The Sonny & Cher Ultimate Collection

When I think of early 70s pop culture, nothing embodies and virtually SCREAMS the early 70s for me as much as this show. During an era when variety shows ruled, this one has always been the king of them for me, and I've dreamt of owning episodes like this for 30 years now. This set does not disappoint and really delivers the goods.One of the very best things about it is that you get FULL and unreedited episodes, exactly the way they were broadcast, right down to those memorable animated sequences with the ball-creature at the commercial breaks. BRAVO to the people who brought us this DVD collection for giving us exactly what we wanted!Looking at this show again for the first time in 30 years, it seems even sillier and schmaltzier than I remembered. Younger folks raised only on Saturday Night Live might find it hard to appreciate, and it's significant that this show's initial run ended in 1974, just a year before the debut of SNL. I feel it symbolizes the end one of one era in comedy and the beginning of another. What we have here is humour in the old-school, high camp Vaudevillian tradition.Yes, some of the jokes are downright groan-worthy, and for anyone else this show might have flopped, but what makes it work here is the undeniable talent, charisma and charm of -- and chemistry between -- Sonny & Cher, who I consider one of the great couples of the 20th century. Sure the jokes are silly, but here are two people just literally having the time of their lives making this show, and their enthusiasm and enjoyment is infectious.The guest list on these shows is a star-studded who's-who of 70s pop culture including Burt Reynolds, Howard Cosell and even Ronald Reagan from the early 70s and Donny & Marie and Farah Fawcett-Majors from the later 70s. And I'll bet today's young'uns will have a hard time recognizing a very young Michael Jackson as he performs with his brothers the Jackson 5 and on his very first solo hit "Ben".Disc 1 gives us 3 episodes from the first season, while Disc 2 gives us 1 episode from the second and 2 episodes from the third season. Funnyman Ted Ziegler (what ever happened to him?), a young Terri Garr and Steve Martin (before his hair went grey and still sporting a hippie beard!), and Canada's own late great Billy Van (fresh from Hilarious House of Frightenstein) round out the gags.The best thing for me was seeing that great ol' cheesy weekly V-A-M-P sketch that I've carried fond memories of in my head all these years again. And in the third season Cher introduces her greatest character of all, Laverne the laundromat lady. (Can somebody please explain what a "yenta" is?)Disc 3 features 3 episodes from their short-lived reunion series from 1976-77 (after divorcing and each having separate variety shows of their own). The show gets off to a rough start due to the absence of producers Blye & Beard. The first episode is pretty terrible, but don't give up on this second series and keep right on going to the second and third shows on this disc. They get better. One has a priceless sketch with Cher and Don Knotts which shows Cher at her naughtiest, cheekiest best. All I can say is, this lady must be some~ fun for any man to be with!The 2003 commentary by Cher is brief, but we really gain some insight into what interests her, as we hear all about the costumes she wore, little tidbits about Sonny, and even why she seemed to lose her eyebrows for a while. Great stuff!The interview with the producers is also good, although they come off as a little smug. But hey, I guess if they could make a show which has stayed as close to my heart as this one has for the past 30 years, they deserve to be a little proud."But wait, that's not all..." I don't know what mouldy old vault they dug this out of, but an amazing bonus treasure for Sonny & Cher fans here is a 20-minute segment of them on the long-forgotten 1969 Barbara McNair Show. The picture is crystal clear and looks like it was just made today. It gives us a good idea of what their lounge act must have been like in the 60s, and the segment ends in a great medley with a cookin' version of "The Beat Goes On" featuring classic Question Mark & the Mysterians-type 60s organ in the background. Groovy~!You also get videos for Cher's 70s solo mega-hits like "Half-Breed" and "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves", Sonny & Cher karaoke, and the extra audio CD that comes with this is just pure icing on the cake, baby. This set would easily have been worth the price even without it.This show was such a part of my life in the early 70s that looking at it again is like seeing old movies of long-lost relatives who used to come over each week for a visit with their little family. -- And then suddenly they were gone... never to reappear on my TV screen again... Until now!! I have to confess that seeing Sonny & Cher with Chastity at the end of their show again brought a little lump to my throat. I have REALLY, really missed you, guys...I really hope that the people who made this set will keep releasing the rest of the episodes of this fantastic series on DVD. I want them all!!! And I also hope to someday see on DVD both Sonny and Cher's solo series, as well as the 5 episodes of the summer replacement series they did before this show that they mention in the intro of the first episode on disc 1 here.To any Sonny & Cher fan, I say "Buy this set. You won't be disappointed!"

Great if you like reminiscing. Some of Cher's songs included with guest stars from that period.

I have always loved the variety shows of the 70's and as a child of the 70's I was glued to shows like; Sonny and Cher. I love this collection and Cher is amazing. This collection does not have the guest artist performances - sadly they did not buy the rights. But it is nonetheless entertaining. Like a few other reviewers wrote when I purchased this collection I couldn't wait to open it, watch it and recapture a more innocent time. However, it was just really silly and rather stupid. I really wanted to recapture that feeling, instead I was bored and didn't even finish watching it. However, I am glad I have this collection and would buy it again. Cher sings all her classics in all her gorgeous Bob Mackie costumes.

The only reason for the four stars is because the entire series should be available on DVD already! Regardless, the selected episodes are amazing with guests like Donnie and Marie Osmond, Archie Bunker, The Jackson Five, Farrah Fawcett, Ronald Regan, etc. Songs such as Half Breed, Gypsys, Tramps, and Thieves, etc. are showcased in this collection.

These two made a great song/comedy duo. My wife and I really enjoyed watching these. I was surprised to recall that they performed together after they divorced. Great guests on their show made for more pleasant memories.

When I was a child, I loved this show. I worshipped Cher and tried to dress and sing like her.Watching the show now as an adult 30 something years later is interesting. The humor is very dated. There are alot of groaners.But its fun to see the costumes and see people who weren't famous yet, like Steve Martin, in the skits.I wish it came with a booklet though that told you who was in each episode and some info about it.All in all it is well worth the money for a trip down memory lane.

I have really enjoyed watching these old shows again. The sound quality is not as good as Cher Concert DVDs I have. This is to be expected though because these are old tv shows. In any event it is fun to see all the stars who appeared with Sonny and Cher. Everyone looks so young and some of them are hard to recognize. If you like Sonny and Cher you will enjoy this trip back in time. Always great entertainment.

I have been a Cher Fan from the 1960's. Watching the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour brings back good memories. They have a lot of Guest Stars and fun scenes of hit songs. I have watched some of the D.V.D.'s over ten times. If you are a Cher Fan , buy this and enjoy without Filler.

Diese TV Reihe wurde bei uns damals im BR gezeigt,mit deutschen Untertiteln.Die Bildqualität ist gut und zum Glück nicht durch 16:9 verfremdet.Wer der englischen Sprache einigermaßen mächtig ist, versteht auch die Sketche.Das Wichtigste ist natürlich die Musik der damaligen Zeit.Die drei DVD's sind in einer stabilen Box verpackt, ein Booklet wäre schön gewesen.Die Lieferung erfolgte pünktlich und gut verpackt.

I love that the old stuff is possible to find these days. Should have more on stock. They were great.

Die legendäre TV-Show von Sonny & Cher ist endlich auf DVD erhältlich. Die Box besteht aus drei DVDs mit neun kompletten Episoden. Die Verpackung ist sehr sorgfältig gemacht und schön gestaltet. Auf dem Cover und auf der Innenseite sind viele Fotos in Farbe zu sehen. Am Anfang jeder Episode begrüßen Sonny & Cher ihre Zuschauer mit einem Duett und lustigen, ironischen Dialogen, in denen sie sich gegenseitig runtermachen. Die Show ist eine Mischung aus Komödie und Musik. In jeder Folge sind interessante Gäste dabei z.B. Tina Turner, Jackson 5 oder Farrah Fawcett. Die DVDs sind voll von Zusatzmaterial: persönliche Kommentare von Cher, Musikvideos, Diskografie, Biografie und einem kleinen TV-Konzert.

Lieferung erfolgte sehr schnell und der Zustand ist TOP!Da ich ein Fan von Cher bin hab ich beim schauen dieser DVDs alles um mich herum vergessen, HaHa.Diese DVD Box ist für jeden Fan ein muss. Sonny & Cher in ihren besten Jahren zu zweit. Lustig und fesselnd zugleich.EMPFEHLENSWERT!

This is hard to find and arrived in great time and brand new.