3rd season DVD's announced

[nate]

Think I'm gonna vomit...

Married... with Children - 3rd Season Announced! Date, Pricing, Cover, 'Lost Episode', & More!
Posted by David Lambert
11/15/2004


Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (formerly Columbia/Tristar) has at long last announced Married... with Children - The Complete 3rd Season. After a long delay due to music rights issues, the Bundy clan is finally back on DVD this coming January 25th.

As we told you a week-and-a-half ago, long negotiations with the rights owners of the title song "Love And Marriage" has caused delays in getting the third season released. The two parties weren't able to successfully negotiate for the use of the theme song for Season 3, even though they had done so on the previous four releases (two "best-of" and two season sets). Industry leaks have said that, to continue licensing the song to Sony/Columbia for this DVD use, the rights-holders wanted something like 43% more than the cost of the music rights for the first two season sets. It was already said to be quite high, so you can imagine what was being asked for now. Sony balked at this, of course.

Faced with the decision to kill the releases outright or just to continue on without the memorable theme song, Sony decided that the fans would prefer a change to the episode openings rather than to get nothing whatsoever. Here at TVShowsOnDVD, we concur. It is the same issue with Dawson's Creek and with Tour of Duty music changes, and I commented on the "lose-lose-lose-lose" situtation more extensively in my news for Tour of Duty - Season 2.

Getting back to the Bundy's, though, you will be happy to know that the Season 3 release is "complete" from one point of view: the "Infamous Lost Episode" is included in this release! Yes, the episode called "I'll See You In Court" is included here, right where the producers originally intended it to be, so folks who missed seeing it on the first Best-Of DVD will now get a chance to check it out. Extras in the form of Easter Eggs are back as well, along with Previews of other Sony Pictures Home Entertainment products.

Popular e-tailer Amazon.com already has this title up for pre-order at a 30% discount if you order now. Running time is 510 minutes, and the price is still $39.95 SRP (the same as the 22-episode, 3-DVD release for The Complete 2nd Season. Fans may wonder at that, because without having to help pay for music rights to the theme song they might feel that they're entitled to a price break on the new release. Well, before you get worked into a lather about that, don't forget that 1) they still have to pay the bill on the high-cost music rights from the last two seasons, and 2) the have to pay for different music rights and editing work to make the changes. What exactly will the new opening look and sound like? Sony/Columbia hasn't revealed that just yet, but we have a call in to them about this, and will let you know as soon as we find out. Stay tuned for that!

[Daniel]

Thanks for the news!

I'm realy curious about the new opener.
Hopefully the fans will accept the new one.

[nate]

Well, I want to scream, but...I will reserve full judgement until I see it with my own eyes. Maybe it won't be that big of a deal. But you have to admit that it's pretty hard to imagine. For some series', like how they mention Dawnsons Creek and Tour of Duty, I'm sure it wouldn't be as big of a deal. But for Al and company...........

Also, it sounds like from the last sentence, that they are not just changing the song (removing Sinatra), but also changing the "look." Not sure why, though, if only the music rights are affected. Although I guess the rythym of the opener does go with the beat of the music. Maybe I'm just reading it wrong though.

[Daniel]

Also, it sounds like from the last sentence, that they are not just changing the song (removing Sinatra), but also changing the "look." Not sure why, though, if only the music rights are affected.

You are right.
The last sentence scares me a bit.
What do we have to expect?
- A new song
- A complete new intro

I think the best would be the same intro and no soundclip behind it

Daniel

[Stacey]

Do you know the extras on the dvd

[Daniel]

Not in detail.
But it will be like on Season 2. Some hidden specials. Short Clips, Short Interviews.

[Gateway]

I can't wait to pick it up.

I have all 4 DVD's out for MWC currently.

[MASTER416]

Yeah, they should just have everything the same but take out the song.
I would hate a completely new intro.