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Can someone explain the Carol Burnett releases? (1 Viewer)

albert_m2

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My wife loves her, but I don't know if buying the large set makes sense, but I'm confused by the various releases and from looking at a couple of different releases, there appears to be duplication. It's very confusing.
 

BobO'Link

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In general...

The large sets are more comprehensive, usually containing 3 "6 disc collections" in a general theme. They'll also have a few "bonus" discs of interviews, isolated skits, and other behind-the-scenes type material.

The "6 disc" releases are usually the individual "sets" broken out of one of the larger 18+ disc sets.

The 7 and/or 8 disc versions are usually Costco exclusive releases with "bonus" discs that *sometimes* are available separately and sometimes not. I've seen a few in which the "bonus disc" is part of another of the 6 disc releases.

Single disc releases are *almost always* discs broken out of a larger set. Either the mega sets or the smaller 6 disc sets. Most of these carry the *same name* as the larger megaset or 6 disc set from which they were extracted. BUT there are a couple of single disc releases that were WalMart exclusives and carry the same name as a larger set without actually being in that set. Yeah... confusing. Here's one of those WM releases: https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Burnett-Show-Together-Alternate/dp/B00BLXKMSA/ref=cm_cr_dp_asin_lnk

It is possible to purchase some of the "bonus" discs from a larger sets as singles. I believe all of these are from people who purchase the larger sets to break them up and sell items separately for a profit but don't know 100% for sure.

On Amazon, most (all?) of the larger sets have photos showing the individual 6 disc "set" covers. Using those you can determine which of the individual 6 disc sets came from which larger set and reconstruct that set yourself, albeit without the bonus items (booklets, discs, etc.) typically for less than the larger set by waiting for sales or purchasing used.

There's also a reviewer at Amazon (Paul J. Muler) who's very good at breaking down just *what* episodes are in each set. I use those reviews to help make sure I'm not purchasing something I already own. If there's no listing, especially for single disc releases, I'll typically avoid the purchase unless I can verify it came from a larger "mega set" release.
 

albert_m2

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Thank you for the info Bob. Yeah it is confusing. I did see a set for around $100 and not opposed necessarily to it, but even some of the reviews had me confused. I'll investigate further though. Thanks!

And thanks rmw for the Costco idea. Our membership has expired, but some coworker friends are members.
 

Brian Himes

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I'll try and clarify the releases for you so as not to sound too confusing.

Columbia House released 31 volumes (covering seasons 6-11) with two episodes each. All 62 episodes in that collection were complete and uncut. Not all of these 62 episodes were re-released on the Time Life set. In fact the Columbia House set contains 8 episodes that have not been released anywhere else and 8 episodes that are edited on the Time Life set.

Time Life has released two big sets. The first set, The Ultimate Collection (covering seasons 6-11) contained 50 episodes. Some were new to DVD episodes and some previously released episodes. Some episodes that Time Life released were edited. There were some previously released episodes (available on the Columbia House set) that were edited as well. The first two 6 disc sets from this collection has retail releases.

Of the first big Time Life set, there was a Costco edition of the 2nd 6 disc set (This Time Together) that contained a 7th disc with additional episodes. One previously released and one new to DVD episode.

Walmart had a single disc release of This Time Together that contained 3 episodes that were not on the larger Time Life set but all three of these episodes had been previously released on the Columbia House set. The picture quality on this disc is better than the Columbia House versions of the same episodes.

Time Life then released a Christmas With Carol DVD (from seasons 6-11) that contained one previously released episode and one new to DVD episode.

The final Time Life set for seasons 6-11 was the Carol's Crack Ups set. This was a 6 disc set that again had a mixture of previously released and new to DVD episodes. Costco had an 8 disc set and the 7th disc had 2 new to DVD episodes and one previously released episode. The 8th disc was bonus interviews and featurettes (if I remember correctly).

Then Time Life released the large Lost Episodes set covering seasons 1-5. None of these 45 episodes have ever been released before but there are a couple that are edited. No retailer had any exclusive disc sets with additional episodes that were not contained int he larger Lost Episodes set.

The last disc released from Time Life is the Carol's Lost Christmas DVD. This contains 3 previously unreleased episodes but two of them are edited.
 

BobO'Link

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Good info! Thanks Brian! I had most of that figured out but had never bothered to write it down anywhere. It'll come in handy when I go to add another small (aka 6-8 disc) set to my collection.

The Walmart single disc release of "This Time Together" is the one I linked above. As soon as I discovered that one and what it was I placed a order so I'd not forget and lose it...

All this wouldn't be so hard if Time Life wouldn't use the *exact* same photo and title for several very different releases.
 

FanCollector

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It may get more confusing (or lucrative) still. I received a customer survey from Time Life in which they said they are planning more Carol Burnett sets, and sought input about what kind of sets would be most desirable. So the series should be continuing in some fashion from them.
 

Brian Himes

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I hope that they finish seasons 6-11. Those are the ones that I'm most familiar with, but in the end if the do manage to release every episode of the entire series, I certainly wouldn't complain.
 

Mark B

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Time Life is now offering, with either the purchase of the 11 or 23 disc version of The Lost Episodes this 3 unreleased episode bonus Christmas disc:

Show #014, Original Air Date: December 4, 1967

Guest Starring: Barbara Eden, Jonathan Winters

Q&AV.I.P.: Santa ClausCarol and SisBend It!Mrs. Invisible ManThe Wonderful World of PrisonsFinale: Charwoman: I Believed It AllGoodnights

Show #313, Original Air Date: December 15, 1969

Guest Starring: Garry Moore, Durward Kirby

Q&AThe Old FolksFamous Courtroom Trials: Mrs. Peter PiperMake Your Own Kind of MusicTV Toy HuckstersIt’s Not UnusualCarol and SisTo Tell the TruthA Christmas WishSleigh RideDo You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown?Goodnights: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Show #415, Original Air Date: December 14, 1970

Guest Starring: Steve Lawrence, Durward Kirby, Julie Budd

EleganceQ&ALet There Be Peace on Earth/One DayCarol and SisHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas/Where Is Love?The Early Early Show: Goldman’s BoyGoodnights

Kind of a kick in the face for those of us who already have the full Lost Episodes box.
 

Mark Y

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Some time back a user posted a spreadsheet listing the episodes of the Carol Burnett show, which Time-Life, Columbia House and/or Guthy-Renker DVD they were on, whether a show edited by Time-Life was available elsewhere complete, etc.

Now that more shows have been released, an updated version of this would be most welcome. It is indeed very confusing.
 

TJPC

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This is really very stupid! Until there is a complete set, its no go for me. Why are there no complete seasons or one mega set? They seem to do this for almost everything else. I will wait, and since I saw every show in first run, I can afford to. If it never happens so be it.
 

BobO'Link

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While I own most of the individual multi-disc sets (purchased outside those huge things) I tend to agree. I only purchased what I did so I could see full shows after all those decades coupled with my feeling that it'll never see any kind of full season release. I also watched it during first run and, when in HS, would often go home, from my teen cruising, on Saturday night just to watch "The Carol Burnett Show" and then go back cruising.

When I was in broadcasting, a station I worked for ran that chopped up piece of junk "Carol Burnett and Friends." It's a syndicated 30 minute skit show version with all of the musical numbers, the audience chat, etc. edited out. It was horrible that way! The flow was gone, as were the guest interactions, and much of the "heart" of the show.

Variety shows just don't seem to be well done as a whole. Since there've been none on "live TV" for decades it's as if the decision makers have a "Variety shows won't sell as whole seasons." mentality. With the added, often astronomical, costs of music licensing they are pretty much dead out of the gate. As long as "The Carol Burnett Show" aired, I don't know that a complete series box set would be affordable, mostly due to music licensing fees, but also that TL likes to severely overprice product they release. I'd guess a minimum $60 per season should this one ever get a full release. In spite of that, I'd love to see such a release and would do my best to make the purchase.

It's much the same situation for "The Smothers Brothers Show." Another I'd love to see get a full series release. After all, that one's only 3 seasons.

Of course, another 60s variety show, "Laugh-In," actually got that full series treatment long after everyone thought there was no chance of it ever happening, for many of the same reasons I stated for Carol's and the Smothers' shows. So maybe there's hope after all...
 

Dave Lawrence

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Variety shows just don't seem to be well done as a whole. Since there've been none on "live TV" for decades it's as if the decision makers have a "Variety shows won't sell as whole seasons." mentality. With the added, often astronomical, costs of music licensing they are pretty much dead out of the gate. As long as "The Carol Burnett Show" aired, I don't know that a complete series box set would be affordable, mostly due to music licensing fees, but also that TL likes to severely overprice product they release. I'd guess a minimum $60 per season should this one ever get a full release. In spite of that, I'd love to see such a release and would do my best to make the purchase.

It's much the same situation for "The Smothers Brothers Show." Another I'd love to see get a full series release. After all, that one's only 3 seasons.

Of course, another 60s variety show, "Laugh-In," actually got that full series treatment long after everyone thought there was no chance of it ever happening, for many of the same reasons I stated for Carol's and the Smothers' shows. So maybe there's hope after all...

I'm still amazed about Laugh-In getting a complete series set. Too bad it likely won't ever happen with Carol. I have no interest in the Smothers Brothers, but I wish The Flip Wilson Show could get a complete series release similar to Laugh-In, even with a high Time-Life price tag.
 

MartinP.

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I haven't bought any of the Carol Burnett Show releases because a friend of mine has and the idea was that we were going to watch them all together. In order, as much as possible. But in the last two years we've watched very few. So now I'm wondering if I should buy something. It was nice feeling I didn't have to buy all those sets, but would get to see them all anyway!

I may have mentioned it before, when the Carol Burnett Show was first going to premiere in 1967, I was very excited about it, but then found out our local CBS affiliate wasn't going to run it. I have no idea what they aired in that hour instead or why they weren't going to air it. It was 2-3 years before they finally caved in. So I missed the first seasons of it.
 

MartinP.

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I'm still amazed about Laugh-In getting a complete series set. Too bad it likely won't ever happen with Carol. I have no interest in the Smothers Brothers, but I wish The Flip Wilson Show could get a complete series release similar to Laugh-In, even with a high Time-Life price tag.

I, too, am still amazed about the complete series set of Laugh-In. I'm watching the last season, Season 6, once a week now, to stretch it out a bit. After one more episode, there's the Christmas program with Steve Lawrence. I've never seen most of these season 6 episodes, so it's a real treat!

I like Flip WIlson, too, and he was a frequent guest on Laugh-In before he got his own series, which, for some reason, I didn't get to see regularly. I know that Rhino issued a handful of episodes, six or so, from the show maybe 15 years ago or more, but they've been long out of print.

I'd like Season Sets of the Smothers Brothers, or at least a Best of Season 1 set which they never did, only 2 & 3. In those they edited some musical numbers from several episodes, though the guests who sang them were in the credit sequences. It seems they aired the entire series on a cable channel I didn't have in the late 80's or early 90's.

I'm not sure why the Carol Burnett Show releases became so problematic, with episodes released and then released later on with edits, and so many crossover releases that duplicated things. I think someone mentioned once they have the GWTW episode on 6 different releases, or something like that. Yes, where's that spreadsheet?
 

Mark Y

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I, too, am still amazed about the complete series set of Laugh-In. I'm watching the last season, Season 6, once a week now, to stretch it out a bit. After one more episode, there's the Christmas program with Steve Lawrence. I've never seen most of these season 6 episodes, so it's a real treat!

I like Flip WIlson, too, and he was a frequent guest on Laugh-In before he got his own series, which, for some reason, I didn't get to see regularly. I know that Rhino issued a handful of episodes, six or so, from the show maybe 15 years ago or more, but they've been long out of print.

I'd like Season Sets of the Smothers Brothers, or at least a Best of Season 1 set which they never did, only 2 & 3. In those they edited some musical numbers from several episodes, though the guests who sang them were in the credit sequences. It seems they aired the entire series on a cable channel I didn't have in the late 80's or early 90's.

I'm not sure why the Carol Burnett Show releases became so problematic, with episodes released and then released later on with edits, and so many crossover releases that duplicated things. I think someone mentioned once they have the GWTW episode on 6 different releases, or something like that. Yes, where's that spreadsheet?

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/posts/3847779/

See post #126 in this earlier thread.
 

Brian Himes

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I have the spreadsheet with all 11 seasons and what was and was not released. I am not able to post it here because HTF doesn't support excel as an upload file. If you PM me with your email address I can send it to you. The list does not include the Guthy-Renker DVDs because these were exact re-releases of the first 10 volumes of the Columbia House set.
 

Mark Y

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I have the spreadsheet with all 11 seasons and what was and was not released. I am not able to post it here because HTF doesn't support excel as an upload file. If you PM me with your email address I can send it to you. The list does not include the Guthy-Renker DVDs because these were exact re-releases of the first 10 volumes of the Columbia House set.

Thank you. I have the spreadsheet, you must have sent it to me. I have the Guthy-Renker series. It consists of the first 20 volumes plus "Show Stoppers."
 

Brian Himes

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Sorry. I wasn't aware of how many Guthy-Renker releases there were. I do know that they were exactly the same as the Columbia House releases. They did not get the rights to any additional episodes.
 

JohnMor

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Okay, I have finally updated my spreadsheet showing all the releases to date. As before it shows which volume of Time-Life or Columbia House/Guthy Renker an episode appears on and if (in the case of TL) it is edited.

Here are the abbreviations of the various TL sets:

From the Ultimate Collectors' Box Set, each also available individually and in some cases in a variation for specific retailers with exclusive episodes, which are noted on the sheet:
CF = Carol's Favorites
TTT = This Time Together
OMT = One More Time

From the Lost Episodes Collector's Edition Box Set, each also available individually:
TLE = The Lost Episodes
TFTV = Treasures From The Vault
CC = Classic Carol

From the Best of The CB Show 50th Anniversary Box Set:
TBO = The Best of TCBS
TFE = The Final Episode (also available individually)

Not from any box set, available individually
CCU = Carol's Crack-Ups
XMAS = Christmas with Carol
TLE Xmas = Carol's Lost Christmas

Hope this helps sort through the various releases.
 

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