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how important are bonus features (1 Viewer)

Keith Paynter

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I'll go on record saying that commentaries are my most anticipated feature, and a good ensemble commerntary (either historical or retrospective) is something I can listen to repeatedly. "Lecture"-type commentaries I enjoy unless there is some enthusiasm by the speaker.

Watching a "talking head" documentary is about the most boring thing I can imagine. If I really like the program (television or film), I will be more forgiving, but moreso on classics than contemporary titles.
 

Pete Battista

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I think everyone here can agree that the most important thing is the actual shows.

but to clarify how important I think extras are...

If there is no extras what so ever I will still get my favorite shows. but say 2 of my favorites come out... one with extras and one without... and at that time I can only get one or the other... then I will personally get the one with extras before I would the one without. But I will still end up with the set without extras eventually... it will just sit on the back burner till I can get it.

I enjoy all kinds of extras... but if they are not on there it is not a deal breaker for me. It would be a disappointment yes... but not a deal breaker.
 

Mike*SC

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Yes, the show's the most important thing. But I really appreciate good extras. A good audio commentary can be fascinating (I'm not talking one where the participants just keep describing or praising what's on-screen, but those where they actually get into the why and how of it all). If it's an old show, original promotional materials can be a fascinating time capsule. Cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes -- all of these can really enhance my enjoyment of the set (though of course, as with anything else, these can be great or lousy).

I was just listening to Bob Newhart comment on a second season episode of "The Bob Newhart Show," and it was a lot of fun! Would I have bought the show anyway? Yes. But the extras made the set that much more appealing. For a show I'm more on-the-fence about, it does make a difference. Will I buy his subsequent "Newhart"? Probably not. But if there are similar extras, that might just push me into a purchase.
 

Lynda-Marie

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Sometimes, the extras can be fun, such as the blooper reels or how or why something was added. For the most part, though, I'd rather the studios spend the money on the a/v quality, and making sure the edition they are selling is the most complete - I am a big sucker for director's cuts.
 

Mike*SC

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Not to be picky, because I know you mean the complete episode as originally aired, but I should point out that in television, the director's cut is the first cut after the editor's basic assembly. It very rarely resembles the version that airs on television. It's also almost always several minutes too long, since television directors aren't generally empowered to make more than minor deletion suggestions.

After that, it is the executive producers (who are usually the highest level writers) who recut and hone the show, and it is that cut (acknowledging subsequent editing notes from the studio and network) that airs. Unless you work in the television industry, you have never seen a television "directors' cut," and if you did, you'd likely find it flabby and rough.
 

MarkHastings

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As everyone else has said, it's a no-duh that the show is the most important factor, but that aside, I do love extras.

While I don't always watch all the extras and some extras are kind of boring, whenever I get a set without a lot of extras (or none at all), I'll still buy it, but I'm somewhat secretely disappointed.

With Cheers, it kind of bugs me that they stopped all the extras. I mean, even 1 commentary would be enough, but I'm just glad that I'm able to purchase the sets and the lack of extras don't bother me too much.

And with Seinfeld, I'd buy the sets even if there were no extras, but I LOVE all of the behind-the-scenes stuff.

And as far as the Simpsons, I've watched the reruns over and over SO many times, that I like the commentaries because I love the Simpsons so much that anything new (even a commentary) is exciting to me. I can't get enough!!! :b
 

David Deeb

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Its obvious from the gazillion other threads here that bonus features generate excitement. Threads from this week alone are lamenting the lack of extras on the Andy Griffith Show and Gilligan's Island sets.

Each time a TV set is announced, a flurry of speculation begins on what will or won't be included.

For me, I like some of them, especailly 2 or 3 commentaries. One per episode is overkill, but its nice to hear a couple.

Most bloopers stink though, unless it's really from true comedians like on Seinfeld. Most of the times, it just "B" actors flubbing lines.
 

MarkHastings

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The only problem I have with not every episode having commentary, is that I'm always dying to hear what the writters/producers, etc. had to say about the shows that don't have commentary.

The problem with commentary (in every episode) isn't that it's on every episode, it's that a lot of people don't know how to record a commentary properly.

If every commentary was good, I wouldn't mind listening to one on every epiosde. While not all the commentaries are good on the Simpsons and Futurama, I love the guys who do them, so I enjoy every one.

But as for Seinfled, I could sit through commentary on every episode because a lot of them are just too dull.


Although I do like the mini-commentaries that are on the South Park epsiodes. And the other thing that's great, is you'll hear one of them say "When I was watching this epsiode last night......" :eek: Now THERE'S a novel idea. Watch the damn show before recording a commentary track! It makes for a more interesting/informative extra feautre. Maybe there wouldn't be so many "I don't like commentaries on every episode" remarks if they were actually worth listening to!!!
 

RoryR

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I have noticed a lot of shows like Boy Meets World provide commentaries and for atleast 5 minutes its 'I don't remember this one, what happens writer?' 'I don't know, it was 10 years ago - it only airs on Disney every day!' - a complete waste, not to mention those particular commentaries were spent discussing clothes and hair.
 

Greg Chenoweth

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I think owning all the episodes in a season set (or, for that matter, the complete series) is the best bonus feature of all. I've been collecting all of the Flintstones box sets and by the end of this year, I will own every episode from the original series. This has never happened before on any home video format. It's great.

Generally, I check out all the bonus features first on the box set and then I'll watch the episodes. I have actually started to be my own little home network by scheduling different shows for viewing on different nights with the box sets. It's kind of fun and the family enjoys it as well. It's nice to be in control.
 

Greg Chenoweth

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I think owning all the episodes in a season set (or, for that matter, the complete series) is the best bonus feature of all. I've been collecting all of the Flintstones box sets and by the end of this year, I will own every episode from the original series. This has never happened before on any home video format. It's great.

Generally, I check out all the bonus features first on the box set and then I'll watch the episodes. I have actually started to be my own little home network by scheduling different shows for viewing on different nights with the box sets. It's kind of fun and the family enjoys it as well. It's nice to be in control.
 

David Deeb

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MarkHastings said:
LMAO, because it's SOOOOO true!!!!! :emoji_thumbsup:

Although I do like the mini-commentaries that are on the South Park epsiodes. QUOTE]

Glad you liked it. It is funny when you think about it.

I like the idea of a different kind of "mini-commentary". What I mean is, why don't the DVD producers edit together a 1 hour reel and put a commentary on it?

For example, it would start w/ opening credits but then follow with complete scenes from episodes featured on the box set. They might not be full episodes, but scenes that actually had something to comment on. A commentary on a 2-hour movie can be painful. But maybe they could edit a clip reel together and just have a commentary recorded for maybe 45:00 minutes of it.
 

Kenneth V

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I don't care too much for special features. The Star Trek sets are pretty good on documentaries. I watch those....but for the average person they don't matter. On most sets I don't watch the bonus stuff. It would be nice if studios released some worthy bonus features instead of the garbage they produce.
 

RoryR

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I think in the UK they are a lot more important, four shows have been discontinued here Frasier, Cheers, Home Improvement & The Golden Girls - when we can see the episodes on TV basically uncut then there isn't much point buying a half-baked DVD.
 

Jeff Willis

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I agree, Greg! The real treat is to see an entire series released, especially the ones with 3-4 seasons or more. Another series that's been released entirely is the 60's WWII series, "Combat!" I have all of those as well as the Flintstones so far.

As for Bonus mat'l, it's a nice extra for those that are particularly interested in that "special" series but as long as the set are released in un-cut, good-quality video/audio, that's all I want.
 

Wezzo

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Have Frasier/Cheers definitely been discontinued in the UK then? (I have the R1s anyway, but it's a shame for the R2 collectors). I'm affected by Home Imrpovement myself, that's what I get for buying R2. :frowning:

As for the thread topic, while extras don't make or break a purchase decision for me, I'm more likely to go for a blind buy if the set has extras on, if only to offer context for the episodes in the form of a commentary or two, or a featurette. Nowadays I get so many TV sets that I don't have time to go through every extra feature on a set, so in a way it's a relief when a set doesn't have extras, but having said that I do greatly enjoy most extras - featurettes, documentaries, deleted scenes and of course course commentaries.
 

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