Releases Before The New Season Starts (1 Viewer)

[Mike Maher]

I have noticed that there are have been more than a few shows that release the previous shows season set on DVD after the next season picks up again in the fall (like season 1 of Lost for example).

Is there a reason for this? I thought it might be a way to force people who start watching a show on DVD to remain a season behind so they must keep buying the DVD's to keep up with the show.

Any ideas?

p.s. Sorry if this has been brought up before but I couldn't find a topic already started for this when I did a search....

 

[Paul McElligott]

Season 1 DVD of Lost was released two weeks before the season 2 premiere. I know because I was able to watch season 1 before S2 started.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

It's very unethical for the studios to do this. For one thing, forcing fans to wait like that because those who don't get a chance to watch broadcasted episodes have to wait even longer.

At any rate, most fans would rather like to have the time to spend watching the season on DVD, reviewing the previous season episodes on DVD before the new season is broadcast. For Lost, I'd rather like to be able to sit down and watch the entire Season 2 before the new Season starts, giving me a chance to refresh myself with the events leading up to the new episodes.

 

[Paul McElligott]

And you'll be able to. Season 2 ships in October and Season 3 doesn't start until November (I think has the World Series this year).

 

[AnthonyC]

It's mostly done to promote the new season and so that they can put an ad in the season premiere "Buy the first season of _____ on DVD, available now!" Double promotion of sorts.

 

[Mike Maher]

You are probably right Paul, I was going by the word of my friend who gave me this excuse as to why he hadn't started watching s2 of Lost. I should have done my research before posting.

I do know that it has happened with other shows but I can't remember which. You would think they would want to get new viewers caught up so they can get them to watch real time and soak up all of the ad revenue.

By chance, does anyone know how the ad revenue a show generates compares to its DVD sales? I know ad $$$ has plummeted recently due to TiVO and other DVR's so maybe they see DVD sales as more important than live viewership.

 

[Pete Battista]

If I am not mistaken.... Veronica Mars didn't make it out before the start of the second season. In my case I watched the first season when it originally aired... so was no big deal for me personally.... but I know many ppl that didn't see it then.

 

[TravisR]

Unethical? What do ethics have to do with a release date of a DVD?

 

[Jason_V]

Unethical? Not in the slightest. The studio's have no obligation to get these sets out before a new season starts. It may make good business sense, but in no way is it unethical.

 

[CherylJ]

Season one of Veronica Mars was released in October 2005, approximately three weeks after the season two premiere. Warner Bros. moved the release date back a few weeks so it wouldn't compete with Desperate Housewives and The O.C..

Season two of Veronica Mars is expected to go on sale August 22, 2006, a few weeks before the season three premiere, so new fans will have a chance to get all caught up. (If there *is* an S3 premiere, knock on wood - we'll know in 6 days.) I think Warner Bros. got a lot of complaints about the S1 DVD not coming out before S2 started and they are doing better this year.