Veronica Mars Gets A Clue On DVD!!! (1 Viewer)

[Todd Stout]

You gave got to be kidding! That is a big mistake if you ask me. Seeing the show in widescreen was one of the reasons I was going to buy the set in the first place. Is there anything we can do to hopefully change this before the release date? Man... it will have to be on sale for quite a bit lower than the SRP to get me to buy it now.

 

[Keith I]

Hopefully things will change back (if this news is true). As much as I love the show, I'm always looking for reasons to save money. Releasing the set in 4:3 (when the show is broadcast in HD) is a good reason. I can live without owning the set as disappointed as I would be.
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[Pete Lee]

Am I the only one who thinks the reason so many recent HD-broadcast shows are nevertheless being released in full frame is because of the impending release of HD-DVD/Blu-Ray? The studios are holding back features so they can sell it again?

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Well, lost a sale from me. The show looks amazing in 16:9. I have burned CDs of the episodes in widescreen I can watch. Thanks for saving me 40 bucks warner.

 

[Adam_ME]

That's an odd decision by WB. They usually go out of their way to release shows in widescreen, even when it's not warranted. The West Wing Season 2 and Kung Fu Season 1 were both broadcast in 4:3, yet released in 16:9 on DVD.

I'll probably pass on this set.

 

[Pete Lee]

Actually, Warner can't seem to decide which way to go. It released season 1 of The O.C. and Everwood in full frame, even though both shows were broadcast in widescreen from the pilot. But then Warner released Smallville in widescreen from the beginning and it's shifted to widescreen for the upcoming second season of the O.C. One Tree Hill is the same as the O.C.; first season 1.33, second season was wide (although to be fair, I can't remember if the first season of that show was ever broadcast in HD). Now, add Veronica Mars to the shows produced and aired in widescreen but released on DVD in full frame. What a waste.

 

[Alex Wagner]

I'll still get it widescreen/fullscreen don't matter to me really.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Gord, while you're at it tell 'em that we want it in widescreen. They're gonna lose sales from some of us that would buy it otherwise.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

I don't know...Warner just announced the specs a couple of days ago, including anamorphic widescreen. I mean, it sounds like something WB would do, but I'm going to wait for Gord to confirm it, along with the music and artwork.

If it is true, remember that VM fans fought hard for a second season, and we just might need to fight again. The show's DVDs have been screwed twice already. First they said it could be be either bare-bones before the new season started, or packed after. Then they changed the release date to after the season premiere, so as not to upset the marketing of two other studio properties. This would be the third strike. We fans been effective in making a difference before (with UPN head Dawn Ostroff), we can certainly try with Warner's TV division.

 

[BrandonJF]

If that's true, I'll mark that one off my list. I'm still holding out hope that the specs originally announced are true.

 

[Ryan_Guah]

Why would Rob e-mail you, specifically? I know he e-mail's fans, as he has me, but I'm not clear on this one.

The specs were just announced days ago. That makes no sense that they would change the release of 16:9 to 4:3 in a matter of days after the announcement had already been made.

I'm going with what has already been announced.


As far as cover art, I'm guessing they'll change it a little. Rarely are announcements made this early, but we begged for it. The cover art even says "subject to change" directly on the released image, so I'm sure that is just their placeholder. As far as music, I'm also guessing they'll keep it intact, as most of the music came directly from what Warner already had rights to, didn't it?

Widescreen or not, music changes or not, cover change or not, I'll still buy it. I saw the show on TV in 4:3 so it's no difference to me, and I probably won't notice the music. I just want the show.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

The danger of 4:3 bothers me because after seeing the show 16:9 I've noticed just how important the visual style of the show is. The show's production design just begs to be shown off.

 

[Pete Lee]

I don't think widescreen really makes that much of a creative difference for TV shows. As long as shows are also shown in 4:3, the main action will always be framed in the center of the screen meaning the peripheral sides of the widescreen frame won't be utilized in a creative fashion. Don't get me wrong, I want widescreen and it's going to be a deal breaker for me buying the set but I want it because I think it's more pleasing to my eye and I want the width of my widescreen TV filled. Funny how proponents of cropping used to say they liked having the image fill their TV screen. Everything old is new again.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

Well, it's not really that I'm getting more information, it's that the shots look framed for widescreen. Example, Firefly looks adequate in full-frame, but it's clearly filmed with wide in mind. After watching 22 episodes in 16:9 it just seems good looking.

Is there any chance that he e-mailed you before reading the formal announcement? It does seem odd that they'd go 4:3 after JUST announcing it in 16:9.

 

[Pete Lee]

No chance, he sent me the aspect ratio news this past Saturday, July 2. As for the press release, wrong info has been issued before by marketing departments, especially when the topic is aspect ratio. I suppose there's a slim possibility that Warner changed its mind and decided to go with widescreen and he hasn't been notified of it yet but somehow, I doubt it. I'm sure it'll be corrected after the holiday weekend, as regrettable as it will be.

The full text of his reply to my question if the DVD will be widescreen is "I'm afraid not. Not our choice. Warner Home video dictated that to us."

 

[Gord Lacey]

This is what Warner has listed:

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio - 1.78
Widescreen [16:9 Transfer]

Gord

 

[Robert Ringwald]

My guess as to what happened?

Warner originally said "Full-Frame Only" to creator Rob Thomas. After consideration they changed their minds and decided to go with 16:9. They released the announcement, and didn't tell him. As a result, he was still under the impression that it was going to be 4:3, even though Warner had just released the specs stating 16:9.

 

[Todd Stout]

I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed for 16:9.

 

[Ryan_Guah]

Yeah, with no announcement made about the supposed change, I'm assuming it's still 16:9.

 

[Robert Ringwald]

amazon.com and dvdplanet.com list it as widescreen. I'm going to trust them until there's any further word from warner.