Two Episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show in Color on CBS on May 21

[TJ]

The Dick Van Dyke Show: Now In Living Color! is a new, one-hour special featuring two freshly colorized classic episodes of the beloved 1960s series airing back-to-back on Friday, May 21 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), on the CBS Television Network. The special features the season four episode "Baby Fat," written by Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson, and the season five episode “The Bottom of Mel Cooley's Heart," written by John Whedon. The main titles and end credits of the two episodes are seamlessly combined into one set —at the beginning and end of the hour—with no interruption between each. The Emmy Award-winning series starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore as television comedy writer Rob and his wife, Laura Petrie; Larry Matthews as their son Ritchie; Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie as Buddy Sorrell and Sally Rogers, co-writers on the fictional The Alan Brady Show; Carl Reiner as Alan Brady; Richard Deacon as Mel Cooley; Jerry Paris as Dr. Jerry Helper; and Ann Morgan Guilbert as Millie Krumbermacher Helper.

In "Baby Fat," Alan Brady calls on Rob to ghostwrite some new material for a troubled Broadway play he's starring in. The episode is based on an incident that actually happened to co-writer Garry Marshall: he was tapped to fix a play for comedian Jack Carter, who insisted that the ghostwriter make himself scarce whenever the official playwright showed up. The episode first aired on April 21, 1965, during season four. "The Bottom of Mel Cooley's Heart," which aired late in the show's final season, served as a kind of "curtain call" for longtime supporting actor Richard Deacon, who finally got to take center stage when Mel Cooley stands up to brother-in-law/employer Alan Brady (played by Dick Van Dyke Show creator Carl Reiner). The episode first aired on Feb. 9, 1966. The Dick Van Dyke Show originally aired on CBS from Oct. 3, 1961, through June 1, 1966, finishing in the Nielsen Top 10 in three of its five seasons, and peaking at #3 during the 1963-1964 season. The show received 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, including three Emmys for Dick Van Dyke, five for Carl Reiner and two for Mary Tyler Moore.

https://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2021/...t-renewed.html

The episodes “Where Did I Come From” and “Never Bathe on Saturday" will be rebroadcast on Friday, May 28 at 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT. https://www.viacomcbspressexpress.co.../view?id=57584

[Hazel Anyday]

Wow, talk about last minutes. I caught this announcement at 7:30 pm, snapped into action to be sure to see it. Thanks for letting us know. I wonder why though the lousy network has kept it such a secret? Anti-colorizers? I suspect, if it gets low ratings (as it will since it got 0 publicity) they can say, "See, no one likes color" so now we don't have to colorize anymore. A self-fulfilling prophesy by those who are against colorizing to begin with.

[Duster76]

As the series began to wind down each of the main players were given episodes that focused on their characters there was:

episode

145. "The Bottom of Mel Cooley's Heart"

147. "Dear Sally Rogers"

148. "Buddy Sorrell: Man and Boy"

156 "Long Night's Journey into Day"

Episode 156 showcases both Mary Tyler Moore and Ann Morgan Guilbert.

[TSMIV]

These episodes were strange choices for colorized specials, but I guess they wanted to do a tribute to Carl Reiner.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

Wow, talk about last minutes. I caught this announcement at 7:30 pm, snapped into action to be sure to see it. Thanks for letting us know. I wonder why though the lousy network has kept it such a secret? Anti-colorizers? I suspect, if it gets low ratings (as it will since it got 0 publicity) they can say, "See, no one likes color" so now we don't have to colorize anymore. A self-fulfilling prophesy by those who are against colorizing to begin with.

Right, nothing. Too late for me, unless I can catch them "On Demand."

CBS really ought to colorize the whole series. It would bring renewed interest.

[biffbronson]

Originally Posted by TSMIV

These episodes were strange choices for colorized specials, but I guess they wanted to do a tribute to Carl Reiner.

I thought so too, but they did have a little tag at the end in memory of Reiner, so that's when I realized the choices made perfect sense. Lots of good acting on display.

As expected the colorization was as good as it gets, I could only quibble that the fades to commercials were in b & w, but so brief to be too noticeable (maybe deliberate?). The interior walls, bookcases, etc. were done with fairly strong/vibrant colors, but I don't think distracting.

I'd been excited to see how MTM would look in the 2nd half, with her Season 5 bangs hairstyle in color, and again not disappointed.

[merlinjones]

The technology is now impressive but the color styling not so much - like the Lucy shows, these use a bland, antiqued "sepia" and pastel palette with many colors that were not in vogue in the early 60s (and few that were) - A peek at shows and movies actually shot in color at the the time show ample evidence of where art directors should go with this.

[biffbronson]

With regard to these two episodes though, they originally aired in April 1965 and Feb. 1966. So I'm a little puzzled as to why you would refer to "early 60s." (By late 1966 shows like Batman and The Green Hornet were explosions of color, including pastels.)

Regardless, I will say that the colors used on the walls for example compare pretty favorably with concurrent sitcoms originally shot in color. For a fair comparison though, it would help if we're seeing high-quality prints of shows like Hazel and others that made the transition to color -- as opposed to the faded or poorly exposed ones we're accustomed to. I think the Van Dyke efforts compare favorably to mid-'60s movies as well. It's difficult to imagine a better job than what they've done with these (difficult for me at least...!).

[TeeVeeCloset]

Originally Posted by stevea

Right, nothing. Too late for me, unless I can catch them "On Demand."

CBS really ought to colorize the whole series. It would bring renewed interest.

Yes they are ON DEMAND, personally I felt the colorization not up-to the newest par......tho i know some complain that at times it appears too candy colored.....these episodes were not.

[stevea]

You'd think they could post the full episodes On Demand, but no--you could see the lousy editing cuts. But I thought they did a good job colorizing them, other than some background (wall) color changes that probably weren't really that way. They were probably maintaining consistency with past colorized episodes.

[GentlemanJim]

FWIW, there was at least one promotional announcement made the week prior. I saw the promo, missed the show(s)

[opus]

They’re rerunning the two from 2018 tonight (“Where Did I Come From?” and “Never Bathe on Saturday.” )

[GentlemanJim]

I noticed in the "Where did I come From?" episode, in the office scene where Rob gave up his pants, they had a drapery/window covering that I don't recall from other episodes. Evidently colorizing the fake Manhattan skyline was problematic? And they just CGI'ed the drapery into the picture?