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

[stevearino]

Dear Brian,

I have a proposal for SHOUT! Factory: to make a deal with NBC Universal Television Distribution for SHOUT! Factory to issue and release, for the first time EVER on DVD, "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, 100% Uncensored AND 100% Unedited, just the way that each episode originally aired on the HBO Television Network, including Nudity and Profanity.

Created by John Landis (known for directing a plethora's worth of Rated R Sexcoms such as "Animal House," "Trading Places" and "An American Werewolf in London" to name but a few), "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 shared joint custody with his ex-wife, Judith (Wendie Malick), of their teenage son, Jeremy (Chris Demetral).

Other Principal Characters included Toby Pedalbee (Denny Dillon), Martin's Secretary at the Whitestone Publishing Company where he worked; Eddie Charles (Dorien Wilson), Martin's Black Best Friend whom he'd known for 25 years, a local NYC TV Talk Show Host who served as Jeremy's Adopted Uncle; and Gibby Fiske (Michael McKean), an Australian Immigrant who became Martin's Employer in the 2nd season.

John Landis conceived and created the idea for "Dream On" based on the idea he had of using Black-and-White Film Clips for his lead character's thoughts; soon afterwards, John hired the future creators of TV's "Friends," Marta Kauffman, David Crane & Kevin Bright, to write a Pilot Script for him and help him pitch the show "Dream On" to execs at Universal Studios Television, which greenlit the show and co-distributed the show with the HBO Television Network airing the show in the US.

After Seasons 5 and 6, reruns of "Dream On" aired on the FOX Television Network from January 8, 1995 - July 3, 1995 on Sunday nights at 9 P.M. ET after "Married With Children" minus Nudity and Profanity, edited for Content, later seen in reruns on Comedy Central after the show left the HBO Television Network behind.

During its 8-season, 6-year run on HBO, many guest stars appeared on "Dream On," among them future TV "Friends" Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry (in separate episodes during Season 3), Salma Hayek, David Hyde Pierce, David Bowie, Warren Zevon, Ricardo Montalban, Eva Gabor, Phil Leeds, and Melvin Van Peebles.

Season 1 of "Dream On" aired on HBO for 14 weeks from July 8, 1990 - October 7, 1990, while Season 2 aired on HBO for 14 weeks of 15 half-hour episodes from July 7, 1991 - October 6, 1991; Season 3 aired on HBO for 25 weeks of 26 half-hour episodes from June 6, 1992 - November 21, 1992; Season 4 aired on HBO for 12 weeks of 13 half-hour episodes from June 2, 1993 - August 18, 1993; Season 5 began with a special 1-Hour Holiday Episode on December 15, 1993 followed by 11 weeks of regular episodes totaling 13 Half-Hour Episodes on HBO airing from December 15, 1993 - March 23, 1994, while Season 6 aired 13 Half-Hour Episodes for 13 weeks in a row on HBO from June 22, 1994 - September 14, 1994; Season 7 aired 13 Half-Hour Episodes for 13 weeks in a row on HBO from July 19, 1995 - October 8, 1995 followed by a month-long break before finishing the last 4 Half-Hour Episodes of Season 7 from November 1, 1995 - November 22, 1995; Season 8, the Final Season, consisted of 10 Half-Hour Episodes airing for 10 weeks in a row from January 24, 1996 - March 27, 1996, as advertised at the start of each season on the HBO Television Network.

Personally, Brian, if I were to make a DVD menu for each disc of "Dream On: The Complete Series," how I would do it is I would, after the SHOUT! Factory logo, have a Remote turn a Static TV on, followed by a White Screen, then have the "Dream On" logo appear at the top of the screen. On the left side of the screen, at the top, I'd have a '90s style TV and a VCR at the bottom, and Inside the TV, I'd have still photos from throughout the series' 8-season, 6-year run appear as the show's theme plays, and on the right side, I'd have the words play for play all episodes, and episodes for each individual episodes. When you press the episodes menu, there'd be a TV Remote, Each Channel (1-9, depending on episodes per disc) would contain an episode. The first 2 seasons would have 7 channels, a channel per episode.

Season 3 would have 8 channels on Discs 1 and 3, and 9 channels on Disc 2.

Seasons 4 and 5 would have 6 channels on 2 Discs each, while Season 6 would have 7 channels on the first disc and 6 channels on the second disc.

Season 7 would have 8 channels on the first disc and 9 channels on the second disc, while Season 8, the final season, would have 5 channels on each disc.

Tentatively, SHOUT! Factory shall issue and release "Dream On: The Complete Series" on DVD on Tuesday, July 8, 2025--exactly 35 years to the day of its original HBO Television Network debut--at a cost of ONLY $59.99 wherever DVDs are sold, with a plethora's worth of Bonus Features including HBO Promos.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino

[RFK]

As much as I hate John Landis, I do love this show. For that price I'd buy it day one!