The DVD Releases

 

The Old Produce the Best DVD Set of the Year Trick

     Time-Life released Get Smart: The Complete Collection for sale in the U.S. in November, 2006. It's an amazing collection that has won numerous awards, including Best In Show at the TV-DVD Awards. Get Smart: The Complete Collection features all 138 episodes uncut and beautifully re-mastered.  It's available RIGHT NOW from Time-Life for only $99.95 and free shipping! The box set has over 9 hours of extras, beautifully restored masters, and comes in a cool phone booth box. Individual sets of all five seasons, complete with extras, can also be bought from Time-Life right now. Complete details on every extra can be found below.

     There are two versions of the Get Smart DVDs - the Time-Life release and the HBO retail release. There are major differences between the versions, so here are the details:

Time-Life worked out a deal with HBO to share the rights and DVD production and for both of them to release Get Smart on DVD. Time-Life would have a year's exclusive to sell its set online and via phone order. After that year was up, HBO was allowed to sell the DVD set via normal retail outlets. In a rare move, Time-Life began by selling just the complete box set, which was a huge relief to completists like myself. The box set was a tremendous success, far exceeding anyone's projections. That led the HBO retail release to be delayed for over a year. HBO began releasing a retail version of the season sets in 2008, but the retail season sets are a stripped down version of the Time-Life sets and have very few extras. The box set is still available from Time-Life and also via retail outlets and it has all the extras. Confused? The details are all below.


Buy from Time-Life

 

What's the difference between the season sets?

I'm glad you asked! There are two different types of season sets. Time-Life is selling season sets for all five seasons and those sets feature all of the fabulous extras that are in the box set. Regular retail outlets (and Amazon.com) are currently selling season sets that DO NOT feature many extras. Barely any, in fact. The retail release of season one only has episode introductions from Barbara Feldon and one episode's commentary from Feldon. That's it. The Time-Life season sets feature a ton of extras. So why would anybody buy the retail version? Price, naturally. The retail release has a price of $24.98 and the Time-Life release has a price of $39.99. HBO has released all five seasons as season sets, but those sets are essentially extra-free. So if you like extras, buy the TL sets. If all you want is the episodes, buy the HBO retail sets. A look at the different versions:

Season Set Details:

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Season 1 Extras on Time-Life Set ONLY:

     *Audio Commentaries from Buck Henry, Mel Brooks, and Barbara Feldon
     *Buck Henry Interview
     *The Secret History of Get Smart
     *
Bloopers
     *2003 Get Smart Reunion Seminar

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

     *And much more!

Extras on the retail release:

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon
     *Barbara Feldon commentary on Kisses for KAOS


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Season 2 Extras on the Time-Life Set ONLY:

Audio Commentary from Leonard Stern and Bernie Kopell
Leonard Stern Interview

Barbara Feldon: Real Model to Role Model

Bloopers

Don Adams' 75th Birthday Celebration
Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

And much more!

Extras on the retail release:

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon


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Season 3 Extras on the Time-Life Set ONLY:

Audio Commentary from Don Rickles, Barbara Feldon, and Buck Henry
Bruce Bilson Interview

Spooks, Spies, Gadgets and Gizmos

Bloopers

TV Appearances and Spots
Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

And much more!

Extras on the retail release:

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon


Order now
 

Season 4 Extras on the Time-Life Set ONLY:

Audio Commentary from James Caan, Barbara Feldon, and Buck Henry
Bernie Kopell
Interview
Barbara Feldon Interview
Code Words and Catch Phrases

Bloopers

TV Appearances and Spots
Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

And much more!

Extras on the retail release:

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon


Order now
 

Season 5 Extras on the Time-Life Set ONLY:

Audio Commentary from Bill Dana
Don Adams' Memorial Service
Barbara Feldon Interview
The Fans of Get Smart

Bloopers

TV Appearances and Spots
Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

And much more!

Extras on the retail release:

     *Episode Introductions From Barbara Feldon

 


 

Some more notes on the DVDs:

Information for buyers outside of the U.S. and Canada:

Complete Details on the Extras in the Box Set:

    There are a ton of great extras on the release as well. I think the producers did a marvelous job locating extras and selecting things for inclusion and were very conscious of the desires of the fans. Please note that the top three extras requested by the fans are all on the DVDs, a remarkable achievement and one that shows how carefully the DVD producer (Paul Brownstein) worked to ensure a top-notch release. Here's a look at the release.

Buck Henry
B
arbara Feldon
Leonard Stern
Bruce Bilson
Bernie Kopell

The Secret History of Get Smart
Barbara Feldon: Real Model to Role Model
Spooks, Spies, Gadgets and Gizmos
Code Words and Catchphrases
The Fans of Get Smart

The Bill Dana Show episode that shows Don Adams doing an early version of the Maxwell Smart character as Detective Byron Glick. It also contains one of the earliest “would you believe” jokes. 
Don Adams on The Andy Williams Show (3 appearances).
Barbara's Top Brass Hair Care Commercial
1965 NBC Season Preview hosted by Maxwell Smart
Two 1965 Get Smart Promos
Get Smart's Emmy Award Wins
Don on Milton Berle's Wild, Wild World of Comedy
Syndication promo

Bloopers!!!
A 60-minute excerpt from the legendary Museum of Television & Radio's Get Smart seminar in 2003. 
Don's 75th birthday party and roast at the Playboy Mansion
Don and Barbara as grand marshalls of the Rose Bowl Parade
Segments from Don's Memorial Service"
Don Adams Finds Out He's a Father
Sue's Ultimate Get Smart Clip Reel
1967 Pepsodent commercial featuring Don as Agent 86 and Dave Ketchum as Agent 13
3 White Castle Commercials from 1990 starring Don Adams
3 Chief Auto Parts Commercials with Don parodying Get Smart and using his famous catchphrases!
1991 Choice Hotels commercial starring Don
1999 Buck-A-Call commercial with Don as a retired secret agent

Season Two Liner Notes from Dave Ketchum
Season Three Liner Notes from Alan Spencer
The Chief's office layout
Plans for Max's Sunbeam Tiger
Max's Apartment Blueprint
99's Purse Contents
CONTROL Aptitude Test

Order the DVDs now!

Wow, what an outstanding batch of extras! Yes, it is extremely unfortunately that Don passed away before this production began. However, the producers took great care to ensure that Don's career and work were extremely well-represented and I think they did a fabulous job. The DVD was executive produced by Paul Brownstein and produced by Sue Kesler and they deserve an amazing amount of credit for putting together a fabulous DVD set, as does Time-Life.


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