101 Timeless TV Classics

In one compact set of eight single-sided DVDs, Timeless Media Group has assembled episodes from 101 classic TV series. Other collections have more total episodes, but I'm not sure there's another set with so many different series. For the money, it's a ton of entertainment.These shows are overwhelmingly (entirely?) in the public domain, and from the running times, I'm guessing these DVDs were mastered from syndication prints. They're almost all black and white, even for a couple of westerns that were originally shot in color, and their running times sometimes suggest edits. Despite this questionable heritage, the prints all look pretty good for their age. Of the 101 episodes, eight have obtrusive on-screen graphics, but that's a small percentage.One drawback is that the only information you can get about the episodes in this set are the show titles. Even that bit of information can be misleading; when I read "I Spy", I think Robert Culp, not Raymond Massey. Let me fix that for you.Here is the full rundown of exactly what's in this set. Whenever possible, I've noted each episode's season (1o if the one-and-only season of the show) and episode number, its original air date, title, and running time. Shows with on-screen graphics are indicated by (bug). Everything is in black and white unless noted.Disc One: Prime TimeI Married Joan S1E2, 10/22/52, "Career" w/Sheldon Leonard, 26:21The Loretta Young Show (bug) S1E34, 5/16/54, "Dear Madge" w/William Frawley, 25:07This Is Your Life S2E3, 3/10/54, w/Mack Sennett, 24:12Meet Corliss Archer S1oE4, 1954, "Dexter the Director", 25:43The Betty Hutton Show (bug) S1oE23, 3/10/60, "The Seaton Story", 25:11TV Reader's Digest S2E11, 12/26/55, "Ordeal at Yuba Gap", 24:38Medic S1E16, 1/31/55, "A Time to Be Alive", 25:13Telephone Time S1E11, 6/17/56, "Felix the Fourth", 26:03The Joe Palooka Story (bug) S1oE3, 1954, "A Turkey for Terry", 25:10Four Star Playhouse S2E15, 12/31/53, "House for Sale", 25:43Private Secretary (aka Susie) S5E13, 2/17/57, "The Efficiency Expert", 25:50Date with the Angels (bug), S2E2, 9/13/57, "The Gorilla", 25:34Professional Father S1oE4, 1/29/55, fishing trip, 26:17Disc Two: Frontier WesternsWagon Train S4E1, 9/28/60, "Wagons Ho!" w/Mickey Rooney, 49:51Judge Roy Bean S1oE14, 1956, "Murder in Langtry", 25:42 (B&W print of color show)The Lone Ranger S1E5, 10/13/49, "Rustler's Hideout", 22:45Frontier Doctor S1oE1, 9/26/58, "Queen of the Cimarron", 26:10Hudson's Bay S1oE19, 1959, "Pierre's Three", 26:30Shotgun Slade S1E35, 6/4/60, "Killer's Brand", 25:39The Adventures of Jim Bowie S1E2, 9/14/56, "The Squatter", 25:14The Last of the Mohicans S1oE36, 12/4/57, "The Long Rifles", 25:25Sergeant Preston of the Yukon S1E22, 2/23/56, "Relief Train", 25:42 (color)Northwest Passage S1oE11, 11/23/58, "The Long Rifle", 25:24 (color)The High Chaparral S2E5, 1/10/69, "Shadow of the Wind", 50:33 (B&W print of color show)The Adventures of Kit Carson S2E23, 1/3/53, "Ventura Feud", 24:10Disc Three: Family ComedyThe George Burns & Gracie Allen Show S1E24, 8/16/51, "Space Patrol Kids Visit", 25:01The Lucy Show S5E7, 10/31/66, "Lucy Gets a Roommate" w/Carol Burnett, 25:17 (color)Life With Elizabeth S1E4, 10/28/53, Alvin takes photos, 25:26The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (bug) S1E21, 2/20/53, "The Traffic Signal", 21:56The Stu Erwin Show (aka Trouble With Father) S2E7, 11/30/51, "In a Pickle", 25:54The Goldbergs S?E?, 11/10/55, "Dreams", 25:04Mama, S?E?, June 1950, "Queen of the Bee", 27:04Hey Mulligan (aka The Mickey Rooney Show) S1oE?, 8/28/54?, The boys build a hot rod, 25:59The Beulah Show (aka Beulah) S3E3, 8/5/52,"The Waltz", 24:50Jackson & Jill S?E?, "Model Mix-Up", 26:14Duffy's Tavern S1oE20, 1955?, "Archie Faces Marriage", 26:07The Life of Riley S1E1, 1/2/53, "Babs' School Election", 25:40Topper S1E20, 2/19/54, "The Proposal", 24:33Disk Four: SwashbucklersSir Francis Drake S1oE1, 11/12/61, "The Prisoner", 24:15William Tell S1oE1, 9/15/58, "The Emperor's Hat", 24:42Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, S1oE1, "The Purple Death", 20:31Captain Gallant (aka Foreign Legionnaire) S2E21, 2/17/57, "Dr. Legionnaire", 25:52The Adventures of Robin Hood S1E4, 10/17/55, "Friar Tuck", 24:45The Adventures of Sir Lancelot S1oE1, 9/24/56, "The Knight with the Red Plume", 25:54Terry & The Pirates S1oE10, "Chinese Legacy", 25:45The Scarlet Pimpernel, S1oE14, 6/1/56, "Antoine & Antoinette", 25:48Ramar of the Jungle S1E7, 5/30/53, "The Voice in the Sky", 24:42Long John Silver S1oE3, 5/21/57, "The Orphans' Christmas", 25:30The Errol Flynn Theatre S1oE15, 11/3/56, "The Sealed Room", 25:32I Spy S1oE19, 1955, "Legion of Honor", 24:58Captain David Grief S1E10, 12/5/57, "Idols of Rapa-Nui" w/Rocky Marciano, 24:26Disk Five: TV DetectivesSherlock Holmes S1oE9, 12/13/54, "The Case of Harry Crocker", 25:07Dragnet S4E18, 12/30/54, "The Big Rod", 26:16Man With a Camera S2E6, 11/23/59, "Missing", 25:30Gang Busters S?E?, 1952, "The Burl Case", 25:36Mr. & Mrs. North S2E7, 3/9/54, "Flight 217", 25:02Decoy S1oE25, 6/3/59, "High Swing", 25:54Lock Up S1E8, 11/14/59, "The Angry Men", 25:41I'm the Law (bug) S1oE15, 5/22/53, "The Trucking Story", 25:34The New Adventures of Charlie Chan S1oE4, 1957, "Blind Man's Bluff", 26:11Front Page Detective (bug) S1oE30, 9/1/51. "The Little Black Book", 25:59Federal Men S5E12, 12/23/54, "The Case of the Bad Bargain", 25:33Bill Baker, USA S1oE7, 12/18/52, "Counterfeit Plates", 25:12Follow That Man S4E37, 6/24/53, "Black Leg - White Tie", 25:44Disk Six: Adventures & DramaThe Third Man S1E11, 3/20/59, "The Third Medallion" w/Werner Klemperer, 25:30Public Defender S2E10, 11/4/54, "Hot Rod", 24:14Bold Journey S1E50, 8/5/57, "Deserted Island", 22:52Secret File USA S1oE2, 1/8/55, "Mission Chopin", 24:30Dangerous Assignment S1oE17, 1952, "The Missing Diplomat Story", 25:10Rocky Jones, Space Ranger S1oE17, 5/29/54, "Silver Needle in the Sky", 25:43Suspense S5E27, 4/28/53, "F.O.B. Vienna" w/Walter Matthau, 23:20Mr. District Attorney S1oE?, 1954, "Rehearsed Robberies", 25:48One Step Beyond S3E11, 12/6/60, "Tonight at 12:17", 24:09Dateline Europe (aka Foreign Intrigue) S2E38, 6/20/53, "The Diamond Bullet", 25:59Passport to Danger S1oE?, 1954, "Casablanca", 24:09African Patrol S1oE2, 4/19/58, "The Hunt", 26:01Disk Seven: Comedy & VarietyThe Jack Benny Show S4E3, 10/25/53, Humphrey Bogart Show, 26:22Make Room for Daddy S3E23, 2/18/56, "Terry and the Sorority", 25:00Blondie S1oE21, 5/24/57, "The Spy", 24:45The Red Skelton Show S9E4, 10/20/59, "Son of Paleface Spoof", 25:45You Bet Your Life S8E34, 5/15/58, w/Candice Bergen, 21:29Where's Raymond? S1E12, 12/24/53, "Christmas", 18:58Who Do You Trust? S?E?, 1959, w/Johnny Carson, 22:24The George Gobel Show S1E27, 5/28/55, w/Jeffrey Hunter, 26:06Love That Bob (aka The Bob Cummings Show) (bug), S4E10, "Thanksgiving at Grandpa's", 25:15The Ed Wynn Show S1oE4, 10/13/49, w/Dinah Shore, 29:45Beat the Clock S?E?, 23:37The Jim Backus Show S1oE1, 10/6/60, "The Mad Bomber", 25:56You Asked For It S?E?, 1950?, 24:58Disk Eight: More WesternsBonanza S1E32, 4/30/60, "Death at Dawn", 49:25 (color)The Roy Rogers Show S3E4, 11/15/53, "Bullets and a Burro", 22:15The Gabby Hayes Show S1oE?, 25:13The Deputy S2E18, 1/28/61, "The Hard Decision", 25:14Annie Oakley S1E23, 6/12/54, "Sharpshooting Annie", 26:18The Adventures of Champion S1oE6, 10/29/55, "Renegade Stallion", 25:07Death Valley Days S9E18, 1/29/61, "Deadline at Austin" w/David Janssen, 25:1326 Men S1E11, 12/24/57, "Valley of Fear", 25:51Buffalo Bill, Jr. S1E20, 6/23/55, "Legacy of Jesse James", 25:47The Range Rider S2E20, 1952, "Law of the Frontier", 24:17Cowboy G-Men S1oE36, 5/23/53, "The Woman Mayor", 25:26The Cisco Kid S1E24, 2/13/51, "Uncle Disinherits Niece", 24:39 (color)

I've always been a film buff, but I've only recently gotten interested in old TV shows, and the selection out there isn't great. Lots of "collections" are of stuff they're running right now, on MeTV or Decades, or the DVDs are just plain lousy. This set was one of the best surprises I've had all year.First, the discs themselves are in great shape - it's the best picture you're going to get anywhere on this stuff. Second, the nearly epic sweep of the number of the shows themselves is amazing. I've been enjoying these in the evening for weeks now, and I'm still only about halfway through. Of course there are lots of Westerns, with one entire disc devoted to them; Westerns dominated TV for a couple of decades. But there's a lot more here, eight discs of comedy, variety, crime and straight drama, even science fiction, much of it going back to the early 1950s. Many are a revelation. So far my favorite disc has been Swashbucklers. Who knew there were so many great sword and three-master adventure series on TV? I always thought Warner Oland was the best Chan, but J. Carrol Naish is wonderful in The New Adventures of Charlie Chan, on the Detectives disc. After I saw the episode, I went out and bought the hard-to-find series. Buy this collection, enjoy it, and come away with an excellent notion of what was best in the first three decades of television.

Like all disc that were there.

Quality is good even though the films were old black and white. Some shows really stunk back in those days but many were enjoyable to see again. Even the stinkers are fun as a reminder of those TV days. Worth the money if you are a history buff like me.

For lovers of classic old black and white television shows of 50's and 60's - mainly 50's, you will love this set. Great value for the $. Compilation of wonderful old shows - each disc catagorized with westerns, detective shows, comedy, etc. a real gem of a collection. Great for us baby boomers who remember the good old days when we had just one black and white console television located in the living room, and the whole family watched as most shows were fit for the family. Good clean entertainment.

Didnt care for the dramas. But 5 stars for the westerns.

I purchased this for my father who is 92. We watched some of the shows before we sent it to him. We enjoyed many of the shows from our younger years. My father has also enjoyed the shows. The best part is if he falls asleep he can go back and still see the ending..

Love the fact each program is about 1/2 hour. Been watching one or two whenever time allows. Each CD seems to have a common theme. So far, so good. Also, enjoy the language & video that is acceptable to ALL in the family.

Having recently purchased this DVD set, I was happy to find that most of the episodes on it were not the usual public domain ones, but quite a few that we had not seen before, e.g - I spy [50s version], Charlie Chan, Afican Patrol etc. If you love 50s TV, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU.