Customer Reviews

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Seventh Season

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

My DVD set didn't contain the final curtain call, so I phoned the number on back of the box. The person on the other end was very polite and apologized and mentioned a replacement disc would be sent out right away. All she asked was where I bought it (amazon.com) and if it was a pre-order and that's it. After I gave my name and address she said the disc would be shipped right away.

Excellent customer service, but it's hard to believe it took all these years to complete the MTM series. Now they need to finish the remaining Bob Newhart Show seasons and release Phyllis on DVD.

When Season 1 was released almost a decade ago, I was one who paid full price ($49.99) and paid full price also for the subsequent seasons. I'm just glad to get the entire series on DVD. It's about time. This is back when television was great.

It's taken eight years, but the entire Mary Tyler Moore Show is finally on DVD! Sadly, it had to come in the form of schizo releases from Fox, but at least we have it.

Season 7 continues the bare bones presentation of the last few seasons. The three DVDs are in one regular sized DVD case with no insert, but at least the cover is printed on both sides this time and the case is clear so that an episode list can be printed on the left-hand side. No episode synopsis mind you, just an episode list, but it's more than Fox could be bothered with in the past. No bonus features are included.

The shows themselves look great on DVD and season 7 ends the series on a very high note with a number of classic episodes beyond the obvious last episode. Unfortunately, even though the back of the DVD case proudly states the special Final Curtain Call ending is included on "The Last Show," it's nowhere to be found. Evil Fox strikes again.

[BEGIN EDIT]
Thankfully calling the toll free Fox number was painless and within a week I received a replacement Disc 3 that includes the advertised Final Curtain Call on "The Last Show." Kudos to Fox for quickly addressing the issue and correcting it. Hopefully this error won't occur in future pressings and Fox will continue to replace discs as necessary.
[END EDIT]

So this is The Mary Tyler Moore Show on DVD. All the warts and waiting caused by Fox still can't dim the effervescent joy of the show. This is timeless television that deserves to be seen for years to come. Hopefully someday, the show will get the prestige release it deserves for home video.

Five stars for the show - three for the DVD presentation.

My pre-ordered set of MTM Season 7 is also missing the Curtain Call from the final episode. Call the toll-free number on the back of the DVD case and speak to a Fox representative. They will ask you for certain information and they do have replacement discs for disc 3 which they will send to verified buyers. Have your purchase information handy when you call.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Seventh Season

First I will say 2 positive things, the shows look wonderfully crisp and clear as the others did and Kudos for restoring the lost curtain call at the end of the final episode, it is a short sequence but it completely reveals in that 40 seconds or so how much the audience loved this cast and how much they loved and cared for each other! I had to have it to finish out the set, but I need to get a few things off of my chest.

Now for the negative stuff!



The first season of this classic series was released by fox video, (it's no mistake, they don't deserve their name in caps),on dvd in September 2002 and I ran to the store as soon as I had money to make my purchase. I was more than a fan of the show, I was hypnotized by the show as much as with other classics like "I Love Lucy" and many other favorites when growing up. I was sure by the elegant packaging and a few extra's that obviously created & collected just for the DVD release that there were more goodies in store for the release of the next 6 sets. BOY WAS I EVER WRONG. Season 1 was the first and last of any creativity, extra content and any consideration at ALL for what fox video had in store for the rest of the series, and quite frankly was a complete and utter disrespect not only for the people shelling out their hard earned dollars but also a violent slap in the face to the creators and extremely talented cast of this classic show! The following seasons not only had zero extra features, but season by season make the packaging cheaper and cheaper to the point where many of the last sets didn't even have the titles of the show printed on the cover much less a booklet inside with episodic information.

Speaking to the show's themselves, well at least all of the shows have been taken from the original prints and shown mostly uncut and in their original form. I say for "mostly uncut" because even as early as the first season's 'ChristmaS & The Hard Luck Kid' Fox was so cheap and cut one of the best sequences in any of the episodes when Mary who has volunteered to work on Christmas Eve begins to dance and sing to music on the television. The singing and music is edited because of some sort of cheapskate executive at fox who decided that he/she did not want to pay royalties on the song, and butchered a great episode. It was also done on several other episodes including this 7th season disc in the dream sequence where Ted & Mary are on their honeymoon in "Mary's Three Husbands".

I completely understand trying to cut corners to make the product affordable for all, but come on fox! You dangle a 18 karat gold diamond pendant necklace in front of us as an example of what we are going to see in the future, then end up making only a dollar store piece of costume jewelry available for purchase for the next 6 seasons and drag it out over 8 years! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!

fox doesn't deserve our money but as most fans, they know we will buy it because we love Mary, Valerie, Cloris, Ed, Gavin, Georgia, Ted & Betty!

Brian Sebesta
Biggest MTM FAN!

I'm thankful the studio finally has released MTM's final season. But it's a mixed blessing. The sound quality coming from my surround system is very tinny and horrible. At least they have the episode title listing in the inside clear cover of the dvd case. And, my worst fear was realized, soon after I saw an email notification that the cast's "Last Call" on their final series episode did NOT make it to ALL disc 3's released! I worried all day @ work, and came home, popped it in and yep, it was no where to be had. I immediately called the FOX Customer Service # 1-888-223-4369 and requested my replacement disc, which I was told would take 2 weeks, though I'm not holding my breath it will be in my hands that soon. The picture quality on the disc is great, but again as I mentioned, the sound is quite inferior. 10/17/10 UPDATE: I did in fact get my replacement disc in less than a week from FOX via UPS Next day. The Curtain Call was there! Bravo Fox, even though you never did a single extra/commentary for the last 3 seasons.

I would encourage everyone to email, call or write FOX to complain about the lack of advertised "curtain call" in the final episode. Please be polite, and ask what is being done to correct this. It would be one thing if it was not included, as we are used to disappointments from Fox, but another thing entirely to falsely represent the product. Perhaps if enough of us comment, they will re-issue it, or at least change the packaging. Thanks.

Hey folks if you're one of the ones who did not get the curtain call (like me) Fox is sending out replacement disks! You need to call 888-223-4369 and tell them where you got it and when and they will send you the replacement! At least they are trying to make up for their mistake.

I can't believe the treatment the DVD release of such a classic show has received. It took almost a decade to complete the collection... for a show that lasted SEVEN seasons? Not to mention the DVD sets have gotten 'flimsier and flimsier' over time. I guess we should be grateful the series is out on DVD at all.

This issue with the missing final curtain call seems fitting under the circumstances. A last slap in the face for one of television's most iconic series. Shameful. =(

If you like the Mary Tyler Moore show, no collection would be complete without the seventh season. I almost didn't buy this one because the last show is sad for me, but the whole set is so good, you can't be without it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was the first time since broadcast that I saw the finale and the final cast call. It was so good.

Yes, another complaint about the missing Final Curtain. I love the MTM shows, but am disgusted by the way Amazon.com has treated me. I wrote in to ask for another way to contact Fox and am still waiting for a reply (two months and counting). I now wish I'd ordered it from Amazon UK; at least they have the decency to send a reply.

Why not give an email address instead of a telephone number? Much easier for clients abroad.

It's all a bit shoddy from Amazon.com: they send a faulty product and then say "handle it yourself; we can't be bothered".

Nice once, Amazon.

26 December 2010
A couple of months ago I wrote to Fox Connect about the above. A few weeks later they emailed me a reply, promising they would sort it out. On the afternoon of 24 December I received an envelope from Fox Connect with an MTM disc Season 7, and, yes, the Final Curtain call. This has turned out to be a nice Christmas thanks to Fox Connect.
That's why I've changed my rating from one star to five, but NOT thanks to Amazon.