TV shows that STILL aren't available on DVD!?!?

I'm starting this thread partly as a way to celebrate the fact that, after waiting for 16 years, one of my all-time favorite TV shows--7 Days--is finally available on DVD!

https://www.visualentertainment.tv/...mplete-collection-7108?variant=13635528589417

So that's finally a major piece off of my DVD bucket list but there are still a handful of shows that have failed to make it to DVD, at least here in the U.S. (Although quite a few of them are available in Region 2.)

Jake 2.0. Another turn-of-the-century UPN sci-fi drama. A computer tech gets infected with nanobots that give him enhanced speed & strength, 6-million-dollar-man style. VEI has released a bunch of other UPN shows from that era, like 7 Days, Level 9, The Sentinel, and Special Unit 2. I seem to recall Jake 2.0 being mentioned in one of their earlier announcements with the other shows but haven't heard anything about it since. (Granted, the original announcements didn't say anything about 7 Days, so maybe I've just jumped into a different universe. Not a bad trade, I suppose.)

Made in Canada. This is one of the best shows I've ever seen. A scathing show-biz satire about unscrupulous Canadian TV producers. Season 1 was released in the early 2000s but is way out of print and Seasons 2-5 are nowhere to be found. In fact, even finding evidence that Seasons 2-5 ever existed is becoming more & more scarce.

Hex. A British boarding school drama about witches, demons, and a lesbian ghost roommate. It's sometimes called the U.K.'s answer to Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Charmed. Season 1 has been released but Season 2 is only available in R2 (although the first 4 episodes of Season 2 were included on the Season 1 DVD). I'm actually shocked that this hasn't gotten a full series release, particularly given that the villain is played by a pre-X-Men Michael Fassbender.

Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog. It was like Power Rangers but in the middle ages and with no Japanese footage to draw from. Fun show though and I had a bit of a crush on Princess Deirdre. All of the other Saban shows from this era have been released by Shout! Factory except for this and Masked Rider.

The original Muppet Babies. I figure this one is probably held up in rights limbo because of all of the live action footage that it used from movies like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Back to the Future. The good news is that, eventually, Disney will just buy out every studio and there will be no more rights issues. The bad news is that it's frickin' Disney! They're already really bad at releasing consistent DVDs for the shows that they do fully own the rights to. For that matter, still waiting on complete season sets of Phineas & Ferb, the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon, Agent Carter Season 2, and The Muppet Show Seasons 4 & 5.

Blake's 7. I've never seen it but I hear it mentioned all the time in threads about 1970s-'80s era Doctor Who, so it would be nice to get an idea of what it's like.

As a huge fan of Red Dwarf, I'd love to see more of the actors' sitcom work, like on Brittas Empire and Maid Marian & Her Merry Men. (Granted, I did catch some of Maid Marian on VHS and wasn't that impressed. Kind of a poor man's Black Adder. But it had potential.)

Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000). This show wasn't really on my radar before but it sounds pretty neat. It's a British detective show where one of the detectives is a ghost. I only stumbled on it because I found the theme song in a playlist of Cardigans songs.


So, which shows are you still jonesin' for on DVD? It seems like the list is dwindling since some high profile holdouts like Batman (1966), WKRP in Cincinnati, and The Wonder Years have finally surfaced in recent years. But that just makes the remaining unreleased shows that much more infuriating.

 

The fact that St. Elsewhere still only has season one out on DVD blows my mind.

I also very much want Blake's 7 on DVD in the States (it's available on R2).

 

Season three of SeaQuest never came out in Region 1.

 

Night Heat

Also, Charlie Jade isn't out in Region 1.

 

Cold Case. I think music license issues were the reason there.

 

What I was going to say. Lou Grant and Hill Street Blues got full releases, and St Elsewhere has bigger stars. I heard that they used song lyrics in dialogue so much it was a nightmare for clearances, and the first season didn't sell enough to make it worthwhile. I still hope, though.

Also the terrific Frank's Place.

 

That's what I've heard. The dreaded music licensing! That's also what's stifled releases of other moderately popular series like The Drew Carey Show, Malcolm in the Middle, & Murphy Brown.

 

The Blake's 7 dvd's are all on youtube.

 

The Practice, Drew Carey Show, Malcolm in the Middle, Murphy Brown all only got season 1 releases, never complete sets because of music issues I think.

Malcolm in the Middle used to be on Netflix like 10 years ago when streaming just became a thing, but sadly long gone. Streaming needs more 'old school' comedies.

 

I was disappointed that they never did COLD CASE novels. The format, with its historical flashbacks, seemed well-suited to novels.

 

Wait? The 8th season was released?! I do want it for Boston Legal. Thanks for the heads up.

 

I'm finding this is the case with a many locally produced series. My area has grown in terms of being a good production area for productions to film here, both in terms of international, national and local productions. The very local productions have the downside of being a tad too localized in their subject of interest, so by default they'll never attain enough popularity to warrant a DVD release, being that it's far easier to chuck them online. It's also far easier for them to be forgotten over time without so much as a Wikipedia entry.

 

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

 

Fantastic Journey (1976-1977) set in the Bermuda Triangle

 

Yep. I wish that would come out on DVD. Dang music license issues.

The rest of Murphy Brown.

 

Ed (2000-2004)


I think the problem with putting this show on dvd is music license problems too.

 

Malcom in the Middle might not be on Netflix anymore but it is on Hulu if anyone is interested. I have a question. Has any of the music related issues with "Quantum Leap" ever been solved? Particular the episode were Al dances with Beth to the song "Georgia?"


Jason

 

Arliss I am pretty sure has no DVD release.

It's a 90s HBO show about an amoral sports agent.

I'm pretty sure SNL only got as far as season 5 for its full season releases. I know the big challenge there is all the little jingles at the start of sketches they have to pay royalties for. And also, season 6 is the beginning of the series' absolute worst stretch. I'm surprised they didn't jump ahead to 1986 though, the start of the Phil Hartman/Dana Carvey cast.