Simpsons - go time? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Jacobson]

[Footage is removed] To make for more commercial time?

Correct.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

In most cases, there's about 1 minute of footage removed and they make up the rest of the time with time compression.

 

[Dean Kousoulas]

There has to be a valid reason why it's taking so long. I mean, X-Files and the many Star Trek shows are still shown on cable and satellite right? But yet their seasons seem to have came out very quickly.

Another show that's starting to annoy me is HBO's OZ. They seem to be taking forever. I've been hooked on this show since season 1 came out, and i'm biting my nails waiting for the rest of the seasons to come out.

Dean

 

[Rob Gardiner]

I thought music rights were at least partially responsible for the slow releases. On one of the box sets, I counted at least a dozen songs and/or recordings that might need to be cleared:

Tony Bennett
Henry Mancini- Baby Elephant Walk
all the songs in the high school flashback episode, Steve Miller, etc.
and many many more.

Our friend Peter Staddon was asked whether music clearances could be taken care of en masse, and the reply was that due to their very nature (each bit of music owned by a different entity) this was not possible.

EDIT: And how about some Curb Your Enthusiasm boxes from HBO!

 

[Craig: Mclaren]

I saw Tony Bennet in concert last week in Glasgow, Class

Whatever the hold up is it should be sorted asap. These sets sell worldwide and the show is going to be making money from re-runs until George pushes the button and we no longer exist!

With regards to music didn't a few episodes further on in the series use Beatles songs?

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

There has to be a valid reason why it's taking so long. I mean, X-Files and the many Star Trek shows are still shown on cable and satellite right? But yet their seasons seem to have came out very quickly.

There are still new Simpsons episodes being made today. That is not the case for The X-Files and the Star Trek shows that are currently on DVD. Groening & co. have to split there time between working on the new episodes and working on the DVDs.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Music rights were part of it, but they have cleared most of the music already for the first 5-6 seasons. It's done, they're ready, the entire holdup is in approvals

It also has nothing to do with them making new episodes. Groening for example has barely worked on the show in a decade. Mostly he's reviewing scripts and episodes for approval

 

[andrew markworthy]

Perhaps if the series were released at a faster rate, we would be forcibly reminded of how good the early series were, and what a pile of indifferent **** the last few series have been.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, they're going to pass up selling a million plus copies of something at $49.95 a pop because they don't want to remind us of how good the early seasons are, which are shown on TV (at least here) 3 times a day

 

[MarkHastings]

Due to the controversy (a few months back) over the release dates of Futurama 2 and Simpsons 3 (especially at Amazon.com), I would have to side with the ones who feel that the hold up is due to the authoring company/Gracie Films. I seriously doubt that Fox wants to spread this series out over the course of 15 years.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Yes, they're going to pass up selling a million plus copies of something at $49.95 a pop because they don't want to remind us of how good the early seasons are, which are shown on TV (at least here) 3 times a day

Same in the UK, Jeff. I was just trying to make a bad-tempered comment, but it failed. :frowning: I'm just so angry at the sluggish rate of issue of The Simpsons. The later series of the show have been very patchy in quality [I feel like screaming every time an episode revolves around a temporarily famous group or person and Homer gets to show how out of touch he is - it's so *lame*] and it's bad enough quality control going into a nosedive with these without showing lack of judgement and releasing the early series at an arthritic trickle as well.

IMHO, the commentaries are of marginal importance. It may just be me because as a Brit I'm missing cultural nuances, but I find a lot of them rather smug and self-satisfied. I'd be far happier if they released vanilla versions from now on and speeded up the issues.

 

[Dan Rudolph]

I've watched every commentary on the first two seasons and most of them are self-depracating. Hardly smug.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Dan, as I said, it's a personal thing. I know lots of other folks like the commentaries.

Still doesn't stop the slow release rate being annoying, though.

 

[Mike__D]

I guess I'm the oddball here, but I'm fine with the release rate. I wanted to get the ST: Next Generation series, but I can not afford to get all the seasons now. I'm worried if I start, they might not be produced later down the road, and I can not complete the collection. I have no such worries with the Simpsons.

Mike D.

 

[FredK]

I haven't listened to any of the commentaries yet but I'm glad they're there because I do feel these are the "definitive" release of The Simpsons. The release schedule needs to be at least 1 set/6 months though... or at least give us the release date of season 4 soon. The period between a release and a hard release date for the next season is pretty frustrating. Bad marketing, but these sets really sell themselves.

Maybe MG can't quickly decide on a color for each season's case... I think the reason has to lie with him. Releasing these is like printing $$$ and I can't see the studio not wanted to do it.

 

[MarkHastings]

While I can see where some might find all of the commentaries boring at times, I think it would bug me more if only certain episodes had commentaries.

The one thing I find myself thinking (while watching any Simpsons episode) is "What are they going to say about THAT in the commentary?"

Imagine one of your favorite episodes not having commentary? That would be inhumane

p.s. Just like Family Guy...I REALLY wanted commentary on the episode with William Shatner. :frowning: This just proves to me that I NEED every episode with commentary. Hell, the commentaries also extend your viewing pleasure of the DVD's so you have more to watch while you wait for the next set to come out