Judy Garland Show: Vol. 1

This series is a big disappointment.
This series of DVDs seemed to have great promise when announced ... a re-release of out-of-print material previously released by Pioneer and Geneon, with the mention of improved sound quality. This series may have slightly better sound but is painfully lacking due to having been ruthlessly edited. Why they would do this seems incredible ... whole chunks of the shows are missing and the promised extra material is minimal. Searching out used copies of the previous releases would be much more satisfying, if you want my advice. I bought Volume 1 but was unhappy with it. Volume 2 just arrived today and is equally poorly done. I am returning it for refund. Such a huge disappointment.

BUYER BEWARE.
I remember seeing this show on PBS years ago. Judy is at her best. Her performances of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "As Long as He Needs Me" are among her best. The quality is excellent but I must say I am VERY disappointed. The liner notes state that Liza sings "You Are For Loving" from her off B'way show "Best Foot Forward". This has been cut and in it's place is an inept 'Lone Ranger' skit with the very untalented Jerry Van Dyke. The liner notes also state that there are outtakes, which is also not true. The Editorial Review on the Amazon product page states that the first episode on this disc is the show with Mickey Rooney. It is NOT. I have to wonder if the person who wrote the liner notes and the person who wrote the Editorial Review even knew what was on the disc.

JUDY GARLAND: FABULOUS, TIMELESS TALENT
Infinity Entertainment is re-releasing "The Judy Garland Show" (1963-1964) on DVD. The series was previously available on Pioneer, but those editions have since gone out of print. Infinity promises to release all 26 episodes in a 12 Volume Set-- 2 episodes on each DVD.
The first episode of Volume One illustrates what was wrong with the show. All three major TV networks at the time (CBS, NBC, and ABC) had a bidding war to sign the amazing and incomparable Judy Garland to a weekly TV series. CBS, having won, couldn't decide which "format" to put Judy in (note: nobody "formats" Judy Garland!) and seemed determined to change her from a dynamic diva into an average TV personality. Whatever changes CBS threw at her (and their were innumerable changes throughout the 26 episodes), Judy gamely rolled with the punches and gave her very best.
The first episode starts promisingly; with Judy singing "The Sweetest Sounds" with Count Basie and his orchestra. Later, she also sings...

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