SHOUT! Studios DVD Request: "Dream On: The Complete Series"

[stevearino]

Dear Brian Ward,

I have a proposal for SHOUT! Studios: to make a deal with NBC Universal Television Distribution for SHOUT! Studios to issue and release, for the first time EVER on DVD (in honor of its impending 35th Anniversary next year), "Dream On: The Complete Series," a loving showcase of all 121 half-hour episodes of the hit 1990-1996 sitcom "Dream On" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, AND 100% Unedited, just as each episode originally aired on the HBO Television Network.

Created by John Landis (known for a number of Rated R Sex Comedies such as "Animal House," "Trading Places," and "An American Werewolf in London" as well as the scene from "Twilight Zone: The Movie" where Vic Morrow, in real life, was killed in a freak Helicopter Crash at age 52 in 1982, with John and 4 other men criminally charged with Involuntary Manslaughter--all of whom were Acquitted in 1986, though contrary to Public Belief, the Fatal Accident WAS NOT in the final cut of the actual "Twilight Zone: The Movie"), "Dream On" originally aired for 8 seasons on HBO from July 8, 1990 - March 27, 1996.

The show centered on Martin Tupper (Brian Benben), a recently divorced 32-year-old New York City book editor who, at the start of the series, shared joint custody with ex-wife Judith (Wendie Malick), the only real love of his life, of their teenage son Jeremy (Chris Demetral), and was encouraged by his black best friend of 25 years since Kindergarten (and Jeremy's adoptive uncle), Eddie Charles (Dorien Wilson), a local TV talk show host, to start Dating Again--and boy did Martin date over the course of 8 seasons.

Other principal characters included Toby Pedalbee (Denny Dillon), Martin's secretary at Whitestone Publishing Company; and Gibby Fiske (Michael McKean), who at the start of Season 2 bought Whitestone after coming to America from Australia (though Michael in real life is an American New Yorker).

Over the course of 8 seasons, 6 years and 121 half-hour episodes, Martin Tupper found plenty of Women to both Date AND ****, many of whom found greater fame and success--among them Michelle Pfeiffer's younger sister Dedee, Deirdre Imershein, Mimi Rogers, Salma Hayek, and future TV "Friend" Courteney Cox; other Before-They-Were-Stars Moments also included David Hyde Pierce (futurely of the "Cheers" spin-off "Frasier") and future TV "Friend" Matthew Perry (in a separate episode from fellow "Friend" Courteney Cox).

John Landis conceived and created the idea for "Dream On" based on the idea of having Black-and-White film clips used as his lead character's thought patterns; he soon afterwards hired the eventual creators of TV's "Friends," Marta Kauffman, David Crane & Kevin Bright, to help him pitch the show to execs at Universal Studios Television, where John had a film and TV development deal, which soon after greenlit the show, with the HBO Television Network becoming co-Distributor for "Dream On" and airing new episodes.

From January 8, 1995 - July 3, 1995, reruns of "Dream On" aired on FOX on Sunday nights at 9 P.M. ET after "Married With Children" while concurrently airing new episodes on HBO between Seasons 6 and 7, respectively, minus Nudity and Profanity per episode, later shown in reruns on Comedy Central after the show ended its 8 season, 6 year run on the HBO Television Network.

Tentatively, Brian, SHOUT! Studios shall issue and release, for the first time EVER on DVD, "Dream On: The Complete Series" on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 35 years to the day of its debut, at a cost of ONLY $59.99 where DVDs are sold.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino