Customer Reviews

The Honeymooners - The Lost Episodes, Boxed Set 4

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
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Recommended confidently to Honemooners fans. If you're not a Honeymooners fan, first pick up "the Classic 39" for about $30 and it'll provide years of entertainment. If you're hungry for more, these lost episodes are a good way to get more fun. Some sets are very expensive because they have been out of print for a few years I guess.

This set, Box-4, was quite affordable and therefore I thought it might turn out to be a dud. However, after 2 viewings, my family and I have warmed-up to them and I must say it is classic in its own right. To my surprise Alice IS actually meaner than Ralph in the beginning of the episode "Jellybeans"! She derates Ralph visciously and calls him STUPID without any provocation! This particular episode is from 1952 and is one of the earliest Honeymooners episodes, with characters that are still developing into those that we've come to know/love in the "classic 39". Regardless, it's still quite entertaining. There is quite a range of vintage on this set (Boxed set 4) from 1952 to 1956.

There are a couple of weaker episodes such as "Pickles", "Alice Plays Cupid" (Jan '53)(In which Alice AND Ralph are rather mean spirited to a girl simply because she's a little overweight!)

"The Hypnotist" is probably the best one here in which Ralph uses a hypnotist friend to get Alice to surrender the family funds for Ralph's Racoon Lodge convention trip. Absolutely hysterical and on-par with the best of the classic-39!

"The Check-Up" opens with Gleason coming out on-stage with fly undone (seemingly unscripted) and a few minutes later zips it up while his back is to the audience. The audience knows exactly what's going on during the zip-up and begins to crack-up big-time....then Gleason cracks-up too. The 1st time I watched this, I didn't know why the audience and he were laughing so hard.

As others have noted the video quality is not perfect due to the fact these were all Kinescopes (is that the term?) but this does not detract from the fun...as a matter of fact I think it makes me appreciate the nostalgia aspect of it even more.
Sure there are a few less than classic episodes here, but all in all, great entertainment.

Wonderful lost episodes. I love them. A must buy. Hot dog stand is so cute. The hypnotist and promotion are funny. Cottage for sale is so hilarous. I love this box set.

Every evening my wife and I turn on the Honeymooners and laugh aloud until we cry. How pleased we are to have included this "lost episodes set" to our collection. Gleason's numerous facial expressions deliver the lines above and beyond most actors his age. Who else but Gleason can send Alice on a free trip to the moon. Enjoy!

This is another solid collection of episodes. MPI, the 'maker', uses generally poor video with no apparent attempts to remaster, nor even install Chapter Marks. But they often include a Bonus Featurette on a couple of disks that are at least interesting. Someone in MPI-land does a little homework. But their technical interest appears negligible.

That's why I have mixed feelings on hearing MPI will be releasing the "Complete Series" in the Fall, 2011. I hope they've found better video qualities to use, done some remastering, maybe insert a few Chapter Marks (?) or at least put episodes in a chronological order.

As this collection exists, Ralph blows up at Norton every so often, at everyone else in between, and frets his way back into our forgiveness.

The Honeymooners is an all-time classic comedy about two families without kids living in a 1920-1940 style apartment building near New York. Somewhere in that time period. Although horribly outdated in many ways, this was/is THE comedy series of the 50's. Even after trying to modernize it, there is only so much "cleaning" of picture and sound qaulity that can be done sometimes. You get the idea. Do not let that discourage you though, for classic comedy in the black and white picture days, The Honeymooners IS IT!

If you're a true Honeymooners fan, then you don't need me to tell you that this is a true collectible!

The dvd's arrived on time and were exactly what I wanted. They were a gift for my boyfriend, who enjoyed them very much.