My Favorite Martian – The Complete Third Series (Umbrella Entertainment/PAL Region Zero Import)

 

PLEASE NOTE: This is a DVD that can only be operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can handle Region Zero/0/Free and the PAL format software, and can be ordered from our friends at Umbrella Entertainment at the website address provided at the end of the review.

 

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: B-     Episodes: B-

 

 

 

A big hit in syndication as late as the 1970s, the Bill Bixby/Ray Walston hit My Favorite Martian has not been on TV regularly if at all in years and apparently, the color episodes had yet to appear on DVD all this time until now, 2007.  However, it is not Rhino finally finishing their seasonal releases, but Umbrella Entertainment with My Favorite Martian – The Complete Third Series.  This was the 1965 – 66 season and the last 32 half-hour shows are here.

 

So why is the show so good and how has it held up so well four decades later?  Because it respected the intelligence of the audience without showing off its wit and was far cleverer about the situations set than I recalled.  It is like an early example of a film or TV show that is smart on several levels, with some items only being caught by the adults.  Add the chemistry of the leads and it never fell into instant silliness as imitator Mork & Mindy (which died quickly) suffered.

 

Episodes for this final season include:

 

1)     Go West, Young Martian (in two parts)

2)     Martin Of The Movies

3)     Keep Me From The Church On Time (guest stars Yvonne Craig and Shannon Farnon)

4)     I’d Rather Fight Than Switch

5)     Tim, The Mastermind (guest stars Lee Bergere)

6)     Martin Goldfinger

7)     Bottled Martian (guest stars Naomi Stevens and Linda Gaye Scott)

8)     Hate Me A Little (guest stars Norman Alden)

9)     The Girl In The Flying Machine (guest stars Jill Ireland and Bernie Kopell)

10)  The Time Machine Is Waking Up That Old Gang Of Mine (guest stars L.Q. Jones and Stafford Repp)

11)  Avenue C Mob (guest stars Jamie Farr, Murray Matheson and Lurene Tuttle)

12)  Tim & Tim Again (guest stars Steve Franken and Lauren Gilbert)

13)  Loralei Brown vs. Everybody

14)  The O’Hara Caper

15)  Who’s Got A Secret (guest stars Gavin MacLeod and James B. Sikking)

16)  Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (guest stars Bruce Glover, Allan Melvin, Norman Bartold & Paul Sorensen)

17)  Martin’s Revoltin’ Development (guest stars Michael Conrad and Barry Russo)

18)  TV or Not TV (guest stars Conrad Janis and Patricia Smith)

19)  The Man From Uncle Martin (guest stars Gavin MacLeod and Arthur Malet)

20)  Martin The Mannequin (guest stars Woodrow Parfrey and Eve McVeagh)

21)  Butterball (guest stars Larry D. Mann and Eileen O’Neill)

22)  What A Martian Makes His Violin Cry (guest stars Penny Santon and Len Lesser)

23)  When You Get Back To Mars, Are You Going To Get It

24)  Doggone Martian (guest stars James Frawley)

25)  Virus M For Martian (guest stars Jamie Farr)

26)  Notorious Landlady

27)  Martin Meets His Match

28)  Horse & Buggy Martin (guest stars Janis Hansen and Joe Hernandez)

29)  Stop The Presses, I Want To Get Off

30)  My Nut Cup Runneth Over

31)  Pay The Man The $24 (guest stars Herbert Ellis)

 

 

The relationship between Martin and Tim was not unlike that of Spock and Kirk later on Star Trek as Martin always has new concepts to explain, technology to build & tweak and surprises that are as striking to us as to Tim.  Had the show continued, this could have become a new direction for the series to go into and still been very, very funny.  Of course, the dreadful 1999 film had no clue as to why any frame of this classic worked.  Fortunately, the whole series is now on DVD and you can judge for yourself.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is nice and colorful throughout most of the episodes, with few prints looking faded or as if they were beginning to go.  As compared to another colorful classic independently owned and arriving on DVD, That Girl, these shows hold up very well visually and color-wise.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is the cleanest and clearest it has ever sounded, including its amusing instrumental title theme.  The combination is instantly enjoyable,

 

Extras include a colorful lenticular cover that when moved sideways has Uncle Martin reappear and disappear (which could be a limited offering,) the unaired version of the 1963 pilot episode including Simon Oakland in rare form, behind the scenes home movies with Pamela Britton apparently from 16mm film, behind the scenes home movies narrated by Bill Blackburn from Super 8mm film despite being 1.33 X 1, interviews with Stan Frazen (editor), Ted Rich (editor), James Hulsey (art director) & Wayne Stam (actor), audio commentary on episode Go West, Young Martian with Art Director James Hulsey and Peter Greenwood, stills, TV Century 21 Comics – scans of the original comic series (PDF DVD-ROM) and Shooting schedule and Kellogg’s Scripts (PDF DVD-ROM).

 

Walston was set for life in a career that become one of the most enduring in history, while Bixby later became a director and big star in more big hit TV series like The Courtship Of Eddie’s Father and The Incredible Hulk.  He even landed up in a near hit with a huge cult following called The Magician.  It was a great comedy show and the kind that helped to build TV as we know it today.  How nice it endures so well!

 

Now can someone issue the fun animated spin-off series from Filmation (1973 - 5) called My Favorite Martians?

 

 

As noted above, you can order this set exclusively from Umbrella at:

 

http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo