Are TV shows on DVD by definition Limited Editions ? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Silver]

I wonder if TV shows box sets on DVD are by definition Limited Editions. For instance are Sex and the City and Sopranos First Seasons gone forever, or will they eventually get a 2nd printing. (I am not talking about upgrades, just re-releases.) My curiousity comes on the heels of the MASH release and the impending ST:TNG release, and a separate curousity about how season release dates are determined.

I realise that price per month that the consumer wants to spend factors in to a staggered release. But does FOX for instance print "X" copies of Season 1 of MASH, clear the machines and computers and immediately set-up for Season 2 of MASH.

The whole point of this ramble is that I think that anyone who is interested in a certain show, should grab while the getting is good, who knows, if it will be available later.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I think that was certainly true in the pre-Internet days of buying videos; if you didn't buy it when you saw it, you might never get another chance. That certainly explains some aspects of my movie collection.
However, in the online ordering environment, where one can track down catalog titles more easily, I think that studios are going to find a more ongoing demand, especially as more and more homes get DVD players and try to catch up on things released over the last four years (has it really been four years?). Whether or not the studios will adjust accordingly, I don't know.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Basically stores do not stock expensive things (i.e. TV box sets) in large quantities. So once the initial rush is over, they'll keep 1 or 2 copies on hand at all times. You'll never have to worry about them going out of print I don't think.

Of course their authoring stations are always getting new things on them, but they have master discs and tapes, as well as the master used to stamp the actual discs. They can ramp it up again any time they need to. I think the basic problem is underestimation of demand. Sopranos is in short supply right now because everyone bought it for Christmas, same with Sex and the City.

 

[Greg_Y]

As I've said before, since there's only a finite amount of matter in the universe, every single DVD ever released is a limited edition.

 

[David Lambert]

I'll simply point out that, for no particular reason for them to do it, Best Buy decided this week to go with a promo for Sex And The City. Both Season 1 and Season 2 are $34.95 right now, but buy both together and save $15!!

So Season 1 is still heartily available, as is Sopranos S1 by-the-way (I keep seeing plenty of it in the stores).

I see various stocking levels of The X-Files, but if I wanted to get a friend with a new DVD player to pick up all 4 boxes, he could easily...for no more than $100 avg. price each.

I've noticed Twilight Zone getting scarcer since their markdowns. OTOH, plenty of ST:TOS around, since they have NOT been marked down but actually seem to be going up a couple of bucks (avg. price now $17.99 instead of the previous $14.99, though I still know 2-3 places to find the lower prices).

Limited? I'll agree that there's only so many of each of these in the world, and that eventually they will be gone. But the bigger releases seem to be around, at least today. And not just on-line.

If I can find 'em in that hillbilly town we call Memphis, I'm sure they're in other places, too.