Customer Reviews

Gunsmoke - The Second Season, Vol. 1

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(41)

 

 

First these idiots release costly boxes with selected episodes from several seasons, most of them NOT among the best shows and largely chosen for their "big name" guest stars or directors.

Second, after soaking us for those minimalist sets, and waiting until several complete seasons of virtually all other 50s-60s TV Westerns have been released (like "Have Gun, Will Travel"), they FINALLY release the first season of "Gunsmoke," the very best TV Western and the only TV drama to run 20 consecutive years!

Third, they decide to release the second season in multiple installments! What are these characters thinking? No one's going to go for this greedy attempt to squeeze money from "Gunsmoke" fans.

Most of the first 4 seasons were released on DVD through the CBS Video Club years ago. Those of us who bought those DVDs are now being asked to buy the same thing again, in excruciatingly slow increments, and at jacked up prices.

Matt Dillon and his Dodge City friends deserve the most respectful and classy treatment possible. Instead, "Gunsmoke" is among the worst conceived DVD releases to date.

I'll stick with my bootleg DVDs - they may not be perfect, but I can afford them and all 20 years are there.

Absurd! Outrageous! Now this stupid way of releasing TV series in two halves for each season has reached Gunsmoke! Fox and Paramount are becoming very greedy and insulting the people who buy this sort of DVDs. It is really disappointing to acquire half season of these classic TV series (Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, Rawhide, The Streets of San francisco, The Untouchables and others) and wait months and months, or a whole year, to get the other half. I will never buy half seasons any longer...this is a clear message to Paramount and Fox.

With the release of Gunsmoke: The Second Season Volume 1, Paramount has confirmed my worst fears. I was so happy when they finally released the first season in a complete package, but I was concerned that even with 20 singles season sets, we know the studios' propensity to squeeze turnips blood, and I was afraid that greed would eventually rear its ugly head in this situation.

And it did.

Why, oh why, would they release a 20-SEASON TELEVISION SHOW IN MULTIPLE SEASON VOLUMES? Didn't they realize that buyers would rebel, and not buy these sets? Or is that part of the plan? Maybe they want us to not buy Gunsmoke so they won't have to risk the money to manufacture and release 20-single sets, so they figure to alienate everyone by doing what they've done, and then when this won't sell, they'll cancel releasing the rest claiming an indifferent public.

No, if it happens, it will be because a tired and cash-conscious public cries "ENOUGH!" This show is wonderful, but it's hard to recommend buying it under these circumstances.

At 2 volumes per each of the half-hour seasons 2-6, and 4 volumes per each of the hour-long seasons 7-20, plus the already released first season, that's a fortune, and how many decades until the whole series of 635 episodes is released?

Ya know, I love old television shows - GOOD old television shows. Love 'em! And, the whole time I was growing up, I used to wish so bad that we could own the shows that were our personal favorites, and watch them when it was more convenient, or just when the mood struck. 30 odd years later, and here we are, doing that very thing. Never did I think I would complain about the prospect of planting my butt in my favorite chair and watching an episode or two of some of my all-time favorite shows at my own convenience. That's one of the very things I had always hoped progress would allow us to do someday. But do you know what? As much as I love being able to do that, there's something that I really, really hate! And that's being hoodwinked.
Yes, these people at Paramount are, well, they're...they're HOODWINKERS! That's what they are! They're HOODWINKERS! HOODWINKERS! HOOOOODWINKERS! And I mean it! To quote a classic: "I'm mad! Good 'n' mad, and who wouldn't be!" They're just a bunch of foul balls!
I kidded around a bit there to ease the tension forming from these messages, but a move like this isn't a light matter. A decent individual wouldn't dangle a corrot under a horses nose and then take it away; or hold a piece of candy out to a child, invite him to take it, then clasp his hand shut just as the child reaches for it. Only a real creep would do something like that. And yet, here's Paramount offering the complete first season of Gunsmoke at a fair price, knowing they have every intention of releasing all future seasons in two volume sets, and at higher prices. Well, you know what? I'm not particularly fond of carrots, and I don't need the candy!

I agree with Movieman. This is absurd. Personally, I buy these shows for nostalgic reasons. I grew up on Gunsmoke & and want the entire series and want it now. At this rate, I'll be dead before the entire series is released, if indeed it ever is ! A look at the past may be a look into the future. This has been released before in the same "volume" manner and was abandoned less than half way through the series. It will likely be abandoned again.
The entire bootlegged series can be bought for $250. I do not condone bootlegging nor have I purchased bootlegged copies of anything in the past but it appears, if I want the entire Gunsmoke series while I am still alive to enjoy it and at an affordable price, I am left with no other choice.
I will not buy season 2 volume 1. I will wait and see what happens, then I will make my decision whether to purchase or buy bootlegged.

Let's see if I have this straight. I buy all of the first season episodes, a total of 1,051 minutes of viewing time for $29.49. Then I have the opportunity to purchase half of the second season, a total of 526 minutes viewing time for $30.99 - $1.50 more than the full season one? I don't theenk so, Lucy!

When Amazon first listed this Season 2, Volume 1 set a few weeks ago, the price was $25.49. Now it's gone up $5.50 to $30.99 and it is still only half a season. I guess Paramount has "heard our pleas" and raised the price to make up for all of us who have said we're not buying this one.

As for Gunsmoke - it's "One and Done" for me unless they make some changes.

Back in the days of Dodge City and Marshall Dillon, horse thieves were hanged!! Let's hang Paramount by not buying this set!

If we don't buy the set and "Gunsmoke" goes down the drain, let's let it go!!!!!

Marshall Dillon, Chester, Kitty, and Doc all stood for principles, no matter what it took. Let's do the very same thing to honor them even if it means not buying dvd's with them on them! They'd be proud!!!!

I only (and have always only) planned to buy the episodes with Chester. So I've already bought the 1955-'56 season at $30-$40 or so. Chester, if I remember correctly was on through the 1963-'64 season. So, at roughly $60.00-$80.00 per season even I'll have to pay roughly $480-$510-$520, maybe even up to $600 or more (depending upon price variations) for eight more years. To that I say that Paramount's a horse thief and I won't buy!

However, I'll tell you what I'll say yeeeeessssssss to-caliing them and sending them MANY letters!!! Hopefully I can find a toll free number somewhere and an physical address. Remember, e-mails do NO GOOD in these types of situations. It's VERY SIMPLE for someone to hit DELETE. However, with physically written notes, they go through the mail room, delivered, hand opened, and read!

Let's flood them with calls and mail. They'll get the message. They'll know that we can't be taken for granted, and even if it's "Gunsmoke", they'll know that we're not going to fall for their shennanigans. We'll tell them we won't buy and we'll follow up on our statements and not buy! (sorry, folks, but you have to follow through on what you say and write or they'll never believe you after the first month or two after the set is out-You MUST follow through!! Even if it's out for a month or two and they see that we're following through on what we've said, they might very well turn around and repackage them with a full season!!) I LOVE the Chester years of Gunsmoke, but not at $480-$600 + $'s. You folks who'd have to pay over $2,000 to go all of the way up through the Festus years, be just as tough.

Even if they don't change their minds, let's not buy. If that means that "Gunsmoke" goes down the drain, let it go!!! We won't be stepped on! Principles will win out!!!

They're a bunch of horse thieves!

For those buying into this Barnum and Baily scenario...Don't patronize (DON'T BUY!) to send a clear message to Paramount (and others) to quit the marketing idiocy of multiple volumes (more money in their pockets...AT CONSUMER EXPENSE!...PLEASE WAKE UP! ). They will continue to put out mulitple volumes as long as they are bought. The buying public dictates what will be released and how through their wallets and buying habits.
Wild, Wild West 2nd Season (Paramount) is available at 1453 minutes/7discs for $36.49, or Wild, Wild West Season 1 at 1347 minutes/7 discs for $35.49. That should be more a standard than Gunsmoke Season 2 Volume 1 at 526 minutes/3 discs at $25.99. At that rate the Gunsmoke Season 2 (Complete) will end up with a price tag of approx. $52.00 for 6 or 7 discs/roughly 1100 minutes. Gunsmoke Season 1 (Complete) is available at $29.49 at 1051 minutes/6 discs.
Look at what your getting for total minutes everybody. When you do the simple math, it's clear they're hoping for suckers who will take the bait. Again, your wallet and buying habits will send the clear message...act accordingly.
Make it clear to Paramount/CBS home entertainment (and others!) that enough is enough...Demand complete seasons, otherwise DON'T BUY/PATRONIZE! They WILL listen if the cash register doesn't ring.

Call to register your complaints/suggestions/feedback at

Paramount - 323-956-5000 Ask for Home Entertainment/DVD Customer support...

I did so today. Kept calling until I spoke to a live support person and put in my 2 cents worth to further champion complete season releases. GET ON THE PHONE AND CALL. THE FEEDBACK WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN!

I'm going to make this brief. I never thought I would write something like this but I have decided not to order Gunsmoke, season 2, vol. 1 because of the multi-volume per season nonsense. If they want to charge, go ahead, most of us will pay but we want to see the entire collection before we are dead!!! I'm sure the folks making Gunsmoke available want to get their end now also, don't they? Come on, wake up folks!