McMillan & Wife complete series question (2 Viewers)

[Nelson Au]

Howie, it’s worth a lot! Thank you for the information. I feel better now knowing your set has individual disc cases that were also sealed inside the box.

 

[BobO'Link]

The box is quite nice. It's a heavy/thick paperboard box with a flip-top type lid. Very sturdy. Biggest issue is it doesn't fit a shelf very well due to design but that's a minor thing. Before I put my media in totes for library/storage use I flipped the box on its side to fit the media shelves. Either way you have to take the box out/off to get a season out so...

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey Howie, from the seller photos on eBay, the box does look big!

 

[JoeDoakes]

I am.

Though one should be aware that VEI has lousy quality control on their disc manufacturing, especially their dvd sets released over 2012-2015. One should immediately check all the discs for manufacturing defects, either using a computer or actually watching through all the episodes before the amazon return/exchange time period has expired.

Let's see. 30 day return window. 240 episodes?

 

[jcroy]

Let's see. 30 day return window. 240 episodes?

VEI's disc quality control got better over the past four years or so. Not as many problems with their more recently released sets, such as all those Stephen J. Cannell re-released sets over the past year or two.

 

[AlohaTiger]

I think you misunderstood... the 21 disc set does *not* include Snoop Sisters. However, that series *is* available separately for ~$20. The set that includes *both* McMillan & Wife and Snoop Sisters is 24 discs and currently selling for ~$20 more than the separate 21 disc McMillan & Wife set with the Snoop Sisters purchased separately. *Both* the 21 disc set and 24 disc set are OOP. The 24 disc set is coming from Amazon *or* MP vendors and VEI appears to be doing a close out of the few 21 disc sets they still have in stock (all other vendors of that one want quite a bit more than VEI's price, even with the added shipping - VEI also isn't offering the 21 disc set on their site - just the 12 disc version). The only set still in print is the 12 disc set which has higher compression and more episodes/disc - an inferior product all around.

When I made my purchase the 24 disc set that includes both series was the only thing available (I paid $43 for it at that time - a very good bargain).

I’ve had both the reduced and full sets (at the same time) of VEI shows The Mod Squad , McMillan & Wife, & In Search Of…

There was no difference in PQ even though the compression was higher in the reduced disc sets.
I tested them side by side with two of the same 32 inch LED tv’s and 2 of the same Sony Blu Ray players (I have 2 of them, one for backup)

VEI’s replicating plant must use some new methods to enable this as I was very surprised by this

 

[AlohaTiger]

VEI's disc quality control got better over the past four years or so. Not as many problems with their more recently released sets, such as all those Stephen J. Cannell re-released sets over the past year or two.

This is what I have found out also in my experience.

 

[Dan McW]

In the Columbo Blu release thread, it is mentioned that VEI's McMillan & Wife releases include the Mancini theme and Mystery Movie opening on some episodes. I watched the whole series courtesy of VEI, but I think I had separate releases for seasons one and two and then bought the complete-series set for the rest (then sold off the separate releases of the first two seasons).

I don't remember the MM opening on them. Can anyone specify which episodes have it? I haven't watched seasons one and two on the full set yet--I wonder if the full set added the MM opening to some of those early episodes while the separate sets that I got rid of didn't have it.

 

[OttoIsHere]

In the Columbo Blu release thread, it is mentioned that VEI's McMillan & Wife releases include the Mancini theme and Mystery Movie opening on some episodes. I watched the whole series courtesy of VEI, but I think I had separate releases for seasons one and two and then bought the complete-series set for the rest (then sold off the separate releases of the first two seasons).

I don't remember the MM opening on them. Can anyone specify which episodes have it? I haven't watched seasons one and two on the full set yet--I wonder if the full set added the MM opening to some of those early episodes while the separate sets that I got rid of didn't have it.

Longtime lurker, first time poster, but I felt this was a good thread for me to finally register and jump in as I really enjoy this forum. I also really enjoy Universal TV productions from the late 60's/early 70's (among other interests obviously) so I thought I could be helpful here, especially as McMillan & Wife is one of my favorites from this era.

I've had VEI's 24-disc release box set of McMillan & Wife (which includes The Snoop Sisters) for a few years and actually went through it recently to ensure all the discs were in working order (and fortunately they all were).

The Mystery Movie theme introduction, which is one minute long (the file is 1:02 to be exact) first appears on the Season 3 discs and is included as an intro on every episode after that all the way through Season 6 (the final season, which at that point is called just "McMillan" after Susan Saint James left the show after Season 5).

VEI used the same Mystery Movie introduction for these four seasons 3-6, but really the opening only applies to seasons 2 & 3. The montage order in the opening is for McMillan & Wife, Columbo, Hec Ramsey, and McCloud, and then at the end an announcer says "Tonight starring Rock Hudson & Susan St. James as "McMillan & Wife", but Hec Ramsey was only part of the Sunday night wheel for two seasons from Fall 1972 to Spring 1974, concurrent with seasons 2 & 3 of McMillan and Wife. VEI missed adding it to the season 2 episodes, and then just kept recycling it starting with season 3 (where it was appropriate).

 

[OttoIsHere]

In re to my post above, this is the Mystery Movie theme used for the McMillan & Wife DVD's (found on YouTube, not my video).

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks for finding and the sharing the YouTube video of the NBC Mystery Movie theme. I remember the tune! But I had not recalled how it worked. So it’s the overall titles for the movies, but when the actual McMillan and Wife or Columbo movie starts, it has its own titles like we see on the complete series sets.

 

[OttoIsHere]

Thanks for finding and the sharing the YouTube video of the NBC Mystery Movie theme. I remember the tune! But I had not recalled how it worked. So it’s the overall titles for the movies, but when the actual McMillan and Wife or Columbo movie starts, it has its own titles like we see on the complete series sets.

You're welcome. So yes, the intro shows, for a particular season, the shows appearing in the Mystery Movie wheel, and then we roll into the particular show for that evening which has its own titles.

I found another one, this theme would have been for the 1976-1977 season as it includes Quincy (the first season of that show when it started out as part of the wheel before becoming a one hour weekly show) and McMillan (the last season after Susan Saint James departed). On this one the announcer lets us know that Columbo will be coming up:

 

[ponset]

 

[Nelson Au]

My copy of the 24 disc complete series set arrived today. The outer box has a few dings, but the each season set inside the box are still shrink wrapped. So now I can start to mix it up with Columbo. Perhaps McCloud is next. And then Quincy.

 

[AlohaTiger]

That’s one of my favorite box sets bc of the San Fran bridge skyline at night , Just beautiful.

 

[bmasters9]

My copy of the 24 disc complete series set arrived today. The outer box has a few dings, but the each season set inside the box are still shrink wrapped. So now I can start to mix it up with Columbo. Perhaps McCloud is next. And then Quincy.
View attachment 220257

Then it came the way it should be, IMO.

 

[OttoIsHere]

My copy of the 24 disc complete series set arrived today. The outer box has a few dings, but the each season set inside the box are still shrink wrapped. So now I can start to mix it up with Columbo. Perhaps McCloud is next. And then Quincy.

Nice! I picked up that set just over three years ago during the pandemic lockdown; there's a nice chemistry among the cast revolving around Rock that gives the show a lot of warmth and makes it very re-watchable.

It's funny you mention mixing it up with Columbo; I purchased the Kino Blu-Ray for that show late last year and have watched 6-7 episodes, but I've had the same idea that maybe I should watch these shows (along with McCloud, which I also own) in the original broadcast order, just for fun. I like Columbo but I don't think it is really a show to binge, I think I would like a little more contrast between viewings.

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks guys! The Golden Gate Bridge on the box is nice, Frankie! It’s got a bit of a metallic finish in the printing.

Ben, I’m glad it appears to be the way it should be too!

Tim, I also have the Columbo blu ray set, I’ve been enjoying that. I figure McMillan and the other shows will not likely get a blu ray.

edit: speaking of Quincy ME, I see a complete series box from Via Vision. A bit pricey, but the Quincy thread thought it was a good option.

 

[OttoIsHere]

Thanks guys! The Golden Gate Bridge on the box is nice, Frankie! It’s got a bit of a metallic finish in the printing.

Ben, I’m glad it appears to be the way it should be too!

Tim, I also have the Columbo blu ray set, I’ve been enjoying that. I figure McMillan and the other shows will not likely get a blu ray.

edit: speaking of Quincy ME, I see a complete series box from Via Vision. A bit pricey, but the Quincy thread thought it was a good option.

I do enjoy the Columbo set, with the remastering the picture and audio quality is really quite incredible; in fact I occasionally get distracted by it (basically my mind starts pondering, why can't McMillan & Wife or Banacek (another favorite) be re-mastered for Blu-Ray and look this good too???). The quality with Columbo for a 70's TV show still blows me away with each episode I watch.

I know the business case is probably slim to none for any of those other shows to ever get a Blu-Ray edition, but I'm just not ready to give up hope yet (silly me). Kino Lorber has done us a great service with the 70's Universal TV shows they have put out on Blu-Ray the past few years (Columbo, Night Gallery, Kolchak) and I've bought all three to show my support, and if they want to help spur a re-mastering of any other late 60's/early 70's Universal TV shows I'll buy those Blu-Rays right away too.

 

[bmasters9]

and if they want to help spur a re-mastering of any other late 60's/early 70's Universal TV shows I'll buy those Blu-Rays right away too.

Would you do it if Emergency! got a Blu?