"NewsRadio: The Complete First And Second Seasons"

[AKA]

From tvshowsondvd.com

Even though it was up for pre-order early (see our story here), the studio - Columbia - had not yet announced this title for release. This morning that is rectified, and we have the cover art for you, for starters:

Available for sale on Feb. 3, 2004, this 3-Disc set comes to you with fifty-thousand watts of pure comedy! Office politics, relationships, crises and more abound at WNYX News Radio, New York's #2 news radio station.

This is the entire 1st AND 2nd seasons of NewsRadio, presented in the original 1.33:1 fullscreen format, and with bonus features like NBC's original Electronic Press Kit (EPK) and bonus previews of other comedy TV DVDs from the studio. List price is $39.95, for 660 minutes of fun!

[Xyzzy]

I can't wait. I was a regular viewer from episode one. I sure wish they could have gone on just one season longer.

[AKA]

Originally posted by Xyzzy
I can't wait. I was a regular viewer from episode one. I sure wish they could have gone on just one season longer.

Me, too. I think Jon Lovitz did a great job as Max Louis. People were just turned off by the fact that he wasn't Bill McNeil.

My only complaint about this set is that fact that it's three discs. There were six episodes in the first season, and twenty-one in the second. That's nine episodes per disc, which will definitely affect the video quality.

[Dan C]

Originally posted by AKA


Me, too. I think Jon Lovitz did a great job as Max Louis. People were just turned off by the fact that he wasn't Bill McNeil.

My only complaint about this set is that fact that it's three discs. There were six episodes in the first season, and twenty-one in the second. That's nine episodes per disc, which will definitely affect the video quality.

I think the real reason the show ultimately failed was that the nimrods at NBC kept moving it all over the damn schedule with little promotion. Yet at the same time they were endlessly hyping up truly heinous "comedies" like "Suddenly Susan", "Caroline in the City", and, ooof, "Veronica's Closet". :hurlleft:

News Radio had at least two more quality seasons in it.

:mad:

But, yes, great news on this new DVD set. :)

Dan C

[Ken_McAlinden]

The last season was very underrated. The Jimmy James/Johnny Johnson/D.B. Cooper episode arc with Patrick Warburton and the subsequent "wino/wedding" return of Warburton later on were so funny I had tears in my eyes at certain points.

Regards,

[Michael St. Clair]

As pointed out in another forum, these discs are likely going to be somewhat overcompressed (over 3.8 hours per dvd-9, plus bonus material)...don't expect stellar image quality.

I'll still be buying.

[AKA]

I like your avatar, Michael!

[lil.fred]

Is cheap at Amazon! what with free shipping and all.

[Beatlesfan03]

This is so strange...I was just thinking about Newsradio today and thought it would be great to replace my worn VHS copies.

A great show indeed, although I didn't get into it until syndication. I preferred Phil Hartman, but Lovitz was great as well. As Ken said above, there were some great storylines in that last season. One of my favorite episodes out of the whole series comes from that season: Flowers For Matthew (where Matthew drinks Joe's smart drink and outwits Dave).

I also think NBC really wasted a lot of this show's potential by constantly moving it around. I think if they kept still long enough, the show would have found its core audience. I know a lot of people who got into the show during its syndication run like myself mainly because they could find it at a regular time.

Is it still on anywhere? The last I checked, A&E was showing them somewhat sporatically.

[Michael St. Clair]

I like your avatar, Michael!

Well, I like yours too.

A couple of guys we lost way too soon...

[AKA]

Originally posted by Beatlesfan03
Is it still on anywhere? The last I checked, A&E was showing them somewhat sporatically.

Unfortunately, A&E gave up their rights to the series about a year or so ago. I don't think Columbia syndicates it anywhere anymore, either.

Originally posted by Michael St. Clair
Well, I like yours too.

A couple of guys we lost way too soon...

Absolutely. I still remember my eyes glazing over when I heard the terrible news that day in May of '98.

[AKA]

From tvshowsondvd.com:

We hate to be the bearer of what fans will consider to be REALLY bad news, but Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment has just announced that NewsRadio - Season 1 & 2 has been delayed from the planned 2/3/04 date. No reason was available, and no new date has been given. Stay tuned, and we'll update you when more information becomes available.

[Ken_McAlinden]

Hopefully, they will add another disc to make room for higher bitrates.

Regards,

[lbangs]

Originally posted by Xyzzy
I can't wait. I was a regular viewer from episode one. I sure wish they could have gone on just one season longer.

I've preordered my set. I was a fan before the first show (I was in the test marketing, and I gave 'The Station' very high marks). As far as I am concerned, this was the best American sitcom of the 90s, and only Absolutely Fabulous was better...

As for Jon Lovitz, I didn't hate him because he wasn't Bill McNeil. I hated him because he was Jon Lovitz, a comedian who has probably never made me laugh once. That aside, however, the show did not need two Matthews, and even the cast hated the decision to force Jon in. Walt or the efficiency expert would have worked much better, but hey, the expert is now in the glorious Gilmore Girls, so ah well...

I'd love to hear cast and producer commentaries on these.

Good times, good times...

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

[lil.fred]

Argh! Postponed indefinitely?

Has the whole world gone completely bitchcakes?

[Michael St. Clair]

The delay is a good thing. Borrowed from Usenet via HTF:

As most of you know, the first two seasons of NewsRadio were due to be released on DVD in February. The release date has been delayed, but I have it on good authority that this is a positive thing.

From the Grand Poobah himself: "The DVD was originally scheduled to be released by Sony in February 2004. However, due to a clerical error of some kind, no one at Sony told me about this. The February release was to have been a bare-bones, just-the-episodes package, which was disappointing, as I'd always planned on trying to put together a commentary-laden, extra-features-filled DVD release -- and a February release wouldn't give us enough time to do that. Fortunately, the people at Sony turned out to be good guys, and once we discussed it, they found a way to delay the DVDs until we could put together something special."

The really cool part is that your suggestions could become part of the final product! I've been instructed to collect these suggestions, so e-mail them over to newsradionews@hotmail.com. (Please put "NewsRadio" somewhere in the subject line.)

"Here are some of the things we're considering:
-- Commentary on the episodes by cast members, writers, a director or two, and any other interesting people I can think of. Any ideas? -- Behind-the-scenes footage (although I think I have more behind the scenes footage from Seasons 3+4)
-- End of the season "Blooper Reels."
-- Maybe -- even though I always find it a little difficult to read text on a TV screen -- a few first drafts of scripts, and then middle drafts, and then shooting drafts, and then "as-broadcast" drafts. So that people who are interested in that sort of thing can see how -- and how much -- the scripts changed over the course of a week.
-- If I can locate them (and the relevant parties aren't too
embarassed by them) a few of the original audition tapes."

Forward this message to anybody who might be interested in getting their 2 cents in, or just wants to know why they won't be getting their DVDs in February. Thanks, everybody!

Happy Holidays from the NewsRadio Newsletter.

"Grand Poobah" is series creator Paul Simms.