Marshall Matt Dillon is responsible for keeping the law and respectability in Dodge City in this western action-drama. Gunsmoke captured the courage, character and spirit of the Western Frontier.
"With the release of Gunsmoke: The Second Season Volume 1, Paramount has confirmed my worst fears. I was so happy when they finally released the first season in a complete package, but I was concerned that even with 20 singles season sets, we know the studios' propensity to squeeze turnips blood, and I was afraid that greed would eventually rear its ugly head in this situation.
And it did.
Why, oh why, would they release a 20-SEASON TELEVISION SHOW IN MULTIPLE SEASON VOLUMES? Didn't they realize that buyers would rebel, and not buy these sets? Or is that part of the plan? Maybe they want us to not buy Gunsmoke so they won't have to risk the money to manufacture and release 20-single sets, so they figure to alienate everyone by doing what they've done, and then when this won't sell, they'll cancel releasing the rest claiming an indifferent public.
No, if it happens, it will be because a tired and cash-conscious public cries "ENOUGH!" This show is wonderful, but it's hard to recommend buying it under these circumstances."
Half Season!!! Matt Dillon doesn' deserve this!
Luiz A. Sampaio | Campinas, Brazil | 10/03/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Absurd! Outrageous! Now this stupid way of releasing TV series in two halves for each season has reached Gunsmoke! Fox and Paramount are becoming very greedy and insulting the people who buy this sort of DVDs. It is really disappointing to acquire half season of these classic TV series (Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, Rawhide, The Streets of San francisco, The Untouchables and others) and wait months and months, or a whole year, to get the other half. I will never buy half seasons any longer...this is a clear message to Paramount and Fox."
Too little, too late, too greedy.
History Man | Potomac, Maryland USA | 11/24/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"First these idiots release costly boxes with selected episodes from several seasons, most of them NOT among the best shows and largely chosen for their "big name" guest stars or directors.
Second, after soaking us for those minimalist sets, and waiting until several complete seasons of virtually all other 50s-60s TV Westerns have been released (like "Have Gun, Will Travel"), they FINALLY release the first season of "Gunsmoke," the very best TV Western and the only TV drama to run 20 consecutive years!
Third, they decide to release the second season in multiple installments! What are these characters thinking? No one's going to go for this greedy attempt to squeeze money from "Gunsmoke" fans.
Most of the first 4 seasons were released on DVD through the CBS Video Club years ago. Those of us who bought those DVDs are now being asked to buy the same thing again, in excruciatingly slow increments, and at jacked up prices.
Matt Dillon and his Dodge City friends deserve the most respectful and classy treatment possible. Instead, "Gunsmoke" is among the worst conceived DVD releases to date.
I'll stick with my bootleg DVDs - they may not be perfect, but I can afford them and all 20 years are there.
"
One & Done For Me
raisyn | TN United States | 10/08/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Let's see if I have this straight. I buy all of the first season episodes, a total of 1,051 minutes of viewing time for $29.49. Then I have the opportunity to purchase half of the second season, a total of 526 minutes viewing time for $30.99 - $1.50 more than the full season one? I don't theenk so, Lucy!
When Amazon first listed this Season 2, Volume 1 set a few weeks ago, the price was $25.49. Now it's gone up $5.50 to $30.99 and it is still only half a season. I guess Paramount has "heard our pleas" and raised the price to make up for all of us who have said we're not buying this one.
As for Gunsmoke - it's "One and Done" for me unless they make some changes."
All 20 seasons in 67 Volumes At $30 Each Is $2010.
Mulroon | 09/30/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"At 2 volumes per each of the half-hour seasons 2-6, and 4 volumes per each of the hour-long seasons 7-20, plus the already released first season, that's a fortune, and how many decades until the whole series of 635 episodes is released?"