The Office (US) Season Three Overpriced?

[mighty mint]

So many times I question why I even bother reading flyers...pricing sometimes confuses the heck out of me. For example, The Office: Season Three comes out on Tuesday--funny show but the pricing on it completely sucks! Look at what other television dvds are being priced at*...

$29.99 ~ Friday Night Lights: Season One
5 dvds containing 22 "one hour"** episodes

Now you may say...ok Mr. M&M but The Office has been around for three years and has proven itself...I get that but what about shows that have become number one shows right out of the shute like Heroes and it's pricing?

$49.99 ~ Heroes: Season One
7 dvds containing all 23 "one hour" episodes + one 73 minute uncut pilot

So where does The Office fit into all this?

$39.99 ~ The Office (US): Season Three
4 dvds containing 21 "half hour" episodes + 2 "one hour" episodes...hmmmm so to look at this another way for the sake of scientific comparison...

Friday Night Lights ($29.99, 5 discs)= 955 minutes
The Office ($39.99, 4 discs)= 574 minutes
Heroes ($49.99, seven discs)= 1035 minutes

I can't help but wonder why there can't be more even pricing for length of content...anyhoo, all that aside, I am a consumer with a "sucker" stamp on my forehead so you know I'll be picking this up tomorrow! Thoughts???

*all prices in CAD
**are they ever truly one hour in any dvd set...ummm no.

[chiprocks1]

I think what it boils down to is if the studio thinks they have a product that most (if not everyone) will buy regardless of price. If its a show that is very popular, chanced are they will add more to the price.

As for Friday Night Lights, the studio is trying is hardest to generate viewership for the upcoming season, given the fact that its a great show that no one is watching (except me of course). Most places are selling FNL Season 1 for a mere $20. This is a steal when you factor in the quality of the show, and as you put it, amount of content within the set. I guarantee you, that if FNL was a huge hit, we wouldnt be getting it so cheap.

Now, you would think that what I just said holds water and makes sense right? Even I can admit I dont know shit about how studios operate. If a studio wants to generate sales and viewership for a show thats struggling, then why would CBS be selling Jerico for $50 MSRP? $40 in stores. Go figure.

Me, for the most part, I just hit my 2nd hand stores and look for copies that "fell off the back of a truck" of new titles at "used" prices.

[mighty mint]

Even Lost: Season Three looks like it will come in around the 50ish mark CAD...a mere 10 bucks more than The Office. I am looking forward to picking up Corner Gas ($26.99!).

OK...I am now done beating the dead horse. Just wondered if anyone else was picking up on the pricing discrepancies.

[limacharliewhiskey]

I don't usually distinguish a price difference between half-hour and hourlong shows. It's usually the number of episodes that I use to dictate what's a reasonable price for a TV box set, and most current network shows have 22 episodes.

It's usually the studio that dictates the pricing, where HBO usually charges $100 MSRP for their sets like Rome, Sopranos, Band of Brothers, Sex and the City.

New network TV shows are usually in the $30-40 range, which seems reasonable, and $20-25 for older TV shows.

I usually pick up TV sets later when they're on sale for $20-25 per season, so it doesn't really matter to me.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by limacharliewhiskey

I usually pick up TV sets later when they're on sale for $20-25 per season, so it doesn't really matter to me.

Same here. I snagged the first four seasons of Smallville earlier this year for $15 apiece and season 5 a few weeks ago for $20. So what if I had to wait five years after the show's premiere?

[thomashton]

Wish I had done this with some of my sets. I really paid through the nose for the X-Files as they came out. Now, I can get 4-5 seasons of the slim packaging for the same price I paid for 1 season of the full package.

I did better with ST:TNG and DS9. Have all 14 seasons of those two. Didn't pay above $45 apiece including shipping, but still wish they were cheaper.

I did pick up The Office Season 3 today on my lunch break. $31.44 at Sam's Club. Minute to dollar wise it isn't as good a deal as others, but then again, I will watch them many more times than I will other shows with a better dollar to minute ratio.

[dalsh327]

Sopranos and some of the BBC shows are overpriced. I'm glad to see more "Complete Series" being released for a fair price (I think I saw complete Friends for $150) And I don't get why shows like Charlie Rose or daytime talk shows charge 30-something for a 1 hour show.

[thomashton]

Yup, when you can get the entire series for a steal that is the best. Right now I am looking at M.A.S.H. When DDD.com has their 20% off sale it will be less than $130 for all 11 seasons+the movie+the bonus discs. Damn good deal.

[sub780lime]

The office needs an HD release and then I would buy this up.