TV on DVD. Why do you buy it? (1 Viewer)

I like to buy TV shows on DVD because of the following reasons.

1. Un-Edited and complete.
2. No annoying logos on the screen.
3. No annoying talk overs over the end credits.
4. No annoying squezzing the image to promote what is on 30 seconds later.
5. In-tact opening theme songs. Some TV stations have edited out the opening theme songs and just run the show with the credits superimposed over the show.


Of course I don't buy every show, only the ones I like and/or can afford.

no commercials

Because I like the show. If the price is right, something that is borderline will pass. For example, Friends. Do I really need the sets when I'm sure the shows will be in syndication forever? I guess that's when the absence of network and affiliate add-ons becomes more obvious.

For me it would be...

• No Commercials
• superior quality over the crappy cable in my area
• all the extras, especially cast commentaries!

It depends on the show. In some cases like Homicide and The West Wing, the critical and fan acclaim are so overwhelming that I figure it's worth giving at least the first season a shot.

With shows like Buffy and Angel, I'm such a huge fan that the rewatchability factor is very high, so it's worth collecting the entire series.

And then you have others like Quantum Leap and The Ben Stiller Show(and potentially Sledge Hammer! if the rumors pan out) which are in the same category for me as Buffy and Angel but also provide a feeling of nostalgia since they were some of my favorite shows as a kid.

I've enjoyed watching the first two seasons of Alias on DVD (almost done) more than I would have if watching broadcasts. The freedom to watch anytime it suits me with excellent quality, and without commercials. Since I haven't "caught up" I haven't felt like I'm missing anything by not watching it on TV.

I'm sure the same would be true with 24, but I started watching that show from the beginning and haven't been willing to sit out a whole season to wait for the DVD. I timeshift and watch 24 on VHS each week, skipping through commercials. Maybe I'll wait for the DVD for Season 4. We'll see.

We buy comedy shows on DVD, other than that not a whole lot of it.

Law & Order on DVD is IMO pretty useless, its on 24 hours a day pretty much

I would buy something I missed, but our collection consists of:

French & Saunders
Abolsolutely Fabulous
Family Guy Seasons 1-3
Dave Chappelle
Strangers with Candy Seasons 1 & 2
Upright Citizens Brigage Seasons 1
Stargate Seasons 4(a gift)
Lewis Black Live(horrible, its all cleaned up, buy the CD)

We want to buy Crank Yankers on DVD as soon as it comes out, Strangers With Candy season 3, and a few other comedy shows.

We buy alot of movies, but the comedy stuff is good for guests, especially where we live since none of the cable companies carry Comedy Central.

1. I like that I can get the shows without all of the cuts for sindication.
2. I like that I have the ability to watch a season in order to follow storylines contained in that season. For instance, where I am, a show like Friends is shown every day, but some of the episodes are missing. Thursday for instance they showed the season finale of season 3, and Friday they showed the third episode from season 4.
3. I can watch it whenever I want. I don't have to watch the Simpsons at 5:00 Monday-Friday, I can pop in the disc and watch them anytime I feel like.
4. I've purchased sets to get acquainted with a show I've never seen before, I did this recently with King of Queens and found a show that I enjoy tremendously.
5. Added value content like commentary tracks and other extras make a set more attractive, but I will buy a TV release if it is barebones if I enjoy the show or if its priced cheaply enough.
6. Price, a number of these sets come in with very reasonable price points and I don't have a problem picking them up.

Those are some of the biggest reasons I buy TV on DVD.

All of the above reasons. Plus, there are a lot of shows that are not aired anymore(even in syndication) and most of the time if I do have them taped, the quality is poor do to taping at slp mode.

Number one for me is the 'on demand' ability.

I want to watch some thing at 8:45 because of my schedule, I can if I want. I don't have to watch the last 15 minutes of a show. I can watch whatever and whenever I want. I like that most of all. And as mentioned I can watch which ever episode I want, and also in order if I want. Some shows like a Law & Order or a Cheers or Friends are on a lot right now. But for some people, not at the time that's convenient or good for them. So if watching NYPD Blue at 8 in the evening is what works for me, I can watch it then rather than having to record it when its on TNT in the afternoon. Or if I want to watch Law & Order on the weekend, I can.... That's what's great about the DVD sets and makes them most valuable in my opinion, as well as that when shows fall out of regular syndication run like a Mary Tyler Moore or a SOAP, I can still watch.

Number two would be the uncut and uncompromised part (like promos with credits squeezed out). I accept that older shows are going to be cut in syndication for the additional commercials, but its nice seeing the traditionally cut parts on the DVDs. And even more so to me is the stuff that's cut, or episodes that aren't shown because they've been deemed 'offensive' or 'insensitive', like what happens to All in the Family in syndication as an example. I used to hate when movies had words dubbed over the original words because it wasn't the same as the original. If someone wants to be offended, fine, they can be as offended as they like, or not watch if they like... but I want to be able to determine what I find offensive not some sensitivity group or action group. My tastes are my own, that is a right each individual possesses.

The Extras?... I love them! ... But they are just that to me "extras" so I don't base a purchase on them. If I want a show, I'll buy the DVD regardless of extras. They're just an extra perk that makes a set even more enjoyable for me.

Because DVD is superior to VHS recordings anyday. VHS recordings start to lose quality from the moment you tape a show or movie onto a VHS tape.

Be Seeing You,
David Blackwell

I watch what I want, as much as I want, when I want! For example, I'm watching B5 for the first time right now. As a college student, sometimes I can squeeze in a few episodes a week. Other times, it'll be a couple weeks before I can catch an episode...

I buy Star Trek sets for myself and I buy HBO sets for my wife, that's about it.

I like being able to watch my ST shows in order and with higher A/V.

Guess I'm too lazy to trackdown the current run times on Spike TV or jump into whatever season they happen to be showing.

It's also nice to be able to put something on that's only 45 minutes, when you don't have time for a whole movie.

We don't have HBO, so buying Sex and Sopranos is the only way she gets the shows.

I buy everything used to keep the costs reasonable.

So I don't have to wait ONE WHOLE WEEK to see what's going to happen! That would have driven me crazy with a show like 24. That's why you don't bother with it when it airs on TV. Just wait until it comes out on DVD and watch it at your leisure.

Of course, if everyone shared my opinion, no one would watch television shows and they wouldn't get made in the first place. So keep doing what you're doing, America, and I'll keep buying TV DVDs.

Also:
-No Commercials (or logos, interruptions, etc.)
-No syndication cuts (generally)
-Special Features (a big factor for me, usually)
-On-Demand viewing
-The ability to rewind something I missed
-Jerry Seinfeld said "People like to own things" in reference to his series on DVD... I am one of those people

Buffy and Angel in English, French and Spanish! .

I'm currently learning French to see again this excellent series, whenever a want to see the monster of season 4 i put my disc, when i want to see angel ..... i put the disc of season ., the only thing i miss is seeing Xander paired with Buffy...

Anyway, why they never pair them... I really dig that character.. Hope in the movie they get together

I've stopped watching television all together. (Only news these days, no movies or shows.)

I buy quite a lot of television for all the reasons mentioned above, plus the fact that for me it's the ONLY way to see them. Most don't come on at all here in Europe or lag behind enormously. Consider that the last season of Voyager was on LAST YEAR in these parts. Heck, even DS9 finished last year on the Belgian commercial television. Things are improving, though. They're upto season 2 of "24", only lagging one year. But gems like Farscape and FireFly will probably never see the light of day here.

As an absolute TV NUT, it's almost psychological. Before Futurama the DVD's, I'd find myself spending all my time watching the reruns. Now, when Futurama comes on, I think "I already have this on DVD, so I don't need to watch it (because I can watch it whenever I want and not just because it's on TV)" and that usually frees up my time to watch something else.

Also, In the early 90's I tried taping every Cheers episode on VHS. The anxiety of making sure each episode was recodred properly was a massive anxiety attack. Not to mention the days when we'd have a bad storm and the cable would be fuzzy, or the pre-empts for presidents speeches and sporting events, etc.

I eventually recorded every show, but I had to keep a massive log of every show (I downloaded a list from the net) and check off each show I taped because there were a few I had missed and it was a massive undertaking trying to get the 'missing' shows on tape.

I guess that all is moot with the TiVo's, ReplayTV's and DVD recorders, but there's still the hassle of actually having to record it and organize it all.

Everything else everyone has said. Especially no ads, and I can watch them as many times I want without worrying about the quality drop (I'm talking about when I watch stuff I've taped on VHS). Plus the fact that I bought Season 2 of Alias on DVD before it had even been shown on TV here, so I could watch non-stop, as many or as little episodes as I wanted. Plus, sweet, sweet widescreen

Has anyone also noticed (especially with a syndicated show like the Simpsons) where the beginning of an act may get cut (by only a second) because of overlapping commercial breaks? I've noticed MANY times where the 2nd or 3rd act of the Simpsons would start mid sentence after returning from a commercial.

No commercials,
Unlimited playability (for the kids).
better picture and sound quality.