The Dick Van Dyke Show - Season Three (1961) Review

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(More customer reviews)The good folks at Image Entertainment have done it again! This third-season, multi-disc boxed set of CBS-TV's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961-1966) replicates the outstanding quality and tender-loving-care of its two predecessors.
This Season 3 package consists of five digital discs, each receiving its own "ThinPak" case, with appropriate (and very nice-looking!) high-resolution artwork and accompanying episode information. The outer slipcase features the "old-time TV" look, complete with a "lenticular" (3-D style) image adorning the mock "TV screen". The snappy-looking 3-D image offers up a "motion" picture of Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) falling out of a jury box (from the episode "One Angry Man", which actually was not a Season 3 episode, but rather a program from the first season of the show).
By the way, it's also worth mentioning here that these season-three discs are all "Region Free" (or "Region Zero") encoded. This is a change from the two earlier boxed sets of this series, which were only encoded for "Region 1" playback.

This third-season set gives us 32 top-notch episodes with Rob and Laura Petrie and associated friends and neighbors (even though the packaging says only 31), including the hysterical "That's My Boy??", in which Rob is convinced he's brought the wrong baby home from the hospital. Also in Season 3: "October Eve", "Laura's Little Lie", "Big Max Calvada", and another of my all-time faves, "I'd Rather Be Bald Than Have No Head At All".
All of these episodes are uncut and unedited. The FULL shows, as filmed in 1963-1964, are presented here.
Picture quality is excellent throughout this set. These black-and-white shows have never looked so good! Good resolution, detail, and contrast. The original Mono sound is used, and it suffices just fine. The audio comes to us via robust Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtracks.
A "Play All Episodes" option is also available (from the Main Menu). This feature makes it nice for those non-stop DVD-on-DVD marathons that every self-respecting fan of "Great TV" everywhere should subject themselves to at least once every few weeks! :)
BONUS FEATURES ....... Like the first two boxed seasons, this 3rd Dick Van Dyke Show set is jammed-packed with bonus material. Here's a rundown:
>> There are 2 audio commentary tracks, featuring Dick Van Dyke and show creator Carl Reiner (for "That's My Boy??" and "October Eve").
>> Two clips from the 1964 Emmy Awards (length = 2:30).
>> Assorted Cast & Crew Interviews.
>> Photo Galleries for many episodes.
>> A complete episode of "The Danny Thomas Show" (originally aired on October 21, 1963), in which Morey Amsterdam appears as his Dick Van Dyke Show character, Buddy Sorrell! This Danny Thomas program bears a strong resemblance, story-wise, to the 2nd-season Van Dyke Show episode, "Ray Murdock's X-Ray". Run time of this bonus program is 25:20, and the picture quality is quite good.
>> "Rehearsal Footage" (2:28) --- This extra contains a clip from an Arthur Godfrey-hosted TV documentary from May of 1966, "A Day In The Life Of Sheldon Leonard". We see some behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage for the season-five Van Dyke episode, "Talk To The Snail". Interesting stuff.
>> An excerpt (3:14) from Mr. Van Dyke's 1975 variety program, "Van Dyke & Company", in which Dick's former co-star, Mary Tyler Moore, makes an appearance. It's not a song-and-dance clip; it's a scripted comedy spot featuring Dick and Mary chatting.' Not exactly side-splittingly funny; but it's still fun to watch these two performers get together again, nine years after the Van Dyke Show ended.
>> Easter Eggs --- There are 5 hidden "Eggs" (one on each of the five discs). Each is a TV ad (circa 1990s) for "Nick At Nite", featuring "Chairman" Dick Van Dyke.' Be sure not to miss the one on Disc #5, in which Carl Reiner pops up (alongside Dick). That one is very funny!
These "Easter Eggs" can be accessed by pressing your remote's "Left Arrow" key while the "Opening Titles" chapter is highlighted. In two instances, however, you can get to the same hidden "Egg" by "left arrowing" from any of the other chapter choices as well. If an "Egg" is present, a "glow" will surround the cranium of Mr. Dick Van Dyke's artist rendering in the corner. Press "Enter" or "Play" now, and you'll see the "Nick @ Nite" promo spot.
>> Plus: There's also a four-page mini-booklet, featuring some third-season facts and trivia, plus an informative bio on Rose Marie.
NOTE: The packaging indicates that some "Original Commercials" are contained in this set. This is an error. There are none here.
Anyone that currently owns the other sets of The Dick Van Dyke Show from Image will, without question, want to snap up this third installment of this timeless TV classic. Image Entertainment, once again, proves that when it comes to providing consumers with superlative TV product on Digital Disc, they are a class act. With great video transfers, plentiful bonus features, complete uncut episodes, and smart-and-classy packaging -- this boxed set is another no-brainer for collectors.

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