Columbia-Tri-Star Backpedalling? (1 Viewer)

[Tony J Case]

Pardon me for taking what is going to be an unpopular stance - but dear lord what a bunch of whiners. Be happy that you got as much as you did - for every Mary Tyler Moore S1 there are HUNDREDS of TV shows that will never even see a first season release.

Or, take a monster like Doctor Who. Right now I can think of a dozen episodes from the 27 year run that **need** to see a DVD release. All time classics that were defining monets of the show. However, at the rate the BBC is putting out the discs, it'll be 20 years before they see the light of day. Will DVD even EXIST then? So, while I'm writing those off, I'm grateful that I do have 30 episodes already on disc.

Glass half full, baby, half full.

 

[Jeff*H]

Someone made a great point earlier, and that is those of us in these internet TV forums who plan months ahead to buy a show on DVD are the distinct minority, a niche market. If TV studios relied SOLELY on us to buy their product, quite possibly 3/4 of the shows on the market right now wouldn't have made it to the shelves. The market they are going after are the impulse and casual purchasers, those who have money in their pocket to spend on DVDs for themselves and others.
It is highly unlikely that there are throngs of people racing down to Best Buy at 10AM on Tuesday morning to get their copy of "227: Season 1". However, Joe Consumer browses through the store with $$ to spend, sees it sitting on the shelf, remembers how much he enjoyed the show, and buys it. Or he remembers how much his parents enjoyed the show, and buys it for them. Or he sees it in the Sunday ad, and gets it later that week. They watch the shows, enjoy them, and want to buy more. This is the primary consumer that the studios are after, the rest of us are a niche market.
I love "Larry Sanders", I bought the DVD set the first week it came out, enjoyed it, and was thankful that Columbia made the effort to put out a niche show on DVD that was never a huge hit on TV. I was sad that no more seasons came out, and had given up hope. Now I hear a best-of set picked by the star himself is on the way, and I am totally thrilled! So what should I do--not buy it?! That'll show those greedy studio executives, won' it?! Maybe that'll make 'em put those season sets out instead! Or do i buy it and be happy that I'm getting more episodes of a great show on DVD, and a potential second shot at more seasons or best-of's.
And at the end of the day, we should always remember this (and this may irritate some of you, but so be it): these are only TV shows; you shouldn't spend so much time being angry at something like this. Get outside, take a walk, smell the fresh air, play with your kids or your dog, think about those people fighting life-threatening illnesses, or dying for their country. There are bigger things out there to worry about than whether "Dukes of Hazzard" makes it through all 8 seasons...keep things in perspective! (And by the way, I do sincerely hope "Dukes" makes it to all 8, but if not, my life goes on just swell anyway).

 

[Stephen Ford]

Gord

I do realise that it was released in the earlys days of tv on dvd, its just frustrating that it has killed off all this series coming out.

Im never sure if you should buy a best of set if you would really prefer season sets. Do Columbia think that "Oh I see their is more interest that we expected" and release season sets.

Or do they just produce another best of set as that sold x number of units ?

How do they see the situation ?

If it would help get the season sets out I would buy the best of and sell it on.

I expect I will end up getting it as its still a few more episodes on dvd.

 

[Al (alweho)]

People as a rule like to complete sets of things. Baseball cards, CD artist catalogs, stamp collections, Barbies, you name it.

Collectors are just funny that way.

If Columbia, Fox (or any other major) can't generate a profit that is high enough to suit their accountants, then let Rhino or Image release the follow-up seasons.

The Dick Van Dyke Show is about as niche as it gets (aging target audience, shot in b&w, 5 seasons to collect, costly bonus features galore) and Image is pleased with the results.

Studios, set your series free!

 

[Andrew Radke]

I'm sorry but I feel the above comment was uncalled for. You seem to think that just because we comment about the lack of seasons, or the route CTS is taking, it's consuming our lives?? Last I checked this was a message board, a place where we could discuss such issues. Trust me, TV on DVD is NOT my life's priority. Yes, I'm a collector, and as such, It'd be nice to have completed series, but I'm not going to lose a minute's sleep if "The Jeffersons" or "Married...With Children" no longer gets released. It's simply a hobby, and yes, I may not agree with the fact that they're (CTS) reverting from season sets to "best-ofs", and as a consumer, I feel I have the right to express my concern, as does everyone else here. I don't mean to rant, but when someone tells me to "play with my kids", etc, I consider that an extremely low blow.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Andrew,
I don't think his comment should be taken personally, since it was a general comment that may or may not apply to some of us. If he addressed his comment to you or another member then I would see your point about it being uncalled for and I or another moderator would've addressed the situation.

Anyhow, since you're this thread's starter, Gord has made some excellent points that I would like to get your opinion about. Also, you've made a very valid point about Columbia's pricing that I tend to agree with.







Crawdaddy

 

[Amy Mormino]

Al made a good point that the studios should be more willing to release their niche shows to smaller companies like Image and Rhino (or Anchor Bay or Shout!Factory, for that matter). I wonder if Columbia even considered that option before taking this route. Frankly, the smaller companies have been doing a superior job compared to the studio releases anyhow, especially in terms of extras.

 

[Chris_Morris]

I'm surprised at how many people are willing to just take what is given.

I have to wonder if the "just be glad you have what you have" mentality would stay the same if a studio where to announce that they would no longer produce widescreen DVDs and Fullscreen would be the only choice?

Or would people be as willing to accept it if 'cult' shows were done the same way? Sorry, no more Buffy, we are just releasing a 'best-of' set that will most likely have episodes from the seasons already out, but be glad you're getting something.



Chris

 

[Gord Lacey]

quote:Or would people be as willing to accept it if 'cult' shows were done the same way? Sorry, no more Buffy, we are just releasing a 'best-of' set that will most likely have episodes from the seasons already out, but be glad you're getting something.

Except that Buffy sold well enough to justify the release of the season sets.



Columbia TriStar WANTS to release season sets, but there doesn't appear to be a demand for them, or at least not enough of a demand for them to continue releasing them. They get extremely frustrated when something they release doesn't sell as well as they had hoped. Remember, these people's jobs are on the line. They report to people, and those people want to see profits.



Someone at one of the studios once told me, "We're not a niche company. We deal in hundreds of thousands of units, not tens of thousands." Most of the larger studios refuse to license material out to smaller companies. That's the company policy, and no one sees it changing anytime soon.



Gord

 

[ScottCor]

Robert I would have to disagree, Andrew was right that was a blanket statement that included anyone that had a gripe. This is a message forum, and unless the posts are vulger or really awful they should be allowed to speak there mind without being told they are less then human for it, I think that post was worse then any compalint against what's released on DVD. It's hobby, something that helps take out mind off all the crap in the world and yes, all those people complaining about season sets and what not still find the time to play with the kids, workout ,bike, buy the wife some flowers, go for along drive to see the fall leaves..beleive it or not the bitchers make the time for that stuff. Some of the posters need to be a little less self righteous, and let people talk without the robot like responses on how put upon the studios are, are we fans or mice...lol

also agree with the above let smaller studios rlease the sets if the big boys can't be bothered.

 

[Robert Crawford]

quote:Most of the larger studios refuse to license material out to smaller companies. That's the company policy, and no one sees it changing anytime soon.

Another great point! People have to realized that in the corporate world we live in today, most companies are not willing to license out their assets, no matter if they're currently profiting from them or not. Furthermore, the decision not to license out product is company policy established by the Board of Directors which means it's far above the heads of the studio people who read this forum.


Crawdaddy

 

[Marko Berg]

quote:I have to wonder if the "just be glad you have what you have" mentality would stay the same if a studio where to announce that they would no longer produce widescreen DVDs and Fullscreen would be the only choice?

Your comparison doesn't work. Studios aren't abandoning widescreen releases in favor of full screen releases because widescreen releases are selling well. Studios might not release all seasons of a TV show on DVD because the show is NOT selling well.

Buffy is far from a cult show. It's very well known in many parts of the world. There is a "cult" that has grown around this show, however.

Some people need to understand the studios don't have a secret agenda where they are constantly looking at new ways to screw customers. A decision to release or not to release a particular season of a TV show on DVD is quite simply a business decision for them.

quote:Seriously though people have a right to vent..

quote:people are passionate about their favorite movies and shows, and I respect that..thank god for that or this hobby wouldn't be nearly as fun. I think the studios are big enough to handle a few little bitch sessions here and there on the message board.

Comments such as this are not helpful. They are counterproductive and belittle the work TVShowsOnDVD and the HTF are doing to make the Internet community's voice heard by the studios.

I recommend reading Casey Trowbridg's post again to many people in this thread.

 

[Robert Crawford]

quote:Robert I would have to disagree, Andrew was right that was a blanket statement that included anyone that had a gripe. This is a message forum, and unless the posts are vulger or really awful they should be allowed to speak there mind without being told they are less then human for it, I think that post was worse then any compalint against what's released on DVD.

Then we have to disagree because I see that general comment in a much different light than you.



Crawdaddy

 

[Marko Berg]

quote:Some of the posters need to be a little less self righteous, and let people talk without the robot like responses on how put upon the studios are, are we fans or mice...lol

To me, the fanboys who curse and yell at the studios when a particular season of a show is not released or is postponed are the self-righteous people.

 

[ScottCor]

quote:To me, the fanboys who curse and yell at the studios when a particular season of a show is not released or is postponed are the self-righteous people.

I wasn't talking about the cursers and the yellers, just the every guy who likes to collect andn expresses themselves with passion not hate.. You are right in that some people do get carried away if that's what you mean..



In the Immortal words of George Bailey:

" Just remember this, Mr. Potter: that this rabble you're talking about, they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? "



Just substitute complete DVD sets at the end..lol

 

[Chris_Morris]

That was my point with the hypothetical situations. Yes Buffy sold well, yes widescreen sells the best, but just imagine (if you can) if they didn't.

Case in point is the Remo Williams DVD. When this was announced as P&S, Ron even went so far as to post a sticky thread blasting MGM. According to this thread though, he should have posted "just be glad you're getting the movie at all" and not criticized MGM for it.


Chris

 

[PaulP]

I can't imagine the two Married with Children seasons that came out didn't sell well. Does anyone have numbers? This is one of the most popular sitcoms from the past twenty years, and has a huge fanbase. I can't believe they're thinking about not releasing seasons 3 through 11...

 

[Gord Lacey]

Paul, Season 3 will come in early 2005.

quote:Are you saying that people should not have the right to vent and should wait until the 'approved' voices make a statement?

No, I think he's saying that venting should be done in a constructive manor.



Gord

 

[Jason Seaver]

quote:Are you saying that people should not have the right to vent and should wait until the 'approved' voices make a statement?

Hardly. However, I think "venting" is generally counterproductive and generally consists of poorly considered comments that do more harm than good.

quote:When this was announced as P&S, Ron even went so far as to post a sticky thread blasting MGM. According to this thread though, he should have posted "just be glad you're getting the movie at all" and not criticized MGM for it.

Nope. If he were saying MGM owes us a widescreen version, or that they should take a loss to release it widescreen, or that they should do a widescreen version because a small-but-vocal group wants one, then he'd look foolish.

There's an important difference between wanting something and feeling it's incumbant upon someone else to make it available to you.

quote:Al made a good point that the studios should be more willing to release their niche shows to smaller companies like Image and Rhino (or Anchor Bay or Shout!Factory, for that matter). I wonder if Columbia even considered that option before taking this route.

I'd love to see that happen, but I get the feeling that we're making it sound like a simpler solution than it is. If I were in the position of a major studio, I'd tend to think that if a property is worth enough for someone else to license, it's worth exploiting on my own, though maybe not right now. Or I'd be paranoid about something in my catalog being out of my control for the length of the license period. Or I'd want the license period to be short enough that I could cash in myself if it went well, which the licensor wouldn't agree to.

Or maybe the company had been burned before by a similar arrangement which led to the no-licensing policy. Personally, I find that I'm usually wrong when I assume something outside my area of expertise is an obvious solution.

 

[Jeff*H]

quote:You seem to think that just because we comment about the lack of seasons, or the route CTS is taking, it's consuming our lives?? Last I checked this was a message board, a place where we could discuss such issues. Trust me, TV on DVD is NOT my life's priority. Yes, I'm a collector, and as such, It'd be nice to have completed series, but I'm not going to lose a minute's sleep if "The Jeffersons" or "Married...With Children" no longer gets released. It's simply a hobby, and yes, I may not agree with the fact that they're (CTS) reverting from season sets to "best-ofs", and as a consumer, I feel I have the right to express my concern, as does everyone else here. I don't mean to rant, but when someone tells me to "play with my kids", etc, I consider that an extremely low blow.

My apologies, Andrew; it was not intended as a personal attack against any one person here, but a general statement expressing my thoughts about the general attitude of resentment against studios that cease distributing season sets of various shows.

"Twin Peaks" is one of my all-time favorite shows, and as everyone pretty much knows, the likelihood of season two making it to DVD is pretty slim at this point. And that really irritates me. But I don't hold the studio responsible for this; I understand that for whatever reason, the set was not a success for them, and they need successes to keep the company going. Hopefully they will revisit it in time, but in the meantime, I'm happy they put out at least some of it.

Everyone is certainly entitled to express their frustration with studios, but I also think everyone is entitled to express their frustration with the frustration, too.

I didn't mean to flame everyone. I'm a fan just like everyone else, but I think positive attitudes and critiques are what may help studios take note (that, and lots and lots of sales)...