Hmm, oh well. I was worried that I wouldn't like the show as much now that I'm all growed up, but it's still really great entertainment. If I had kids, I'd make them watch it.

Heck, when was the last time there were 4 threads about the Muppets on the first page here?

It is in no way random...The shows are in order of production. Juliette prowse was first January 29 1976, however it did not air until later in the season.

Rita Moreno was the first episode broadcast on 09.20.76. Scooter does not appear. It was Taped May 25-27, 1976 The second to air was Jim Nabors (which introduces scooter) (recorded the week of June 8 1976) The pop up track says Henson didn't want to clog the first episode up with introducing charachters.

Turn on the muppet morsels feature and at the begining of each show it will tell you when it was produced. It will also tell you about certain scenes (like muppet newsman bits) that were produced at a later date, then inserted into the show before its broadcast.

There is a good punishment for older people. Just whenever teenager get in trouble the parents should ground the 18 0 25 yr old and watch nothing but The Muppet Show on DVD

Still doesn't make a whole lotta sense, but I guess you are right.

Some of the episodes are out of place. The Harvey Korman one is one of them I believe. The episode before it and after it have later production dates.

I have watched the first disc so far and even though some episodes are edited, I'm loving it. My favorites episodes so far are the Rita Moreno and Juliet Prowse.

Can't wait till finish the rest of the set.

Bring on Season 2!!!

I got the season 1 set & watched the Rita Moreno & Vincent Price episodes.

The picture quality on the new set is utterly astounding (& I don't even have a kick-ass home theater system). Huge improvement in quality.

I really like the "pop-up" facts feature on the new set. It presents some interesting info.

Original intos are quite cool.

It is depressing about the edits. As an example, I kind of liked Vincent Price's musical number which was on the TL discs, but not the new set. Does anyone have any definitive reason (no guesses or speculation) as to why they went to so much trouble to make these sets, yet include incomplete episodes?

Thumbs up overall for the new set, but, I won't be parting with my 15 TL discs.

Has anybody considered writing Disney to convince them to release future seasons w/no edits?

P.S. The 'stackable' DVD packaging sucks IMHO. Maybe this packaging is cheaper to produce, but it would be nice to have easier 'random access' to the discs instead of one placed behind another.

P.P.S. If song rights were the major issue, I would have been willing to pay slightly more than I did in order to have a definitive box set. This statement should not be viewed as an endorsement for rights-owners to extort much more than is fair from the folks who are trying to put these sets together.

Picked up the fuzzy one today at Sam's for $26.74. The edits are a major downside. At some point I will have to try and get the TL versions as well.

anybody found a list of edits. The only one i have heard mentioned is the vincent price episode.

This was posted earlier in the thread

Music rights raise their ugly head yet again and ruin a DVD (well ruined is the wrong word as this set is excellent, but it does prevent what could have been the perfect box set). There really needs to be a set price paid for all of these music rights. If you allowed your music in a TV show or movie you get paid a set rate for the home video release. All these musicians asking more for one three minute song than the royalties for the entire show are getting out of hand.

I know musicians need to make money, but there has to be some sanity to the system. You either get stuff cut out of the show or you get expensive sets like the SCTV sets. I think I would have rather paid double and got the songs though with the Muppets.

At least there seems to be a valid reason for these edits unlike the Cosby ones. Maybe in the future when all the sets are released, Disney can put all the cut bits on one disc for us diehards. It would probably be an expensive disc to pay for the music rights, but at least we can see the missing scenes if we want to.

BTW, Disney cut the like "What the Hell" from the pitch. That was a pure and simple PC move on their part but not a major edit.

Yeah. I made that post in this thread.

I was the first person here to mention the edits on The Muppet Show, The Cobsy Show, and Roseanne!

Congratulations, you win nothing.

So when it comes to these song rights, I don't understand why there would not be an agreement. If whomever owns the rights to the song doesn't agree for it to be used, then they get no money at all. You'd think some money would be better than no money?

LMAO...what do I win?

How's it going with the packaging, which puts one disc on top of another? Are the discs OK? Are they damaged? Was this packaging designed for looks instead of functionality?

I supposedly won this set a few weeks ago (like a week before the release date) from www.classicsondvd.com but it hasn't shown up yet, and I'm starting to think they must have addressed it incorrectly, or that the prizes were never sent out. Its disappointing, because I've been waiting patiently, hoping it will come, but I feel like I'm missing out and just want to know if they aren't sending it so that I can buy the darned thing.

the packaging is functional. It feels pretty sturdy believe it or not. Stacking disc is never the best idea, but it works alright, I just rotate the disc to the back after they are watched.

Thanks.

Disappointing news about season 2 from the digitalbits, especially since Fraggle Rock season 2 is a go:

Boooooooo.

Perhaps the whole Disney/Pixar thing is the problem?

Well, okay, so i'm hoping. I realize it's stupid to think the influx of people who actually GIVE a damn (Lasseter, et al) will help turn Disney around, but I have the smallest glimmer of hope.

i hope they give the muppets another big push....

i did see kermit on a new Hybrid truck commercial. "It's not easy being green"

I was just thinking about Season 2 on DVD the other day. Not soon enough, but at least it's coming...

I'm thinking music clearance rights blew up on them... Remember some performances were missing from season one. See post #185.

Hopefully since they're delaying the set, they're trying to make sure this one's intact.

fitprod

That's what I was thinking fitprod.

I'm okay with a small delay if it means that we are getting the second season set intact.

Let's hope it's not a case of it being delayed because they have to remove something due to rights...