Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke - 50th Anniversary Collection, Volumes 1 & 2

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Look, I know "Gunsmoke" ran 20 years and filmed 636 or so episodes, but cant we still get a full season-by-season DVD in motion?

This "50th Anniversary Edition" looks to be chock full of extras, and that's great, but it's another "compilation" collection, with just a few espisodes here and there from the series' run.

And if we're lucky enought to GET a full seasonal DVD release on "Gunsmoke" (finally), will these same wonderful extras still be available on those??

I am NOT excited about this middling tossed-together package--- no matter how many interviews and commentaries it has... Yes, I WANT those extras, but with a full episodic collection to go with them!

Since a number of truly mediocre TV series have been released in complete season DVD sets, it boggles the mind to see that "Gunsmoke," the longest running drama in TV history, has gotten comparatively shabby treatment. Here we have a mish-mash of episodes from the show's various eras that have mostly been selected because of "big name" guest stars that appeared in them, not because they are the best in the series' 20-year run. If CBS wanted to issue a "selected episodes" collection, they should have used better criteria than guest stars (some of whom aren't all that "big" anyway, including Angie Dickinson, Richard Chamberlain, Leonard Nimoy, Adam West, et al). Moreover, most of these epiosodes have been issued on home video before.

Perhaps it is asking too much for CBS to issue the entire series on DVD, consisting of some 635 episodes (although they already have issued the first 3 1/2 seasons on 20 DVDs through their video club), but there are a number of better alternatives than this half-hearted effort. They could issue DVDs with the best episodes of each season, or sets with the best of the show's several eras (half-hour and one-hour black and white shows, and one-hour color episodes), or entire seasons one at a time to see how well they do in the market place (they have already done 3 seasons worth of "Have Gun - Will Travel" this way).

Since this set is all that "Gunsmoke" fans are likely to get for some time, it will have to do (and is better than nothing; there are, after all, some interesting special features included). Whether or not it is worth the asking price may depend on how many of the episodes you already have in your collection. For many "Gunsmoke" fans, that may be a deal breaker.

This set has its good points and its bad points.

The picture quality is outstanding as well as the audio; much better than TV Land. The special features are nice as well. I also really liked the audio commentary from not only James Arness and Dennis Weaver, but actors like Angie Dickinson and Bruce Dern. There is another subtle feature to the episodes that I liked. The episodes on TV Land are edited more than you realize. There are small snippets throughout the show that are edited out, usually a delayed glance here or there. No big deal really but they can have a powerful emotional impact to the story. I first noticed it on "The Wrong Man" with Carroll O'Connor. When Hootie leaves the Long Branch and his sons are trying to tell him that he has no more credit at the general store, there is a knowing delay by O'Connor as well as a glance to his other son which to me was powerful in setting the tone for the rest of the episode. But it is cut out of the tv version, which I have recorded on VHS.

My main complaint which overrides most of the positives is with the episodes selected. Some are good but there's a long list of much better episodes that were ignored or not selected for a reason. I, like many others want to see the entire series put out season by season or bundled. I for one will gladly buy them all.

i love this show and while i love all the extras that are here(the comantareys by the cast alone would get a five star rating any other time) this is not the way to release this groundbreaking and truly important series from our past!!!
would they release only a few shows from each season of "i love lucy" , no because they know we would not stand for it and as painful as it is for me to say, i can't give this otherwise wonderful set a good rating,it's not how to release these great shows!!! PLEASE ,PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE US SEASON BY SEASON RELEASES OF GUNSMOKE!!!!!!!!!!!

If only "Gunsmoke, Volumes I and II" would have been a complete season set. The edition pales in comparison to the recent complete season sets of "Have Gun, Will Travel" and "Wanted: Dead or Alive." In the aforementioned compilations, all 39 shows per season were included. Also, so many quality episodes of "Gunsmoke" were left out. With super characters actors such as R.G. Armstrong, Morgan Woodward, Pat Hingle, L.Q. Jones, Steve Forrest, and Dabbs Greer still very much around, it would have been great to hear their comments on the many episodes they were involved in. In fact, Woodward, now living in the Dallas area, appeared in a record 19 "Gunsmoke" programs. He even taught Jim Arness how to fly an airplane. Hingle took Milburn Stone's place as town doctor for an entire season while Stone recovered from a heart attack. Veteran heavy Leo Gordon, who died just recently, could have no doubt given some interesting feedback while this set was being put together on the first "Gunsmoke" actually filmed, "Hack Prine." As it stands, the episodes included are in good shape with fine audio and video quality. However, the various features included are all out of sync audio-wise -- there is almost a second delay in the dialogue. The best clip is of Jim Arness appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. Arness, all 6'7 of him, towers over poor Ed. I'm glad I purchased this set, but it honestly could have been so much more. Hopefully complete season sets will be issued in the near future.

I was expecting the shows in strict chronological order; with the hope of someday being able to view all of them. Needless to say I love the Gunsmoke Series. and while in a sense they were chronological, they were this year, that year etc. If more shows were available how would they be titled? Gunsmoke Volumes 2 & 3 which weren't in 1 & 2 ? It is very interesting to view the series as it progresses, some characters are replaced some arn't. Watching the town grow with it's main characters, something you don't see anymore. What I viewed was good, but I really wanted to see more early "Gunsmoke" which isn't on television anymore (at this time). Keep up the good work, and we know you can do better, Jeff Ott

I'm like so many of the other reviews I've read...I would like to purchase gunsmoke but I am waiting for the full season boxed sets to be released. I don't want a volume here and a volume there. I want to view it in release order. I don't understabd why Gunsmoke hasn't been offered yet in season boxed sets...unless it's more profitable this way.

When is the season by season of Gunsmoke and Bonanza coming. Just about everything else has been released????

I agree with everyone else who wants to know why Paramount won't release Gunsmoke in a season box set format. Also, the episode, "P.S. Murray Christmas" included in this 50th anniversay edition is a cut version like that shown on TV Land with 10 minutes of the actual show cut out. This set is maybe good for anyone who has never seen these epsiodes before but not nearly enough for a true Gunsmoke fan. The extras are nice but they certainly could have been included in a season box set. I am just not satisfied.

I found the 50th Anniversary set of Gunsmoke to be absolutely delightful from the episodes to the incredible "extras" I was hooked from the first moment I put the first DVD in the drive.

I would love to see more releases of this wonderful series. This was an incredible TV show, what other show lasted 20 years and even though it ended 30 years ago has a huge fan base? How many actors can say that 3 generations of women have been in love with the charactor they brought to life. Yep, Long Live Gunsmoke! For 50 years fans have been trying to figure out why Matt and Kitty never kissed! Sure would love to see more released, especially the early 1/2 black and white episodes.