TV Shows Not Released On DVD

Nightowl · February 08, 2011, 04:50:58 PM

What are some of the TV shows that will never be released completely on dvd?

Empty Nest
Madtv
Hangin' With Mr.Cooper
Roc
The Wonder Years
Malcolm In The Middle
WKRP In Cincinnati
Life With Louie
Batman
Are You Afraid Of The Dark? (Released in canada but not in america)
The Hitchhiker
Kung Fu:The Legend Continues

Doggett · February 08, 2011, 05:08:25 PM

I don't know about never...

Daria
The complete set of the Extreme Ghostbusters
Lexx
Stressed Eric

Thats all I can think of, but I'm not a big telly watcher.

lester1/2jr · February 08, 2011, 05:29:40 PM

Photon, the best show ever
Funhouse

vukxfiles · February 08, 2011, 06:05:17 PM

Cold Case, which is very strange because it was a hit series and from the same producers of CSI. How the heck can that not come out on DVD?
Others include:

Freddy's Nightmares
Crossing Jordan
NYPD Blue
The Simpsons (as I recall some older seasons were never released on DVD)
Monsters (the anthology series from the 80s, which is a sort of spin-off of Tales from the Darkside)
Tales of the Unexpected
The Hitchhiker (the anthology series from HBO, only 30 episodes were released on DVD, but not the whole show)

I'll add more once I remember.

InformationGeek · February 08, 2011, 06:53:58 PM

Quote from: vukxfiles on February 08, 2011, 06:05:17 PM
Cold Case, which is very strange because it was a hit series and from the same producers of CSI. How the heck can that not come out on DVD?

The Simpsons (as I recall some older seasons were never released on DVD)

All of the older seasons for the Simpsons are on DVD. If you are talking about the episodes from the Tracy Ullman Show then I don't know.

The reason for Cold Case not being on DVD is because of the soundtrack. Every episode uses music and songs that were popular or revelant from the time of the crime in the flashback. Can you imagine CBS trying to get the license or rights for every single song for just one season set? That would cost quite a bit.

Nightowl · February 08, 2011, 07:24:39 PM

Quote from: vukxfiles on February 08, 2011, 06:05:17 PM
Cold Case, which is very strange because it was a hit series and from the same producers of CSI. How the heck can that not come out on DVD?
Others include:

Freddy's Nightmares
Crossing Jordan
NYPD Blue
The Simpsons (as I recall some older seasons were never released on DVD)
Monsters (the anthology series from the 80s, which is a sort of spin-off of Tales from the Darkside)
Tales of the Unexpected
The Hitchhiker (the anthology series from HBO, only 30 episodes were released on DVD, but not the whole show)

I'll add more once I remember.

Ever since Twilight Zone I have been a die hard fan of anthology series, so i've always died to see Monsters.

Another crime-drama that i've been craving to see lately In The Heat Of The Night. Shame its not released by now with all the cop shows airing on tv.

Umaril The Unfeathered · February 08, 2011, 09:32:03 PM

Darkroom, a very obscure ABC anthology series that took the supernatural road more than once. One episode I recall is where a group of toy soldiers and vehicles came to life and attacked someone for some odd reason.

The Phoenix about an alien who came to Earth and engaged in some usual run-of-the-mill sci-fi adventures.

The Master: Lee Van Cleef as a white American Ninja pursued by Okasa (Sho Kosugi) for leaving his clan with an amulet of great value that was the object of Okasa's pursuit of Van Cleef's character.

Automan which was a cheap Tron-style ripoff. if I remember right.

Some of these may now be on DVD as we speak, but I've never known them to be at this time.

Mr. DS · February 08, 2011, 10:17:20 PM

Muppet Babies, too many copyrights in motion.

Trevor · February 09, 2011, 02:56:46 AM

I was going to say Friday The 13th The Series but I checked and it is out on DVD.

Killer Bees · February 09, 2011, 04:28:36 AM

I remember seeing Crossing Jordan Season 1 in the shops here but like a complete nong, I didn't buy it when I had the chance. I think it was a little out of my price range at the time.

I haven't seen it or any other season since.

vukxfiles · February 09, 2011, 07:10:50 AM

Quote from: Killer Bees on February 09, 2011, 04:28:36 AM
I remember seeing Crossing Jordan Season 1 in the shops here but like a complete nong, I didn't buy it when I had the chance. I think it was a little out of my price range at the time.

I haven't seen it or any other season since.

Only the first season was released on DVD

Jack · February 09, 2011, 08:05:55 AM

Quote from: Doggett on February 08, 2011, 05:08:25 PM
Lexx

I'm pretty sure Lexx is on DVD, I've got the first two series.

I wish Last of the Summer Wine was available in America. We can only get "best of" sets with a few episodes each.

Relic Hunter is another favorite. I've got a "best of" set, but full season sets are apparently only available in DVD region 4. Which makes a lot of sense since it's a Canadian show

Doggett · February 09, 2011, 10:13:08 AM

Ah, I've just seen the whole collection box set available in March!

JaseSF · February 09, 2011, 10:48:39 AM

Some of the 50s TV Sci-Fi series my well have "lost" episodes (as I believe they may have reused tapes in those days)...so it's unlikely we'll get complete sets of Tales of Tomorrow (although they have released many of them), Lights Out, Flash Gordon, The Adventures of Fu Manchu, Men Into Space, Science Fiction Theater, Captain Video and His Video Rangers, Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe, Space Patrol (the kids TV show), Tom Corbett: Space Cadet, Rocky Jones: Space Ranger, 'Way Out and probably even more obscure ones are out there.

I'm certain that a lot of pro wrestling is unfortunately "lost" to the ages as many pro wrestling territories used to reuse tapes, record them over and over again and some were no doubt thrown out and destroyed when certain territories went under. There's been an infamous rumor of footage of a lost Buzz Sawyer-Tommy Rich match making the rounds in trading circles for a long time.

A more modern show you're not likely to see but which would have been fascinating was The Sixth Sense. This short-lived series from 1972 starred Gary Collins as a college professor named Dr. Michael Rhodes, a man fascinated with psychic ability and phenomena. He often uses his own ESP powers to help those who are being troubled by psychic visions. The series was created by Anthony Lawrence and produced and developed by Stan Shpetner. Later Night Gallery would borrow heavily from the series for stock footage used to pad their episodes in syndication and some actual Sixth Sense episodes (edited down from their original hour length to an half-hour) were shown on Night Gallery when it went to syndication. Also some of the shorter Night Gallery sequences which I believe were only aired in syndication are now believed "lost" if I'm not mistaken.

Some other interesting titles we're not likely to find in complete on DVD include:

Alien Nation TV movies: not sure why since the TV series was released but the TV films remain unavailable as far as I'm aware.

The Avengers (1960s) - the earliest season is believed "lost" and I think some of the episodes from Season two are believed "lost" as well.

Doctor Who: some episodes are believed "lost".

Journey to the Unknown: late 60s British anthology series..wonder if it's lost?

Out of the Unknown: mid-60s British anthology series drawing from the works of Ray Bradbury, Frederick Pohl, John Wyndham and Isaac Asimov, I think it's now believed "lost" as well.

Out of this World: early 60s British sci-fi anthology series hosted by Boris Karloff shortly after Thriller. I think this now may well be "lost" as well.

The Trollenberg Terror: British TV mini-series that proceeded the film (The Crawling Eye). I think they also did similar minis for The Strange World of Planet X and I think the earliest Quatermass serial is yet to be available in complete?

And some series I really wonder why they aren't out there now:

The Amazing Spiderman: this cheesy 1970s series starring Nicholas Hammond isn't likely to be found on DVD (at least not yet).

Batman (1960s): not sure why this isn't available right now. I know it aired in syndication in Canada not very long ago.

Blake's Seven: late 70s-early 80s space opera from Terry Nation.

The Boy From Andromeda and The Girl From Tomorrow: remember really enjoying these when they aired on TV. Surprising these kids show mini-series never made it to DVD at least that I'm aware.

Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future: popular kids show at one time, kind of surprising it isn't on DVD.

Dark Skies: arguably an X-Files rip-off, I remember enjoying it at times.

Doomwatch: cool British pro-environmental series from the 70s, would love to see this one.

The Green Hornet: Like Batman, I really wonder why this isn't to my knowledge available? Especially in the wake of a new movie?

Logan's Run: the cheesy late 70s TV series spin-off based on the film of the same title.

M.A.N.T.I.S.: short-lived 90s superhero series starring a black superhero. Remember I enjoyed it when it originally aired.

Space Precinct: an unusual 90s British TV series that mixed the sci-fi and cop genres.

Swamp Thing: superhero show starring Dick Durdock as Swamp Thing.

Time Trax: early 90s light-hearted time travel show from Harve Bennett.

RoboCop: The Series: sure it was cheesy at times but there was a surprisingly level of intelligence underlying this Canadian TV series at times too. I recall enjoying it although it watered down a lot from the original films.

Jack · February 09, 2011, 01:32:19 PM

Quote from: xJaseSFx on February 09, 2011, 10:48:39 AM
Logan's Run: the cheesy late 70s TV series spin-off based on the film of the same title.

I'd definitely buy that if it ever came out. Used to enjoy that as a kid.

The Fantastic Journey, from way back in 1977, is another one. I have memories or really liking it as a kid. It seems almost too obscure to ever get on DVD, as I never hear anyone mention it. Roddy McDowall was in it - that's one of the few things I remember.

According to the IMDb, it was about:

QuoteA scientific expedition in the Atlantic Ocean becomes lost in the Bermuda Triangle and washes up on an uncharted island. They meet up with travelers from other times, planets and dimensions who have also become trapped, and together they "slide" through portals from one dimension to the next hoping to find the one that leads home.