It seems that everything is being released on DVD these days. Not just shows from the 50s and short-lived shows like The Adventures of Brisco County and Profit and many others. But there are many shows you'll never see on TV, because they're too obscure, don't have enough fan base, wouldn't be worth it financially, and/or just don't have any "buzz" to make it worth releasing by the studio. Now, I've been surprised before. I'm still shocked that Riptide made it to DVD. But I'm pretty confident we won't see the five shows below on DVD. Which is a shame, because they're five of my favorites.
In fact, if any of these shows are released on DVD (whole seasons, not an odd episode thrown on another DVD), I'll run naked through Central Park while eating a chicken salad sandwich and singing the theme song from Fame.
1. The Fifth Corner: This spy show was really ahead of its time. It was about a man who wakes up in a bed with a dead woman beside him. He has amnesia, and can't remember who he is, what he does for work, even what food he likes. But people are trying to kill him, and we find out he's a spy. He tries to figure out who he is while staying one step ahead of the bad guys. It starred Alex McArthur, Kim Delaney, and James Coburn. It only lasted two episodes. The third was pre-empted by breaking news on NBC and then the show was never seen again. Which is a pity, because it was quite cool. In this era of Lost and Heroes, I can picture this serial-type mystery show catching on.
There were other episodes filmed, just never shown. If anyone out there worked on the show and has them, let me know.
2. Breakfast Time. Oh, I loved this show. I was even on it a couple of times, but I liked it long before that. It was a live, two hour daytime show that was broadcast from a large apartment in NYC. It was hosted by Tom Bergeron, Laurie Hibberd (aka the wife of Regis and Kelly producer Michael Gelman), and a sarcastic puppet named Bob. The Amazing Race's Phil Keoghan was one of the "Road Warriors," reporters who roamed the country doing live features. This was a very funny, outrageously entertaining show, a real antidote to everything else on in the morning. It's not the type of show they release on DVD, of course, so we'll never see it.
3. Raven. Martial arts expert/ex-spy (Jeffrey Meek) settles in Hawaii to look for his long-lost son, with the help of ex-Navy guy Herman Jablonski (Lee Majors). Of all the shows on this list, it's the show that has a remote possibility of coming out on DVD, because it's fairly recent and they released a CD of the soundtrack. But I still don't think we'll see it.
4. Private Eye. A stylish P.I. drama set in 50s L.A. It starred Michael Woods and Josh Brolin. It was sort of the third in the period piece detective shows that NBC had. Miami Vice was the 80s, Crime Story was the 60s, and Private Eye was the 50s. Really cool show. Theme song by Joe Jackson.
5. Eyes. Oh, you already know what I think about this show.
Giveaways reminder: Office, Eli Stone, Supernatural, South Park
Giveaway Thursday: Tickets to the New York Television Festival ... all of it!
I miss the media-friendly John McCain - VIDEOS
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-22-2006 @ 12:52PM
Joe said...
Gotta agree with you on the list. Breakfast Time was a cool show. But then again, most of FX's original line-up was pretty cool. I remember most of their original shows took place in that same NYC apartment.
I do have to add to your list the CBS sitcom/drama "Brooklyn Bridge" starring Marian Ross. It is one of my favorite shows of all time. But I doubt this show will ever come to DVD.
Not only because there's no buzz about this show. But it featured a lot of music from the 1950's. If they'd ever release it, they'd have to get all the rights to the music, which will probably ve very costly.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 1:52PM
david said...
Some that I would like to see: Spy Game, Buddy Faro, The Destroyer.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 2:31PM
Eric Philbin said...
What, Bob, no mention of "Ed"?
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 2:32PM
Martha Fischer said...
I, too, loved Breakfast Time, particularly when Bob the worm (a concept clearly too wonderfully and demented for morning television, even on cable) started to frighten guests, and they developed the SAVE OUR BOB campaign to keep him on the show.
I also thought very highly of the pet show they filmed in that apartment -- what the hell was that called?
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 2:40PM
Bob Sassone said...
Eric: I think we'll see Ed on DVD some day, once they get the music stuff figured out.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 2:48PM
Dave meader said...
My entry.... "WKRP In Cincinnati". As much as I'd love it, we'll never see it. Music clearance would be a nightmare.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 3:25PM
Allen said...
Wow, Breakfast Time. Almost completely forgot about that show. There were a bunch of other great shows on FX around then....anybody remember them or have any links?
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 3:59PM
Kelsberry Crawdad said...
My Favs were Wonderama and the Original ZOOM.... Now that right there was good TV you will never see on DVD.. and if for some reason it is on DVD.... Someone tell me where to get them.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 4:24PM
Tess Capra said...
*Brooklyn Bridge* is on my list, too, along with two other period pieces, *Homefront,* *Remember WENN* and *State of Grace.* Also, *Nanny and the Professor,* the short-lived NBC sitcom *Grand,* and the excellent ABC news-docu series *Our World.*
Kelsberry Crawdad, there was a VHS release called *Zoom -- Best of the 70s* so there's at least hope for that on DVD.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 4:30PM
Tess Capra said...
Okay, THREE period pieces.
*Breakfast Time* memories: Lauren Bacall smacking down Bergeron for showing a glamour shot that wasn't actually of her, and Charlton Heston talking about sitting behind the woman who would become his wife in a college class and having such a crush on her that all he could do was stare at her hair. Sweet! And no guns involved!
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 5:41PM
Jen said...
I am totally pissed that Thirty Something and Relativity don't seem to be coming to DVD.
Yes, I know I suck.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 6:57PM
adam merkley said...
Breakfast Time was awesome. Not only was TAR's Phil Koegan on it, wasn't Jeff Probst also?
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 7:45PM
Jamie said...
I was extremely disappointed Raven never caught on. Hard to believe it was cancelled for Walker: Texas Ranger all that time ago.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 7:53PM
Diane said...
no mention of Cold Case?
I'm pretty sure it also has music clearance issues (which stuns me on a modern show...)
Kudos on mentioning Breakfast Time, it was also one of my favs.. I adored it, actually taped it for when I got back from work.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 10:04PM
Allison said...
I thought I was the only person who watched "Breakfast Time." It was so different for the morning and so great. I'm still hoping against hope for "Homefront" or "Cupid" to be released on DVD.
Reply
10-22-2006 @ 10:24PM
Mark Rabinowitz said...
My favorite show that'll never be on DVD: Shannon's Deal. Created by John Sayles, scored by Wynton Marsalis, pure genius.
Reply
10-23-2006 @ 12:07PM
TVLover said...
I think I would join you in Central Park if they released Raven...I loved that show!
Reply
10-23-2006 @ 1:15PM
Radioscott said...
Breakfast Time! That's what that was called! Around every third time I see Bergeron, I try to remember what that show was called. I don't think I ever caught it until it moved from FX to Fox, but I loved it. Somebody ought to put these up as a torrent. Didn't they do something crazy on their last show? Like, wreck the set or something?
Reply
10-23-2006 @ 1:40PM
Barry Solow said...
Nichols! James Garner's most brilliant, ahead-of-its-time TV series needs to be on DVD!
Reply
10-23-2006 @ 2:50PM
CiscoKid said...
I'm very SAD FX's 'Lucky' hasn't come out on DVD. (I treasure the Emmy DVD with 4 episodes, but the best episodes weren't there)
And why exactly Fox hasn't put 'Brimstone' and 'Andy Richter controls the universe' in DVD is baffling to me. Worse crap has been released in DVD lately and good shows remain dead.
Reply