It's not a complete collection of the episodes, nor is it a chronological survey of the show. Now fans can relive those carefree days once again with this enormous set. When the show went off the air at the end of their eleventh season (and it was Carol's decision, the network had renewed the show for season twelve) it marked the end of an era. The Carol Burnett Show was the last of the big variety shows, a genre that has its origins in vaudeville, transitioned to movies, and was a staple of television since the beginning of the medium. Not only that, it was the last of a dying breed. It's been listed as one of the best TV shows of all time by both TV Guide and Time Magazine too. During that time the show became a staple of American life, broadcasting 278 episodes, winning 25 Emmy Awards, and consistently ranking in the top 25 shows based on ratings for most of its run. Like the other Time-Life releases that I've had the seen, this is a top-notch effort and a real treat for fans of the show.Īs many of you probably know, The Carol Burnett Show ran for an impressive 11 season on CBS from 1967-1978. All this comes in a very nice box that is modeled after a stage, including a 'curtain' that is lifted to gain access to the discs.

This massive 22-disc set includes 50 complete shows (skip down to read more about that), four exclusive DVDs filled with bonus material, and a nice 20-page book with photos from the shows, quotes from the guests and co-stars and spotlights on some of the reoccurring sketches. Now I realize that nothing will be able to compare with that 35 year old memory, but I was still very excited when it was announced that Time-Life would be releasing The Carol Burnett Show - The Ultimate Collection on DVD. When we played the tape back later that evening, all one could hear were three 13-year-olds cackling like madmen and occasional snippets of the show when we were catching our breath. As soon as the first skit started we all lost it and, between recriminations of who started to laugh first, spent the rest of the show trying not to laugh even though it no longer mattered. Since laughing was verboten, we punched each other in the arm when someone giggled, bit out knuckles, and generally acted foolish during Carol's introduction when she answered questions from the audience. He adamantly insisted that no one laugh during the entire broadcast. One of my pals brought their cassette recorder and he wanted to tape the audio from the show by holding the microphone up to our television's speaker. One of my fondest memories is having two of my best friends spending the night one Saturday evening when, for reasons that escape me, everyone else was out of the house. When I was in my early teens, I laughed more while watching the Carol Burnett Show than at any other time.

This time together by carol burnett