Search - Brilliant But Cancelled - Crime Dramas (Delvecchio/ Gideon Oliver/ Johnny Staccato/ Touching Evil) on DVD

Another Poor Quality Universal Release

Eric Paddon | Morristown, NJ | 05/23/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Universal probably has the greatest archive of classic television programs compared to any other studio. And sadly, no single studio has more consistently turned out poor quality releases of those programs on DVD, with their consistently defective double sided DVD-18 discs, not to mention shamefully abandoning many titles after just releasing one season (Dragnet, Adam-12, Kojak, Hardy Boys to name but a few).

The "Brilliant But Cancelled-Crime Dramas" DVD, ostensibly Universal's opportunity to show off some high quality project of theirs that let's us see premiere episodes of certain short-lived programs, sadly falls into the same category. While the premiere episode of "Johnny Stacatto" with John Cassavetes is presented in great quality and uncut, the premiere episode of "Delvecchio" (a 1976 drama with Judd Hirsch) fails on three levels. (1) The episode is taken from what looks like a 16mm print, dark and fuzzy (2) the episode is clearly a cut syndicated print of the kind used on A+E in the early 90s as the episode running time is a mere 45 minutes when 48-50 was the norm in those days and (3) there are NO OPENING TITLES OR CREDITS! Instead the episode starts cold with the episode title and the guest cast so the uninitiated has no idea who stars in the program and who the supporting cast consists of.

Jeers again to Universal for another sad and shoddy chapter in their ongoing history of bad quality TV on DVD releases."

Great Idea, great concept -bad copies

Bennet Pomerantz | Seabrook, Maryland | 06/18/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Universal television is guilty as in many other studios of releasing one season sets of old shows with limited scope-if they dont sell, there is never a season two released

From Home Media retailing article, Unfinished Business by JESSICA WOLF "Others fared a little better, but were still left by the wayside. Universal Studios Home Entertainment last year released Airwolf: Season One, and it sold nearly 20% of the units of Universal's top TV DVD release for the year, Miami Vice: Season One"



I had hope for this four show one disk special,Brilliant But Cancelled - Crime Dramas . However it seem shoddy release at best, which isnt a good sign. The two of the episodes on this collection are blurred. If you are going to sell a DVD, clean the master copy before copying. There are so many print bubbles on the Johnny Staccato...however the acting is good! The Delvecchio has no opening credits and the copy seems ill fitted for the TV, such as it was miscopied. Touching Evil episode seems as it they just picked an episode from the middle of the bunch, it was more confusing without a backstory.


The Gideon Oliver copy was great but slightly trimmed. However the show lasted ONLY eight 75 mins episode and produced by Law And Order's Dick Wolf. C'mon Universal, you should have gave this an own box set (it was part of the failed mystery movie wheel ABC tried ten years ago-I want a Burt Reynold's B.L. Striker Box set NOW)

Again from the article--"Completists, take note: Not every TV series that begins rolling out on DVD will finish its run. Maybe a first-season set doesn't sell enough copies, or maybe the sales dropoff for the second season is so great that the release door is promptly slammed shut. "

Maybe Universal take heed, You also have many pilots of shows that never made it to series and are sitting on your shelf(as do others like warner Bros, Paramount, etc) with name talent that never made it to series. Gather up a 4-6 episode collection of these with clean masters and put those out. That would be a great Brilliant But Cancelled : The Pilots DVD. I could see that an on going series for your company

I can't say this DVD is a credit with the bad workmanship this has

Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD
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