Complete Series DVD Review

[Billy K.]

Complete Series DVD Review

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got this set in mid-July due to ordering it from ShoutFactory!

Been watching this set for the past couple of weeks...

Most of the first 3 Seasons run around 25:01-10 ---- So Far I've only encountered 7 episodes that may have been "EDITED" (Meaning less that 25 Minutes) - whereas a few Season 4 episodes run over 25:10 for some reason - the longest being 25:41.

"The Longest Weekend" (24:26) - Season 1
"The Fight" (24:22) - Season 2
"Kotter and Son" (24:14) - Season 2
"Whatever Happened To Arnold - Part 1 (25:01)*
"Sweathog Back To School Special" (24:25) - Season 3
"Buddy Can You Spare A Million?" (24:56) - Season 3
"Meet Your New Teacher: Batteries Not Included (24:22) - Season 3
"The Barbarino Blues" (24:10) - Season 4

* For some reason, "There Goes Number 5" is labeled on the DVD as "Whatever Happened to Arnold, Part 2" and the scene in the schoolyard with the Sweathogs and Gabe opens the episode....not sure if that's how the "opening" of the episode goes but that's what's on there.

Also of note - Disc 2 of Season 3 has a message "The following episodes are the only known versions that exist at the time of production. We apologize for any video or audio anomalies" This message appears only to be on this particular disc. I've only noticed one or two picture glitches that really aren't bothersome in the episodes "What a Move" or "A Novel Idea" and the theme song instrumental leading in to the 2nd post opening credits are muffled in a few episodes.

I was slightly disappointed in the "Extras" in the set. There's a little documentary of the show but I have a feeling it was on the previous Season 1 DVD before and screen tests of the Sweathogs and Julie.

The booklet that comes with it is pretty cool - it has the episode listings/synopsis'/airdate. It would've been nice to see an essay about the show or a dedication to Robert, Ron, JSW, and James Komak.

Overall I give the set an B+, mainly because of the lack of extras and the booklet could've been better - but at least we have the complete series now so that's a plus.

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Billy K.

Complete Series DVD Review

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got this set in mid-July due to ordering it from ShoutFactory!

Been watching this set for the past couple of weeks...

Most of the first 3 Seasons run around 25:01-10 ---- So Far I've only encountered 7 episodes that may have been "EDITED" (Meaning less that 25 Minutes) - whereas a few Season 4 episodes run over 25:10 for some reason - the longest being 25:41.

"The Longest Weekend" (24:26) - Season 1
"The Fight" (24:22) - Season 2
"Kotter and Son" (24:14) - Season 2
"Whatever Happened To Arnold - Part 1 (25:01)*
"Sweathog Back To School Special" (24:25) - Season 3
"Buddy Can You Spare A Million?" (24:56) - Season 3
"Meet Your New Teacher: Batteries Not Included (24:22) - Season 3
"The Barbarino Blues" (24:10) - Season 4

* For some reason, "There Goes Number 5" is labeled on the DVD as "Whatever Happened to Arnold, Part 2" and the scene in the schoolyard with the Sweathogs and Gabe opens the episode....not sure if that's how the "opening" of the episode goes but that's what's on there.

Also of note - Disc 2 of Season 3 has a message "The following episodes are the only known versions that exist at the time of production. We apologize for any video or audio anomalies" This message appears only to be on this particular disc. I've only noticed one or two picture glitches that really aren't bothersome in the episodes "What a Move" or "A Novel Idea" and the theme song instrumental leading in to the 2nd post opening credits are muffled in a few episodes.

I was slightly disappointed in the "Extras" in the set. There's a little documentary of the show but I have a feeling it was on the previous Season 1 DVD before and screen tests of the Sweathogs and Julie.

The booklet that comes with it is pretty cool - it has the episode listings/synopsis'/airdate. It would've been nice to see an essay about the show or a dedication to Robert, Ron, JSW, and James Komak.

Overall I give the set an B+, mainly because of the lack of extras and the booklet could've been better - but at least we have the complete series now so that's a plus.

"The Barbarino Blues" has the same running time on my bootleg dvd set of Kotter recorded from Goodlife TV so it may not be edited. All the rest of the Season 4 episodes on my set are around 25-25:30 minutes long except for "Barbarino's Baby" and that's 24 minutes long.

[bmasters9]

Is this release packaged in a similar manner to/the same manner as that of Barney Miller?

[Billy K.]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

Is this release packaged in a similar manner to/the same manner as that of Barney Miller?

Yes but it's a smaller box. The only difference is that in the BM booklet at least there's an Introduction/write-up of the show's history/commentary about the show. In the booklet for WBK it just has an episode guide/summary/airdate and some pictures.

[BeatleMoe]

So were all the original one hour episodes broke up into two parts or shown how they originally aired?

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by Billy K.

Yes but it's a smaller box. The only difference is that in the BM booklet at least there's an Introduction/write-up of the show's history/commentary about the show. In the booklet for WBK it just has an episode guide/summary/airdate and some pictures.

Noticed your response just earlier-- thanks. Why doesn't the booklet for this Kotter release have much in it outside of episode listings and pictures?

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Billy K.

Complete Series DVD Review

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got this set in mid-July due to ordering it from ShoutFactory!

Been watching this set for the past couple of weeks...

Most of the first 3 Seasons run around 25:01-10 ---- So Far I've only encountered 7 episodes that may have been "EDITED" (Meaning less that 25 Minutes) - whereas a few Season 4 episodes run over 25:10 for some reason - the longest being 25:41.

"The Longest Weekend" (24:26) - Season 1
"The Fight" (24:22) - Season 2
"Kotter and Son" (24:14) - Season 2
"Whatever Happened To Arnold - Part 1 (25:01)*
"Sweathog Back To School Special" (24:25) - Season 3
"Buddy Can You Spare A Million?" (24:56) - Season 3
"Meet Your New Teacher: Batteries Not Included (24:22) - Season 3
"The Barbarino Blues" (24:10) - Season 4

I bought Season 2 the other day and noticed the tag scene in the episode "The Fight" is missing on the DVD. I checked my boot copy of that episode and the tag scene has Mr. Kotter talking on the phone with Julie and he's about to tell her a joke about one of his relatives but she hangs up on him. That tag scene is about 20 seconds long.

[1960'sTVfan]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

I bought Season 2 the other day and noticed the tag scene in the episode "The Fight" is missing on the DVD. I checked my boot copy of that episode and the tag scene has Mr. Kotter talking on the phone with Julie and he's about to tell her a joke about one of his relatives but she hangs up on him. That tag scene is about 20 seconds long.

Why would they edit out a 20 second tag scene? That is ridiculous. I imagine there are other episodes on the Kotter DVD's that have scenes cut out from them also.

What really irritates me is when episodes are edited on DVD's because of music rights. It is totally ridiculous, just a bunch of legal bullcrap and nonsense. If a specific music or song was allowed to use when the episode was originally made, then the same music or song should be allowed for home media DVD. No alterations, no edits.

[TVFactFan]

Well edited tag scenes is reason number 2 I won't be buying this series on DVD. After watching season 3 tonight the show just not fun to watch at all. Not a show to buy complete on DVD unless it's 14.99 or less

[Rewound50]

I bought the entire series new on DVD for $32.00 this week. Considering the cost of it only eight months ago, I'm pretty happy with that purchase. Surely it will beat reruns on MeTV. I'll post my review after I've had a chance to digest some of it.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Rewound50

I bought the entire series new on DVD for $32.00 this week. Considering the cost of it only eight months ago, I'm pretty happy with that purchase. Surely it will beat reruns on MeTV. I'll post my review after I've had a chance to digest some of it.

Well if it;s that cheap I may just go ahead and buy it

[Rewound50]

^^^ I have to admit that when I saw the original retail price, I was stunned. Three figures for this series is waaaaay out of bounds. I get the desire for Shout Factory to tap into and test demand on the series. But $129.00 was well past the point of market integrity in testing demand for a show, that in it's heyday, never came close to cracking the top ten. Until I came across the show on MeTV in the past few months, it never OCCURRED to me to seek out the show, pursue merchandise of the show, or otherwise give reverence to the series. I liked it as a kid and thought of it as a modest hit. And when it went off the air, I never saw it again.

I'm clearly catching the discount wave at a good time so timing could not be better for me. But I think for a series that, to my knowledge, never enjoyed much (if any) of a measureable aftermarket until about a year ago certainly speaks to a much lower RSP for a new release than what Shout Factory stuck on this. That being said, I think $30 plus is plenty reasonable and I'm looking forward to going through the series at my own pace instead of waiting every Thursday on MeTV. I'm suppose to get it this Friday, so I'm pumped.

[Rewound50]

I've been on a Kotter marathon this past weekend and I'm about done with season one. So far the complete series has been a complete joy. I love the inserts for each case and think the video quality is good. Not great but good considering the video used for it's day.

The sound quality is excellent and the set comes with an episode guide full of color photos and a few black and white production shots as well. It's really a good series and hitting now in the $30 plus range makes this an EASY value for the money. I'm glad I picked it up. It's a blast to see the characters evolve as the show progresses.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Rewound50

I've been on a Kotter marathon this past weekend and I'm about done with season one. So far the complete series has been a complete joy. I love the inserts for each case and think the video quality is good. Not great but good considering the video used for it's day.

The sound quality is excellent and the set comes with an episode guide full of color photos and a few black and white production shots as well. It's really a good series and hitting now in the $30 plus range makes this an EASY value for the money. I'm glad I picked it up. It's a blast to see the characters evolve as the show progresses.

Only the first 2 and a half seasons are good. After that and the show is AWFUL

Season 4 is Extremely awful

[Svenfan1234]

ALL of WBK is good. None of it is awful. It's always really enjoyable to watch. Seasons 1-3 are the best however and Season 4 is just okay. I'd say Beau would be better if they had given him more personality like the other Sweathogs.