DVD Review by Allen Pollock

Voted top female box-office movie star during the early 60's, Doris Day's switch to small-screen sit-com was not without problems. However, always a survivor, she soon knuckled down to THE DORIS DAY SHOW, bringing her usual vivacity and charm in her portrayal of Doris Martin, with each series allowing her, the production and acting team the opportunity to tweak and improve the formula in order to expand plot development and ratings.

Somewhere between Season Three and Season Four a massive downsizing must have taken place at "TODAY'S WORLD" magazine in San Francisco with Editor boss, Michael Nicholson (McLean Stevenson), Doris' friend and office colleague, Myrna Gibbons (Rose Marie) and Assistant Editor and flirt, Ron Harvey (Paul Smith) replaced by new boss, Editor-in-Chief, Cy Bennett (John Dehner) and his secretary, Jackie Parker (Jackie Joseph) with Doris moving upwards from joint secretary and occasional interviewing roles to Associate Editor with no explanation as to how and why. With such a busy career, it has to be assumed her two likeable kids (Philip Brown and Tod Starke) have moved back to the farm to help and be cared for by their grandfather. Cy is outwardly gruff and intimidating with a softer centre, whilst Jackie's slightly zany personality is the perfect foil to join feisty Doris on the best ways to gain points over their boss whenever necessary with the ensuing interactive fun and complications adding much to each episode. Occasional romantic entanglements lead to something more permanent in the up-front casting of Peter Lawford as Dr. Peter Lawrence with the added element of sophistication so typical of Doris' latter-day movies. Having previously rented her apartment from the owners of the Italian restaurant beneath, occasional appearances by mercurial Louie and Angie Pallucci (played by Bernie Kopell and Kaye Ballard) are brash, funny and argumentative but really have hearts of gold. Also remaining on board for sporadic playful conflict is her neighbour, the effete Mr. Jarvis played by Billy DeWolfe, an old supporting cast member from Day movies, LULLABY OF BROADWAY and TEA FOR TWO, who as a guest on Season Two became a regular on Season Three. The scripts are brisk and snappy and Doris gets to wear funky way-out 70's fashions which to say the least are psychedelic in design!

Episodes begin with Doris seeking a bigger office instead of the allocated space the size of a broom cupboard and hilarious consequences resulting from an appearance on a popular chat-show; being mistaken as a jewellery thief as well as later episodes involving art and diamond thefts; double-edged matchmaking; espionage; romance in Rome and a stressful visit to London; being taken hostage in the middle-east; fun with a dating service; persuading Mr. Jarvis to fight corruption by running as city councillor; appearing in a fashion show and the return of cousin Charlie (Van Johnson) while the Christmas episode features a Santa Claus with murder on his mind. All light-hearted fun, of course! Guest stars include Barbara Hale, Rory Calhoun, Alan Hale, Bob Crane, Regis Toomey, Anthony Caruso, Estelle Winwood, Jon Cypher, Charles Nelson Reilly and Werner Klemperer.

A wealth of rare and new bonus features include separate recent interviews with Kay Ballard and Jackie Joseph who discuss Doris, the show's happy working environment and animals; Betty White of GOLDEN GIRLS is barely recognisable as the host of THE PET SET SHOW with Doris as guest; a lengthy sequence of fashion show outtakes (from "Gowns by Louie") has Doris as the ideal model to show off her splendid figure; bumpers showing Kraft/Bold/Zest etc. as sponsors of the show, plus a preview of Season Five with promise of the continuing romance with Dr Peter Lawrence (Peter Lawford).

With her son, Terry Melcher as Executive Producer, the series succeeds in promoting the sunny Doris Day screen image, and fans and others will enjoy the lively situations which occur throughout. It's a warm-hearted show which improved its ratings with each season during its USA transmission with some UK regional TV companies exercising options to show episodes from Season Four. Such wholesome qualities ensure the special magic remains despite the intervening years and simply put, this nostalgia will appeal to everyone in the family whether young or old! The DVD set covers all twenty-four episodes from the 1971/72 season on six discs (approximately 650 minutes/10½ hours) in a slip case and works out at four shows per disc plus bonus material as indicated above. The remastering is faultless with excellent colour definition and sound quality and Doris' biggest hit song, QUE SERA, SERA (WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE) tops and tails the standard quirky cross-cut opening titles which set the scene for each episode. Available via Sanctuary Visual Entertainment SVEDF0231 in the UK.

AND HERE'S... DORIS
Original airdate: 13 September 1971

• Doris' editor pressures her to wangle him an appearance on TV's most popular late-night show when she interviews the show's host
• Guest(s): Bob Crane, Jack Wells, Joseph Mell, Alan DeWitt
• Written by Laurence Marks; Directed by Norman Tokar
  
  

MR. AND MRS. RAFFLES
Original airdate: 20 September 1971

• A jewelry store with its door ajar turns a late-night stroll to the post office into a trip to jail for Doris and Mr. Jarvis
• Guest(s): Ken Lynch, H.M. Wynant
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by Norman Tokar
  
  

WHEN IN ROME, DON'T
Original airdate: 27 September 1971

• While in Rome on a short vacation, Doris falls in love with an Italian, then is mystified and heartbroken when her adverse opinion of some paintings destroys her romance
• Guest(s): Cesare Danova, Dick Patterson, Lew Palter, Ryan MacDonald
• Written by Richard M. Powell; Directed by Jerry London
  
  

CHARITY BEGINS AT THE OFFICE
Original airdate: 4 October 1971

• Doris exposes a charity racketeer after Mrs. Fairburn recruits her to help supervise the staging of a benefit ball
• Guest(s): Joey Forman, Elvia Allman, Estelle Winwood, Winifred Coffin, Will B. Abel
• Written by Phil Sharp; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

A WEIGHTY PROBLEM
Original airdate: 11 October 1971

• Angie accompanies Doris on an undercover assignment to a swank spa to maintain surveillance on the wife of a soon-to-be released convict
• Guest(s): Iris Adrian, Rob Hathaway
• Written by Arthur Julian
  
  

THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE
Original airdate: 18 October 1971

• Doris persuades Jarvis to run for a seat on the City Council after she uncovers the corrupt activities of the incumbent
• Guest(s): Harold Peary, June Wilkinson
• Written by Arthur Julian
  
  

A FINE ROMANCE
Original airdate: 25 October 1971

• The man whom a dating service computer selects as the perfect match for Doris turns out to be something considerably more than just a lonely bachelor
• Guest(s): Robert Lansing, John Fiedler, Bunny Summers, Michael Fox, Gordon Jump, Harvey Krantz
• Written by Laurence Marks; Directed by Norman Tokar
  
  

THE ALBATROSS
Original airdate: 1 November 1971

• Cousin Charlie involves Doris in a perilous adventure in espionage when he visits following a voyage to the Far East
• Guest(s): Van Johnson, Paul Sorensen, Felice Orlandi, Rico Cattani, Sabrina Scharf
• Written by Arthur Julian
  
  

HAVE I GOT A FELLOW FOR YOU
Original airdate: 8 November 1971

• Angie plays matchmaker with Doris, fixing her up with a handsome airline pilot
• Guest(s): Barbara Nichols, Alan Hale Jr., Nico Minardos, John Stephenson, Tony Cristino
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

TO ENGLAND WITH DORIS
Original airdate: 15 November 1971

• Doris goes to England to try to persuade an author to sell the serialization rights to his book, but she winds up jeopardizing her assignment and her job
• Guest(s): Jon Cypher, Diana Chesney, Laurie Main, Dick Wilson
• Written by Laurence Marks
  
  

THE SHEIK OF ARABY
Original airdate: 22 November 1971

• Doris becomes a key figure in an international incident when she is taken hostage in a middle east monarchy by rebels who threaten to kill their lovely captive unless their oppressive king abdicates
• Guest(s): Dick Gautier, Richard Angarola, Henry Corden, Vanda Barra
• Written by Arthur Julian
  
  

DORIS AND THE DOCTOR
Original airdate: 29 November 1971

• Cy Bennett orders Doris to investigate a physician for the purposes of writing an article on the exhorbitant cost of medical treatment
• Guest(s): Peter Lawford, De De Young, Paula Victor, Sylvia Hayes, Lew Palter
• Written by Laurence Marks; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

HAPPINESS IS NOT BEING FIRED
Original airdate: 6 December 1971

• Angie gains access for Doris to the preview of an exhibit of world-famous objects d'art, and the two of them wind up as witnesses and potential casualties in an attempt by thieves to steal the valuable collection
• Guest(s): Bruce Kirby, Lou Krugman, Joseph Ruskin
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by Irving Moore 
  
  

WHODUNNIT, DORIS?
Original airdate: 13 December 1971

• Someone disguised as Santa Claus has committed a pre-Yuletide murder in San Francisco, and Doris is about to become his next victim
• Guest(s): Charles Nelson Reilly, Cliff Norton, Ken Lynch, Walter Sande, Kenneth W. Gordy
• Written by Gary Belkin; Directed by Marc Daniels
  
  

THE WINGS OF AN ANGEL
Original airdate: 27 December 1971

• While Cy frets and fumes over the possibility of security leaks, Doris goes to the state penitentiary to get the deathbed confession of a notorious mobster
• Guest(s): Marc Lawrence, David Doyle, Dick Patterson, Jack Griffin
• Written by Richard Powell; Directed by Richard Kinon
  
  

DORIS AT SEA
Original airdate: 3 January 1972

• Dr. Peter Lawrence returns, and presses Doris into service as his surgical nurse when he is required to perform an emergency operation on a world-famous Greek billionaire
• Guest(s): Anthony Caruso, Karl Bruck, Gavin James
• Written by Laurence Marks; Directed by Marc Daniels
  
  

THE SORROW OF SANGAPUR
Original airdate: 10 January 1972

• Doris becomes an unwitting accomplice in the theft of one of the world's most famous diamonds
• Guest(s): Lloyd Bochner, Henry Corden, Larry Hovis, Arlene Martel, Ben Wright
• Written by Richard Powell; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

THE BLESSED EVENT
Original airdate: 17 January 1972

• Doris excitedly organizes a surprise baby shower for Angie, not realizing that Angie is expecting a litter of pups from her pet dog Sophie
• Guest(s): Henry Hunter, Joan Lemmo, Paula Victor
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by Bruce Bilson
  
  

WHO'S GOT THE TRENCH COAT
Original airdate: 24 January 1972

• A skid row bum winds up with Cy's precious old trenchcoat after Jackie donates it to a thrift shop
• Guest(s): Regis Toomey, Paula Victor, Charles Wagenheim
• Written by Don Genson; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

DORIS' HOUSE GUEST
Original airdate: 31 January 1972

• Doris attempts some double-edged matchmaking, hoping to break up one romance in order to make possible another
• Guest(s): Barbara Hale, Jack Dodson
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by Bruce Bilson 
  
  

THE CRAPSHOOTER WHO WOULD BE KING
Original airdate: 7 February 1972

• A pretentious butler dupes Doris by masquerading as the ruler of a Mediterranean principality
• Guest(s): John Banner, Lee Bergere, Henry Corden, Richard Angarola, Lou Massad, Sid Conrad
• Written by Richard M. Powell; Directed by Edward H. Feldman
  
  

COVER GIRL
Original airdate: 21 February 1972

• Doris persuades Carlo Benedetti to paint a cover illustration for the magazine, then writhes with chagrin when he fails to deliver
• Guest(s): Cesare Danova, Rory Calhoun, Norman Stuart, Larry McCormick
• Written by Laurence Marks; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

GOWNS BY LOUIE
Original airdate: 28 February 1972

• Doris persuades a chauvinistic Frenchman, director of a forth-coming and eminent international fashion show, to allow into the show the fashions created by her own couturier, who is in reality a dry cleaner
• Guest(s): Werner Klemperer, Joe Mell
• Written by Arthur Julian; Directed by William Wiard
  
  

THERE'S A HORSE THIEF IN EVERY FAMILY TREE
Original airdate: 6 March 1972

• An article by Doris in which she writes about a colorful horsethief who was an ancestor of a now-prominent San Francisco family threatens to wipe out Doris' job with the magazine
• Guest(s): Harriet E. MacGibbon, Robert Emhardt, Sandy Kenyon
• Written by Phil Sharp; Directed by Norman Tokar
  
  

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