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Complete Series DVD Sets: The Problem with the Studios (1 Viewer)

Mark Talmadge

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Has anyone discovered their new method to releasing information on these sets? Ever since Dave and Gord started posting images of the layout of the interior sets of these various releases now studios are no longer releasing images that show the layout of the interior of these sets.

The Brady Bunch, I Dream of Jeannie, Flintstones, Gilmore Girls, Charmed and so on. These sets are not only poorly produced but indicate a lack of quality control at the studios releasing these sets and the evident lack of care that these studios are showing for their consumers.

I recall a posted message by another member here who had complained that he had purchased the Brady Bunch Complete Series set and that over 60% of the DVD's had been damaged because of the way it had been packaged. I've even found it difficult to even think about purchasing any of these sets and I was all intending to purchase the massive M*A*S*H set until I heard how the set was packaged.

Now, either the studios are aware of this and have stopped releasing images of the interior design of these sets or TV Shows on DVD, for some reason, aren't receiving the images or have stopped displaying the images. I think that studios are aware of the complaints and have opted not to include images of the interior design for fear of consumers' negative reactions to the designs of these sets.

Not just that, but these sets don't even sets nicely on DVD shelves. A problem I found with the Cylon head edition of the original Battlestar Galactica series.
 

Mark Talmadge

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Well, I'll give them credit for that but not for the poorly designed complete series sets. The only two complete sets I have ever purchased have been the Northern Exposure and Miami Vice sets ... I was doubly impressed with these sets and it goes to show you that a studio can get it right sometimes.
 

MatthewA

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I don't own any of these complete box sets, but I have heard nothing good about them. Sony wins the award for "just not trying."
 

Corey3rd

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Are you talking about the spindle box? To folks who prefer to store their DVDs in binders or envelopes, that spindle box works. It also keeps them from pouring glue on the discs or having them come loose and scratching up.
 

Regulus

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"One Season Wonders" notwithstanding the only Complete Series sets I ever Purchased or Obtained were:

Thunderbirds
UFO
Buck Rogers
Land of the Giants
Acapulco H.E.A.T.
Robotech


I have bought several other Complete Sets but they were all Individual Season Sets, which I did because they were on sale somewhere. The last of these was The Twilight Zone (All 3 Series!) which Dee Dees had on one of their BOGO Sales Last Month!:D

(I wasn't alone taking advantage of this, as the Final Set was delivered to my house yesterday, 7 weeks after I ordered it!)
htf_images_smilies_banana.gif
 

David Lambert

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I've posted "interior" shots of several of these, like Charmed, Gilmore and Jeannie:
Charmed DVD news: Box Art for Charmed - The Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com
Gilmore Girls DVD news: Interior Package Art for Gilmore Girls - The Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com
I Dream of Jeannie DVD news: Announcement for I Dream of Jeannie - The Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com

A Jeannie fansite showed off their exclusive pic (which I've honestly also seen in a trade mag ad for the release) that shows off even more of the interior; Sony hasn't provided this shot to us at TSoD, but as you can see it IS out there to be viewed by interested consumers:
I Dream of Jeannie Fans

The original Flintstones package shot may have a different "surface" to the outer package than what will end up being on store shelves, and also may not show how that outer package looks when "open," so that you can see how the "books" slide into it (though I think it's fairly obvious), but you can clearly see how the discs are stored:
The Flintstones DVD news: Box Art for The Flintstones - The Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com


So, which ones are you looking for? Of course I want to post every single picture that I'm provided with, and I also try to get pics that the studio didn't want me to have, either! ;)

Yeah, the studios haven't shown off interior shots of every 'complete series' package, but I haven't gotten any feelings of intent to cover things up. Just more along the lines of "there's a lot of stuff that's coming, and they haven't gotten to everything yet".

Of the titles you mention, Brady Bunch has been out for a long time now, and yeah...for some reason interior shots were never provided by the studio. Probably an oversight. Charmed is VERY recent, and I think we've got good shots of the inside of both versions of the packaging.

I can't tell from your post if the titles you mention are the ones you want interior shots of (and as you can see, many of them are out there), or if there are other titles you want shots of. If so, tell me which ones and I can give you some idea of what the hold-up might be. In some cases, the studios don't usually tend to show interior shots (Fox tends not to, for example, though there are exceptions as recently seen with '70s Show). In other cases the title may not have gotten to the point of having that art ready yet (we'll probably see one in the not-too-distant future for Real Ghostbusters, for example). In other cases, like Wild Wild West, it may depend on how much promotion/advertising the studio ends up deciding to do for the title. We might get an interior shot, we might not; time will tell.

Then in other cases it seems to be a mixed bag: I found an "open box" shot for Will & Grace, but Lionsgate wasn't putting it out there for the press to use, really. I got lucky. And I haven't found any interior shots for Speed Racer or Little House or Fraggle Rock...but then again Lionsgate is another one of those studios that tends to not make interior shots available, no matter what fans will like/dislike about that packaging.
 

Ockeghem

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I must have gotten it right for once. I opted instead to purchase the five seasons of The Brady Bunch individually (as opposed to the boxed set mentioned above). I don't mind the packaging to those five boxes at all. I think they did a fine job with those. Of course, more special features would have been nice, but I'm pleased with having all of the 119 (I think) episodes.

That being said, the invidual seasons of Walker, Texas Ranger (I mentioned this in another thread once) sure could have used greater quality control. The inconsistencies in the spine labeling (esp. with regard to the cardinal and ordinal numbering) leaves a lot to be desired.
 

Mark Talmadge

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Thanks, Dave. I know you and Gord, over at TV Shows on DVD, do your best to give us the best possible shots of these complete series sets and we're all greatful for that. My main concern is that this type of packaging, where the DVD's "slide" into a pocket will do nothing more than SCRATCH the DVD.

I first became aware of this with the MASH complete series set. I really wanted to purchase that set but when I saw the way it was designed I quickly gave up that notion. IJ'm a real screwball when it comes to the condition of DVD's that I purchase and I'm a frequent return customer to Best Buy because of scratched disks from season sets of TV Shows over at Circuit City and Best Buy ... I just think that the studios chose a poor way to design the sets with these "slide in the pocket" pages. It wouldn't be so bad if the pages themselves or these pockets had a felt lining that wouldn't damage the disks.
 

Mark Talmadge

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TravisR, that doesn't solve the problem. You're saying that consumers aren't allowed to express their grievances over the manufacturing of these sets?

Until the studios abandon these "slip the DVD's in their pockets" type of sets, there are a lot of consumers who won't buy the sets.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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I don't get why they don't just listen to consumers and stick with more practical and convenient packaging rather than ugly novelty junk. Who wouldn't rather a smartly designed packaged with individual cases, digipaks or amarays as have become standard of regular theatrical box sets over something that looks like it belongs in a ten year old boy's playroom with little regard for the actual storage or accessibility of discs? Why won't the studios concede and give us a more conservative and classy design?
 

JohnMor

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I HATE the novelty junk. It's almost insulting to me. I tolerate it in the case of I Love Lucy but that is all.

There have been some good complete series sets, though. I thought the Time-Life Get Smart set was terrific. The Addams Family set was fine (thin packs in a slip cover.) And while I don't own them, the Friends and The West Wing sets are classy and okay. And Universal has converted their dual-sided discs on The Munsters season sets to single-sided for the Complete set, so they get brownie points for doing that.

But for the most part, I agree that many Complete sets are complete wastes.
 

TravisR

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I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying that if I felt that the packaging could lead to damage, I would buy the individual sets and I wouldn't have to worry. It's not like there isn't another option in most cases of series sets.

As for why novelty packaging continues, I imagine it's because they feel they are eye catching pieces on a store shelf and they help to sell the set. I don't like them but studios don't keep making goofy looking boxes because they want to spend more money.
 

Mark Talmadge

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I agree with you on that point, Travis. I just think that the studios need to stop making these complete series sets as novelty items thinking more consumers will collect them because they look 'pretty.'

While I have bought two such sets, the Miami Vice complete series set, which contained the complete series, each season placed in its own DIGIPAK housing, and free from getting damaged placed in an alligator skin type of case. The set is beautiful. Northern Exposure was done int he same way but here we have a type of bookbag with a shoulder harness where each DVD is in a thinpack DVD case, preventing it from getting damaged.

When I look at such releases as the Flintstones, Charmed, M*A*S*H, I very much wan interested in purchasing them but the way the DVD's are housed in these sets quickly persuaded me against purchasing these sets.
 

Corey3rd

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They do need to think of them as gimmicks and unique designs because for a majority of the time, they are trying to do two things - attract the attention of the person who is reluctant to buy the season sets. And do something freakish enough to cause truly hardcore fans to buy them. You just wrap together all the boxsets and put them on the shelf, they fade together. People will see the title and debate. But when they put them in the unique package, people are prone to pick them up and check it out. When someone touches a product, there's a higher chance that they will buy it on an impulse vs. just staring at it on the shelf.

I spoke with a pal once who mentioned that when people buy a DVD that's part of a special packaging, there's very low odds that they'll loan the discs to a pal. This means if their friend had the same taste - he had to go buy his own.
 

RichieMagoo

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Yeah, the Twilight Zone (original series) was one of the few full-series sets to do a fine job with packaging. The set is compact and the DVDs are easily accessible and well-protected. The box is not something you have to be ashamed of, and you can leave it on the top of a bookcase or dresser...or, it'll fit nicely on a shelf. It's not something you have to hide in the closet or that is too unweildly to fit anywhere.

All the studios should take a lesson from The Twilight Zone!

One thing the studios should especially keep in mind, is that a lot of us want packaging for the full series that is compatible with the size of season sets, so that we can store them with the rest of our DVDs.

Even with the sets that are not totally hiddeous or ridiculous, they STILL require one to store them out on display or apart from one's other DVDs.

I'd like to get the complete Seinfeld and Incredible Hulk series....but I fume when I think that because of their design, I'd have to clear a special place to store them...as opposed to just putting them on a shelf with the rest of my DVDs. (And while the packaging for those series is not too bad looking...I still don't want to decorate my home with cardboard DVD boxes!)

I have a feeling, in the future, I may just end up buying industrial style cases in which to efficiently store my DVDs......and end up chucking (or selling) the original packaging. (Then again...since most of the DVDs I own are in season sets...that might not be necessary!)

[Darn it, Marco! Now I'm going to have to go and bake some almond-flavored Eye-talian pastries!]
 

Andrew Radke

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What really chaps my ass is the "exclusive" features on certain complete series sets which were not made available on the individual season sets. Most notably (for me anyway) is The Brady Bunch, in which the complete series set includes the "A Very Brady Christmas" TV movie..........something I've wanted on DVD for many years. At the very least, they should've put it out as a single-disc release. But nope. All the money poured into the individual release doesn't make a lick of difference. Can't have the movie unless you buy the big box. Total BS if you ask me.
 

MarcoBiscotti

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All the series cited - Addams Family, Get Smart, Munsters, etc. are ALL the complete series that I coincidentally own on DVD.

I'm not asking the studios to make the packaging dull or boring... but putting Bewitched into a stackable jar is just ridiculous and pushes my point home!

Who the hell wants their DVD's housed like that?

The packaging should be reflective of the production and representative of the feel and where relevant, nostalgia of the series. But still keep in mind that it's a DVD that should be stored on a media shelf in one's living room with other releases and not a food product or anything else!!

Get Smart is a classy looking set that adheres to all of the above. It looks great, captures the eye of consumers, captures the aura of the original production and remains relevant to the series... and yet it manages to be packaged in a convenient and sensible way as well!

Same goes for The Addams Family, The Munsters, etc.

It would be nice if Dave and Gord could publish a short piece on this to push the studios to appeal to our requests because I imagine that in the end, those who are buying the complete series regardless will be doing so anyways, and many sales seem to be lost by folks like us who are put off by this practice.

Nobody was more excited about the possibility of a Complete Flintstones set than myself... until I actually saw pictures of what it looked like!


As for the Twilight Zone - It was another one of my most anticipated releases but contrary to what somone posted above, I actually read MANY horrible reviews stating that the packaging was cheap and prone to fall apart and there was a large controversy on this very forum in which those who had bought the set were recommending others stick with the individual seasons. Was this an overreaction or exaggeration because it's still one complete series that I would love to pick up. Would I be safe to find a sturdy looking set and purchase in store or are the rumors valid that they are all cheaply produced and prone to fall apart with time?
 

David Lambert

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Dave looks 'round his living room, spots Cylon-head Galactica set, a monkey-head Planet of the Apes set, an Invader Zim "house" set, the "attache case" packaging for both Blade Runner and Man from UNCLE, the "trunk" for Harry Potter, the "cage" for Land of the Giants, the "record player" packages for both seasons of The Monkees, the Get Smart set, the various big sets for Lord of the Rings, and others.

Are you sure you want ME to be writin' this? :D

Seriously, I have many of the same complaints you do, but on the other hand I geek and out buy the novelty packaging when the time comes.

Retailers want studios to make novelty packaging, and the studios go ahead and make them, because they sell.

In some cases they sell, as noted above, not because they are novelty-looking or because someone finds them to be "neat", but because the consumer wants the "complete series" run and this is the only way to buy it.

Still, as long as the stuff sells, and as long as the retailers think that these make swell gifts for the holiday season, they will continue to get produced.

I also have to admit that I have had ZERO problems with scratches on the discs of my M*A*S*H set. Or tear-ups on my Twilight Zone "definitive" set. :shrug:

Sorry, I guess none of this is what the folks in this thread want to hear. Gord's ideas on the subject might vary; I dunno.
 

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