Time Life rules, they put a lot of car einto their releases. While the price tag is a little high, it's well worth it for the content. They do offer an installment plan of $50 a month for 5 months and they don't wait for the 5th sinstallment before shipping.
This is sounding very good, although I have series 1 & 2 on DVD already and I prefer The Bionic Woman. I wonder what the shipping will be to the UK.
As far as I know, Time Life don't take orders outside of the U.S. That was the case for The Man From UNCLE set, unless their policy has changed since then.
Since we first posted the press release a week-and-a-half ago, with Time-Life's official announced of The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series on DVD, we've had a number of questions from fans asking for additional details about the set. We answered some of them right away (the next day!), but other inquiries have continued to come up. Our thanks to Time-Life for being so co-operative and answering as many of these as possible!
One frequent question we've gotten from fans has to do with the specs on this 40-DVD release: the video and audio formats, and whether there is any support for fans who might be deaf or otherwise hearing impaired. The answer to the last question is YES! Time-Life informs us that we can expect English SDH subtitles to be present on all of the episodes, the pilot movies, the reunion movies, and even the bonus syndicated versions of the reunion movies. Also, all of the original content on this set is shown as originally broadcast, with 1.33:1 "full frame" video, and English mono sound...just like we all would remember it. That's great to know, and we've already updated our release listing for the title with this info.
Also, there have been some questions about the formal "due date" of this title. The press release said November 23rd, and if you go to order it from Time-Life's USA site or Canadian site, it shows the same availability date. However, some fans have reported seeing other dates, in various places and at different times. We've been told that people have seen November 4th, and November 15th as well. We asked Time-Life about this discrepancy, and the reply is that the OFFICIAL date for this title will continue to be November 23rd. However, as they have done with their previous DVD releases of this nature, Time-Life will endeavor to begin shipping the finished product the moment it reaches their warehouse. So if it arrives one, two or even three weeks earlier than the official schedule suggests it will, then the studio will naturally begin shipping it out immediately to the fans who pre-ordered it. However, no matter what else you see anywhere, the title should not be considered "late" unless it ships to you after November 23rd.
One really terrific question I received about this release was from one of my regular industry contacts, a great person to talk with who is extraordinarily knowledgeable about classic television. My friend reminded me that the second and third pilot telefilms each had a VERY different opening and closing title sequence than fans are used to from seeing in the regular run program. Instead of opening with "a man barely alive", we instead got a "Six Million Dollar Man" theme song with vocals sung by Dusty Springfield (whose career includes hit songs like "I Only Want to Be With You" and "Son of a Preacher Man"). The theme song on these was written by none other than Glen A. Larson (Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., Switch and so many more), and Stu Phillips (music composer for many of Larson's shows, and others as well) did the arrangement. Honestly, not everybody remembers this music fondly. But will it be on the DVDs for "Wine, Women and War" and "Solid Gold Kidnapping", where they belong? Time-Life tells us YES, it's in there...just as originally broadcast.
However, is there anything fans would like that's NOT in there, such a huge collection? Unfortunately, the answer to that is also "yes". We've been asked by several fans about whether this Six Million Dollar Man set will include the various promos, bumpers, next-on trailers, and so forth. We were told that these are actually owned elsewhere other than NBC/Universal, and so weren't part of the license granted to Time-Life. And while Time-Life looked into the situation, ultimately these were unable to be included on their upcoming DVD release due to clearance issues.
Finally today, fans have wanted to get an even better look at the packaging of the 40-disc set of The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series. Time-Life is still putting the finishing touches on the design of the outer box, so we don't have a close-up image of that for you yet. But in the meantime we've got an Animated GIF image simulating the lenticular portion of the outer box, with Col. Austin running right at you. And we have close-ups of the "inner" cases, which hold the discs. Below you'll see one for each season, plus the one that holds the bonus DVDs with all of Time-Life's in-depth extras (including show star Lee Majors). Bear in mind, please, that those bonus discs are NOT guaranteed to be available at general retail, when Universal starts selling these as season sets in a year (or more). So don't dawdle if you're a big fan of this show: make sure you pre-order your copy, even if you use the "pay in easy installments" plan (which knocks the cost down below $50 per installment...it's like paying under fifty dollars per season, eh?).
One frequent question we've gotten from fans has to do with the specs on this 40-DVD release: the video and audio formats, and whether there is any support for fans who might be deaf or otherwise hearing impaired. The answer to the last question is YES! Time-Life informs us that we can expect English SDH subtitles to be present on all of the episodes, the pilot movies, the reunion movies, and even the bonus syndicated versions of the reunion movies. [CORRECTION (9/26): the now struck-out line should read "even the bonus syndicated versions of the three pilot movies (in their reconfigured/ expanded format)", as there were not any syndicated versions of the reunion films; we regret any confusion!] Also, all of the original content on this set is shown as originally broadcast, with 1.33:1 "full frame" video, and English mono sound...just like we all would remember it. That's great to know, and we've already updated our release listing for the title with this info.
I got to meet Mr. Majors at a NY con on Friday. $60 for his signature! Usually I would pass but, it's his first con and I'm a big fan, plus I had already paid to get into the show so, one grins and bears it. What I didn't bear was the cost of a photo with him. $70 for which you get the photo taken by a pro and printed out then and there. I'm hoping that many fans stayed away from the photo "deal" so that maybe they'll do away with that whole mess for future shows.
The Six Million Dollar Man - 'Welcome Home, Jaime': Will it have Correct Titles on the DVDs After All? An unexpected discovery during DVD research, confirmed by The Bionic Woman's creator, says 'YES'!Posted by David Lambert 10/08/2010
You know, it's funny how the memory plays tricks on you after almost 35 years. Even when it's the "group memory" of the too-many-to-count fans of The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. Before the upcoming DVDs were ever announced (or even possible), passionate fans often talked about what the ultimate fan-friendly releases OUGHT to include. One of the most-wanted items was in regard to the cross-over episodes where Steve visited Jaime's program, and Jaime would visit Steve's. For The Bionic Woman, the biggest key cross-overs have always been the ones involving her spin-off show's creation as part of The Six Million Dollar Man. One of the main memories fans have had in those discussions was that the 2-part episode which kicked off Lindsay Wagner's series, "Welcome Home, Jaimie", was split between the two programs. The recollection was that Part 1 aired as a Six Million Dollar Man episode, and Part 2 aired as the first-ever regular episode of The Bionic Woman. And indeed, that was the plan...at least for a while.
However, as part of the research and investigation for the upcoming DVD release of Time-Life's The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series (as well as Universal's The Bionic Woman - Season 1), Time-Life's team of consultants have uncovered evidence that perhaps we've all misremembered how that original plan changed at the last minute. And that it wasn't even the original plan, either! The SMDM DVD's Chief Creative Consultant, Matt Hankinson with Consultants Brendan Slattery and Rod De Luca were doing research, and De Luca discovered a "TV Review" in the January 14, 1976 issue of the L.A. Times which nicely sums up the results of what they found. This review of "Welcome Home, Jaime - Part 1" was written by Times staff writer Aleene MacMinn, and appeared on a page that also included an ABC TV ad for the "New Show" which would begin airing that night, as well as a prime time TV schedule which highlighted the new series. But MacMinn's write-up, "The Leap Year of Bionic Lib", specifically states in the second paragraph that "It's a two-part story (originally scheduled to kick off last Sunday on Six Million Dollar Man, but delayed until tonight...". The write-up continues later by saying "Tonight's opening half of 'Welcome Home, Jaime' is devoted to restoring the memory of the Bionic Woman (she was once given up for dead, but was revived only to suffer amnesia)..."; this is VERY clear as to what occurred with the show's airing schedule. A bit later, MacMinn speaks about "...the conclusion (to be seen next Wednesday...", pointing out that "Welcome Home, Jaimie - Part 2" would air on January 21, 1976.
And, indeed, that's what happened, according to the man who is by all means the expert on The Bionic Woman: show creator Kenneth Johnson. Hankinson spoke with Johnson about this issue, and Kenny confirms that each part of "Welcome Home, Jaime" were written and produced with every intention of airing them both as episodes of The Bionic Woman, and that "Part 1" was produced with on-screen credits for The Bionic Woman. Kenny recalls that the executives, recalling how huge the ratings were for ABC when Sommers appeared on Austin's show, had decided to do the "split-series" introduction for the spin-off. They even went so far as to issue press releases and ads about it, and they had Six Million Dollar Man on-screen credits created for "Welcome Home, Jaime - Part 1". And we surmise that footage of those credits may possibly have leaked out over the years, reinforcing the belief that the new series did indeed get broadcast that way. But no, Johnson says it didn't happen. In a last-minute reversal, the original plan to air both parts of "Welcome Home, Jaime" strictly as episodes of The Bionic Woman was instead executed, and that's what did indeed make it to the airwaves. In fact, Hankinson and his team ran across documentation which demonstrates how the third-ever hour of The Bionic Woman, an episode titled "Angel of Mercy", had to be bumped from 1/21 to 1/28 in order to accommodate the premiere's change-up. If you would like to, you'll be able to ask Kenny Johnson about this for yourself at Kenny's online HTF chat this coming Monday night.
The reason we bring all of this history up here is simple: because the official Time-Life press release announcing The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series had a note from the producers, which said this: "Despite best efforts, Time Life was unable to locate the original master for 'Welcome Home, Jaime - Part 1,' therefore, the syndicated version appears on these DVDs". In effect, that they were providing the "wrong" version of the episode, with The Bionic Woman credits before and after, instead of the Six Million Dollar Man credits which everyone was thinking it ought to have. That was the belief at the time that press release was assembled, a bit over a month ago. We even mentioned in one report about Time-Life's extensive efforts to locate the "correct" version of "WH,J - P1" to no avail (the reason they were unsuccessful is pretty obvious at this point!). Now, since the team behind these Time-Life DVDs have discovered that this "syndicated version" thing truly isn't the case, and that the episode will be on the DVDs EXACTLY as broadcast, Time-Life is adjusting their liner notes on the upcoming DVD set. The key will be this line: Although many believed that "Welcome Home Jamie - Part I" was originally intended to air as an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man on January 11, 1976, research for the DVD release revealed that the episode most likely aired as the premiere episode of The Bionic Woman instead, on January 14, 1976. This wording has been shared with (and agreed upon, we understand) with Universal Studios Home Entertainment, but unfortunately it's too late in the production process for Universal's The Bionic Woman - Season 1 DVDs to undergo any changes, since they are already moving in the direction of the stores for a street date of October 19th. However, Time-Life has a little more time on their hands, and will be able to include this liner notes change on their November 23rd release of The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series.
In the grand scheme of things, this fact is probably more important to the history of the show, than it truly is to the DVD release. And we thank Matt, Rod and Brandon for their extensive (nay, heroic!) efforts in uncovering this info; for simply setting the record straight. Some out there might think that this isn't truly "DVD news", and might wonder why we're reporting on it here. But we felt that it was appropriate for us to clear up any discrepancies or contradictions between the press release WE relayed to the fans of these shows on our website, and what Time-Life ends up putting on the DVD release's liner notes. Because the very last thing we want is for our readers to be confused, after all. So we decided that if this confusion could, even the slightest bit, get in the way of fans enjoying these long-sought-after DVDs, then we owed it to our readers to clear up the mystery in advance. So we hope this helps!
One final bit of possible help for you: we have confirmed from Time-Life that we've been correct in passing on that there will be NO release of The Six Million Dollar Man on DVD to retail stores, either in season sets or as The Complete Series, until at least a year from now: October 2011. Until then, it's only available from Time-Life's USA website or Canadian website. Don't be late to the Bionic party, OR possibly miss out on 5 DVDs worth of bonus material - including interviews with Lee Majors - which are not in any way guaranteed to be available at retail later on. They might be, but again there is no guarantee. We don't want any Major(s) fans to miss out!
A week ago we reported further on this month's release of The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series 40-DVD set. In that story we mainly brought you new pictures of the packaging, and video clips previewing the release. But we also had this to say about the studio's official release date: "it's STILL November 23rd, and your order definitely shouldn't be considered late until after that time. However, it IS looking better and better for the set to possibly begin shipping a tad early, and that folks could indeed receive them before the stated date. This is probably the last time we'll talk about that here, though; if it happens, it happens and we'll all just enjoy them sooner rather than later!"
Well, we said at the time that we weren't going to post news ONLY to say that the sets are shipping. And we assure you, we're not posting just to say that. But we have indeed learned that the sets are beginning to ship early, to the people who pre-ordered this title in the USA and Canada. Since the package IS shipping early, and are starting to travel on the way to customers, we wanted to waste no time in passing along this important piece of information we just found out today! Customers will want to know this immediately, before you actually receive your collection and find out that one of the extras mentioned in the studio's official press release last September is a no-show. Here is Time Life's statement about the matter:
Unfortunately, clearance issues prevented us from including the previously-announced blooper reel as a bonus feature of our The Six Million Dollar Man - The Complete Series release. We regret the omission, but are confident you will be more than satisfied with the unprecedented amount of bonus content (over 17 hours!) that is part of the release.
It's regrettable that this information wasn't available to us sooner; we've passed it along the same day we found out. However, the studio's statement is dead-on: there ARE still many, many wonderful goodies on this massive set, and it's difficult for us to criticize Time Life, considering all of the massive amount of work their team has putting into this release...a true dream-come-true for fans in so many ways! The bloopers having to come out of the collection is unfortunate, but we certainly have lots of other bonus items to enjoy! I know I can't wait to get my copy, and we're sure you'll feel the same.
I received mine yesterday, a mere two days after placing my order. Time Life's service is incredible, but this set is even more impressive. This is exactly the way classic TV should be released. The box itself is sturdy and a great conversation piece. The lenticular cover shows Steve Austin running in slow lo, and when you open it, a portion of the series opening narration greets you. Then comes to good stuff; 5 thick box sets, the spines of which form an image of Lee Majors from the opening credits when you see them together. A 6th, thin volume has the bonus features, but don't let the slender case fool you. It's jam packed with 5 DVDs containing the reunion movies, the syndicated cuts of the pilot films and hours of interviews and recollections.
The episodes themselves look great. They've been restored to pristine condition, and placed in airdate order. For years, during the limbo years of "no Six Mil DVDs for you", I would mentally construct my dream DVD release of the series. It went like this: original versions of the pilots, the episodes and all crossovers with the Bionic Woman, with credits restored to their original configuration and BW episodes placed after the Six Mil episodes in the running order. I figured, this would never happen, but what's wrong with dreaming, right? Ha, it came true and more!
This is an epic TV series release and one fitting such a classic show. I don't know if the series had any impact outside the US, but here it was a cultural icon and it remains a fond memory to many people. Yeah, it's cheesy as hell. Lee Majors was never a great actor, the slo-mo running and loud sound effects are really dated, along with the fashions and guest stars (Sonny Bono! Flip Wilson! Rodney Allen Rippy!), and, of course, Bigfoot. The series was a product of its time, but it retains a charm that keeps it enjoyable to many, young and old. And speaking of old, when you see the cast and producers, you'll be reminded how much time has really passed. Lee Majors, Richard Anderson and Lindsay Wagner all look good (especially Wagner), and it's hysterical how Majors remembers things (I really think he believes he came up with all the good ideas). Also Harve Bennett, looking his age, is always interesting, but Ken Johnson actually looks 30 years younger than he is. As usually, he has a lot of information to pass on, but his memory is faulty in one very important aspect, one which makes me chuckle. For all the little bits and pieces he remembers, it's a bit of a shock to see how he things the Bionic Woman episode is the first two part episode in series television(!). I hope someone let him know that multi-part shows were on American TV for decades before, such as in The Untouchables, One Step Beyond, Have Gun Will Travel, even comedies like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie had multi-part episodes. If you want to count it, The Adventures of Superman split the theatrical feature "Superman and the Mole Men" into 2 parts and edited into the series as an episode. These interviews are still very informative in both information and in how the human memory works.
Long story less long, this is the release Six Million Dollar Man fans have been waiting for. It's only available thru Time Life until October of 2011, but the upshot is that you can pay in 4 monthly installments. That takes some of the sting out of the purchase price. But believe me, it's worth every penny.
Sad part is, it was an extremely well written part, with a lot of pathos. Before he even opens his mouth, that damned ratty toupee takes me out of the episode. A lot of his work is actually good, but when he gets to the "talking in the kid's voice" portion, it all goes straight to hell. He does good "obsession" and building hysteria. I also give them credit for not providing him with super strength for a climactic bionic fight. The series was still a little restrained at this point.
God help you, though, if you were a friend of Steve Austin. His buddies got the shit end of the stick all the time. Fred Sloan got off easy in Day of the Robot.
As I proceed through this set into the second season, Mike Farrell as a flipped out scientist snarling like Bigfoot with enhanced power, just a year before he ended up on MASH offers another bit of unitentional hilarity.
Not to mention Monte Markham's first episode as the "Seven Million Dollar Man" where his character name is "Barney Miller." The second time he appeared they had to quietly change the name to "Barney HILLER" and hope no one remembered the earlier version.
>Can you please check out the picture quality of the two bionic woman related episodes? >Universal messed up the prints in "The Bionic Woman" DVD sets. > >"The Bionic Woman, Part 1 and 2" (season 2) >"The Return of the Bionic Woman, Part 1 and 2" (season 3) > > > >I am refering to the R1 set of "The Bionic Woman" season 1 released in October 2010. >The bonus disc contains two-parter episodes from "The Six Million Dollar Man" and Universal messes up the picture quality. >So I want to know if TimeLife has respected the integrity of the picture.
As I proceed through this set into the second season, Mike Farrell as a flipped out scientist snarling like Bigfoot with enhanced power, just a year before he ended up on MASH offers another bit of unitentional hilarity.
I like this one, it's got some cool bionic fights. It's never as much fun when Steve is just tossing around regular people, bending iron bars, or running. Endlessly running. Especially in later seasons when he's just jogging in slo-mo... There's a great "stunt double cover up" in The Pioneers: when Mike Farrell uses a log or something to shove Steve into the lake, the stunt guy was really obvious, but they tried to mask it with an optical zoom. Because a manual zoom was also being used, the picture kind of zooms in and out, making the close up a little too close. It looks terrible.
Not to mention Monte Markham's first episode as the "Seven Million Dollar Man" where his character name is "Barney Miller." The second time he appeared they had to quietly change the name to "Barney HILLER" and hope no one remembered the earlier version.
But what a great episode. This is my all-time favrotie of the series, with two hours of material packed into one lean hour. Markham is great and the scene where he gleefully beats the crap out of the plutonium thieves is outstanding. The stunts are perfectly performed and Oliver Nelson's score is incredible. Altho there must have been some severe OSI budget cuts if Oscar, the head of the organization, is making dispatcher typle calls to update his men in the field. Sometimes it seemed like the OSI consisted of Oscar, Rudy, Steve, Jaime, and a dozen random agents.
