Which method of release do you prefer for TV shows?

[theta]

Myself, it depends. Something like "Buffy The Vampire Slayer", which is its own self-contained maxiseries within each season (yes, there are standalone episodes, but they usually involve something set off by the Big Bad), I don't mind paying for. Especially when I can preorder it and save $20 or more.

But something like, say, the original Star Trek or pretty much any season of the X-Files...I don't want season sets. You see, to me, the "conspiracy" stuff in the X-Files asks me to suspend my disbelief much higher than, say, a flukeman would require, and not just for an episode, but for nine seasons. "Star Trek", well, it feels like a one-to-one ratio. For every good episode, there's a bad one. "Spock's Brain" is funny once, but do we REALLY want it to live on forever on disc?

I don't want to pay triple digits for a set of discs where I will only ever watch half of the content. How about you? Willing to pay for content you aren't interested in?

[IRISH TENOR 2]

The downside to season boxsets is that if the tv shows run more than 10 seasons you are looking to be spending over $1000. Not worth the money:barf: :flush:

[Marty McFly]

Definately season boxsets. I won't buy a show any other way.

[George McFly]

seasons ets and no other way will I buy 'em

[BubbleGumUK]

I'm with (mostly) everyone else and go for season box sets.

However, with "anthology" shows, where there is no major running story or theme, I'm okay with themed or compilation sets, as long as every episode is eventually released.

Like with Tim/Life and Henson's "Best Of The Muppet Show" - 10 volumes adding up to 30 shows. Out of oder, but not a bad thing.

However, there WERE 122 or so Muppet episodes. Lets have a "Set 2" and "3" please!!

[Paul.n3w]

Originally posted by Marty McFly
Definately season boxsets. I won't buy a show any other way.

ditto.

[elwood731]

A friend and I were talking about this the other day. I actually prefer the way Friends has been done. First we get Best Of sets, then they start with the seasons. For me, not a big fan of friends, I might consider buying a Best Of set, but never a full season. That way I get the best of a show without spending the money diehard fans will want to.

This would work with X-Files, Star Trek, and The Simpsons. I don't like the idea of paying for every Simpsons episode, but I woudl love to have the best ones. Same with South Park.

[George McFly]

Originally posted by Marty McFly
Definately season boxsets. I won't buy a show any other way.

Great minds think alike, I know I've heard that saying somewhere. but anywho look at the poll results obviously the studios aren't making money if they refuse release TV shows in season form

[SilentBob]

I would want them season sets. Unless it were Invader Zim then i would take it any way i could.

[manigrasso]

Originally posted by elwood731
A friend and I were talking about this the other day. I actually prefer the way Friends has been done. First we get Best Of sets, then they start with the seasons. For me, not a big fan of friends, I might consider buying a Best Of set, but never a full season. That way I get the best of a show without spending the money diehard fans will want to.

This would work with X-Files, Star Trek, and The Simpsons. I don't like the idea of paying for every Simpsons episode, but I woudl love to have the best ones. Same with South Park.

But who would decide which episodes of a show are "the best ones?" Who, I ask you? You? Are you ready to play God, you megalomaniacal bastard?

j/k

As it's been pointed out, when series have compilations of a few episodes on one disc, the price is comparatively higher than the per-disc price of a season boxset. So if you later opt to get all episodes...well, look at people who bought all the Star Trek DVDs, or the Twilight Zone eps, and see if they would rather have season boxsets.

You know what would be great? Absolutely un-freaking-believable? I remember when music stores like Sam Goody tried a "make your own compilation tape" program. 3 bucks for the first song, a buck for each additional song. It never really took off, though the mp3 revolution also reminds me of this non-fad. HOw great would it be to go to say, the website for Warner Brothers, and pick the episodes of any series you want, on your own DVD? Granted, your menus would be simplified, and the cost would probably be higher, but you'd get exactly what you wanted, and then you wouldn't have to buy the rest.

While I'm at it, I wish for a pony.

[Moppy007]

i prefer season box sets. i get why you'd only want some episodes, but for the more diehard fans seasons are the way to go.

[sub780lime]

i like the season box sets, but i wouldnt mind certain titles released in single disks, i feel better about for some reason because i dont have to buy them all at once, like with stargate sg1, i was able to buy those seperate and at different times, the only thing that bothers me was not having the box when i had all the sets, what else could be done, is that they could do the same thing that they did with jurassic park and make it possible to get the box, i was very excited when i was able to do that

[a.bunker]

Wow, multi episode sets are getting blanked. Needless to say I voted for season sets.

[elwood731]

Originally posted by manigrasso
But who would decide which episodes of a show are "the best ones?" Who, I ask you? You? Are you ready to play God, you megalomaniacal bastard?

Why not?

As it's been pointed out, when series have compilations of a few episodes on one disc, the price is comparatively higher than the per-disc price of a season boxset. So if you later opt to get all episodes...well, look at people who bought all the Star Trek DVDs, or the Twilight Zone eps, and see if they would rather have season boxsets.

But what if I just want a few Twilight Zone episodes and don't want to buy every episode? My suggestion was simply for Best Of sets, not episodes on individual discs like Star Trek. For a Best Of set, do like Friends did, and hold a poll online or something. Or simply have some people select, you can usually get a fair consensus on what the better episodes of a show are. If that set then doesn't have your favs, and you simply can't live without them, buy the season sets. It's just a way to provide for two different groups--casual and diehard fans.

[retroboy]

Season sets all the way.

Season boxed sets are expensive, but yes, the cost is definitely inexpensive compared to multiple volumes that cost $20 a pop for only a couple of episodes. To the casual fan, may I suggest taping off the TV for your favorite episodes?

A&E has done a decent job with releasing "cult" TV series in their not-quite-seasons boxed sets (I'm thankful I can own Space:1999 on DVD at all), but I was peeved that I had to collect 17 episodes of The Prisoner on ten discs.

Lastly, to address Theta's dislike for possible Trek sets, I'd love to have Star Trek in three season sets. The only season that has a good/bad episode ratio of 1:1 would be the third and final season (considering that Trek, along with TZ and the Outer Limits all went into the creative toilet in their final years, this isn't surprising) The first two seasons, IMO, are the finest sci-fi stories presented on TV.

[elwood731]

Originally posted by retroboy
To the casual fan, may I suggest taping off the TV for your favorite episodes?

Then may I suggest to tape the seasons? That isn't a viable solution to those who want better quality. Sorry, no thanks.

[orko007]

I prefer season sets. I think the Buffy releases have it down well. eg. Buffy Season 2 (out here anyway), is split in half. You purchase the first 12 ep. in PART ONE, and the remaining 10 ep. in PART TWO. As is the case in Season 2, the 2nd part is by far the most excellent. The continuing saga with Angel with a very long continuing story line, as opposed to a one of episode as it is in the first part.
This is an example and probably not in most cases.

[MrTony]

I voted for "depends." Like Elwood731, if I were going to buy Friends on DVD, I would opt for the "Best Of" set. I agree with a review I read once which said "I'll take the extra laughs over minimal plot development." For The Sopranos, on the other hand, it's gotta be season sets. These are some of my most watched discs in my collection. I'm on my second go-round with Season Two right now.

[The Limey]

Season box sets only for me too! Although the only tv show in my collection so far is Sex and the City (seasons 1-3).

[slateman]

I'd have to go with season box sets. I think the way the old Star Trek episodes were released (2 eps per disc) was insane. Even though the discs were cheap...between 12-15 bucks a disc, thats insane. There were what, 40 of those? So you were looking at around 500-600 bucks for 72 eps. Now with the way they are doing Next Gen, at 100 bucks a set, you are getting them a bit cheaper and with nice animated menus/extras to boot.

Favorite Season Sets I have so far:
Next Generation 1 & 2, Simpsons, Mr. Show, Transformers

Season Sets I'd like to see:
Battlestar Galactica, Futurama, Kids in the Hall, Batman the Animated Series, Red Dwarf

[Monterey Jack]

Seasonal boxed sets all the way. Look at the Batman: The Animated Series DVD: Only five eps, and most of them are pretty middling. I would have paid $50+ for the entire first season of the series, preferably loaded with extras.

[Wirehed]

Season Box sets all the way for me. The lower the price point the more likely I am to buy.

And quite your bitchin' Retroboy, I had to buy The Prisoner on laser disc, two episodes per disc, $35 a disc --and I thought that was a good deal.

[drone86]

I would have to go with Season Sets. I've unfotunately been forced to but multi episode discs for 2 of my favorite show, Lexx and Farscape, and its been a big hit on the wallet, on the other hand buying the Stargate SG1 box set was alot cheaper at about $60 as compared to the $100-$150 per season of Lexx and Farscape.

[Velvet G]

I'll take seasons. I originally bought the "best of" Friends. Those weren't the episodes I would have chosen, so I sold it and just bought season 1.

[retroboy]

Originally posted by Seamonkey
Season Box sets all the way for me. The lower the price point the more likely I am to buy.

And quite your bitchin' Retroboy, I had to buy The Prisoner on laser disc, two episodes per disc, $35 a disc --and I thought that was a good deal.

You're right, I shouldn't complain about the number of discs in The Prisoner sets. Hell, I should be happy I have the episodes in a remastered form and not have to tape off a PBS run that uses godawful prints.

Chalk my bitchiness up to a rainy day with no place to go and my woman gone for the day.

I still say season sets are the way to go. I'm glad that TPB are finally realizing that non-genre shows are also deserving of DVD release (who would have guessed two exceptional comedies like M*A*S*H or Mary Tyler Moore would be released on DVD?).

[LBPound23]

Ideally, we'd get both Best of and Season boxset releases. For shows that are not on DVD in any form, I'd settle for Best of DVDs. Though, for shows I really like, I'd opt for the Complete Season sets (like The Simpsons). For shows I kind of like, but don't have the money to spring for the entire collection and getting just one season would be odd, I'd go with the Best of compilations. But, if only one were done, I'd be happier with Season sets, naturally.

[aintnosin]

First the first couple of seasons of Star Trek: TNG, I would have preferred two-episode per disk like the original series, so I could have gotten the few good episodes from those seasons without spending $95 on mostly crap.

Season 3 and beyond, gimme box sets all the way.

[fischerj]

I think there's a pattern developing...

I think it has to be season sets. Personal preferences--certain episodes are classics to everyone but others may have special meaning.