Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete First Season

Amazon.com

More than just a ratings hit for NBC, the Norman Lear/Bud Yorkin-produced Diff'rent Strokes was a pop-culture phenomenon, thanks largely to the wise-beyond-his-years performance of star Gary Coleman. And while the show has languished of late in syndication in a heavily edited form, Columbia's first-season set amends that situation by packaging all 24 uncut episodes on a three-disc set with some interesting extras. Launched in November 1978 as a mid-season replacement for the failed Joe Namath series The Waverly Wonders, Diff'rent Strokes vaulted to no. 27 in the Nielsen ratings; audiences responded to the warmth and humorous culture clash between wealthy Philip Drummond (Lear vet Conrad Bain) and Arnold and Willis (Coleman and Todd Bridges), the sons of his late housekeeper whom he adopted. Though Bain, Bridges, Dana Plato (as Bain's daughter), and Charlotte Rae (as housekeeper Mrs. Garrett) all delivered solid performances, it was Coleman's charm, his timing, and most of all, his catch phrase "Whatchoo talkin' bout?" that drew in viewers.

The series was so successful that NBC used it to launch or boost two other shows: The Facts of Life, which sent Mrs. Garrett to run a girls' school (its pilot, "The Girls' School," is episode 24 on the third disc), and the McLean Stevenson program Hello, Larry, which followed Strokes on the network (the two-part cross-over episodes are featured on disc 3). Though perhaps best known to current audiences for the unfortunate luck suffered by several of its cast members after the show's cancellation in 1986, this first-season set offers a pleasant reminder of the show's charms. The set is rounded out by two featurettes featuring interviews with many of the show's stars and producers (though Coleman is notably absent), and commentaries by story editor Fred Rubin. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews:

Nostalgic blast from the past with a certain sadness.......2007-06-28

It's hard to judge a show like Diff'rent Strokes, since the show itself has fallen into footnote to the tabloid fiascos that became the lives of the three child stars. With that in mind, I tried to seperate myself from that and focus on the show qualities itself. And, it was alright.

Conrad Bain plays Phil Drummond, a wealthy man on Park Avenue in New York City who promised his long time housekeeper on her deathbed that he would adopt and care for her two children. And, true to his word, he adopts two black boys to live with him and his daughter. The show's producers said that sometimes if you tell a big enough lie the people will believe it. And, I would have to agree with this. They were getting hate mail from the Klu Klux Klan over this. And yet, this became a cultural phenomenon.

Why it became a cultural phenomenon is hard for me to see past the obvious cuteness of Gary Coleman and that "Whatchoo talkin' bout?" line. The show in the beginning was not that outrageous save for the fact there are two black children living with a white man as their father without a mother figure (save for Mrs. Garrett the housekeeper). Eventually the show would evolve into more semi sleazy topics (child porn, drugs, etc.); but, the only issue they dealt with in the very beginning was, obviously, racism. Some of it was a little too over the top - Arnold and Willis being harassed by superiors or authority figures before they realized that Mr. Drummond really was their adopted father, transistor radios and dancing to the beat, etc. Are we better people because of this? I don't know. Did we learn lessons from this show? Maybe a few. With that, it was an educational show that tried to appeal to the kiddie / tween set to engrain positive messages.

But, I can't get past the kids on the show and how their lives have fallen apart. Todd Bridges (Willis) succombed to drugs and a vareity of brushes with the law, even a murder charge. Gary Coleman (Arnold) sued his parents for their loss of his fortunes, lost his family, and had a few legal troubles as well. And Dana Plato. Just about anything and everything that could and would go wrong did. Teenage motherhood, drugs, armed robbery, porn movies, poverty, and eventually, her death. And, truth be told, while we often talk about the plight of a child star and how they tend to ruin their lives as adults, they were good actors. They were not great, however. They were good. They were not great, they were good. While some child actors have risen above the stigma of child star (Ron Howard, Jodie Foster, Brooke Shields, etc.), these three were examples of inertia who didn't expand into other fields and felt they were gyped by the establishment. Sorry, not buying it. They were some of the first Hollywood Brats Gone Bad. The greats will stay. They did not.

Good TV show passed down to my kids.......2007-03-13

i loved this show as a kid and now i get to see my kids mesmorized by the same show. it's important that my children see leading characters of different races and plan to purchase other shows like webster and the facts of life as well...

GOOD FAMILY FUN.......2007-01-06

Being born in Africa, I never had shows like this. When I came to America and was given the opportunity to grow see what life could be like living in America. Diff'rent Strokes was one of the shows that I loved to watch. The program was introduced to my children by one of there teachers and they could not stop talking about it. So, we had to order. My 8 year old reminds me of Arnold, always getting into something. We love it. Thanks for bring back good memories.

It Takes Diff'rent Strokes To Move The World! .......2006-11-27

I am 11-Year Old, and i am Going to Tell You Why i Love "Diff'rent Strokes". Diff'rent Strokes was The One of The Few hit sitcoms on NBC for Friday Nights, Parterning with: Facts Of Life and Hello, Larry. Diff'rent Strokes had starred The CBS Series "Maude" co-star, Conrad Bain, who played Wealthy Widow Philip Drummond, Dana Plato starred as his 14-Year Old Daughter, Kimberly, Charlotte Rae also starred as the No-Nonsense Housekeeper, Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae would have her very own sitcom, The Facts of Life, in The Fall of 1979, and aired on NBC until 1988), Todd Bridges also starred as Willis Jackson, and Well Known, Avenue Q, Star, Gary Coleman, played the Main Character, Arnold Jackson, also starring on the show was Family Matters's Weasel, Shavar Ross as Arnold's Best Friend, Dudley Johnson.

Diff'rent Strokes tackle many social issues over the United States, and came with VSE (Very Special Episodes) Including: Dudley getting Molested, Sam (Danny Cooksey) getting Kidnapped, The Family discovering Kimberly has Buliumia, and many more episodes. Diff'rent Strokes aired on NBC for Seven Seasons (1978-1985), and one season on The ABC Television Network (1985-1986), but Diff'rent Strokes cancelled in March 1986, after 19 Episodes were aired. The Kids/Family Sitcom was very Funny, and Hilarious and I Hope to see 1980-1981 season, which is Season #3 of The Show real soon!

Excellent Comedy.......2006-08-16

I find this show and especially this first season absolutely hilarious. The actors, in particular Gary Coleman produce terrific performances. I truly recommend this DVD to all whoever watched and liked the show

Average customer rating:

jeremiah
WORTH YOUR TIME!
A great show
Season 2 better than Season 1
Decent Continuation of Crusade

Jeremiah - The Complete First Season
Starring: Sean Astin , Ingrid Kavelaars , Joanne Kelly (II) , Byron Lawson , and Kandyse McClure
Director: Sean Astin , Mario Azzopardi , Holly Dale , Peter DeLuise , and Ken Girotti
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Science Fiction | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000V4910
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Amazon.com

Jeremiah fans have been clamoring for the release of the show on DVD (it originally aired on Showtime), and with 19 episodes and a passel of special features spread out over six discs and totaling nearly 15 hours, they are unlikely to be disappointed.

Based on a series of graphic novels by Hermann Huppen, the show takes place on an Earth where, some 15 years earlier, a hormonal virus killed everyone who was past puberty. It's an intriguing premise, but one that creator J. Michael Straczynski (best known for his work on "Babylon 5") and his team haven't exploited to its fullest. The slow-moving, 90-minute pilot episode explains little of the internal logic of this post-apocalyptic world; how, for instance, did these young folks, the oldest of whom were only 12 or 13 when "the Big Death" wiped out six billion people, manage to survive, educate themselves, and learn skills and trades without any adult influence in a society that's in shambles? It would be fun to know more.

Still, the show's ideas are provocative, and the work of co-stars and TV stalwarts Luke Perry as the title character, a hero with a conscience, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner as his more cynical sidekick, is good. Jeremiah, to its credit, doesn't rely on special effects, production design, costumes, or sets to carry it. That means the burden is on the ongoing themes (Jeremiah's guilt over his younger brother's death and his search for the maybe-mythic "Valhalla Sector"; the threat of the plague returning in an even more virulent form; the attempts to rebuild civilization) and individual stories, which are frequently compelling and smart (especially "Things Left Unsaid," the two-part season finale, a cliffhanger that offers many possibilities for future seasons), even while favoring talk over action.

The special features occupy disc 1, along with the pilot, and include deleted scenes, production sketches, and commentary on the pilot by Perry (who also executive produced) and Warner. If you're looking for superior sci-fi escapism, however, try Farscape or Stargate SG-1, to name just two. --Sam Graham

Description

A stunning sci-fi epic that re-envisions the future of mankind, this top-rated, action-packed original series is "intriguing" (Associated Press), "fascinating" (Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel) and "deep and intense" (Science Fiction Weekly)! Luke Perry ("Beverly Hills 90210," "Oz") stars as Jeremiah, one of the many young survivors of the "Big Death" that claimed the lives of every adult in the world 15 years ago. Now forging his way through a bleak wilderness fraught with danger and conspiracy, Jeremiah and his most trusted friend, Kurdy (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), are plunged into thrilling adventures that test every facet of their humanity…and ultimately the fate of the human race itself!

Customer Reviews:

jeremiah.......2007-07-30

brilliant -cant get it in england so had to import but worth every penny
wish the second series was released as well

WORTH YOUR TIME!.......2007-07-17

A very good series that as many of the sci-fi genre was canceled to soon! season 1 is on dvd now and season 2 has not been released but if you are a subscriber of netflix you are able to watch the complete second season on their streaming video feeds!

A great show.......2007-07-10

Sean Astin, as Mister Smith, doesn't come into the story until Season Two (unless he dirrected something, but I really don't think he did that until season two either), but season one is a FABULOUS start to a wonderful story. A wonderful story about how people react in hard times and how fragmented society can become. But the rebuilding of the society is fascinating. With Luke Perry and Malcolm Jamal-Warner in, what I would call their BEST roles. Having never been fans of theirs outside of this show (well, I did like Malcolm in Cosby Show) I was impressed by the broad range of their acting. This season has some adult themes, language and scenes. But if you are an adult, even if you are a bit sensitive, the human aspect of the drama is well worth it. Oh, I should mention, parts of it, dialogs and situations the main characters find themselves in, are great comedy too.

Only canceled after administrative disputes, this show could have gone on for many more seasons.

((PLEASE come out with season two!!!!))

Season 2 better than Season 1.......2007-07-07

I'm a big JMS fan and loved the show but Season 1 is a little slow and has a lot of filler episodes. Season 2 is much better partly because of addition of Sean Astin to the cast. However, MGM Home Video which has the DVD rights has still not released Season 2 on DVD.

Decent Continuation of Crusade.......2007-07-06

I have to admit, the pilot of this show didn't like me, after watch every single episode of Babylon 5 and Crusade, I couldn't imagine Straczynski working on something much more alike "a boy and his dog" and "madmax".
But Jeremiah it's the perfect proof of who brilliant is the creator of Babylon 5, because beyond any of the other things I thought this show takes many of the stories left without end in Crusade, themes like the doomsday cults, the fear for the power of the goverments, As in Crusade, the main characters are looking for something to save the future of the humanity but when they come closer to what they searching everything shows a new terrifying reality that can change the past of everyone alive.
For those who want more of Babylon 5, be warned, once you began to watch this show you are gonna be looking for more and I mean the wonderfull second season of this masterpiece.

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