Customer Reviews

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

"LEAVE IT TO BEAVER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" .........

At-A-Glance DVD Stats:

Number of Episodes -- 39.
Number of DVDs -- 3 (Dual-Sided; Dual-Layered; DVD-18).
Video Aspect Ratio -- Full Frame OAR (1.33:1).
Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).
Color or B&W? -- B&W.
Any Bonus Stuff on the DVDs? -- Yes ... The LITB "Pilot" Episode ("It's A Small World").
Subtitles -- English and Spanish.
"Play All" Option Included? -- Yes.
Chapter Stops Included? -- No.
Are These Episodes Complete and Unedited? -- Yes.
Booklet Included? -- No.
DVD Distributor -- Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
DVD Release Date -- November 22, 2005.

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The 1950s-1960s family sitcom "Leave It To Beaver" had never been made available to fans via any kind of major studio release on home video throughout all these many years of home-video formats (Beta, VHS, LD, or DVD) -- until the long-awaited date of November 22, 2005, when Universal Studios Home Entertainment released "Leave It To Beaver: The Complete First Season" on DVD.

And the first 39 "Beaver" episodes look just terrific here. The video quality for these black-and-white programs is extremely good, and the audio is very good too (by way of the very pleasant and clean-sounding Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtracks that faithfully reproduce each episode's original Mono audio).

Thankfully, Universal has done a bang-up job with the digital transfers here, and these shows (which were originally photographed on film, not videotape) look and sound fabulous on these DVDs.

There is, however, a good deal of fine "film grain" contained within a lot of these episodes, but I'm assuming that is simply inherent to the type of film stock that was used for this series. The grain isn't very distracting (at least I don't have a major problem with the grain speckles that exist here). Interestingly, though, I've noticed that many scenes in these episodes don't seem to have any "grain" in them at all, while other scenes contain a lot more. The "outdoor" shots look almost completely grain-free.

Another very pleasing thing to me personally is the fact that all these DVDs pass the "freeze-frame test" with flying colors (i.e., when pausing or freezing an image on screen, the video doesn't "blur" at all; it stays rock-solid and clear while in "pause" mode; which, IMO, is a sign of a good film-to-DVD transfer).

All things considered, I could not be happier with the way these episodes look on these DVDs! And thus far I have no complaints about the performance of the sometimes-temperamental two-sided discs that Universal insists upon using for its TV-DVD releases. Nary a hitch has been experienced while playing these discs.

According to the stats on the packaging, the episode running times here average out to exactly 26 minutes per program (including the 40th episode in the set, the Pilot), which indicates to me that the following pleasing terms apply here: "Full"/"Complete"/"Uncut"/"Unedited"! And this is great to see, because the syndicated versions of this series that have aired on commercial TV for decades have all been hacked to pieces, with each episode having at least a few minutes sliced out of it due to commercial time restraints.

I did a "time check" for each of the seven LITB shows on Side A of Disc #1. The results made me smile (in an "uncut" and "complete" sort of fashion). Here are those run times (not counting the 22-second Universal fanfare and logo that's included prior to every episode, which can be quickly bypassed via the Chapter button):

"Beaver Gets 'Spelled" -- 25:48.
"Captain Jack" -- 25:48.
"The Black Eye" -- 25:49.
"The Haircut" -- 25:44.
"New Neighbors" -- 25:44.
"Brotherly Love" -- 25:37.
"Water, Anyone?" -- 25:44.

So I think it's safe to say that when fans view any of these 39 programs, they will probably be seeing them uncut for the first time since their original network TV airings in the late 1950s. I'm guessing that everyone who buys this DVD set will be seeing some scenes in a lot of these episodes that they had never seen previously. That fact kind of serves as an "added value" item all by itself.

I'm also glad to see that these DVDs retain all of the "Previews" (or "Teasers") for the first-season "Beaver" programs. These brief preview clips were shown just prior to the opening titles and give an overview of what's coming up in that episode. These pre-show snippets, which last about 20 to 30 seconds each, were only done for the first season. Hugh Beaumont served as "narrator" for the teasers on the first 16 episodes. For the year's final 23 shows, however, Hugh's voice is not heard, with just an episode clip provided (sans any voice-over narration).

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"Leave It To Beaver" premiered on CBS-TV on Friday, October 4, 1957, and continued on network TV for a total of six seasons, finishing its 234-episode run in 1963. Each of the six seasons consisted of exactly 39 episodes, a hefty number by today's seasonal standards. CBS carried the show for the first season only. For the final five years, "Beaver" was a part of the ABC-TV schedule.

The storylines used for "Beaver" were always very simple and uncomplicated, which is probably why it's so charming and appealing. No major earth-shattering disasters ever befall the Cleavers. Nobody ever gets hurt (except an occasional scraped knee), the parents (Ward and June) rarely fight about anything serious and never threaten to leave each other (like you might see on a show today), and above all, these characters really seemed to care about each other, without getting overly sappy and sentimental about it. All of these traits helped make "Leave It To Beaver" what it was each week in 1957, and what I believe it remains today: just a good, clean, fun, uncomplicated half-hour of entertaining television.

Starring Jerry Mathers as "Theodore (Beaver) Cleaver", Tony Dow as his brother "Wally", Barbara Billingsley as "June", and Hugh Beaumont as "Ward", the excellent cast of "Leave It To Beaver" was a well-chosen group in my opinion. While it's true, I suppose, that the acting was a bit on the "stiff" side on many occasions, I still think that this ensemble did quite well on this show. A sense of true believability and realism finds its way quite comfortably into each of these episodes.

Toss into this cast grouping the very funny Richard Deacon, who portrayed Ward's friend and co-worker, "Fred Rutherford", plus Ken Osmond as the ever-sarcastic "Eddie Haskell", Frank Bank as the wimpish (but always likeable) "Lumpy Rutherford", Rusty Stevens as "Larry Mondello", and all of Beaver's and Wally's other various friends, classmates, and schoolteachers, and you've got a really first-rate supporting cast of characters to build stories around.

Some of my favorite shows from this Season #1 Beaver batch include ..... "The Black Eye", "Beaver's Short Pants", "Party Invitation", "The Bank Account", "Train Trip", "The Perfect Father", "Beaver Runs Away", "Tenting Tonight", and my #1 fave from this season, "The Haircut", which has Beaver getting scalped by barber Wally in one of the funniest episodes of the whole series.

There's also the funny "Captain Jack" episode -- which was the very first show to be filmed; but was the second program to be aired. "Captain Jack" has Wally and Beaver sending away for a pet alligator, and includes the very funny scene where "Minerva" (the maid who we never see again) comes running up the basement stairs screaming "Help! A monster! There's an alligator in the basement!" .... This is followed by Ward's skeptical -- "An alligator?!" (LOL.)

"Captain Jack" also has the distinction of being the very first episode in television history to show a toilet on screen. (The "tank" portion of the Cleaver toilet is shown, not the [~gasp!~] "bowl" itself.) :-)

In fact, it was the "toilet" scene in "Captain Jack" that kept that episode from being aired by CBS as the debut show of the series in late 1957. But LITB show executives, including writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher (who authored a great number of the 234 "Beaver" programs throughout its 6-year history, including "Captain Jack"), stuck by their guns and won the "toilet battle" with CBS bigwigs, and thus "Captain Jack" (toilet scene intact) was approved for network broadcast one week later, being aired on October 11, 1957, as "Leave It To Beaver" episode #2.

And yet another winning Season-One entry is entitled simply "Lumpy Rutherford" -- where we get our first look at "Clarence Rutherford", known to most people as "Lumpy" (or "The Lump"). You'll note how Lumpy goes from being one of Wally's feared enemies to one of his best friends as the series progresses.

There's also a very nifty bonus program located on Disc 3 of this set -- the original "Leave It To Beaver" Pilot episode, entitled "It's A Small World", which originally aired on April 23, 1957, as an installment of the syndicated anthology program "Studio 57". The pilot episode is a pretty decent show too, IMHO, with a good storyline (unlike a lot of series-launching pilots I've seen). It's fun to be able to see the "genesis" of the series via the pilot, and I commend Universal for including it in this collection.

Both Barbara Billingsley and Jerry Mathers co-star in the "Small World" pilot program, but different actors were cast in the roles of Wally and Ward. Paul Sullivan played Wally; while Casey Adams (aka Max Showalter) filled Ward's shoes for the pilot only.

A 13-year-old Harry Shearer (famed voice actor on "The Simpsons") also was featured in the cast of the pilot episode. It's a small part for Shearer, but he was very good as "Frankie Bennett", an Eddie Haskell-like smart-aleck. I was very impressed by the "naturalness" of Harry's performance.

"Leave It To Beaver" veterans Richard Deacon and Diane Brewster also are featured in the pilot (although not in the same roles that they ended up playing in the series). Deacon's part, in fact, is a fairly extensive one (as an executive for the "Franklin Milk Company").

The pilot has survived in very good shape too ("PQ"-wise). The video quality looks about the same as the other episodes in this set, meaning it's quite good indeed. And it appears that the pilot is uncut/unedited as well, with a running time of 25:02.

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Let's Talk Packaging.........

Universal has offered up two different packaging variants for Season One of LITB. Each version is a 3-Disc set containing the exact same disc content. You can choose the lower-priced package, which comes with a standard-style slipcase box that holds three "slim" plastic cases (one for each of the double-sided DVDs).

Or -- There's the "Limited Edition" version, which includes "Premium Packaging" in the form of a collectible "Beaver Cleaver Lunch Box". The Lunch Box is decked out in a plaid design, and there's a good-looking picture of a smiling Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver on one side of the box (although I don't think it's a "Season 1" photo of The Beav); while a pic of the whole Cleaver family resides on the other side.

It's not a full-sized lunch box, however (and it doesn't come with a beverage-carrying thermos either; ~wink~). It's a mini version of the type of metal lunch box that can be seen used by Beaver in several episodes of LITB.

The Limited Lunch Box version also includes a "Cleaver Family Photo Album", which is a mini-album containing six promotional snapshots of the Cleaver clan (plus one of Eddie Haskell). The photos have a quote from the series written on the front, but no writing or captions on the back side. Each B&W pic is removable and slides into a clear plastic sleeve. The album is nice-looking and sports a thick and well-"padded" vinyl-like cover.

Now the bad news re. the Lunch-Box edition ..... Unfortunately, the Lunch-Box set does not include the regular-style disc-holding case that comes with the Standard set. The discs, instead, are held inside the photo album in three plastic sleeves. This, IMO, is not a good way to store these two-sided discs. They are being rubbed up against the album sleeves whenever they're taken out or returned to the sleeves, making them possibly prone to getting scratched more easily.

Plus, the way the album is designed, it's a bit difficult to get the discs out without a semi-struggle. Another debit is the fact you're almost forced to handle the data sides of the discs in order to get them out of their sleeves. You cannot use my preferred method of "disc handling", which is to pick the DVD up by sticking your finger in the center hole, while never having to touch the A or B side of the disc.

Another (major) negative factor to the Limited Edition is the lack of any episode information anywhere. There's no ep. guide booklet, nor are the episode titles listed anyplace on the disc-holding sleeves inside the album (and no DVD specifications info either). Not a good thing. In fact, this lack of ANY program information is just flat-out ridiculous (especially for a product touted as a "Premium Gift Set").

But, still, to take a positive approach to this packaging topic, at least Universal is offering up a choice for customers, instead of providing ONLY an oddly-shaped disc-holding device.

While I like the Lunch Box and the photo album, I'd still recommend getting the standard set instead (due to its inclusion of a better and sturdier case to hold the actual DVDs; the "slim cases" are far better for housing the discs than the flimsier "sleeves" that come with the Lunch-Box pack).

And, frankly, for the extra cost of a "Premium Limited Edition" set, I would have expected much better packaging for the actual discs, rather than just the sleeves which are provided. After all, it's the discs themselves which are the "heart" of the collection; they deserve a better permanent home than what is provided in the Limited Edition, in my opinion. (Just doesn't make much sense to me -- Universal offers a set that they claim has "Premium Packaging"; and yet the packaging for the actual DVDs is far inferior to the non-premium alternative. Most curious indeed.)

Also -- Three of the six photos that come with the Limited Edition set are the exact pictures that can be found printed on the back covers of the three slim cases that come in the Standard LITB edition. That fact dilutes the "exclusivity" of the Limited Edition a trifle, because those same pics can be seen on the Standard packaging too.

More Packaging Notes ..... The "Standard" set's slim (clear) cases feature different photos on each case -- with just "The Beaver" on the first case, a pic of Wally and The Beav on case #2, and a family snapshot on the third one. Episode titles for each disc are shown on the back of each slim case. There are no photos (or text) printed on the inside of the slim cases, which makes things seem a bit barren and bland when you open the cases. (But at least they aren't just thrown in sleeves.) ;)

The Standard set's outer cardboard box is simple in nature (and color) -- pretty much just plain white (with shiny gold lettering used for the show title, which looks classy). I like this plain white design for the cover, though. It has a kind of "vanilla" look to it, befitting the very simple and "vanilla"-flavored (but always fun-to-watch) episodes contained within this all-white box. Looks nice. Simple...but nice.

One small gripe I do have with the Standard set's box is the lack of any "Season 1" notation on the spine of the box. There should at least be a "1" printed someplace on the spine to separate this set from future LITB releases. This is the very first TV-on-DVD set I've ever bought that has no season-number markings on the spine whatsoever. A curious omission.

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Menu Info ..... A nice, simple non-animated Menu design here. A picture of the Cleaver family is shown on the Main Menu for all discs. The LITB theme music plays on a continuous loop while the Main Menu is on screen. All other Sub-Menus are silent. Menu selections include: "Episode Index", "Languages", and a "Play All" option (plus a "Bonus Episode" Menu choice on Side B of Disc 3, for the Pilot ep.). English and Spanish subtitles are also available. When an episode is selected, an "Episode Summary" Sub-Menu is displayed, which includes a synopsis for that episode and the original airdate.

From the "Real Neat Episode Index" (which is what it's called on the Menu to give things a genuine "Beaver Cleaver" flavor) there's an additional Sub-Menu that can be accessed, an "Episode List", which contains a listing of all the episode titles for Season 1 (on six Menu screens).

No chapter stops have been inserted for any of these programs; and that's a shame. At least a minimal number of chapter breaks would have been nice.

Some ads for other Universal DVDs come into view upon load-up of Disc 1 only (and only on Side A of Disc 1); but these advertisements, which last 4.5 minutes, can quickly be skipped via the remote control. The other normal mini-annoyances of DVD start-up (e.g., the studio logo and the FBI Warnings) can also be skipped in rapid fashion, which is a plus.

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Here now is a look at all 39 first-season LITB episodes that are included in this 3-Disc set (the shows are arranged in "Airdate Order" on the discs, just as shown below). The original CBS-TV broadcast dates are also included in the following list, as well as some selected episode descriptions and funny quotes from some of my favorite episodes........


LEAVE IT TO BEAVER -- SEASON #1 (1957-1958):

1. "Beaver Gets 'Spelled" (First Aired: October 4, 1957) -- This very first LITB episode has little Theodore terribly upset after he's given a note to take home from school. .... Watch for the very funny (and somewhat "racy", for 1957 standards) dialogue exchange between June and Ward after June receives some flowers from Beaver's school principal that were really meant for Ward as a 'get-well' gift. June asks her hubby, suspiciously: "Who's Cornelia Rayburn, and when did she see YOU off your feet?!" ~ROFL!~ .... "Leave It To Beaver" shared its premiere date with another historic "first" -- the Russians launched the first Earth-orbiting satellite ("Sputnik 1") on the very same day, 10/4/57. It's up to you to decide which event was the most significant -- Beaver's debut or Sputnik's? ~scratching cranium~ :>)

2. "Captain Jack" (October 11, 1957) -- Via a magazine ad, the boys send away for a "Genuine Florida Everglades Alligator" for $2.50. .... "You know, the little fella didn't actually bite me; he kind of 'sawed' at me!"

3. "The Black Eye" (October 18, 1957) -- "Wally, you mean to tell me that a GIRL gave Beaver that black eye? And I practically sent him over there to annihilate her!"

4. "The Haircut" (October 25, 1957) -- This is an episode filled with laugh-out-loud moments, after Beaver loses his haircut money and decides to perform the hair-trimming himself (with a little help from brother Wallace). .... "Do you have to wear those awful caps night and day for a whole week?" ---> "That oughta do it!"

5. "New Neighbors" (November 1, 1957) -- "Dad, have you ever kissed any other married women besides mom? I guess a guy could get in a lot of trouble doing that, huh?" ---> "He sure could {smiling}." .... Watch for Phyllis Coates (the first "Lois Lane" on the "Superman" TV series) in this episode. When she plants a kiss on Beaver's cheek, all heck breaks loose!

6. "Brotherly Love" (November 8, 1957)

7. "Water, Anyone?" (November 15, 1957) -- "He's got a monopoly; he's practically operating a 'black water' market."

8. "Beaver's Crush" (November 22, 1957)

9. "The Clubhouse" (November 29, 1957)

10. "Wally's Girl Trouble" (December 6, 1957) -- This episode features Penny Jamison's hysterical scream (double meaning there) after Beaver gives Penny a toad as a gift. Penny's ear-piercing cries of anguish send Beaver running for the hills. ~LOL!~

11. "Beaver's Short Pants" (December 13, 1957) -- Aunt Martha's visit means nothing but misery and suffering for poor Beaver. .... "Theodore -- don't slump over your milk toast like that; you'll have curvature of the spine!" :-)

12. "The Perfume Salesmen" (December 27, 1957) -- The boys try to peddle 24 bottles of awful-smelling perfume. .... "It kind of smells like an old first baseman's mitt I used to have."

13. "Voodoo Magic" (January 3, 1958) -- A fabulous episode in the LITB annals. Many hilarious moments, including the following quote by June. .... "George {Haskell}, I just can't believe this {about the "voodoo curse" Beaver put on Eddie}. The Beaver is such a sweet little fellow. He likes everybody -- even Eddie!"

14. "Part-Time Genius" (January 10, 1958) -- "I think I'd like to be a garbage collector when I grow up. You don't have to wash your hands all the time, and nobody cares how you smell!" :-)

15. "Party Invitation" (January 17, 1958) -- Beaver is forced to attend an "all-girl" party. (God help the lad!) :-)

16. "Lumpy Rutherford" (January 24, 1958) -- This is the rib-tickling "Barrel Hoops" episode, with Wally & Beaver setting a "trap" for mean ol' "Lumpy" just outside his house. But Lumpy's father falls into the trap instead of "The Lump". .... June's excitedly-worried reaction to the boys' practical joke elicits another classic bit of dialogue from this great TV series --- "Ward, if my babies go to jail, it's going to be all your fault!!"

17. "The Paper Route" (January 31, 1958)

18. "Child Care" (February 7, 1958) -- It's yet another funny predicament for Wally & The Beav, when the boys are called upon to baby-sit while Ward and June go to a party. The boys have to call the fire department to extract young "Puddin'" from the bathroom she's managed to lock herself into. .... "I want to see Mary Jane!!"

19. "The Bank Account" (February 14, 1958) -- This one's a real heart-tugger, as Wally and Beaver surprise their father with a very special gift.

20. "Lonesome Beaver" (February 28, 1958)

21. "Cleaning Up Beaver" (March 7, 1958)

22. "The Perfect Father" (March 14, 1958) -- "Oh, for Pete sake! I just put it up {the basketball backboard} for them to fool around with; I didn't think they were going to put a micrometer on it!" --- The early-season shows feature several "Ward tantrums", with this being one such funny example. Hugh Beaumont, as Ward Cleaver, was "The Perfect Father" choice for this TV series, if ya ask me. :)

23. "Beaver And Poncho" (March 21, 1958) -- Another "lump-in-your-throat" type of episode, with Beaver adopting the cutest little Chihuahua dog for a few days. .... "Wally says he's a bald-headed Mexican."

24. "The State Vs. Beaver" (March 26, 1958)

25. "The Broken Window" (April 2, 1958)

26. "Train Trip" (April 9, 1958)

27. "My Brother's Girl" (April 16, 1958) -- "As a woman, I'm very proud of Mary Ellen! Why, if we women waited until you men were good and ready to settle down and raise families, this whole continent of America would be nothing but buffaloes, jack-rabbits, and grizzly bears!!" --- June gets in some good wisecracks of her own upon occasion (as can be seen here). :-)

28. "Next-Door Indians" (April 23, 1958)

29. "Tenting Tonight" (April 30, 1958) -- The boys' 6-hour-long session at the movie theater sparks some quintessential angry "Ward-isms" in this episode. ... "You spent over six hours today sitting in that stuffy movie theater!!" ---> "Yeah, they sure give ya a lot for your 35 cents, don't they?"

30. "Music Lesson" (May 7, 1958)

31. "New Doctor" (May 14, 1958)

32. "Beaver's Old Friend" (May 21, 1958)

33. "Wally's Job" (May 28, 1958) -- The non-complex stories continue (with more funny results) in this episode about, quite simply, painting the family garbage cans.

34. "Beaver's Bad Day" (June 4, 1958) -- Again, here we have another example of a super-simple premise (Beaver rips his pants; EGADS!), which rises to a very funny level in the hands of this adept cast. Ward's angry reaction when he thinks Beaver is feeding him a tall tale is a highlight here.

35. "Boarding School" (June 11, 1958)

36. "Beaver And Henry" (June 18, 1958) -- "I hardly think that 'Henry' is the proper name for a rabbit in HER condition." ;)

37. "Beaver Runs Away" (June 25, 1958) -- Another fine example of a LITB ep. that combines comedy with a healthy dose of sentimentality as well. Beaver drills two holes in the garage wall, which, naturally, displeases Ward quite a bit. Beaver decides to pack up and leave home after a run-in with his dad. The final scene here is quite touching and realistically portrayed.

38. "Beaver's Guest" (July 2, 1958) -- Beaver's best pal, Larry Mondello, stays overnight at the Cleaver abode. His visit is marred by a fight with Beaver and Larry's middle-of-the-night stomach ache that keeps the whole house awake half the night. .... "Oh, the way that boy ate! It was like watching a mongoose! I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat ketchup on corn before." :-)

39. "Cat Out Of The Bag" (July 16, 1958) -- Season 1 ends with the boys getting into still more hot water when they lose the neighbor's cat that they're supposed to be looking after. .... "Gee, dad, you're always saying I'm old enough to take care of 'The Beaver'. It shouldn't matter just because the cat is worth something." :-)

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Closing Cleaver Comments........

"Leave It To Beaver" is an American institution. Although extremely simple and unsophisticated in nature, the show never fails to entertain. And the entertainment value of the series' first season is increased many times over thanks to the high quality of these DVDs.

Gripes against the Lunch-Box packaging notwithstanding, the first season of LITB on DVD is unquestionably a mandatory purchase for fans of that TV series. And I think it's safe to say even that ever-perfect of all moms, June Cleaver, would be more than happy to give this DVD collection her very own (and much sought-after) "Cleaver Seal Of Approval".

I think possibly the thing I treasure the most about having a "Leave It To Beaver" full-season DVD set like this one available is the "It's Always Gonna Be There" factor. That is to say -- just knowing that I can revisit Mayfield and the Cleaver gang anytime of the day or night by simply popping in one of these discs is ... well ... kind of a comforting thought in and of itself.

"LEAVE IT TO BEAVER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" .........

At-A-Glance DVD Stats:

Number of Episodes -- 39.
Number of DVDs -- 3 (Dual-Sided; Dual-Layered; DVD-18).
Video Aspect Ratio -- Full Frame OAR (1.33:1).
Audio -- Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).
Color or B&W? -- B&W.
Any Bonus Stuff on the DVDs? -- Yes ... The LITB "Pilot" Episode ("It's A Small World").
Subtitles -- English and Spanish.
"Play All" Option Included? -- Yes.
Chapter Stops Included? -- No.
Are These Episodes Complete and Unedited? -- Yes.
Booklet Included? -- No.
DVD Distributor -- Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
DVD Release Date -- November 22, 2005.

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"Leave It To Beaver" (1957-1963) is one of my all-time favorite television programs, and I'm thrilled to now have the opportunity to collect the series on the DVD format. It's a TV show that, for me, never grows old or tiresome. Wally, Ward, June, Eddie, Lumpy, and "The Beav" will always be welcome on my TV screen.

This "Limited Edition" Lunch Box version of "Leave It To Beaver: The Complete First Season" is both fantastic and a nightmare at the same time. The "fantastic" part is the TV show itself (and the three discs which have all 39 first-year Beaver entries on them....and the quality is excellent here).

The "nightmare" part has to do with the way the discs are stored within the Lunch Box, plus the complete and utter lack of ANY printed episode information inside this package whatsoever. No episode guide booklet. Not even a single-page insert with the ep. titles scribbled on them someplace. Nothing. That's just plain crazy.

Via this "Premium" pack, the only way to find a specific episode you want to view is to physically load up a disc and then search for the program via the Episode Index on the DVD itself. Either that or print out the episode information yourself from an online episode guide or some other source. I guess that WOULD actually be a good idea for people who buy this Limited set.

In fact, with the best interests of Beaver fans in mind, I'll provide a quick-reference, disc-by-disc, Season-One episode guide near the end of this review. And if anyone should desire to do so, they can easily copy-and-paste the program list below into "Word Pad" (or some similar type of computer word processor), and then print out a copy to put in the Lunch Box for future Beaver reference.

Offhand, I cannot think of one other TV-on-DVD product that doesn't come with some kind of program guide, either printed on the box or on an insert/booklet. I certainly don't own a similar such set anyway.

The three discs in this set are afforded a very cheap Lunch-Box home, with each one being slid into a CD-like plastic sleeve which comprise the first "pages" of the bonus item here, a "Cleaver Family Photo Album". The album is a pretty nice supplementary item, with six B&W pictures of the Cleavers (plus Eddie Haskell) placed into sleeves within the album (same type of sleeves that hold the discs).

But, for what's labelled as a "Premium Edition Gift Set" by Universal Home Video, I would have expected a much better disc-storing device than just these album sleeves. Sliding them in and out of sleeves could possibly result in the discs getting scratched more easily. Plus, to get the things out of the sleeves, you pretty much have no choice but to touch some portions of the data sides of the DVDs, which isn't too good of an idea either.

If only Universal would have made the Lunch Box a tad bigger, they could have easily put the "Standard Edition" of the LITB set inside the Lunch Box, which would have been the best of both packaging worlds -- i.e., a "Limited Edition", but with normal (and better) DVD cases/trays, which the Standard version does contain. The Lunch Box measures 7.75 in. x 6 in., with a thickness of about 3 inches.

The regular/standard edition comes in a nice-looking white slipcase box, which holds three individual slim cases for the DVDs. And, of course, that edition also has episode information written on the back of the cases (plus "DVD specifications" such as video aspect ratio stats, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, subtitle options, etc., which is also data that is completely absent from the Limited Edition set).

So, I'd advise fans of this charming and ultra-likeable TV sitcom to go with the "Standard" version of LITB Season 1. It has much better packaging for the double-sided DVDs. I might also add that three of the six photos contained in the Limited Edition's Photo Album can also be found in the Standard pack (with those same 3 pics being shown on the back covers of the three slim plastic cases).

Packaging devices aside, I'm extremely pleased with the overall video and audio quality of these DVDs. The Cleaver clan looks just terrific here. It appears to me that Universal Studios has done a marvelous job of transferring these nearly half-century-old TV episodes (which were shot on film, not videotape) to the DVD format. The original "wet cement" opening titles appear on each of these 39 episodes, as do the "teasers" (i.e., prologues/trailers) that originally aired during these shows just prior to the opening credits. Thank you, Universal, for presenting these programs unedited in any fashion; the average run time here looks to be about 25.5 minutes, which is excellent (in an "uncut" sort of way). ;)

And Universal has even seen fit to include the "Pilot" episode ("It's A Small World") in this Beaver collection as well (it's located on Side B of Disc #3). The pilot, which was first broadcast in April 1957 as an installment of the syndicated "Studio 57" TV series, is a good program too (IMHO), and provides a very satisfactory start to the LITB series (although I must admit that Casey Adams, who portrayed Ward Cleaver in the pilot, doesn't nearly exhibit the charm, likability, and overall greatness that Hugh Beaumont brought to the role in the actual LITB series). Very nice DVD picture quality for the pilot too.

Here now is that episode list I promised earlier. For providing the following info that Universal should have included in this Lunch-Box pack in the first place, but didn't, I accept personal checks and most major credit cards. (Just kidding, Beaver fans. ~devilish grin~).......

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LEAVE IT TO BEAVER -- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON:

DVD EPISODE INDEX:

DISC 1; SIDE A:

1. BEAVER GETS 'SPELLED
2. CAPTAIN JACK
3. THE BLACK EYE
4. THE HAIRCUT
5. NEW NEIGHBORS
6. BROTHERLY LOVE
7. WATER, ANYONE?

DISC 1; SIDE B:

8. BEAVER'S CRUSH
9. THE CLUBHOUSE
10. WALLY'S GIRL TROUBLE
11. BEAVER'S SHORT PANTS
12. THE PERFUME SALESMEN
13. VOODOO MAGIC
14. PART-TIME GENIUS

DISC 2; SIDE A:

15. PARTY INVITATION
16. LUMPY RUTHERFORD
17. THE PAPER ROUTE
18. CHILD CARE
19. THE BANK ACCOUNT
20. LONESOME BEAVER
21. CLEANING UP BEAVER

DISC 2; SIDE B:

22. THE PERFECT FATHER
23. BEAVER AND PONCHO
24. THE STATE VS. BEAVER
25. THE BROKEN WINDOW
26. TRAIN TRIP
27. MY BROTHER'S GIRL
28. NEXT-DOOR INDIANS

DISC 3; SIDE A:

29. TENTING TONIGHT
30. MUSIC LESSON
31. NEW DOCTOR
32. BEAVER'S OLD FRIEND
33. WALLY'S JOB
34. BEAVER'S BAD DAY
35. BOARDING SCHOOL

DISC 3; SIDE B:

36. BEAVER AND HENRY
37. BEAVER RUNS AWAY
38. BEAVER'S GUEST
39. CAT OUT OF THE BAG
BONUS PILOT EPISODE: IT'S A SMALL WORLD

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Closing Comments........

I've always looked upon the "Leave It To Beaver" TV series as an American institution of sorts. Its scripts and storylines were always very simple in nature, but the show never has failed to make me smile. And the entertainment value of the series' inaugural season is increased many times over thanks to the high quality of these DVDs.

Even with my many gripes concerning the Lunch-Box packaging, the first season of "Leave It To Beaver" on DVD is unquestionably an obligatory purchase for fans of this fun television show.

I'd strongly suggest getting the Standard Edition set, however, instead of this Limited Edition pack. And even though I dislike multiple things about the Lunch-Box set, I still feel the need to heap some praise and compliments upon Universal Studios for giving consumers a choice here, and for not releasing LITB Season 1 in JUST the Lunch Box. For being provided a choice of Beaver sets, I salute Universal proudly.

I recommend purchasing the standard set, not the "limited edition" collectors version. The lunch box is cool enough, but the DVDs are housed in a cheap plastic "photo album", which will, no doubt, yellow with age (looks like PVC, which is notorious for aging). The "photo album" doesn't stand up buy itself and doesn't physically "fit in" very well with a DVD collection. Would have been much better if they had just put the standard boxed set in the lunchbox. (There is also a large piece of styrofoam in the lunchbox. Classy.) The DVDs themselves are excellent and any LITB fan will be thrilled.

It's frustrating to review this dvd set because I love the show so much, but Universal continues to put out the crappiest product and it's infuriating. "Leave it to Beaver" is classic television and it's great fun to rewatch these episodes without commercials, the problem is, I'd like to be able to see ALL of them. Besides the annoying two sided disks, my set has at least five episodes that freeze up and when they do, there's nothing whatsoever I can do to finish watching the episode. So let the buyer beware...buy the disks and hope you don't have the freezing problem or just continue to watch Beaver on TV Land.

I have been a Leave It To Beaver fan my whole life and was thrilled to see the complete first season come out on DVD. Especially since the show is becoming increasingly hard to find on TVLand's cable network. However, I would like to know what administrative idiot thought it would be a good idea to put trailers for classic horror TV shows such as Kolchak and Amercian Gothic as well as commercials for R rated films such as My Summer of Love on at the beginning of the DVD before the menu comes on? Did anyone think that maybe that kind of material shouldn't be advertised on what is a great family show? Parents beware. You might want to send your kid out of the room until the episode menu comes on.

I, too, rented this set to show my kids some good, clean, 1950s TV fun.
However, the previews on this DVD are the exact opposite of the innocent LITB world.
Commercials for Kolchak: The Night Stalker and American Gothic include images of a man wielding an ax, monsters attacking, people burning in fire and the face of a corpse dripping blood from its eyes.
We are then treated to a montage of mostly R rated movies from Focus Features.
My Summer of Love is described as "a sexy new drama" while bikini clad women (who are apparently lovers) splash each other with water. This is followed by images from The Ice Harvest, The Pianist, The Constant Gardener, Far From Heaven, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost in Translation, The Motorcycle Diaries, Traffic, 21 Grams and ends with an ad for Brokeback Mountain.
Why were these previews put on this set of DVDs?
The LITB episodes are very funny and highly recommendable; just make sure that you bypass the commercials which have no business being there.

I guess you are very lucky if you are able to play these DVDs without problems. We have 2 sets of Universal Studios Home Entertainment/MCA Home Video DVDs and both skip and freeze. We have a good, Sony DVD player and have no problems with any of the many other DVDs we have. I can't believe how cheap Universal is. How much would it cost them to produce a decent product?? I am complaining to the BBB and everyone else I can think of. I hate to see other people waste there money on unusable DVDs. Here is a link to the BBB: http://www.labbb.org/

like others, i found the discs brilliant but the album packaging is bad for the discs, so i have put mine in 3 empty cd cases, ditched the styrofoam (not good for the discs) put in its place 1 of those airbags(1 only)that amazon use to pack round your goods, and that has everything nice and tight in the rather nice lunchbox tin. getting back to the discs, the picture is sharp and crisp and the sound is excellant too .i love the shows depiction of smalltown life, and june cleaver is just the perfect mom, brilliant stuff, you wont want to leave this beaver!.

The good news is you get all the first season episodes uncut, and they are as funny and charming as you remember them. The bad news is that the transfers are full of excessive grain which is very irritating, especially knowing how great an old TV show can be made to look from the fantastic "I Love Lucy," "Twilight Zone" and "Have Gun Will Travel" collections. This grainy image quality to me is why I can't recommend the set as a purchase at this price. The episodes themselves have no chapter stops within them -- not a big deal, but another indication that Universal didn't put a lot of effort into this. And even more disappointing is the lack of special features. You'd think that when a show has so many cast members still around, that an effort would have been made to have them do some commentaries or interviews, but such is not the case. Other reviewers have mentioned that the set is on dual sided DVD-18s which are often problematic. I haven't had any trouble yet, although I'm not all the way through every episode. Nevertheless, the choice of DVD-18s instead of single sided DVD-9s (as in the Lucy sets) is another indication that Universal continues to opt for cheapness over quality.

If you're on the fence about this set, rent one of the discs and see what you think of the graininess before you buy it. On the other hand, if you wait a few months, perhaps the price will be reduced.

Obviously, Leave It To Beaver was a 5-star show. You probably would not be reading this now if you didn't already know that. Additionally, one of the Spotlight Reviews did an excellent and exhaustive job of reviewing the show itself. There's little that I could add to it.

However, many previous reviewers condemned this box based on bad experiences they had with earlier Universal DVD products ...before this set was actually released. While it is true that Universal releases can leave much to be desired, this particular set is satisfactory. Yes, the discs are double-sided and single-sided would have been preferable. Additionally, the written documentation on the box is slim to say the least. Furthermore, besides the excellent pilot episode, there's little in the way of bonus features here. And perhaps some of the discs may be defective, but isn't that always the case?

Of greatest concern however, was the suggestion that the episodes would be shortened to fit. Well that did not happen. In fact, each episode features a brief prologue narrated by Hugh Beaumont before the credits even roll that probably hasn't been seen since the show originally aired. Additionally, each episode clocks in at over 26 minutes each, far longer than anything that has been seen in syndication in recent history.

So fear not! Yes, keep your receipt (as always should be the case), but you will not be cheated out of so much as one minute of the original show... it's all here and well worth watching again, especially now that each episode is now available in its complete and full-length format.