I can't help myself, I just love this series.  I missed it the first go round in the 70's on PBS due to "life events" that were going on for me, but it is such a stellar series -- and it is so affordable in the "Complete Series" package by A&E that I have to tell you that despite the poor poor quality of the DVD, the stories are too fantastic to not view and own if you are on a budget.  I do notice the DVD "panning" or "slowing down" or even the fuzzy notation for the next reel in the upper right corner, but I just acknak it and let it go, and let the story and character draw me in and in and in and on and on and....