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| My Three Sons: The First Season, Vol. 1 | 
 enlarge | Directors: Earl Bellamy, Frederick De Cordova, James V. Kern, Gene Reynolds, James Sheldon
Actors: Fred Macmurray, William Demarest, William Frawley, Don Grady, John Howard
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.98
Buy New: $24.30
You Save: $15.68 (39%)
New (46) Used (12) from $22.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  72 reviews
Sales Rank: 3282
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 3
Running Time: 420
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: PARD853554D
UPC: 097368535541
EAN: 0097368535541
ASIN: B00005JOEB
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 09/30/2008
Amazon.com
When one thinks of cutting edge television, My Three Sons does not immediately leap to mind, but this beloved Boomer-era staple (it ran for 12 seasons, which, for a family sitcom, is second in longevity only to The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet) broke the nuclear family mold. Fred MacMurray's Steve Douglas was a widower, raising his titular brood--college-bound Mike (Tim Considine), middle son Robbie (Don Grady), and youngest son Chip (Stanley Livingston)--with the help of his gruff, but soft-hearted father-in-law, Bub (William Frawley). In the first episode, when a door-to-door cosmetics salesman asks to see the woman of the house, Bub laughs, "Boy, do you have the wrong house." Also not par for the sitcom course is the avant-garde use of sound effects. In one episode, sibling rivalry over a girl results in a "cold war" between Mike and Robbie. Their dinner table sniping as Steve tries to broker peace is punctuated by the sounds of guns firing and bombs exploding. Which is to say that My Three Sons has aged nicely, and has much to offer beyond nostalgia. No offense to the great William Demarest, who replaced an ailing Frawley in 1965, but the series' "Bub" years were the best. Save for the episode in which comedian George Gobel is a guest at the house, the situations are grounded in reality, and the writing often surprises with twists that subvert sitcom convention and stereotypes. "Countdown" cleverly unfolds in real time as the family's Monday morning routine plays out against a televised satellite launch. In another episode, a fraternity rejects Mike, not because they are snobs (the usual sitcom portrayal), but because they believe Mike isn't serious enough about his education. Some episodes simply bring home the laughs, as in "The Little Ragpicker," in which a realistic looking dummy causes a new neighbor to think the worst about the Douglases. But there is genuine pathos in "Bub in the Ointment," in which Bub's "Irish temper" and lack of tact embarrass the kids, until Steve reminds Mike of the sacrifices Bub made to move in with the family after his daughter died. The boys talk, act, and fight like brothers, and Steve, while a pipe-puffing font of sage fatherly advice, is sometimes at a loss, and is allowed to be testy and impatient with his "wild bunch." The split season is unfortunate, but these inaugural 18 episodes are a healthy serving for those who want a taste of this iconic series. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 67 more reviews...
 CBS/PARAMOUNT - Truly An Evil Empire! August 12, 2008
92 out of 103 found this review helpful
Never in the relatively brief history of the DVD has there been such a prime example of a greedy, short sighted, narcissistic, indifferent QA/QC and downright mean spirited entity such as CBS/Paramount.
At a time when family income is stretched, CBS/Paramount dangles classic American TV treasures before the eyes of the very core fans of the product; baby boomer families (AND their greatest generation parents; those fortunate to have them still) and now Gen X & Y's are finding series like 'My Three Sons' quite refreshing. The media offered? Exorbitantly priced half season sets, sets with music altered or completely replaced, grainy transfers full of artifactual trash, sets with edited footage & missing laugh tracks and so on.
We as consumers must enjoin CBS/Paramount to realize that the American consumer ever so hungry for the media offered will just take but so much abuse before "Just Saying NO"!
This offering of My Three Sons: The First Season, Vol. 1, (a perfect classic American TV treasure) at ~$1.50 per a 25 minute episode is a direct finger in the eye of a huge consumer demographic. CBS/Paramount, I know you have heard our voices; but you don't care enough to be listen!
 Bring Us Bub! (and Chuckles too). July 15, 2006
77 out of 81 found this review helpful
NOTE: I had originally written this review before I was aware that CBS/Paramount was altering their product through entire music score replacements and so on. As much as I love programs like "My Three Sons," I can't see the justification for such decisions as split-season releases or soundtrack altering. My five-star rating was originally for the show, not the product, and it can not be changed. That being said:
The color episodes of this show were good too, but the episodes we prefer to watch are the black & white episodes with Mike (Steve's oldest son) and Bub (the boys' grandfather - Steve's father-in-law). It was a very different show, with such plots as Steve's neighbor wanting to take a pleasant Sunday drive with his wife and daughter, but ending up hoodwinked into taking Steve's car and about a dozen others with them; or Bub losing Chip's frog that he was going to use for show and tell. There was an episode where Rob was reading detective novels and became convinced that someone was following him. Another episode had Mike taking an umbrella stand made from a hippopotamus foot to his fraternity house where they used it so as to make it appear as though a giant beast walked into a nearby lake and never came out. One episode took place on the morning that daylight saving time ended, and Bub turned the clocks ahead instead of back, forcing a tired crew to roll out 2 hours early. The whole episode was staged to the narration of a NASA public info film that Chip was watching on TV.
Some of what makes these episodes important is the way we see Chip and Ernie develop a close friendship prior to the 1965 adoption episode. These earlier episodes make that particular one more weighty and understandable. Thank goodness for Nick at Nite back in the late 80's, because I had never seen the black & whites in re-runs before they ran them, nor have I seen them run again. Makes me glad I recorded them! However, DVD season sets would be a very welcome addition to my collection.
UPDATE: JUNE 23, 2008. CBS/Paramount has confirmed a release date for this series. "My Three Sons" Season 1, Volume 1 will be released September 30, 2008.
Update: July 2, 2008: The rear cover art for this series mentions music changes. To what extent? Who knows. It is particularly sad to hear of this happening in this series as Frank DeVol's music was essential to the feel, thus the flow of these shows. One example that quickly comes to mind is an episode that I believe is called "The Horseless Saddle." There are two pieces of music used at crucial points throughout the episode, it's necessary that they be there. The saddle has it's own music, and the pony has it's own music, and I don't recall ever hearing these two pieces used again.
There's also an episode where Mike becomes very serious about a girl he's met in college. He tells Steve about her and arranges for her to come for dinner and meet the family. She immediately becomes infatuated with Steve (Talking about him when she's out with Mike, even comparing him with John Wayne while they're at the movies) and begins phoning him and creating situations that bring them together. Again, there is not only a particular piece of music used each time she gives Steve a "look," but the same sound effect is also used and they really work well together.
These shows without DeVol's music would be like a bun without a burger. Changing or deleting anything that's there would be a huge mistake!
UPDATE: OCTOBER 1, 2008. Still waiting for a legitimate release.
Paramount does it again!!!! September 13, 2008
49 out of 56 found this review helpful
I loved this show and have very fond memories watching it as i was a child growing up. I give it a one star because of the dvd product not the show it's self. After all we are rating both the show and the actual dvd product here on Amazon.
Once again, Paramount turns to pure greed tactics to gain hefty profits while giving little to no concern about the consumer. With a show having 12 seasons you could spend an astronomical amount to own this series if most or all of the seasons are offered as split seasons. It's only a half hour show for Pete's sake.
So i will have to pass on owning My Three Sons and that greatly disappoints me.
Shame on you Paramount!!!!!
Interested in DVD when it becomes available. July 4, 2005
31 out of 40 found this review helpful
We fondly remember early seasons of My Three Sons with Fred McMurray. We eagerly look forward to having them available on DVD.
30 min shows should not be released in two Volumes July 20, 2008
22 out of 25 found this review helpful
SHAME ON YOU Paramount!!! What's the idea of cheating us with Vol 1 of MY THREE SONS when it is only a 1/2 hr show??? Throw the season in one volume only and charge a little more. You have many customers who want all 12 seasons of this beloved show, but in COMPLETE SEASONS only. Reconsider before you lose me and many more as a sure customer of this show.
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