...Brought to You by the Letter H and the Number 2

I am a DVD fan, aficionado, devotee, enthusiast, fanatic, addict… insert your own word here.

Let’s just say that I have enough DVDs to start my own rental place.

Of course with the twins coming, that just means I’ll be able to pick up some other DVDs that I had been holding out on. In particular I thought it might be good to pick up some of the classic TV series that are both kid and adult friendly. You know, they at least pretend to be somewhat educational, but doesn’t rot adult minds (ala big, stupid, annoying purple dinosaurs Barney).

Since I was at the big box blue & yellow electronics store anyway, maybe I’ll just take a peek at the wares.

I am amazed – A-mazed – at the number of television series available on DVD. Not just the big hits of the last, oh, 50+ years; those make sense. In fact, I own several TV show box sets – Deadwood, Sopranos, and CSI, just to name a few.

But why, for the love of Myrtle, are they putting out the really terrible ones? Does anyone really want to buy and sit through short-lived series like Archie Bunker’s Place, Ultraman, Lotsa Luck, and Harts of the West? What’s next, My Mother the Car and Capitol Critters?

But that’s not what I was looking for. I wanted Children’s Television Workshop stuff. Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and to a lesser extent, The Muppet Show (although it’s not officially CTW, it is Henson’s muppets, ipso facto, CTW).

The Muppet Show? No problem. I can get every episode on DVD. But The Electric Company and early Sesame Street? Nothing. Sure, I can get a million Elmo videos and a score of new Sesame Street shows, but nothing from the ‘70s.

[ed. note: On the plus side, they did have the CD Sesame Road, with the greatest single by the Sesame Street Beatles, ”Letter B,” sang to the tune of “Let It Be.” I’ll definitely pick that one up.]

Anyhoo, this puts me on a mission. I’ve GOT to have the early seasons of Sesame Street.

Long story short – they don’t put out the complete early seasons of SS. Yes, I can buy the best of seasons ’69-’74 in a box set, but that’s not the same thing. I am completely disappointed.

Somebody write a letter to CTW. They’ve got to be missing out on some serious dough.

In the meantime, maybe I’ll pick up the entire ’76-’79 series of Ark II.