Product Details

• Actors: Lloyd Haynes, Denise Nicholas, Karen Valentine, Michael Constantine
• Format: Box set, Color, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Shout Factory
• DVD Release Date: March 24, 2009
• Run Time: 660 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001LRL4Y2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,921 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Room 222: Season One" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

From its auspicious pilot episode, Room 222 was in a class by itself, earning an Emmy Award its first season for Outstanding New Series. James L. Brooks, who would graduate to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and The Simpsons, created this groundbreaking dramedy set in integrated Walt Whitman High School in Los Angeles. Anchoring the Grade-A ensemble is the late Lloyd Haines as idealistic history teacher Peter Dixon, who doesn't go by the book. "The world is being revised," he tells his students. "You'd better be doing some thinking." Denise Nicholas costars as compassionate guidance counselor (and Dixon's girlfriend) Liz McIntyre. Michael Constantine earned an Emmy Award as job-weary, but principled principal Mr. Kaufman. Karen Valentine also earned an Emmy as over-eager student teacher Alice Johnson. Rarely seen in syndication, Room 222 is a rediscovered treasure that holds up 40 years later. Episodes deal with such timeless issues as self-esteem (a disruptive student uses humor to mask his loneliness), course relevance (students rebel against their elderly "Preparation for Marriage" teacher), school bureaucracy (a prize student reveals he actually lives out of district), and popularity (a new student lies to gain acceptance). Room 222 gets high marks for keeping it real. It tackled some hot button issues of the day, such as race, in an understated and meaningful way (even the laugh track is restrained). When Alice asks Peter if he prefers to be referred to as colored, Negro, or black, he responds, "I've always preferred 'Pete.'" Among the standouts in the classroom are Howard Rice as the precocious Richie, David Jolliffe as Bernie with the red afro, Heshimu as militant Jason, and Judy Strangis as shy Helen Loomis. The show also features early appearances by a roster of Most Likely to Succeed candidates, including Teri Garr, Rob Reiner, and Bob Balaban, along with such TV Land faves as William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show), Ann Morgan Guilbert (Millie on The Dick Van Dyke Show), and Bernie Koppell (Get Smart). Little, if any, restoration works appears to have been done, but in this case, the washed-out colors and less than crystal audio complement Room 222's 60s vibe. This set gets extra credit for a nice bonus feature, a series retrospective featuring new interviews with Brooks, his writing partner, Allan Burns, Constantine, and Nicholas. Their affectionate and candid remembrances put this show in the context of the era and restore its legacy as one of TV's smartest, and, for the time, hippest, half hours. --Donald Liebenson

Product Description

When Room 222 premiered in 1969, it quickly made Friday nights worth staying home for. A compelling series about life at a multiracial Los Angeles high school, it left an indelible mark on popular culture by using the half hour form to explore socially relevant issues (more than a year before All In The Family) and by starting the still-popular trend of high school television series. Created by the now legendary James L. Brooks (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, The Simpsons), the program was praised for dealing realistically with such subjects as prejudice and drugs.

Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes) is a dedicated and popular history teacher who fights the good fight on the side of his students. Joining him in his idealistic approach to education are guidance counselor Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas) and student teacher Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine). Experienced and slightly world-weary principal Seymour Kaufman (Michael Constantine) provides a balance to the youthful idealism of the 60s cultural revolution but at the end of the day everyone is on the side of the students. Season One guest stars include Teri Garr, William Schallert, Bob Balaban, Kenneth Mars, Bud Cort, Donald Moffat, Larry Linville, Beah Richards, Paul Winfield, Nancy Wilson, Bernie Kopell, Rob Reiner and more.

Bonus Features:

* Forty Years On: All new interviews with creator James L. Brooks and cast members Denise Nicholas, Karen Valentine and Michael Constantine

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's More than Time to Go Back to School!! December 13, 2008

By E. Hornaday

Amazon Verified Purchase

File this under the category, "good things come to those who wait," and brother, has it been a long, long wait for this Classic TV gem to be rediscovered and released on DVD. Now, thanks to Shout! Factory, the complete first season of the iconic comedy-drama, Room 222, is being released for the first-time ever in a four-disc DVD boxed set.

The series, which premiered on ABC in 1969, explored life at integrated Walt Whitman High School in Los Angeles, as seen through the eyes of Pete Dixon, a black American history instructor whose classes are held in Room 222. It's amazing to look back and realize that integration was considered fairly "new" in 1969!

(The basic plot was similar to the popular 1967 film, To Sir, With Love, which starred the brilliant Sidney Poitier. In the movie, Poitier portrayed an idealistic teacher-trainee dealing with rambunctious white high school students from the slums of London's East End.)

Room 222 was a half-hour comedy-drama that aired on ABC from 1969-1974. While seldom seen in syndication today, the show broke new ground that would later be developed by the major sitcom factories of the 1970's.

Mixing dramatic elements with traditional TV comedy, Room 222 also predated the "dramedy" form by almost two decades! (Note: Director James L. Brooks worked on the series and went on to fame for his efforts in everything from the Mary Tyler Moore Show to the Simpons, as well as countless movies.)

The plots of Room 222 centered around dedicated and student-friendly teacher Dixon (played by Lloyd Haynes) whose mild-mannered style was admired and respected by students. He used American history class as a spring-board to teach real-life lessons in understanding and tolerance.

The series also depended on an ensemble cast of students and other school employees. The optimistic idealism of Pete, his compassionate girlfriend and school guidance counselor Liz McIntyre (played by Denise Nicholas), and student-teacher and later English teacher Alice Johnson (played by Karen Valentine) was balanced by the experienced, slightly jaded principal, Seymour Kaufman (played by Michael Constantine). Among the students were shy Helen Loomis (played by Judy Strangis), Bernie with the wild hair (played by David Jolliffe), militant Jason Allen (played by Heshimu Cumbuka) and genius Richie Lane, (played by Howard Rice.)

These high school employees and a handful of others debated among themselves how to best handle the academic and personal challenges of their students. Each episode also explored serious cultural issues of the day in a realistic way and in a realistic setting, predating later "relevant" comedies known for using comedy to do just that.

During its five seasons on the air, the series dealt with racism, sexism, homophobia, war, dropping out of school, shoplifting, drug use among both teachers and students, illiteracy, cops in school, guns in school, veterans' issues, teenage pregnancy and death. In one controversial episode, a young male student contracts venereal disease and an elderly female teacher loses her job because she gave him advice to deal with the problem.

The series garnered a number of community and educational awards for its positive portrayal of important social issues seldom discussed on TV at the time, and won an Emmy for Outstanding New Series in 1969.

The episodes from the first season included a laugh track. However, by the second season the laugh track was gone, emphasizing that the show was now primarily a drama, rather than a comedy.

The series was broadcast on Friday evenings at 9 p.m., following both The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family, but preceding Love, American Style. Room 222's initial episodes garnered weak ratings and ABC was poised to cancel the program after its first season. But because of the awards the show earned, ABC relented and renewed the series.

The effervescent Valentine became a fan-favorite and a break-out star worldwide. She was frequently depicted in all of the teen magazines of the day.

Include in this four-disc boxed set are all 26 First Season episodes: Richie's Story; Naked Came We into the World; Funny Boy; The Coat; The Flu; First We'll Eat - Then We'll Strike; Teacher's Dropping Out; Out Teacher is Obsolete; Triple Date; Fathers and Sons; Alice in Blunderland; Clothes Make the Boy; Seventeen Going on Twenty-Eight; The Exchange Teacher; El Genio; Arizona State Loves You; Operation Sandpile; Play it Loose; Goodbye, Mr. Hip; One Upon a Time there was Air You Couldn't See; The Whole World Can Hear You; Ralph; I Love You Charlie, I Love You Abbie; The New Boy; Funny Money; and Just Between Friends.

The series' unforgettable theme song was composed by famed film composer Jerry Goldsmith, and written in a 7/4 time signature, which was unusual for the genre.

Thanks to Shout! Factory for this release. Let's hope they keep 'em coming!

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Please support this release March 28, 2009

By B. Hassel

Amazon Verified Purchase

With so many TV series being abandoned by the larger studios, I caution reviews with the words they use to discourage shoppers from purchasing this wonderful series. I believe you can provide accurate information concerning the quality of this release without bashing it and scaring shoppers away. Room 222 in a charming, well written show that needs to see all of its seasons released. If sales are not good we may certainly not see any further seasons released. I am very happy to have this in my DVD collection. Of course I wish the video/audio were perfect, but it's completely watchable for a show from 1969. Please support this release and enjoy a great show from the past.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars THANKS for releasing Room 222, weak quality and all! March 26, 2009

By Rick Mears

Despite the poor-to-fair, and inconsistently so, picture quality, I am so GLAD that this 1st season of Room 222 was released! Let's hope all the seasons are issued.

Also, it is apparent that the studio did the best job they could--for example, the episodes are about 26 minutes long, not shortened syndication versions.

We wanted very badly for this set to be released; let's not complain. It's not like Shout Factory regularly makes junk, it's normally pristine stuff; they obviously did the best they could with this, and it IS appreciated.

Let's see season #2 of Room 222 very soon!