Customer Reviews

Big Valley - Season 2, Volume 1

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

"Big Valley" reruns were my childhood favorite, and after buying this set and season one, I can say the show lives up to my memories. It would be a shame if Fox stopped releasing the DVDs--which brings me to the info:

After searching for a way to complain about the price-gouging on season two, I finally contacted a site that monitors DVD releases. They said sales of season one were poor and that Fox raised the price to recoup their losses. But since this half-set isn't selling well either, they probably won't release the rest.

Maybe if all the people who bought season one decide to buy this set they'll release more. Maybe not. Personally, I think Fox bungled the whole thing. When it comes to short-run series (Big Valley only ran four seasons), it makes more sense to release the complete series (with extras) at a premium price. Most fans would pay more up front to get the whole series and not have to worry about studios dropping the project. As it is, Fox has done nothing but shortchange consumers and undermine its own profits.

It is disappointing to see that they have decided to split up Season 2, obviously taking a step out of the pages of the Battlestar Galactica releases. I won't be surprised if more companies begin to follow suit.
However, being a huge Big Valley fan for nearly thirty years, I have still gone ahead and purchased it. There should be 15 episodes in this first volume since each season of the Big Valley had 30 episodes. Fifteen episodes is still a fair amount compared with today's shows that put out 22 per season.

The second season of the Big Valley continues the story of the Barkleys. Season 2 is more solidified than the first season, even though the first season is very good.

It contains the 2-part episode "Legend of a General" where Heath is taken prisoner in Mexico, and only the help of an old Mexican general, can help the Barkleys get him back.

There's also "Caesar's Wife" in which, daring for its time, addresses a step-mother who makes advances toward her husband's son.

"The Velvet Trap" finds unsuspecting Nick falling in love with a woman who is, in fact, the girlfriend of a notorious outlaw and how she attempts to use Nick to get rid of a bounty hunter who is trying to track down the dangerous Jack Floyd.

They also added The Big Valley's first comedic episode in "The Great Safe Robbery" in which three bumbling brothers attempt to steal and rob a safe from a train depot. It's truly hilarious.

There is also the classic Big Valley episode, "Last Stage to Salt Flats" which finds the family (except Nick and Audra) stranded in the middle of the desert after their stagecoach is robbed.

All of the episodes in the season and in this volume are worth watching, especially since they will be unedited, and likely not seen by many viewers since they first aired, due to commercial time.

Nick looks as sharp as ever in his black leather vest, gloves, and large brown hat. He's also as fiesty and tempermental as ever, with plenty of great brawls for him to get into. The episode, "The Iron Box" shows how angry he can get when someone in his family is attacked or threatened. This is evident when Heath is tortured and brutalized by a demented prison warden, and Nick must figure out a way to save his brother when he is placed a sweat box.

Victoria begins having some adventures and getting out of the house as Barbara Stanwyck insisted that Victoria have some stories not centered around wearing dresses and answering the door.

This is a great show and a terrific season, even if you are only getting half, I think it's worth it. They simply don't make westerns or T.V. shows like this with such great adventure stories as this. Enjoy fifteen more episodes with California's favorite matriarchal family.

The first Big Valley DVD collected every first season episode of one of the all-time best TV westerns. Unfortunately what we have here is only the first half of the second season, at the same price as the entire first season box set. There are, BTW, absolutely no "extras" included in this set to justify the much higher per-episode cost.

As huge a Big Valley fan as I am - it was my favorite TV western growing up, and still plays amazingly well for me today - I'd suggest holding off on buying Season 2, Volume 1. For one thing, I suspect we just may being seeing a complete Season 2 box set in the near future, especially if sales on this half-effort are poor enough. For another, Fox needs to get the message that such blatant money grubbing schemes will not work, we're too smart for that. Support such greedy efforts by buying this set, I can pretty much guarantee we'll be seeing more such from Fox, quite possibly with the entirety of the rest of Big Valley. Send the message we won't fall for it - and all they'll really understand is the bottom line - and it'll stop.

I am pleased that Big Valley is continuing to be released and if they want to break up the second season, then fine. BUT I must object to the price that is almost the same price as the entire season one set! What is going on???

Fox is not only greedy, they're too lazy to put some special features on the set which would tempt me to pay this outrageous price! Again let me remind them (if anyone at the studio ever bothers to read these reviews) about PORTRAIT, BARBARA STANWYCK, a 50 minute feature that was filmed on the set of The Big Valley in 1968. It's owned by the original producer's sons (Rick & Mike Spalla HOLLYWOOD NEWSREEL SYNDICATE, INC. 1622 N. Gower St. Los Angeles, CA 90028-6518).

I suggest updating it with current interviews with Peter Breck, Lee Majors, Linda Evans and some of the series great guest stars. Of course, that would require some initiative on the part of 20th Century Fox --- something of which they seem to be totally devoid.

Furthermore, FOX seems to have momentarily forgotten that the entire series has been running UNCUT on Encore's Western Channel, and I, like many other fans, have already burned every episode to DVD! Nevertheless, I still bought the first season because it was so reasonably priced.

Therefore, unless they come up with some great extra features on future sets,
I'll just be content with my home-made DVDs, the picture quality of which is at least the equal to theirs.

I bought this set assuming that at the price it would at least contain single-sided discs since it was only half of the season. No such luck, they're dualies. Fox should be ashamed of themselves. Total rip-off.

the music industry wondered why so many people were illegally obtaining their music and they found out it was simple reason; the people felt like they were being price-gouged. now it seems the movie industry doesnt want to be left out of the loop, so they go after the people that actually pay for the movies and are trying to price-gouge them. i have no sympathy for the studios at all. when they start whining about illegal downloads they better take a look back at putting out a half of a season at the same price as a full season and say "oh s%#t!, we may have made a mistake"

...buying the bootlegged version, because I wanted to wait for the official releases. But I think I change that decision now. If I want to be ripped off, I prefer the little street pick-pocket taking my money instead of the mafia boss.

SHAME ON THE PEOPLE AT FOX... Most of the people that grew up on the Big Valley are not exactly spring chickens.Your sales window is closing as we get older. You might think Fox's interest would be in high volume sales. To give a half Season for the same cost as the whole first Season, is a slap in the face to all baby boomers..Thanks, But No Thanks

I am of the original TV generation, and I have been avidly collecting my favorite television series on DVD as soon as they become available. I was just about to put season one of The Big Valley in my shopping cart when I stumbled across Season 2 PART 1. Breaking TV seasons up into two parts is nothing short of reprehensible. In comparison to producing new series, the studios have only minor production costs involved in releasing shows such as this on DVD at this late date. And at the rate they are releasing these classic shows, I will have to leave it to my great grandchildren to collect the final seasons. I will be long gone before they become available. The studios need to realize who their audience is. If they think the younger generations are all that interested in classic TV shows, I think they have a rude awakening coming. They need to release ENTIRE TV SERIES NOW to take advantage of the fact that many of us who were there when these shows originally aired are still alive and interested in collecting them. As for ANY series which has seasons broken into two parts, I WILL NOT BUY THEM.