Product Details

• Actors: Vicki Lawrence, Dorothy Lyman, Eric Brown, Rue McClanahan, Betty White
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: September 26, 2006
• Run Time: 278 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (196 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000GH3PMM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,756 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Mama's Family: The Complete First Season" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Do you remember Mama? How could you forget her? As indelibly portrayed by Vicki Lawrence, formidable Mama put the "diss" in dysfunctional. Like Tyler Perry's Madea a decade later (but without the penchant for firearms or corporeal punishment), Mama dispenses no-nonsense motherly advice, discipline, and verbal kicks in the backside. She makes Dr. Phil look like Stuart Smalley. Thelma Harper does not suffer fools. She makes them--well, everybody--suffer. These include her sister, Fran (Rue McLanahan, The Golden Girls), a journalist who lives with her; her feckless son, Vint (Ken Berry, F-Troop), who moves in with his two teenagers after he is evicted from his house; and "bleached-blonde bimbo" Naomi (Dorothy Lyman, the original Opal on All My Children), who marries Vint by episode 4. Mama's extended family includes her two daughters, highfalutin Ellen (Betty White) and high-strung Eunice (Carol Burnett), who, to say the least, has issues. No one will mistake Mama's family for the Cleavers or the Bradys. They communicate mostly by screaming, and with put-downs often more cruel than comical. As a bystander tells Mama and Eunice in one episode, "Hold it, you're giving me a headache." One of the most memorable episodes is the one in which the Harpers must stick together when they appear on Family Feud (featuring a game Richard Dawson). Lawrence and Burnett, who appears in four episodes, share a palpable chemistry, honed all those years on The Carol Burnett Show, where Mama originated. As with those classic sketches, the best of these episodes, such as "Cellmates," in which Mama and Eunice are jailed after a disastrous birthday celebration, can make you laugh one minute and move you the next. Mama's Family is a great place to visit. Thank god we don't have to live there. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

Mama's Family, the delightfully offbeat comedy whose successful run spanned from January 22, 1983 to March 12, 1990, originally began as a skit on the legendary Carol Burnett Show. Entitled The Family, the sketch was roughly based on Carol Burnett's childhood and was such a hit that it generated its own spin-off series which premiered on NBC. The first time on DVD, Mama's Family: The Complete First Season will include all 13 episodes from the show's premiere season, which aired from January 1983 to May 1983.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 94 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars "Boy howdy, I bet the neighbors are just loving this!"--Mama November 11, 2006

By mwreview

Format:DVD

Mama's Family definitely gets five stars. One of my favorite shows of all-time, especially during its first two seasons with the occasional appearances of Eunice. What a stellar cast: Vicki Lawrence, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Dorothy Lyman, Ken Berry (How was it ever canceled in the first place?) I really liked the kids Buzz and Sonja, too.

The reason I am knocking a star off the score is that these episodes are edited. They are like the syndication edits that are still aired all the time. What's up with that??!! I've been waiting to see these episodes uncut for years. I know how much they've cut because I have an audio recording of "The Wedding Part 1" from when it aired back around 1985 (a rerun even, not the first airing which was 2/5/83):

1. They cut out the part about the hoochie coochie dancer in the kitchen scene with Mama, Buzz, and Vint.

2. When Sonja asked if she was a slave, Fran's comeback line "If you were, you would've been sold years ago" is gone.

3. Mama explaining to Sonja that "strong drink can make even the daintiest of ladies seem unattractive and crude" (and then hic-ups from the beer) got the ax.

4. The scene with Mama and Fran in the kitchen is shortened.

5. They cut out Mama talking about seeing her husband Carl naked out of the shower. She shoved him in the linen closet and never looked again.

6. A lot of dialogue about the controversy over Eunice's "O Promise Me" solo is missing.

7. And the worst omission of all: Eunice screaming "Well All Right!!!" after Mama exclaimed, "This is my house and I say there ain't gonna be no da*n singing!" isn't there! I've been looking forward to seeing that scene again which always seems to be cut in syndication.

These are just what is cut out of one episode! And the tags during the closing credits are missing, too. I definitely would have paid more money to get these episodes uncut, wouldn't you? Anyway, here are the episodes from Season 1:

"Vint and the Kids Move In": Vint and the kids are kicked out of their house and they have to move in with Mama.

"For Better or For Worse": "Her! Him! Here!" Mama hyperventilates when she finds out Naomi and Vint spent the night together down in the basement. Vint and Naomi then decide to get married and run a trailer park in Arizona.

"The Wedding Part 1": While getting ready for the wedding to be held a Mama's showplace, Eunice takes delight in telling sister Ellen the truth about her husband and his secretary.

"The Wedding Part 2": Eunice slightly changes her rendition of "O Promise Me" after she finds out Mama gave Vint her father's sapphire ring. Later, Vint and Naomi discover there trailer park plans were a rip-off and they have to move in with Mama again.

"Family Feud": The Harpers "wind up" on Family Feud. Richard Dawson is a guest.

"Cellmates": Eunice and Mama find themselves in jail with a prostitute who gets them to consider their mother/daughter relationship. This is the episode where Eunice finds out Mama sent her dream man Duke Reeves away when she was in high school.

"Mama Gets A Job": Mama gets a job at a travel agency and her family keeps bugging her a work. I like the part where she's learning how to answer the phones: "It's a great day here at the Raytown Travel Agency! May I heeelp you?!"

"Double Standard": Sonja gets all women's rights when she finds out her younger brother has a longer curfew.

"Mama's Boyfriend": Mama shocks her family when she plans on spending a weekend in a cabin by the lake with an old flame.

"Fran's Dress": Mama accidentally ruins Fran's priced dress she plans on wearing to an awards banquette.

"Alien Marriage": In another get-rich-quick scheme, Vint plans on marrying a Portuguese woman to get her a green card. In this episode, Naomi and Vint are not married yet. Naomi is still Mama's complaining neighbor. Anyway, Mama really goes off in this one! Great shouting scene including a nice argument between Mama and her flighty, old maid sister Fran.

"Positive Thinking": One of the funniest episodes. Eunice starts listening to positive thinking tapes and gets a role in a play. Great Eunice line: "I just decked the entire cast over there at the Pepperpot Playhouse!"

"Mama's Silver": Vint pawns Mama's precious sterling.

70 of 74 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money! Great show, awul DVD treatment! September 26, 2006

By A

Format:DVD

I bought the Mama's Family DVD today and was shocked and appalled to see that they are the edited syndication versions. This makes no sense at all. WB sucks!

67 of 71 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Warner Blew This Big Time! September 25, 2006

By Ashley

Format:DVD

Like the other couple of reviewers, I was also excited to hear Mama's Family was coming to DVD, but just minutes ago I found out in a Sitcoms Online review that the episodes are edited syndication cuts. I am so disappointed and feel so cheated. If I would have found out sooner I would have canceled my pre-order but it's now too late. Warner Bros. has some major explaining to do.

The show is a definite five stars, but I wish I could give this DVD no stars. A big fat raspberry to you, Warner!