Sanford and Son - The First Season

Rating:
Summary: Funniest Sitcom of All Time!
Review: I just ordered the second season of Sanford and Son, waiting eagerly for its release after viewing the first season DVD. I grew up watching Fred and recorded just about every episode from its run on Ted Turner's channel when it was broadcast. What I appreciated from the DVD's is that it includes all the footage from the show's original airings, footage that was chopped from the shows that TBS and TVLAND aired.

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Summary: Im coming Elizabeth.
Review: What can I say, nothing fancy here, just the original show IN ALL ITS GLORY. If you were a fan of the show, this is a MUST have, if you werent this wont change your mind.

A classic.

Rating:
Summary: REMARKABLE!!!
Review: Couldn' wait for it to be released, and I am truly satisfied with this collection. Classic material that will make you laugh over and over again. I cannot wait for the second season release, which will introduce us to Aunt Esther, Rollo and more of the other co-stars that made us laugh so hard when it was on the air. Thanx for many years of laughter Redd Foxx!

Rating:
Summary: Great Fun in a Time Capsule
Review: SANFORD AND SON garnered seven Emmy and six Golden Globe nominations between 1972 and 1976, with one Globe win for Redd Foxx as Best Television Actor in a Comedy or Musical Series. And for good cause.

This was the Norman Lear-dominated era of television, beyond boundaries broken by the Smothers Brothers while remaining within lingering standards and practices of the times. This was clever comedy, where much that could not be stated outright was conveyed with deft inventiveness. This was situation comedy with a socially conscious heart, where cultural diversity was introduced to a largely white-bread middle-American audience.

Redd Foxx was a master of blue humor (perhaps the last), never swearing in a recording until the rise of Richard Pryor (who, along with Garry Shandling, wrote for SANFORD AND SON) and later Eddie Murphy (whose HARLEM NIGHTS included one of Foxx's few film performances). Whether by choice or industry restrictions, Foxx's talent borderlined genius and is sorely missing from today's more blatant, less artful offerings.

With that stage set, SANFORD AND SON is alternately dated and refreshing. Of the content, the language, costuming, lighting, and stories reflect the times. Quincy Jones' memorable theme can grate after several episodes (one star off for no "play all" feature) as can the static opening credits, with their worn appearance. The episodes themselves, however, are in splendid shape and display none of the opening's artifacts.

SANFORD AND SON's first season is a straight adaptation of existing scripts from its British forefather, STEPTOE AND SON. It charts the territory and opens the way for innovations-to-come in the second season. This first year included guest spots by Dick Van Patten and Peter Bonerz, as well as the incomparable grace and beauty of Lynn Hamilton ("Donna Harris").

The SANFORD AND SON first season DVD collection is certainly a good value. Later seasons introduce recurring characters (most especially Don "Bubba" Bexley, who this reviewer was priviledged to know and can attest to his charm and prowess at gin rummy) and proved a temptation for a wealth of talent: John Amos, Roscoe Lee Browne, Ron Glass, Roger E. Mosley, Ja'net DuBois, Lena Horne, Matthew "Stymie" Beard, Antonio Fargas, Don Rickles, Scatman Crothers, Keene Curtis, Howard Hesseman, Merv Griffin, Eydie Gormé and Steve Lawrence, Robert Guillaume, John Larroquette, Della Reese, Nancy Kulp, George Foreman...and on and on (the final two seasons were a veritable who's-who of walk-ons).

Rating:
Summary: Better than TV Re-runs
Review: I purchased the Sanford and Son DVD series a few months ago and I am pleased with my purchase. I already had about 120 episodes recorded on cheap video tapes and the quality on these does not come close to the DVD's. This set is better than the one's that...advertises under their "TV Greats" section because you get the entire first season, episodes 1-14 on 2 DVD's...The..."TV Greats" version gives you 4 episodes for the same...price and those 4 episodes could be from any one of the 5 seasons. This is a must for every Sanford and Son fan however if you are a fan of Esther, Rollo, Grady, Bubba, or any of the other more famous supporting characters then don't buy this DVD. I would try to rent it first because those supporting characters don't appear in Sanford and Son until season 2 and later. These DVD's are from the first season when Fred was Fred and Lamont was trying to find his niche....Have you seen what the going price is for one season of "Friends" or "The Sopranos?"...I cannot wait until the 2nd season is released. Does anyone know when that will be?

Rating:
Summary: funny, funny, funny! :-)
Review: i really miss shows like sanford and son. shows from that era were actually funny. every episode of this dvd made me laugh...my favorite episode is "coffins for sale". I recommend this to anyone who likes to watch old sitcoms and likes to laugh. This would definitely put a smile on your face :-)

Rating:
Summary: Sanford and Son - The First Season DVD
Review: Redd Foxx is absolutely the best. I enjoyed watching Sanford and Son from I was 7 yrs. old. He made me laugh then and he's still making me laugh now. My 5 yr. old is now a big fan of Sanford and Son and not a day goes by without her asking to watch the DVD. Folks if you want to watch a real comedy sitcom this is the one for you. They are really not making them like this anymore. Trust me this is really worth your money.

Rating:
Summary: A Very Funny Show!
Review: I was happy to see this collection out on DVD. Granted, many of the supporting characters like Bubba and Grady do not show up until later seasons, but the comedy is still top-notch. The chemistry between Demond Wilson and Redd Foxx is stellar, and Redd Foxx is SO FUNNY! The show still holds up very well and many times the humor is downright hilarious. This DVD is a welcome addition to any collection, and the price is very reasonable. In the words of Red Foxx, "This is the big one."

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Summary: these were the good old days
Review: there is nothing like the show sanford and son. this show was right up there with the honeymooners. i ordered the first season of sanford and son and loved every episode. the funniest i thought was in the suitcase case with fred's expressions on his face when the police were at the door. i laughed so hard i ran to the bathroom. this is a must have for sanford and son fans.

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Summary: Wow, Sanford and Son is just a GREAT show...
Review: It is amazing to turn on the TV now a days and see some of the [stuff] that some of these stations run in their primetime spots, when there are such great shows like "Sanford and Son" that have been created in the past.... This DVD is sooo funny that I don't know how anyone with a DVD player could pass it up... From the first couple notes of Quincy Jones Theme music, It's hard to hold off a smile for the next 25 or so minutes of the show!!! The same jokes are repeated in almost every episode in the first season, but they never get old!!! Fred Sanford is one of the greatest characters EVER created... The episode where he wakes up on his 65th birthday and calls the Social Security office is just hilarius.... You need this box set...