i.e. Nick-at-Nite...TVLand...etc., syndication of Bewitched has generally ignored the first 2 seasons. In the mid to late 70's I watched Bewitched on weekday afternoons for YEARS without ever seeing a B&W episode and had no idea that anyone besides Sandra Gould had ever played Gladys Kravitz. For a good while after TV shows went to color in 1965/1966, there was a feeling that nobody wanted to see B&W anymore-----and for a little bit that was likely true. No excuse for it nowadays, though, as it's "classic" rather than "obsolete." In fact, I purposely bought the B&W DVD's for Seasons 1 & 2 because I wanted them as they were originally produced. (and, yes, all you purists out there, I know the opening credits are a gray-scaled version of the 1966 color opening and that all the sponsor material is missing ) I think what happened is that the syndication package was put together during the time that the B&W eps were considered undesired and there was never any motivation to change that afterwards as it is an OLD product and they had 6 seasons worth of material to work with anyway. I don't agree with that point of view, but you know how money-monkeys can be! Thank God that Nick and TVLand not only went after rights for the rest of the eps., but PROMOTED them--------anybody remember their "not seen since the original run" commercials??
	__________________ I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.------Mahatma Gandhi

01-05-2011, 10:25 PM	#2
DemandYourPickle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 08, 2010 Location: Canton, Ohio Posts: 184	I haven't. But I'm going to!

01-05-2011, 11:46 PM	#4
Bonsai Gilligan Ambassador Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 356	While writing the above reply, I kept thinking this all sounded very familiar...anyone interested may also want to check out this thread: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=272781

01-06-2011, 07:49 PM	#6
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,006	Do you really think WGN will respond??? Just saying

01-07-2011, 11:43 AM	#7
Bonsai Gilligan Ambassador Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 356	No, I don't think they'll respond.......as great a show as Bewitched was (and is), from a superstation programming perspective it's nice entertaining filler. Weren't they showing it around 10:00 on Sunday nights............don't be surprised if it suddenly comes on unscheduled while they're waiting out a Cubs rain delay!