Classic TV VB Purchasing Guide October-November 2008

Compiled by Cheryl Biggs -- Video Business, 9/22/2008

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Oct. 28

Good Times: The Complete Series SONY prebook 9-25; DVD $59.95 Comedy: Jimmie Walker stars in the ’70s series collected in its entirety in this 17-disc set.

Sanford and Son: The Complete Series SONY prebook 9-25; DVD $59.95 Comedy: A man and his son run a junk business in this 17-disc set of the ’70s series starring Redd Foxx.

Affairs of the Heart: Series One ACORN prebook 9-30; DVD $39.99 Drama: Traveling from the English countryside to the drawing rooms of New York, this two-disc set of romantic tales of love and loss is adapted from Henry James.

Agatha Christie: Mystery Lover’s Collection ACORN prebook 9-30; DVD $39.99 Mystery: Tommy and Tuppence, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot catch murderers in high style in this four-disc set.

Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition SHOUT FACTORY/VIVENDI prebook 9-30; DVD $169.99 Comedy: The misfits are back in an eight-disc second printing of the series, which includes two bonus discs of features and an 80-page yearbook of exclusive photos, memorabilia and essays.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition Box Set SHOUT FACTORY/VIVENDI prebook 9-30; DVD $69.99 Comedy: The four-disc set of the cult classic features voiceovers and commentary by the cast on old B-films.

Nov. 4

The Wild Wild West: The Complete Series PARAMOUNT prebook 9-23; DVD $144.99 Adventure: James West and Artemus Gordon fight evil in the west in this 27-disc set.

Fraggle Rock Complete Series Collection HIT/LIONSGATE prebook 10-8; DVD $139.98 Children’s: This 20-disc set includes the show’s fourth season for the first time on DVD.

Little House on the Prairie: The Complete Television Series LIONSGATE prebook 10-8; DVD $279.98 Drama: This frontier family classic includes all nine seasons, three TV movies and three discs of special features in a 60-disc set packaged in a wagon-shaped album.

The Persuaders: Triple Feature LIONSGATE prebook 10-8; DVD $19.98 Action: Roger Moore and Tony Curtis star as globe-trotting playboys who solve crimes in this ’70s series.

Nov. 11

M Squad: The Complete Series TIMELESS prebook now; DVD $119.98 Action: Lee Marvin stars as a no-nonsense cop in this 15-disc set of the ’50s film noir series.

I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series SONY prebook 10-2; DVD $174.95 Comedy: Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden star as Major Nelson and his magical genie, respectively, in this 20-disc set.

The Cosby Show: 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition FIRST LOOK prebook 10-7; DVD $139.98 Comedy: All eight seasons are included in this 26-disc set that also contains a new Bill Cosby interview and hardcover commemorative book.

Studio One Anthology KOCH VISION prebook 10-14; DVD $99.98 Drama: The Archive of American Television presents this six-disc set of restored and remastered versions of Twelve Angry Men, Wuthering Heights and other dramas from the series that was originally broadcast from 1948-56.

Mister Peepers: Season 2 S’MORE/IMAGE prebook 10-14; DVD $39.98 Comedy: In this four-disc set of the ’50s series, Wally Cox plays science teacher Mister Peepers, who, although seemingly shy and weak, prevails because of his feelings for others.

Nov. 18

Star Trek—The Original Series: Season Three Remastered PARAMOUNT prebook 10-7; DVD $99.99 Sci-fi: Set in the 23rd century, Earth has survived World War III, and now Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew are exploring other galaxies in this seven-disc set.

Daniel Boone: Season 6 LIBERATION/RYKO prebook 10-24; DVD $49.95 Adventure: In this seven-disc set, Fess Parker stars as the rugged frontiersman who searches for adventure in the 18th century American wilderness.

Nov. 25

The Doris Day Show: The Complete Collection MPI prebook 10-20; DVD $159.98 Comedy: All five seasons of the series, which ran from 1968-73, are included in this 20-disc set, along with bonus features and commentary by Day.

Family Affair: The Complete Series MPI prebook 10-20; DVD $159.98 Comedy: In this 24-disc set, Brian Keith stars as a wealthy bachelor in Manhattan, who takes in three children when their parents are killed in an airline crash.

MGM goes far out for series

Forty-five years ago, sci-fi anthology series The Outer Limits made its original TV debut. Now, MGM Home Entertainment is releasing the entire original series on DVD. Blurring fact and fiction in stories that terrified while they entertained, the mind-bending series included appearances by such stars as Robert Duvall, Adam West, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. —Cindy Spielvogel

Oct. 21

The Outer Limits: The Complete Original Series Box Set MGM/FOX prebook 9-24; DVD $59.98 Sci-fi: This series that ran from 1963-65 explored the subjects of time travel, space travel and human evolution with notable actors of the day, as shown in this seven-disc set.

Paul Petersen remembers Reed

As anyone who watched reruns of The Donna Reed Show on Nick at Nite might know, Paul Petersen played Jeff Stone, the son of Donna, on the show, which first ran on network TV from 1958-66. Although he continued to act after the series ended, like other child stars, he was remembered mainly for the role he played as a teen. He later founded A Minor Consideration, a non-profit organization that provides guidance and protection to child stars. With The Donna Reed Show debuting on DVD next month from Arts Alliance America, Petersen spoke with VB’s Cindy Spielvogel about the show.

VB: Who is the audience for The Donna Reed Show on DVD, and why?

Petersen: This is the kind of DVD you can ask the kids and grandkids to watch, or your parents if you’re lucky enough to still have them. It’s a quality show with solid performances, well-written. There’s nothing wrong with having a little moral at the end of every show.

VB: Back when you were doing the show, did you ever think something like DVD would come along?

Petersen: Never. The whole industry was oblivious to the technological changes coming. No one who worked in TV before 1974 is compensated.

VB: Why are you promoting this then?

Petersen: Because I adored and respected Donna Reed. I loved my castmates. Compared to most offerings I see today, the shows back then were far superior than today. To use the Hippocratic Oath, they did no harm. Even for people who didn’t have a perfect family, at least they knew what the ideal looked like.

VB: What do you think of what has happened to some of today’s child stars, like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears?

Petersen: I’ve been an advocate for working children in the business for 30 years. When I watch the culture celebrate out-of-control parents—Dina Lohan needs a TV show? Or a good slice of Americans watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians… I guess I’m getting old and crusty [he’s 63 this month], but that’s harmful stuff. You can’t take five to eight to 10 years out of a child’s life and not cause changes. Britney, Lindsay, Mackenzie [Phillips], Tatum [O’Neal]—it traces back to the way they were raised, just like everybody else in the country.

VB: Do you have an example of a celebrity who’s doing things the right way?

Petersen: There are many of those. Ron Howard is a wonderful example. Raven-Symone is another wonderful example. They lead productive lives…. Perhaps it’s in the way Shelley [Fabares, sister on The Donna Reed Show] and I were raised, and my sister Patty, who will be in subsequent DVDs, we try to do good. You be good by doing good.

Oct. 28

The Donna Reed Show: Season 1 ARTS ALLIANCE AMERICA prebook 9-23; DVD $39.95 Comedy: Launched on TV 50 years ago, this family series is released in a four-disc set.