Complete Series DVD Sets: The Problem with the Studios

Mark Talmadge · 09-26-2008, 11:36 PM

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.

MatthewA · 09-27-2008, 12:09 AM

Look on the bright side. They made it to the end on these particular shows.

Mark Talmadge · 09-27-2008, 12:49 AM

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 · 09-27-2008, 03:38 AM

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 · 09-27-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewA

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."

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.

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Regulus · 09-27-2008, 09:34 AM

"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!

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

David Lambert · 09-27-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Talmadge

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.

...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.

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 · 09-27-2008, 10:09 AM

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 · 09-27-2008, 11:22 AM

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.

TravisR · 09-27-2008, 01:03 PM

Just buy the individual sets and your problem will be solved.

Mark Talmadge · 09-27-2008, 02:40 PM

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.