JEFFERSONS: THE COMPLETE 1ST SEASON - DVD review

I can remember a night a few months ago when I walked into the kitchen to secure myself a glass of orange juice. The television in the living room was tuned to Nick at Nite, and emanating from the television was a distinct song I had not heard for many years. Yes, the lyrics "We're moving on up" were coming over the airwaves, and I had to stand there and listen to the rest of the title song. I was caught in a moment of time when I fondly remembered the theme song from "The Jeffersons" and thought for a second that I better listen because it is possible that I may never hear it again, as I never watch Nickelodeon and this was sheer coincidence that my ears were hearing what they were. "The Jeffersons" was a show I enjoyed many years back. It was far from being one of my favorites, but the theme song is one of those tunes that will always be familiar and worth a listen.

"The Jeffersons" can trace its show back to another classic sitcom of television history, "All in the Family." Lionel Jefferson (Mike Evans) was a supporting character from the pilot episode and was later joined by Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) and eventually George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley). Where "All in the Family" had the white bigot Archie Bunker, "The Jeffersons" would feature Archie's nemesis and equally racist George. Mirroring the success and longevity that Archie and gang's sitcom beheld, "The Jeffersons" enjoyed ten seasons, numerous Emmy Awards and sits as one of highest-rated and most popular shows in television history. From season one, Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford kept movin' on up and now that first groundbreaking season of thirteen episodes is available on our beloved digital format.

The basic premise to "The Jeffersons" is that George Jefferson has struck gold with a chain of dry cleaning shops (in season one of "All in the Family," Lionel discusses how his father's first store is starting to find success and how his father is looking at a franchise) that he purchased with settlement money. George moves from rags to riches overnight and decides to move from Harlem to a luxury apartment in uptown New York City. Here George flaunts his wealth and enjoys all that he can with his money. Louise is more grounded and is bored with money. The two clash constantly and George's pigheaded views are offset by Louise intelligence and sarcasm.

George is surrounded by a number of unusual neighbors that allow him to be as racist as he desires. Bentley (Paul Benedict) is an unusual British gentleman who works as a Translator for the United Nations. He spends much of his time drinking and is generally accepted by George. Lionel finds romance in Jenny Willis (Berlinda Tolbert), but George does not accept the mixed racial marriage of her parents Tom (Franklin Cover) and Helen (Roxie Roker). George refers to Jenny as a zebra and has much harsher things to say about the white-skinned Tom and black-skinned Helen. Adding to the cast is George's ill-natured mother (Zara Cully) who despises Louise and practically resides with George, Louise and Lionel. The supporting cast of "The Jeffersons" interacts brilliantly with each other and one of the reasons this show enjoyed the level of success it did lies with these secondary members. "Cheers" and "M*A*S*H" are two of the only shows I can think of that benefited from such a strong cast as "The Jeffersons" does.

The series success and history should be enough to state how funny and entertaining this show is, and it also speaks about the gospel it preaches. George Jefferson and "Weezy" are two of the most memorable characters in TV land history for good reason. Just as "All In The Family" made a statement, "The Jeffersons" adds to that same statement, but also injects an insightful look at wealth and class and how the stereotypes of money and race are not always valid. This is a show that can easily make you laugh so hard you cry, but the lessons it provides are important ones. The lessons discussed range from Lionel dropping out of school to party to the difference between buying a position in an organization and earning it. It takes more than just a wonderful cast to make a show, and "The Jeffersons" has the ‘more' that it takes in its ability to weave humor with humanity.

Video:
One thing I enjoyed about watching these old shows again was the ability old television has of encapsulating fashion and style of the times within its episodes. The later-Seventies were a colorful time, and this especially holds true for "The Jeffersons." The DVD collection of "The Jeffersons" is delivered in its original 1.33:1 full screen format. The hues of Weezy's bright outfits and colorful décor are delivered nicely by the format. However, this collection does have its dull moments. The shows original opening and closing sequences look far older than the episodes themselves. The episodes look dated and there are times when chroma noise is prevalent. The clarity and detail are slightly improved over the Nickelodeon broadcasts, but the image is still far from pristine. Digital artifacts appear mildly around some titles, but generally cannot be found. For something that is 25 years old, the image is definitely acceptable.

Audio:
A comment I made in my review of "Sanford and Son" was how the show's theme sounded subpar to the episodes. I want to be able to play these musical gems at high volumes and allow my neighbors to enjoy them as much as I do. "The Jeffersons" features snippets from the theme song in the menu. That was a nice touch, but the entire song could easily have been retained for the menus. My only gripe here is that the disc is mastered in Dolby Digital 1.0. You just can't jam to mono sound with any effectiveness. Hopefully later seasons will allow me to enjoy "Movin' On Up" with the clarity and channel separation I lust for. The episodes themselves are clean and clear. They fall a bit flat sonically, but this is to be expected with a 25-year-old mono soundtrack.

Extras:
Columbia TriStar has taken a formulaic approach with their television compilations. "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son" and "The Jeffersons" all lack any real supplements. Each does come equipped with an episode guide and attractive packaging. If you want to look for any real value-added content, the best it gets is the English and Spanish subtitles.

Summary:
I certainly enjoyed my trip in time and the 13 episodes that is "The Jeffersons: The Complete First Season." George and Weezy's fights and antics are a great way to pass the time, and the shows 25 minute running times fill smaller spaces nicely. I wish the sitcoms of today had the wit and heart that "The Jeffersons" possess, and finding a show with the wide range of characters that feed so well off of each other is nearly impossible. This show is a classic in every sense of the word. Columbia TriStar is doing well with these shows of the "Seventies" and their attractive price makes the severe lack of supplements a good sacrifice. If you find yourself stopping with a glass of orange juice to listen to the show's theme song, then maybe this DVD is worth a look.