THE COSBY SHOW - SEASON 1 [Warning: DVD set uses edited for syndication prints.]

Sitcoms Online ^ | 07/15/05 | Seth Thrasher

[grundle]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/thecosbyshowseason1dvdreview.html

TITLE: THE COSBY SHOW - SEASON 1

Review by Seth Thrasher

07/15/05

I’d like to quote a line from the press release in my hand right now. Had I a scanner, I would scan a copy of this and place an image for your viewing, however, that’s not possible. Anyway, it states: "The discs will feature all original NBC network versions, including the pilot episode, which are approximately two minutes longer than the syndicated versions." Sounds great – with many releases swapping the original airings for edited syndicated versions, it’s great to see a production company outright mentioning that their airings were the original, as-intended, versions.

Unfortunately, there appears to have been a miscommunication/change of plans/deception that occurred between the writers of the press release and the people in charge of the set itself. You see, upon opening the set and playing an episode, to my great surprise, the episode – as well as every subsequent one on the disc, ran between 21:50 and 22:00. Seemed a bit short for “original NBC network versions,” so I timed several season 1 reruns that have been airing on TBS in order to compare runtimes (hence the delay in the review). The runtimes turned out to be the exact same – the DVD version matches, frame by frame, the TBS airing – which use the syndicated prints. In a subsequent e-mail to SitcomsOnline.com DVD Review Director pavanbadal, UrbanWorks DID confirm that the episodes were syndicated prints; however, no explanation was given as of the time this review was posted.

Sets with syndication cuts bother me even more than episodes with music replacements. At least with music replacement, the episode is still there, it just sounds different. With edited episodes, entire sections of episode are lopped off, occasionally causing awkward cuts and strange gaps in the continuity of the episode. However, had UrbanWorks marked the box saying that the episodes were edits, which would have been fine? Wouldn’t have been happy, but it was fine.

What gets my goat – what REALLY gets my goat – is the fact that the press release sent with the set went so far as to promote “original NBC network versions…which are approximately two minutes longer than the syndicated versions,” and then they INCLUDE THE SYNDICATED VERSIONS. It’s not just that the episodes were edited – that’s bad enough. But – for the release sent to all parties connected to the set, including promotion outlets for the set – to say that the episodes were something they obviously aren’t…its outright deception and the person who made the judgment call – on whichever end the problem occurred on – should be ashamed.

The lie aside, syndicated episodes are incomplete, and are amazingly disliked by the entire TV DVD community. While it’s nice to get good-quality, commercial-free, bug-free versions of our favorite shows – fans want their favorite shows COMPLETE. It gets even stranger when you take in to account the set running time published in all reports about the set – 575 minutes. A quick bit of math gets you ~24 minutes (give or take a few seconds). 22 minutes [the runtime of the episodes] times 24 episodes gets you the runtime you see at the top of the review. I thought that, perhaps, the reunion was factored in, however, that gives you 615 minutes.

I don’t know what happened along the way to cause the syndicated episodes to be used, but the fans of this show – many whom have already pre-ordered the set – would appreciate some sort of official explanation (or at least a plausible rationalization). The press release, as well as the published runtime, both at retailers AND ON THE BOX, indicate that the episodes will be NBC airings (the PR directly, the retailers and box based on the runtime and simple math). In addition, the “special features” consists of nothing more than the Cosby retrospective that aired on NBC in 2002, and a trailer for future release of the spin-off. There’s really no content available on the set that’s not available in syndication (the episodes) and eBay or tape trading (the retrospective). So, to market a set with those contents for $50 MSRP is just… sad.

[grundle]

I know that this excellent family sitcom has a lot fans here at Free Republic, and many were plannng to buy this DVD set. So I thought this warning would be useful.

[TommyDale]

I'm just waiting for the series to be posted on the internet for free downloading... (/sarcasm)

[grundle]

Ping!

[Jalapeno]

Can you say "class action suit"? I need to go get my law degree.

[InvisibleChurch]

i thot the term was 'get my goad' ... why is Seth worried about his goat?

[silent_jonny]

I was never a big fan of the Cosby show. The early episodes were the funniest, but as the show progressed it became more and more PC. (Notice that whenever Rudy had friends over it was like a junior Rainbow Coalition--one white kid, one black kid, one Hispanic kid, one Asian kid, etc.)

But I know what you mean about not having the original uncut episodes on the DVD. It's irritating if you're a fan of a series--especially when you're paying 50 bucks a pop for the DVDs.

[jdm]

Due to ongoing customer complaints regarding the set, the company has now agreed to bundle the first season of The Cosby Show with the first season of The Price Is Right, for no additional cost. < \ sarcasm >

[skaterboy]

I brought you in this world and ill take you out!!

I liked the show but as it went on the wife got more and more shrewish and he got more wussy...50/50 is great but when the wife talks to the husband like a 3 year old is lame

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.  

[Huntress]

I liked the show but as it went on the wife got more and more shrewish and he got more wussy.

I agree. After a while, I couldn't stand to watch any scene with Cosby and the Missus anymore. In one show, I remember, she was telling him what to eat.

[Clemenza]

Agree. Loved the first two seasons, but the show jumped the shark when they brought on older sister Sandra and Bill started putting all his pals on the show. I did enjoy the Dizzy Gillespie episodes, however.

I always liked Cos more as a standup comic, particularly back in the days when he was hanging with Hef at the mansion.

[Army Air Corps]

Sometimes, the DVD set can be hit or miss. One of the best sets is the original Start Trek. They use full length prints and they include episode teasers. Married With Children DVD sets are also using full length programmes. I do hate that they have performed a bait and switch with the Cosby Show - that's just wrong.

[Army Air Corps]

"but the show jumped the shark when they brought on older sister Sandra and Bill started putting all his pals on the show."

Also, when the parents introduced all these realtives who were famous jazz musicians. That became ridiculous after a while.

[Xenalyte]

No, "goat" is correct.

To goad someone is to prod him.