Actors: Dick Van Patten, Betty Buckley, Grant Goodeve, Willie Aames, Dianne Kay
Number of discs: 7
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: August 13, 2013
Run Time: 1342 minutes
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
“Eight is Enough” was a little before my time but I remember it more on the repeats. This fourth season DVD comes split into two parts. The first part DVD comes with 14 episodes and the second part comes with 13 episodes. This season deals with issues like multiple marriages, pregnancy, and a graduation to the ever-expanding family. In terms of rating it was the show’s best rated season since the second, yet still the next season would be it’s last. The show packs an impressive cast including Dick Van Patten, Betty Buckley, Grant Goodeve, Willie Aames, Dianne Kay, Connie Newton, Lani O’Grady, Adam Rich, Susan Richardson and Laurie Walters. The show definitely brought back some memories. I have to admit though, it shows its age but if you grew up with it, it should be worth checking out.
Official Premise: The Bradfords bid adieu to the seventies by ushering in even more changes to the clan dynamic in Season Four. First up, minor league ball player Merle “the Pearl” Stockwell (Brian Patrick Clarke) sweeps Susan (Susan Richardson) off her feet. An engagement soon follows, but there’s one problem – David (Grant Goodeve) has already set THEIR date for HIS wedding while Nancy (Dianne Kay) has a singing telegram gig that day…And first comes marriage, then comes Mary (Lani O’Grady) finding a positive home pregnancy test! Meanwhile, Joanie (Laurie Walters) and Tom (Dick Van Patten) become competing journalists, Nicholas (Adam Rich) curses the family by breaking a chain letter, and Tommy (Willie Aames) runs for Prom Queen! On the more tender side, Abby (Betty Buckley) comes to grips with the memories of her deceased husband, while Tom is forced into a reunion with the father he has not seen in forty years – and he’s about to turn fifty!
“Eight is Enough” is being released on made-to-order DVD, thanks to Warner Archive. It is presented with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Concerning the show’s transfer, this DVD has been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available. So it has not been remastered or restored for this release. They episodes look good but they could most definitely looks better, definitely for a DVD release. The show does with a Dolby Digital audio track, which works well for the comedic timing. There are no additional special features included on this release.
