3.0 out of 5 stars
3 1/2 stars but the show gets better and better!, July 7 2007
This review is from: Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.: Season 2 (DVD)
I just finished watching the entire second season of Gomer Pyle and I wasn't disappointed in the least.This show has held up very well indeed.
The first season I thought got off to a slow start as it founds its' feet but this season it almost hits the ground running and the laughs abound.
Again we have good old forever-the-optimist Gomer making his way through his hitch with the Marine "corpse"(sic) with his platoon Sergeant Vince Carter barking at his heels all the way.
This season scripts I thought were a bit funnier and faster paced than the previous season and Frank Sutton got more latitude,laughs and camera time than usual.The producers knew after the first season what an impact Sutton had made to the show and this was only re-enforced more as the second season continued thus beefing his part up.And to Sutton's credit he gives it all he's got and more.
At this stage in the series to think of Gomer sans Carter or visa versa was unthinkable,so ingrained were they now with the viewing public.And it is the obvious on and off screen chemistry(they were good friends) between the two that also helped propel this show into high ratings and ultimately
TV history.
The show has many stalwarts of the then studio acting "colony" that come and go along with future TV names(I'll let you discover them on your own).However a few names from the Andy Griffith show(its' parent show) make appearances,Opie,Andy,Goober and others to help things along.In fact the ep with Andy and Opie in it resembles more an Andy Griffith Show than a Gomer Pyle one,replete with end moral.But it still works.
This season is the first season in colour and the shows are generally transferred well,quite crisp.There are some obvious signs of wear and flaws though and in quite a few the end credit music's pitch deviates quite a bit...unusual to hear.Also the outside of the DVD case gives mention to some "editing" of these eps and if I hadn't read here that it was some incidental music I would never have known as the music seems blended flawlessly to each ep no matter where it may occur.I can only assume there were some problems with clearance that caused it to be edited.But as I say I can not tell you where the music might have been changed as it is seamless! I don't like seeing that a show of this caliber or ANY caliber for that matter has undergone changes for any reason.If there are changes the buying public(us) should be given clear cut descriptions of exactly what it is that has been changed and for what reason.After all we are paying for this product and I believe we have a right to know.To insert a couple of lines of explanatory text somewhere in the set is to me a no-brainer.Now if actual scenes have been cut,and I don't see that there have been,then we definitely need/deserve some more detailed explanation....don't we CBS/Paramount!!??
So it's for this reason and the fact that this set has absolutely not a shred of extras,nothing,nada,ka-put.....that I'm giving it only 3 1/2 stars(it deserves a four or a little more).
Other than this this set is one to definitely own.Season two is now in colour and improved even more over the first(script wise).The Sutton/Nabors chemistry is in full swing and they both propel this series individually and together along quite well.
Again as I have said ad nauseum and will continue to say this is entertainment that the whole family can enjoy together and what show made in this day and age can you say that about???
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