Will we have Simpsons Season 15 before the end of DVDs? (1 Viewer)

Hmm..

If they pump out 2 seasons/year, we'll get season 15 in 2009. At that time, BD-ROM will take over already. So does that mean we'll have Season 15 on BD-ROM instead of DVD? Or actually, a re-release from S1 to S15 in one shot? Each on 1 disc?

Hmmmm..

I guess it depends on whether or not you really think that DVD will die out completely or not.
I'm one that looks at blue ray/HD-DVD as being the next step, but when we make that jump it doesn't mean that DVD will just suddenly disappear completely.

So my answer is possibly.

They need to make this one a dv-do instead of keeping it as a dv-doh! Too bad i had to work while the chat was running ...i'd like to know ...could all of us do without commentaries ? thats my guess on what holds the season box sets up ...i mean Family guy got their commentaries cut BIG time and both sets were released rather quickly.... I just want the process sped up .

hell no! cut out the commentaries, shave off a bit of the price, and get them in my hands faster.

I'll take bare-bones episodes only for the same price, just get us at least to season 8 in the next two years!

How about instead of 22 commentaries they put together like a seasonal documentary where they talk about each episode in the season briefly? I mean realistically, we've heard some of the same things over and over again in these commentaries and sometimes its not even accurate.

I remember MG and others commenting how Bart never said Cowa-bunga and then in a different episode (this was season 1) there's Bart saying Cowa-bunga and they're commenting on this episode and don't point it out.

A seasonal documentary where they just talk about the episodes briefly and the guest stars would serve practically the same purpose and probably speed things up quite a bit.

Yep, the commentaries become extremely tedious after a while. Usually there's nothing particularly insightful due to the fact that it's the first time they've seen them in ten years. For the most part, they're just sitting there taking it in.

There should be select commentaries in addition to a brief 'episode run-down' documentary (suggested above), where things of particular interest are pointed out. Unless the documentaries also cause delays...

Is this really what is holding up the releases? I had a feeling it might have been...

Yes, the commentaries are the culprit for the amount of time between releases, Al Geen said as much in an interview with IGN DVD last fall.

You can tell that the commentaries are current, because for instance in 1 of the season 3 commentaries for Homer at the Bat they make reference to Anaheim being the world champions which they would've been up until October when Florida won the world series. I say that only because it was speculated several times for quite awhile that they were actually well ahead of the game on recording the commentaries. Clearly, that's not the case.

I'm still shocked nobody asked about it in the chat though.

Another possibility would be the "mini-commentary" approach used on the South Park, Season 3 set. The two creators would say what they wanted about the episode for about 5 minutes or so and move on the next one.

If the commentaries delay the DVDs,its just not worth it.

Paramount was able to get out a DS9 set a month, so can Fox with The Simpsons.

Damn, if only this preferring of 'quick releases' over commentaries could have been conveyed in the chat last night :/.

No:frowning:

Yeah... ditch the commentaries... not needed as much for a long running serialized item like the Simpsons (as opposed to say a short run TV series or maybe the 2 ewok adventure movies...). A documentary of sorts would be MUCH better, and I would be willing to bet that a greater majority of the customers would view it as opposed to listening to the commentaries. This would increase the perception of value added material, as not many people don't listen to them any way. I agree that they should ditch them to get them in our hands faster....

Well, I for one like the commentaries. I have listened most of the episode commentaries more than once and enjoyed them everytime. I've been very impressed with all 3 box sets so far and I'd perfer them to put out quality box sets rather then slap them all out as fast as they can... I mean I've heard people on various DVD Fourms saying why buy the Simpsons on DVD when they come on 2 or 3 times a day? Well, I'm satisfied with my boxsets and just watching the reruns until the next box set comes out.

Nobody probably asked it because we all know what the answer is. Once the show ends, we'll probably get season sets at a quicker rate, but the show still has at least one more season past this one.

We really could live without the commentaries. It's one thing to have a "high quality" product as Wesley stated above, but it's another thing to wait a decade and a half (at least) to complete a collection. I, for one have not listened to the commentaries on either of the 3 sets, nor do I intend to. I bought these sets for the episodes themselves, and I definitely wouldn't complain if they released them at a faster pace sans commentaries. The "once-a-year" ordeal is rediculous. They might as well not have bothered at all at this rate. It's funny how one of the most highly demanded shows takes the longest to be released, as other lesser known sets are out left, right and center. If commentary is a "must-have" by Groening and Co., then I agree with the above idea of having mini-commentaries. For one, it would free up the time for those who create the current episodes, as well as make the consumers (namely us) happy by releasing these sets much faster.

When I bought the first 2 sets, I was ecstatic. But after waiting a year between 2 and 3, the excitement and anticipation died down considerably because I knew that once I had season 3, I'd have to wait yet another year for season 4. If nothing else, it's monotonous.

If the commentaries are really what's holding the seasons up, Fox should do what they do with their X-Files sets. Have a handful of commentaries on select episodes, and include a 30-minute piece, like the X-Files' "Truth About Season [X]"...

Yeah, I'm all for reducing the commentaries to 5 minute mini-commentaries, or only doing commentaries on select episodes, or just doing a seasonal documentary per set. But I strongly disagree with everyone who thinks Fox should ditch ALL extras and release the seasons bare-bones. I do NOT want some half-assed release of these sets! I want to get the most (or more) for my money, and the extras are a major plus. These episodes air in syndication 2-3 times a day, so it's foolish to just want barebones sets of the episodes. I want quality releases with at least SOME extras included, even if its only a 30 minute retrospective documentary on the season. For that, I'm patient enough to wait 6-8 months between season releases... but one season per year is ridiculous.

I can't believe people don't like the commentaries. I buy these for the commentaries. I've seen the episodes in the first three seasons so much, that it was great to catch all the little tidbits they throw out there. Al Jean and Mike Reiss are especially great in the commentaries (and then with the voice talent showing up for the season 3 commentaries, they were made that much better).

I didn't think it was commentary that was slowing these down in the first place. Too bad someone forgot to ask Peter about this.

By the way, The Family Guy cast and crew did commentaries for every episode -- even though commentaries showed up on only a few of the episodes. So that's not why it got released faster. As I understood it, most of the commentaries were cut for being just too explicit.

I don't think people are saying so much that they don't care for the commentaries, I mean even though I find them to be repetative at times I still give multiple listens to them. I also agree that adding the voice talent to the mix has really livened things up, but I think the general point is that the commentaries would be gladly traded in for a faster release time. Sure they're nice, but I think people would trade them in for the ability to have more than one set per year.

Here's a question if they dropped the commentaries and still only put out 1 set per year how would you feel. If dropping the commentaries wouldn't increase the release time any then I'd say go ahead and record them. Of course this is a hypathetical question because it is widely admitted that the delays between sets are due to the commentary.

I've got to clarify what I said earlier about being shocked that it wasn't asked in chat. I'm not surprised that someone didn't ask for a release date, but the subject of the Simpsons never came up which is the part I find odd, sure the release pattern may be accepted fact but even if his answer was vague I'm surprised someone didn't ask about bonus material on season 4 or anything related to the Simpsons in general.

My final thought is that many assume that after next season the DVD production will be sped up, that of course assumes that the Simpsons isn't renewed for a few more seasons.