A not-so brief rant on the Sloooooow DVD release schedule in U.S.

POSTED BY: Hjermsted
UPDATED: Sunday, October 6, 2002 03:00
VIEWED: 10551
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HJERMSTED

Thursday, June 20, 2002 10:09 PM

Is there anything we as the cats with the $$ can do to speed up the DVD release of our favorite TV shows?

To whom can we write letters or send our petitions?

Buffy S3 won't be out in the states until 2003!
I have no idea when Angel S1 will be made available here.. probably after it is syndicated in 2005. Firefly on DVD? Ha! Wait until 2008!

Somehow the UK is already enjoying their DVD sets of Buffy S4 and S2 of Angel. It wouldn't surprise me if they ALREADY had S1 of Firefly on DVD over there.

I realize European networks tend not to show repeats of US shows, don't syndicate them and (for the most part) don't even sell commercial time in the middle of shows. American entertainment honchos would shit themselves to lose that much $$. Going straight to DVD with the collected progams does make greedy capitalist sense on the other side of the pond. Revenues must be maximized somehow, right?

Here in the states, we have this long arduous process designed to squeeze $$ out of every possible teat (from the network and its sponsors then - after 100 episodes have accumulated - from the syndicated network and its sponsors). THEN comes the DVD merchandising route.

I'm sure there are exceptions. Shows that are canceled could get collected on DVD immediately. Other shows are on specialty networks where the rules are a little different and DVD sets tend to come out sooner(Farscape on Sci Fi comes to mind.)

With this decrepit system in place in the U.S. we're all going to be decrepit ourselves before we have all the episodes we want on disc. (I know there are VCDs out there, but those things pile up due to that format's one-episode-per-disc limitation... plus no DVD extras).

As a viewer of all Whedon-iverse shows and as a consumer disposing of more income than I can afford (for now at least), I want to make the following point to the powers that be: I watch the shows when they debut on the networks. If I'm home and the timing is right, I'll also watch the syndicated rebroadcasts over and over and over... Lastly, I buy the DVDs and binge on those extras! I do all of the above. So do friends of mine who are also Whedon fans. No one is losing money on the simultaneous existence of BTVS S1 and S2 on syndicated TV and DVD. Stop treating the viewers (ie. consumers) and the sponsors as competing revenue sources. It's not really true when you analyze the situation.

Shows as good as Buffy and Angel are cross-marketing method performers. There's no need to portion out sequentially the methods with which you financially profit from this material. If the show quality is high (check!), if the product demand is great (ditto) and if the fans are dedicated (check!), then the money will come at ya from all sides.

PLEASE, PLEASE Powers That Be... at the very least, increase the pace of these Buffy DVD season releases! A new season every six months is far too slow... Every four months is tolerable, but every other month (like ST:TNG is doing) is the best way to go. Especially when you've already made us wait FIVE YEARS for syndictation to kick in.

Yours with too much free time,
mattro

HAKEN

Friday, June 21, 2002 12:15 AM

Does FOX profit more from the DVD sales than having the series syndicated? That's probably a big determining factor as to how quickly they'll release the DVDs.

NOVAGRASS

Friday, June 21, 2002 12:33 AM

Angel S1 is already in the production process in the US... check out amazon.com for more info.

A six month release schedule isn't *that* bad, but when the discs have already been mastered for the UK audience (the US version is just a repackaged version), it's just cruel to make us wait.

The X-Files is being released by Fox on the same schedule, and while I don't really care about that (cause I don't collect them), it's relevant because they are being totally mastered for their release, which is why it's taking so long. Buffy's already been mastered! It's just odd... and doesn't really make sense that we're being forced to wait this long.

--Dylan Palmer, aka NoVaGrAsS--

"Nice guys can only get so mad." Fillion on Mal

MOJOECA

Friday, June 21, 2002 3:22 AM

I think the six month sked is appropriate for the market. These sets are expensive -- the customers must be given enough time to save up (if they're of the younger set), enough time to view, tire off the current DVD, and enough time to salivate over the next release.

And of course, syndication. The syndie market is MUCH more lucrative, which is why it's the first step before DVD release. It's also another factor in the release sked, because the longer the DVDs take, the more $ the networks (FX and local FOX affiliates, in this case) can squeeze out from syndication.

And despite whatever Amazon says about AtS season 1 DVDs, it WILL NOT be released in the US until after it hits syndication (in the fall 2004 season).

--- Joe

BOBKNAPTOR

Friday, June 21, 2002 5:56 PM

I'm frustrated by it to... I watched the entire season two in a single weekend, and as soon as it was finished, I was (am) chomping at the bit for the first Season 3. I console myself that it will be on FX soon, but gosh, they're still showing Season 1 right now.

However, I understand the need for releasing every 6 months. They've got to keep people watching FX. I know that I used to be sure to tune in to FX for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, and now that I have S1 and S2 on DVD, I am not so religious in my viewing. (FX has the WORST commercials... If I NEVER see another "Son of the Beach" commercial it will be too soon!) I'm just biding my time until they start S3 before I get back to my constant viewing habbits. If I had all six seasons on DVD, I might never turn on FX again.

As for Angel, I noticed on Buffy S2 DVD, there was a commercial for Angel S1 on VHS. I could settle for that until the DVD is ready... but I wasn't able to find it on Amazon. Does anyone know if this a UK only release?

Are you miserable about it, or just really British?

MALCOLM

Friday, June 21, 2002 6:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hjermsted:
Is there anything we as the cats with the $$ can do to speed up the DVD release of our favorite TV shows?

PLEASE, PLEASE Powers That Be... at the very least, increase the pace of these Buffy DVD season releases! A new season every six months is far too slow... Every four months is tolerable, but every other month (like ST:TNG is doing) is the best way to go. Especially when you've already made us wait FIVE YEARS for syndictation to kick in.

Yours with too much free time,
mattro

Mattro,
The big problem is that there are holdbacks created by the networks airing the shows. For example, UPN pays a huge licensing fee to show the new season of Buffy and to be the exclusive source for the new shows for up to TWO years. Which means you won't see the musical episode anytime soon on F/X or the DVD (or VHS release which is only in the UK, I think). For the rest of the world, the holdbacks are typically a year or less. Sucks for us, but if the UPN didn't pony up the big bucks, the show wouldn't get made in the first place. Circle of Life and all that.

MBS

FERALWANDERER

Saturday, June 22, 2002 12:20 AM

Just so you know Australia also has Season 4 Buffy and Season 2 Angel out on DVD. I think we get Season 5 Buffy in Oct/Nov ish...

But then guys we always are months behind on the first showing...and those who show it tend to slice bits off to fit in more adds...and have their damn logo sitting on the screen for the whole ep...

Jason
Sydney, Australia

CHARLIEBLUE

Saturday, June 22, 2002 9:00 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by feralwanderer:
and have their damn logo sitting on the screen for the whole ep...

I think they do that here in the US, too. (Can't check my tapes of Buffy right now, but I know I've complained about it through enough shows that I doubt they'd make an exception.)

RINGWRAITH

Saturday, June 22, 2002 7:58 PM

I don't know if anyone knows but according to http://www.thedigitalbits.com Fox will be releasing 24 on DVD, hopefully sometime early next year, or even earlier. It's being released in Britain first (natch) but the Region 1 release shouldn't be far behind. The reasoning is apparently they want to offset costs of the production of the show, which is high, by selling copies on DVD. I think it's a good idea and more others should be doing this, screw syndication.

And us Babylon 5 fans are in for a treat, the entire first season is finally coming to DVD courtesy of WB.

As for Angel, I am kinda miffed it's not out. I like that show a lot.

************************************************
"How will this end?"
"In fire."
--Babylon 5, 'The Coming of Shadows'
************************************************

JOSH294

Sunday, July 21, 2002 8:13 PM

Buffy seasons one-four have come out here in the uk, but they are a lot lot lot more expensive that in the us. I bought S1 and S2 from the usa and saved £40, which I think is about $60. The extras are the same, although the usa packaging is very annoying and hard to deal with, and the usa booklets don't have scene selections or extras details. I am just going to wait for the Angel dvds to come out in the usa, there is no way i am spending soo much money on them in this country. But seriously, S3 on dvd in usa in WINTER 2003!!! Also, im not sure about the uk or australia ones, but picture quality on S2 is shockingly bad on the R1 discs
I have no idea if this post means anything or has a point. I am tired.

Buffy: (reading the ransom note) Come to the Bronze before it opens or we make her a meal..

Xander: They're gonna cook her dinner?

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