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Loved it then, don't love it now

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Loved it then, don't love it now

Old 02-14-05, 11:16 PM
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Loved it then, don't love it now

This is all about TV shows on DVD.

TV shows on DVD is a great thing. One of the best uses of the format, I think. A major reason I broke down and got my first DVD player.

But what happens when you buy an "old fav" and find, much to your horror, you're seeing it seemingly through different eyes?

This question is occuring to me with this week's release of Greatest American Hero. I loved this show when it was on TV and I was younger. But I fear if I buy it, and see it through my grown-up eyes, I'll discover I don't like it anymore.

For instance, I was a huge Knight Rider fan. I still like it, to a point. Part of me still wants to own a black Trans Am. But after getting some of the shows on tape, and the first season on DVD, I find the show's shortcomings are readily apparent.

In the 80s, I would drop anything and do anything I had to do to make sure I never missed an episode. But now, I haven't even watched through the entire first season.

Is it the show? Is it my eyes? Maybe both, I think.

Fortunately there have been shows where the reverse is true. I like them just as much, if not more. Quantum Leap has been one. Miami Vice is turning out to be another.

So, what do you do? Buy and hope you didn't waste your money? Let nostalgia be your guide? Or try to aim for those you think - or hope - will still hold up?
Old 02-14-05, 11:47 PM
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That's a good observation. I went through the same situation with Wonder Woman. I was thrilled when they announced its release. I preordered it from Amazon but I was only able to finish the first ep and some of ep2. I am a lot more selective on purchasing TV shows on DVD now. The good thing is that if you do purchase and don't like it, it's relatively easy to sell or trade it to someone since they hold their value fairly well IMO.
Old 02-15-05, 12:08 AM
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I loved Happy Days when I was a kid. I still enjoy watching episodes from the first season, but everything beyond season one is unwatchable for me now....absolutely cringe worthy.

I loved Green Acres when I was a kid, I can't even watch it now.
Old 02-15-05, 12:19 AM
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I was disappointed with the Alf Season One release. It was one of my guilty pleasures when it originally aired, but the DVD release gave us the edited syndicated versions.
Old 02-15-05, 12:24 AM
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The Ben Stiller Show was disappointing from what I had remembered. Didn't like it nearly as much once I got it on DVD.
I loved Knight Rider, but have not picked it up because I'm sure it won't be as good as I remember - also, I'm probably going to skip Greatest American Hero even though I never missed an episode as a kid...
Old 02-15-05, 07:51 AM
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Lost in Space for me. I was SO excited about the release and then when I finally got it home, I could only get through the 1st & 2nd episodes and had to stop sometime during the 3rd because I was so bored and disappointed. The experience has put me off buying Murphy Brown and I fear the upcoming release of Dynasty for the same reason.

I guess some shows should just be remembered "as they were."
Old 02-15-05, 08:02 AM
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Yep, several shows I bought for nostalgia don't cut it anymore:

Knight Rider
The Jeffersons
Charlie's Angels

But there are also some that seem better now:

Good Times
What's Happening
21 Jump Street
Sledge Hammer!
Old 02-15-05, 08:55 AM
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I had the same concerns when I bought Miami Vice. I have yet to find time to watch it and from the reviews I will probably be glad I got it. But still in the back of my mind was that little bit of doubt.
Old 02-15-05, 08:56 AM
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Really about the only show that I worshipped as a kid that I just can't even trudge through anymore is "V"; the two miniseries are still fine, but the TV show...well, damn, that's all I can say...
Old 02-15-05, 09:00 AM
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The ones that immediately come to mind are Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers.
Old 02-15-05, 09:04 AM
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i'd suggest ordering one of those "deja vu" type channels.. i've done that and watch these older shows before deciding to purcahse...


i would have bought night rider & a-team to name a few.. but after a few episodes they're so cheesy in a way i'm sort of glad i did'nt buy them
Old 02-15-05, 09:12 AM
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Rent first. Or join Netflix/Blockbuster. I watch whole seasons using my Blockbuster online account.
Old 02-15-05, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Kris81
i'd suggest ordering one of those "deja vu" type channels.. i've done that and watch these older shows before deciding to purcahse...


i would have bought night rider & a-team to name a few.. but after a few episodes they're so cheesy in a way i'm sort of glad i did'nt buy them
A-Team was another old fav that I didn't buy on DVD when it came out. I almost regret it, since it was lowest priced on release week and am hoping there might be a deal on Season 1 when S2 comes out.

But for me, A-Team and Knight Rider both often suffer from the same problem. Some random person needs help, and the "hero" - Michael Knight or the A-Team - helps them, and then they go away never to be seen again. And the formula repeats show after show. I now tend to find shows like that rather boring.

The "loved it then, don't live it now" could apply to movies, too. For instance, I love the Karate Kid movies (1-3). But all that high school angst crap in the first is a bit boring, silly and goofy when you're 33. That's why I think I like KK2 better, because it shed all that high school stuff.
Old 02-15-05, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Kris81
i'd suggest ordering one of those "deja vu" type channels.. i've done that and watch these older shows before deciding to purcahse...


i would have bought night rider & a-team to name a few.. but after a few episodes they're so cheesy in a way i'm sort of glad i did'nt buy them
That's the way to do it. Watch them on TV to satisfy the nostalgia factor, then if you still think it has re-watchability you can buy it. I have found that most shows don't hold up well. I remember thinking Family Ties was a good show when it was on, but seeing it in reruns--ugh. Also, as someone mentioned, only the first season of Happy Days was any good. I would say the same thing about Taxi - the first one or two seasons were pretty good, but I think the writers run out of ideas pretty quickly. That's probably why a lot of the older British TV series hold up well - they only make them until they are out of ideas. I couldn't believe there were only 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers, but they are all good. I have only watched 3 episodes of my Millennium Season 1, but so far they seem better than anything that I watch currently on TV.
Old 02-15-05, 09:41 AM
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Agreed. For precisely that reason, unless I can get an amazing price, I stick to rentals.
Sometimes things are better left as nostalgia. There are some I'd like to pick up, not so much for me, but so that I can try to pass that feeling I had when first seeing some of these programs, on to my son [I wish I had picked up on those Muppets deals, for instance.]
A lot of my tv-on-dvd purchases have been either blind buys due to price [Buffy, Millenium] or availability [anime], or a desire to watch the whole show when I've previously only caught a few episodes [Freaks and Geeks].

And some series have excellent *episodes*, but the series as a whole may not be worth a purchase [I've loved certain eps of Taxi, especially the one where Jim spends all his O-T money on TV's; actually most of the Jim-centric eps are very good, iirc; but I wouldn't buy the whole series].
Old 02-15-05, 10:12 AM
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Made me think of another issue, dtcarson.

Some shows are great at the start and then fade. Others take a while to find their groove, or make major changes mid-way through their run.

But they are released in season order. So what do you do? Buy the first season only, just to have a taste of it in your collection? Wait for what you know - or think - are the better seasons? Or buy them all?

I gotta admit cheap prices help. It's easy for me to buy anything under $40 that I think I'll like or remember fondly - such as Knight Rider and Quantum Leap on release week, Hunter, Miami Vice.

But I kinda wish there were more compilation releases, collections of "best" episodes. I won't be buying it, but they did that with Mad About You. Of course, the problem with that is deciding what are the best episodes.
Old 02-15-05, 10:34 AM
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the only show i can say i truly enjoy more now is growing pains.

i watched that religiously as a tiny tot... now when i watch it i get all of the subtle adult jokes... it definately is one of my favourites...
Old 02-15-05, 10:35 AM
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Yep...I'd rather have the full season, because if it's a 'best of', invariably they're not my best of. And most series [at least the ones I buy] are pretty reasonably priced.
I guess I'm lucky, the only multi-season American show I've been buying is the Simpsons, and every season has got enough good eps to make it worth while. [I wanted to get Futurama, but Cartoon Network overplayed them so I don't full the urge. I did get S4 for Christmas though.]
I generally want to buy 'everything' if I get into a series, but because that gets expensive, I've been renting more.

I'm hesitant to support the 'best of' concept, simply because in general I prefer to have the entire season available.
The 'sampler dvds' which one company is doing is a possible way to get the best of both worlds, especially if there's a season-set rebate/upgrade discount available.
Old 02-15-05, 10:56 AM
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For me, Lost In Space and Battlestar Galactica. Enjoyed both of these shows as a kid, but as an adult they just don't hold their appeal. Will probably try to trade or sell these box sets.
Old 02-15-05, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Flynn
The Ben Stiller Show was disappointing from what I had remembered. Didn't like it nearly as much once I got it on DVD.
I'm pretty particular about what I buy as far as TV on DVD, but Ben Stiller for me as well. I still liked it, but not as much as I thought I would. At least it wasn't all that expensive, so not much was risked. However, another Fox show from the same period I still get huge laughs out of (and hope to be able to get more of someday) is "Get a Life."

The ironic thing is, some series' I bought as much to share with my growing kids as myself. I figured some of these shows I thought are great they would really like as well, since we tend to enjoy the same shows (at least comedy-wise) that air today. But on many I get shrugs even though I still think they hold up terrifically well (example: Space Ghost). But Ben Stiller they watched over and over and over. Go figure.
Old 02-15-05, 12:12 PM
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Actually I come across this in movies as well. Its quite a let down, but I guess that what happens when you get older.
Old 02-15-05, 12:52 PM
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I try not to buy movies or TV Shows based purely on nostalgia, mostly I just end up disappointed.
Old 02-15-05, 01:03 PM
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I enjoy the Simpsons and I enjoy Seinfeld. But they're both on TV so much, I can't justify buying them on DVD. I also generally have a problem with buying half hour shows and sitcoms on DVD. The only one I've got like that is South Park S1, which I got with gift cash.

I enjoyed Night Court when it was one, but being a half hour sitcom, it probably won't meet my "buy" standard.
Old 02-15-05, 03:18 PM
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Loving shows as a kid and afraid of hating them as an adult has kept me from purchasing "Dukes of Hazzard," "A-Team," "The Greatest American Hero," "Wonder Woman," "Happy Days," "Laverne and Shirley," and when it comes out, "Hogans Heroes."

Altimus Prime, i've never really understood people not owning DVDs because they can watch the show in syndication everyday -- edited, with commercials, studio bugs and lower third promos. No thanks. I'll take DVDs anyday.
Old 02-15-05, 03:25 PM
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I never missed QUANTUM LEAP or LOIS AND CLARK during their network runs, but I don't care a bit about seeing them again.

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