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How many times are you going to watch Band of Bros.? (1 Viewer)

T r o y

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 7, 1999
Messages
649
I am wondering if I should buy Band of Brothers on DVD in November? As good as this WWII miniseries was on HBO, I don't know how many times I'll end up watching it. I mean to truly watch it again means to actually play all ten episodes in their entirety to do it right. I don't have
10 hrs. to play all of them in a row.
I also feel the same way about complete season tv shows.
How many times will you watch , for instance, 24?
will you only watch your favorite shows of 24 by themselves, or do you feel like you have to watch the entire season in one sitting?
Just curious as to how you folks feel about complete season DVD's for TV and your viewing habits on them?
 

JonZ

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Dec 28, 1998
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It depends on the shows. I can watch the first 3 seasons of Married With Children or The Simpsons over and over again and never get tired of them.

Im not sure how much BoB is going for on DVD but a few of the episodes were really excellent and if I ever got the bug to watch them, at least they're there for me to see.

I bought the first 4 X-Files box sets and its rare that I watch them, but every once in a while I put a episode on.

If you enjoyed the show, you may want to get the box set.
 

Marty M

Senior HTF Member
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Dec 6, 1998
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I have never based my purchases on the number of times I think I might view it. IMO, Band of Brothers is a landmark show and I feel this should be added to my collection.
 

Chad A Wright

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
740
It all depends on the show. When I get a new season of Friends or Simpsons, we (my wife and I) will watch it all the way through. Then after that, if we just need something to entertain us for 30 minutes or so we will pop in a disk. If it's a show like X-Files, we will start at the beginning of Season 1 and run through them all every year or so.

I figure in the years I will have these discs, I will watch them enough to pay for themselves. I like having instant access to any episode in a season. If fact, we don't even have our TV hooked up to anything but the DVD player. We watch movies or TV on DVD every night. I see these as a good investment.

So far in TV I am collecting
Cowboy Bebop
Friends
Simpsons
Transformers
X-Files

I am going tomorrow to buy a few seasons of ST: TNG as I am late starting on that series. I'm also planning on getting Band of Brothers, Sports Night, and starting on 24.

I think TV on DVD is one of the greatest things ever. Now if only we could get Sienfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, and GI Joe, life would be good.
 

Tommy Ceez

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 16, 2002
Messages
436
Im buying BoB just for the two episodes that take place in the Arden forest. Those two hours stack up against any war film ever made. The rest is gravy
 

Paul Arnette

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It looks like a dissenting opinion is need here and fortunately I have one to give. :)
With there being so many DVDs out there to purchase, I often try to base my decision to buy them how many times I think I will watch said item over the course of it's life as part of my collection. Obviously, full season TV box sets require a lot of time to watch, and, therefore, I generally do not purchase them as often as I would a movie.
That being said, like most anything, it really boils down to how much you like the movie or TV show being purchased. I have bought some TV shows that I really enjoy, like Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Simpsons, and Star Trek: The Original Series, as I think I will watch them repeatedly.
I do not have HBO, so I haven't seen Band of Brothers, or The Soprano's for that matter. I would like to rent them, and it seems Blockbuster usually carries HBO TV DVDs, so I will probably go that route.
As a rule of thumb, I try not to buy anything sight unseen, unless I hear something extremely positive from someone whose opinion I trust, or the item is unavailable for rent through my usual rental outlets.
 

Jeremiah

Screenwriter
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Jun 22, 2001
Messages
1,578
I will watch BoB probably once a year and maybe some episodes more than others. 10 episodes is not that many and I can easily watch 1-2 at a time and definantly 1 episode a week. This is also true with The Sopranos, The Simpsons and Friends(the 3 seasons of box sets I own).

I purchase DVD's on how many times I will watch them and that is why I will not buy 24, but I will definantly rent it though.
 

Paul Arnette

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Messages
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It looks like a dissenting opinion is need here and fortunately I have one to give. :)
With there being so many DVDs out there to purchase, I often try to base my decision to buy them how many times I think I will watch said item over the course of it's life as part of my collection. Obviously, full season TV box sets require a lot of time to watch, and, therefore, I generally do not purchase them as often as I would a movie.
That being said, like most anything, it really boils down to how much you like the movie or TV show being purchased. I have bought some TV shows that I really enjoy, like Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Simpsons, and Star Trek: The Original Series, as I think I will watch them repeatedly.
I do not have HBO, so I haven't seen Band of Brothers, or The Soprano's for that matter. I would like to rent them, and it seems Blockbuster usually carries HBO TV DVDs, so I will probably go this route.
As a rule of thumb, I try not to buy anything sight unless, unless I hear something extremely positive from someone whose opinion I trust, or the item is unavailable for rent through my usual rental outlets.
 

Dave Scarpa

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Apr 8, 1999
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Real Name
David Scarpa
I Really think rewatchability is a very important thing to consider when you are looking into buing a TV Show. A Show like Mash has infinate rewatchability especially good for 30 min spurt viewing. Obviously Trek can be watched for infinity. Even a Serialized show like Babylon 5 have enough standalone elements to warrent rewatching. I had ordered 24 and then cancelled the order for the reason you state. Being a Highly serialized show once you know the outcome and you've watched it once or twice then that's probably it. Band of Brothers may share a similar fate except that I equate it more to a 10 hour version of saving private ryan, certainly able to be watched over the course of 3 nights or so. I've rewatched the sopranos a few times, but of course it's not as heavy as BOB. It's a hard call and I'm still on the Fence over Band of Brothers.
 

Adam_WM

Screenwriter
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Oct 25, 2001
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Real Name
Adam Moreau
Well, I have the Sopranos and The Simpsons. The Simpsons are good to rewatch when you feel like watching a favorite episode or something. I have watched the first three seasons of the Sopranos maybe 3 or 4 times each. A few episodes, I've seen 7 or 8.

As for BoB, I'll probably borrow it or something. I didn't get to see it the first time around.

As for 24, I can't wait to own it. Where else can you get a 16.5 hour (i know, false advertising) movie. WOOHOO!
 

Ted Lee

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May 8, 2001
Messages
8,390
i'm not a big fan of tv boxsets. i just don't see myself watching these enough. even shows that i totally love (x-files, simpsons, sex in the city, six feet under, curb your enthusiasm, etc) i probably would not buy.

i just can't watch these shows over and over - definitely not enough to justify anywhere from 50 to 100 bucks. besides, most of this stuff you can catch as reruns anyway.

the only episodic thing i have is "cowboy bebop". if comedy channel's "the tick" ever comes out, then i'll get that one too. but those are standouts...it's more for the "cool to have" aspect.

so, no complete season sets for me.
 

Seth T

Stunt Coordinator
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Dec 8, 2000
Messages
185
I watched BoB both times it was aired on HBO in Widescreen DD5.1...all 10 episodes. I've had it on preorder for weeks now...can't wait.

BTW...it's my understanding that all the forest sequences (EG, Bastogne) were an actual set, not on location. Most impressive.

This is a must have addition to a collection, even if it's only watched once every couple of years. I'm purchasing it because

A] I LOVE the series
B] I want to support SKG for making such landmark historical films.

-Seth
 

Alex Spindler

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Jan 23, 2000
Messages
3,971
Well, I've found that the length of the series probably affects how often I watch it. I have 5 seasons of the X-Files and running through them all takes a good deal of time (even at the two-a-day pace I had initially). For this reason, episodes still feel fresh when I revisit it. For a miniseries, it would likely have to sit on the shelf a little longer to regain that same level of freshness.

Of course, there is also value in having a set just to introduce the series to a neophyte. That way you have it on hand to share instantly, which can be worth the price of admission. Being able to experience a movie or series with someone new is the closest anyone can get to watching it the first time themselves (at least for me).
 

Tommy Ceez

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 16, 2002
Messages
436
Off topic,
Shooting the forrest on set probably contributed to the Claustrophobic "were surrounded" siege mentality feel that those two episodes had.


BTW all of you who will rent before deciding to buy...have your fav. DVD website up and running while you watch...you will be ordering the set somewhere around the middle of ep.2
 

Patrick Larkin

Screenwriter
Joined
May 8, 2001
Messages
1,759
I have the Simpsons S1 and Twin Peaks. I can not see buying other TV shows, especially sitcoms on DVD. Hey, thats me.

I have HBO and have seen all of the Sopranos and BoB. I did rent Sopranos for episodes I missed.

BoB and 24 are intriguing me. I will either rent them or buy and resell. I definitely don't feel the need to purchase an expensive set to watch twice...

Oh, I would love the first few seasons of the X-Files but its just too much money and too little time to justify.
 

Kai Zas

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 24, 2002
Messages
395
Well, I've found that the length of the series probably affects how often I watch it. I have 5 seasons of the X-Files and running through them all takes a good deal of time (even at the two-a-day pace I had initially). For this reason, episodes still feel fresh when I revisit it. For a miniseries, it would likely have to sit on the shelf a little longer to regain that same level of freshness.
Thanks for that! When I read your statement there, I found it to be true for me as well. When I think about it, I sometimes even buy stuff just wanting to show off how great it is and to get other people to see why I like a show/movie so much. Most of these other people are the non-dvd-buying-kind.
TV on DVD is a great thing, but I rarely re-watch my collection. Probably because I usually have a stack of unwatched stuff lying around and the rate of release is at times overwhelming. At the moment I've all the releases of the big shows, like Buffy (R2), X-Files, TNG, Farscape (R2), Soprano's, Oz and a few others. There's ALWAYS a release of a new season right around the corner, so I never run dry. There just isn't time to rewatch any of it.
Plus, when I start a "season" (of any show), I won't watch anything else untill I'm through. Perhaps a movie in between, we have to keep up with all those new releases too.
I hope to revisit it all when I get to stop doing the job-thing that's inbetween the dvd-watching :)
You might think it, but I'm not at all unhappy with the situation. I know I could've had a small fortune if I had just rented the stuff. But when I look to my left and see this wall of dvd's, it brings a smile to my face. So, it's not just the watching (or rewatching) that matters, it's also the collecting. (And a bit of rebuilding that lost childhood by getting the old movies that I liked as a child.)
Before I started I used to thing stamp-collectors were weirdo's. Now I get it, although I still think collecting dvd's is much more fun.
(Ah the joy of firing up DVD Profiler when another batch has arrived...)
Just one more edit, just for the sake of staying on toppic: I will buy Band of Brothers sight unseen. And I will rewatch it. When I have the time :)
 

Jefe Noche

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 5, 2002
Messages
193
It's interesting that no one has mentioned DTS and an HD based transfer. I watched BOB when it aired, but unfortuately it was before I was HD or 5.1 capable. That alone is reason for me to buy. I'm quite certain that it will look and sound bitch'n.
(Oh yeah, it was a pretty good mini-series as well :) )
 

AndrewA

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 2, 2000
Messages
58
The main driving force for my purchases are driven by content, and interest, and rarely re-watchability. Just like many of you having a title in my dvd library "to have it accessible whenever I feel like viewing it" is a rule.
I've seen both airings of BoB, first time on regular HBO and the second go around on HD-HBO (by then I got my HD STB up and running), and I loved both times I saw it. I found myself still moved by each episode even though there were only 4 months between the two airings. I turn up the volume for the opening credits, that soundtrack is just amazing and so soulful. I can not wait to get this DVD.
I doubt I'll run through the collection once through when I get this in my hands, but I'll be really happy to have it in hand, and know I'll watch it all sometime down the road, or watch an episode here and episode there...the fact is I get to decide when and which episode rather than wait for a rebroadcast or rent a specific disk containing the episode I want.
I have the other incredible HBO mini-series of From the Earth to the Moon, and I've played through the whole series just once, but have re-watched certain episodes more than others.
BTW, aside from the above mentioned multi-episode shows we also have the Simpsons, Sex and the City and plan to own BoB, Babylon 5, ST-DS9.
To me it's almost (not quite) buying a book...I read it through once, and if I ever want to revisit it, it's in my library and all I have to do is walk up to my shelves and grab it. But it's not guarantee that I'll ever read it again. I think, like most of you here, I derive pleasure in knowing I own it.
Boy, is this a drug or what?
;)
 

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