DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season (1 Viewer)

[PeterTHX]

Bizzarro world reporting:

Picked my set up at Costco today AND...

Scratches on 4th disc. Was firmly seated in the hub (not a "floater").

TWO, count 'em, TWO copies of Disc 3. No Disc 2! I put them both in to be sure disc 2 wasn't mislabed somehow. Sure enough, two copies of disc 3.

Anyone else have problems? Have to wait until Thursday to swap 'em out. Are ALL of Costco's run like this? :frowning:

 

[Marc Fedderman]

I got my set at Costco (for $21 plus tax, after $10 coupon) and just opened it. No duplicate dics and no conspicuous scratches or defects. I wouldn't, however, be surprised if there are a bunch of bad collections out there, given FOX's track record re manufacturing problems.

BTW, my store still had a bunch of FOX animated sets with coupons for $10 off season 4.

 

[Marc Fedderman]

I got my set at Costco (for $21 plus tax, after $10 coupon) and just opened it. No duplicate dics and no conspicuous scratches or defects. I wouldn't, however, be surprised if there are a bunch of bad collections out there, given FOX's track record re manufacturing problems.

BTW, my store still had a bunch of FOX animated sets with coupons for $10 off season 4.

 

[PeterTHX]

Ummm...coupon???:b

 

[PeterTHX]

Ummm...coupon???:b

 

[Seth--L]

My copy just came in the mail today. The revised insert that now lists the special features for each episode as well as who the commentators are is a nice improvement.

 

[Seth--L]

My copy just came in the mail today. The revised insert that now lists the special features for each episode as well as who the commentators are is a nice improvement.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

While Connan may have only gotten writing credit on 2 or 3 episodes in his time with the Simpsons he did have more of an influence than that, doing a lot of rewrites to scripts and contributing jokes. So, he probably did more than we know, but it is tough to give him the credit that most people do even then simply because you really don't know who is responsible for what jokes, and even the people that worked on it lose track.

I've got to say as I'm going through this that the commentary for "a Street Car named Marge" is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. John Lovitz is hallarious, oh how I wish he could've done the Critic commentaries, best track ever!

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

While Connan may have only gotten writing credit on 2 or 3 episodes in his time with the Simpsons he did have more of an influence than that, doing a lot of rewrites to scripts and contributing jokes. So, he probably did more than we know, but it is tough to give him the credit that most people do even then simply because you really don't know who is responsible for what jokes, and even the people that worked on it lose track.

I've got to say as I'm going through this that the commentary for "a Street Car named Marge" is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. John Lovitz is hallarious, oh how I wish he could've done the Critic commentaries, best track ever!

 

[Christian Preischl]

Got my set today. DVD condition statistics:

Floaters: 2/4
Scratched discs: 4/4 (!)
Possibly unplayable: 1/4

The possibly unplayable one is not one of the floaters, btw. It has a rather distinct circular scratch on it.
Thinking back, in the past 2 years I can't honestly remember a 3+ disc set (aside from Panic Room SE) that didn't have at least one noticably scratched disc in it.

Chris

 

[Christian Preischl]

Got my set today. DVD condition statistics:

Floaters: 2/4
Scratched discs: 4/4 (!)
Possibly unplayable: 1/4

The possibly unplayable one is not one of the floaters, btw. It has a rather distinct circular scratch on it.
Thinking back, in the past 2 years I can't honestly remember a 3+ disc set (aside from Panic Room SE) that didn't have at least one noticably scratched disc in it.

Chris

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

All the discs in my set were fine.

I'm done with the commentary tracks, and with a few acceptions I did not find these to be up to the higher standards of previous seasons. I think I was spoiled with Season 3 and the partisipation of the voice talent, but something just seemed to be missing this time around. Plus, they really repeated themselves a number of times, I think Al Geen mentioned 3 or 4 times about how all of the writers contracts were up around the start of season 4 and so on. Fascinating the first time, a bit interesting the second time, but old news by the third time IMO. The best track on the set is with Lovitz and Azaria, the ones with O'Brien are funny too I suppose, but some of them have larger gaps of silence and I begin to wonder if they're running out of things to say.

I'm not saying these are bad tracks, its just that the bar is so high that these just didn't come off as well as in years past for me, but they are still worthwhile.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

All the discs in my set were fine.

I'm done with the commentary tracks, and with a few acceptions I did not find these to be up to the higher standards of previous seasons. I think I was spoiled with Season 3 and the partisipation of the voice talent, but something just seemed to be missing this time around. Plus, they really repeated themselves a number of times, I think Al Geen mentioned 3 or 4 times about how all of the writers contracts were up around the start of season 4 and so on. Fascinating the first time, a bit interesting the second time, but old news by the third time IMO. The best track on the set is with Lovitz and Azaria, the ones with O'Brien are funny too I suppose, but some of them have larger gaps of silence and I begin to wonder if they're running out of things to say.

I'm not saying these are bad tracks, its just that the bar is so high that these just didn't come off as well as in years past for me, but they are still worthwhile.

 

[AnthonyC]

I do enjoy the commentary on the first three sets (haven't watched with commentary on the fourth yet), but having it on every episode sometimes means that halfway through the season, they've said everything they wanted to and we just get 22 minutes of people laughing at the jokes.

 

[AnthonyC]

I do enjoy the commentary on the first three sets (haven't watched with commentary on the fourth yet), but having it on every episode sometimes means that halfway through the season, they've said everything they wanted to and we just get 22 minutes of people laughing at the jokes.

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

So...if "DVD Easter Eggs" are found, will people post them in this thread? I'm not sure if that is what usually happens on this forum with DVD review threads, but I suggest doing that in this thread even if it isn't.

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

So...if "DVD Easter Eggs" are found, will people post them in this thread? I'm not sure if that is what usually happens on this forum with DVD review threads, but I suggest doing that in this thread even if it isn't.

 

[AnthonyC]

Good idea.

Say, does anyone know what episodes will be on the Go Wild DVD that is advertised in the insert? TVShowsonDVD said it was summer-themed episodes. If that includes the 14th season classic "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" (where Homer gets caught dissing his family on a Taxicab Confessions-type show and is sent off to Rock 'n' Roll Camp), I have to get it!

 

[AnthonyC]

Good idea.

Say, does anyone know what episodes will be on the Go Wild DVD that is advertised in the insert? TVShowsonDVD said it was summer-themed episodes. If that includes the 14th season classic "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" (where Homer gets caught dissing his family on a Taxicab Confessions-type show and is sent off to Rock 'n' Roll Camp), I have to get it!

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

The only news I could find on the "Go Wild" DVD was from SNPP.com dealing with its release in Region 2.

According to that site...these are the episodes on the disc.