What's the last TV DVD/Blu-ray you bought? (4 Viewers)

[BobO'Link]

Had you watched the show before, Howie, or was this your first time experiencing it? (Not sure if you have, or use, Netflix). I find Stranger Things a highly entertaining, engaging show, so would be sorry if the annoying presentation "bugs" on the DVD/ BD set ruined a first-time viewing for you.

I've never seen it before (Don't use Netflix and won't as long as my wife insists on keeping cable) but figured $5 is low enough for a blind-buy check out of the series. It *did* cause me to be far more critical of the series than I'd have been otherwise. So far I've watched the first couple of episodes and it's not doing much for me. Lots of seemingly disconnected and disjointed storylines hopping about. Winona Ryder is her usual weird self. The music is uninspiring, seemingly lifted from The X-Files and, at least right now, it has an X-Files feel (at this point I'd rather just watch that instead). Maybe it'll pick up - but if the S2 set is like S1 with forced previews (Amazon "reviews" seem to indicate this but mostly complain about being bootleg - apparently early copies were - or "it's a VHS and I ordered a BR/DVD" stupidity) I don't know that I care. At least I discovered if you stop an episode it offers a *resume* option when it's started back up (don't know what happens if you stop on the menu - and won't until the first 4 episodes have been watched because if I have to "sit through" that preview crap again I won't bother finishing it at all). Oh... I've read that the preview of Stranger Things on this set is for *season 2* and gives away plot points! As soon as I discovered I couldn't skip them *and* that they were for the show I'm about to watch I went to the kitchen and cleaned up a bit. I'm not going to be a slave to such idiocy.

 

[TJPC]

Stranger Things - S1 (because it's only $5 for the Target exclusive BR/DVD/Poster edition in the VHS packaging at Target).

**EDIT**
My excitement over this is gone. Outside the horrible fake VHS packaging (it's "cute" and clever but is too large and eats shelf space unnecessarily but I can live with it) there are over 5 minutes of unskippable promos that play *every* time you insert the disc fresh (BR - it does at least support "resume" so far - I've not checked the DVDs but expect them to be the same). Even if you didn't get all 4 episodes on the disc watched they'll play again when its inserted. I'm considering a return. I can safely say I'll not purchase another Netflix product nor ever rewatch this series (and I was going to purchase S2 had I enjoyed S1 as it's $8 right now). It's not worth the wasted time sitting through forced promos, even if it were free.

The "conspiracy theory" side of me wants to say this was done intentionally to help sink/kill physical sales of the product so Netflix can say "See... people don't want physical. It's streaming only from here on out."

Try a few things before you give up. I find if you can’t skip promos, you usually can fast forward through them. Sometimes inserting the disk as you repeatedly press “menu” will get you past them as well.

 

[bmasters9]

Try a few things before you give up. I find if you can’t skip promos, you usually can fast forward through them. Sometimes inserting the disk as you repeatedly press “menu” will get you past them as well.

Not with these, according to reviews-- nothing will work to get past them, so it seems you might as well grin and bear it.

 

[BobO'Link]

Try a few things before you give up. I find if you can’t skip promos, you usually can fast forward through them. Sometimes inserting the disk as you repeatedly press “menu” will get you past them as well.

Not with these, according to reviews-- nothing will work to get past them, so it seems you might as well grin and bear it.

Ben is correct. I tried *everything* and none of it works. These are horrible! If it was the typical 30 seconds of corporate logo/warnings on most Lionsgate discs it'd be tolerable (IIRC their "Shaun the Sheep" theme discs also have a long, unskippable, promo but not this bad). This is 5 1/2+ minutes that can't be skipped at all.

**EDIT**
I checked the case and it doesn't appear these are Lionsgate. Their logo appears nowhere on the case, disc, menu, or when loading the disc. It's entirely Netflix.

 

[Jasper70]

I hate forced submissions like this. Like some discs make you watch screens and screens of FBI warnings, international warnings, The opinions contained may not necessarily reflect the opinions...

We only have ourselves to blame. We put up with it when Discs first came out and it’s just going to get worse.

 

[bmasters9]

I hate forced submissions like this. Like some discs make you watch screens and screens of FBI warnings, international warnings

Especially on some newer Warner releases, where you have to see the same anti-copy warning in more languages than you can shake a stick at!

 

[TJPC]

I remember when there were no commercials in the movie theatre at all. When they were first introduced people booed so lustily and threw so much popcorn etc. that they were smart enough to stop them for a while!

 

[BobO'Link]

Update on the unskippable promos on Stranger Things:

I'm done with this series. Last night I powered off the player like I always do when watching something in progress. Every other disc I have that supports "resume" will pick right back up where I left off when I turn the player on later. While pressing STOP and then EJECT seemed to activate a "resume" yesterday during testing, a full power off like I normally do does not. When I started the disc to pick up where I'd left off it started the 5 minute forced previews *again.* Not this time! The two episodes I did watch weren't good enough to put up with that mess another time. I immediately ejected the disc and tried the DVD. It does the same thing. Eject again. I'll watch something that doesn't waste my time so egregiously.

I'd debating returning it to Target for a refund - last time I had a defective disc they'd only do an exchange and it took getting 4 defectives in a row and me telling them I'd be happy to keep returning them until they were out of stock if they insisted so they said OK - we'll refund. For ~$5 I don't want to drive across town and hassle with it. It's likely this set will wind up in the trash. I *will* be sending Netflix a very strongly worded letter.

 

[bmasters9]

When I started the disc to pick up where I'd left off it started the 5 minute forced previews *again.* Not this time!

It's even worse if you're playing it in a TV with an internal DVD player-- the TV in my father's bedroom is like that, and when you turn it off, it has to load the disc all over again (there is no resume function). With that kind of player, I would never even make a move with this joke of a Stranger Things release!

 

[TJPC]

Update on the unskippable promos on Stranger Things:

I'm done with this series. Last night I powered off the player like I always do when watching something in progress. Every other disc I have that supports "resume" will pick right back up where I left off when I turn the player on later. While pressing STOP and then EJECT seemed to activate a "resume" yesterday during testing, a full power off like I normally do does not. When I started the disc to pick up where I'd left off it started the 5 minute forced previews *again.* Not this time! The two episodes I did watch weren't good enough to put up with that mess another time. I immediately ejected the disc and tried the DVD. It does the same thing. Eject again. I'll watch something that doesn't waste my time so egregiously.

I'd debating returning it to Target for a refund - last time I had a defective disc they'd only do an exchange and it took getting 4 defectives in a row and me telling them I'd be happy to keep returning them until they were out of stock if they insisted so they said OK - we'll refund. For ~$5 I don't want to drive across town and hassle with it. It's likely this set will wind up in the trash. I *will* be sending Netflix a very strongly worded letter.

You seem to have had better luck with your Blu rays than I have had. It is rather rare for any of them to have the resume function. That is my major problem with the format. I tend to watch “snipity bits” of movies and shows and rarely watch the entire thing at once. I try to make sure I stop just as a new chapter begins, and make a memory exercise of remembering that number until next time. I am not always successful.

 

[Likecats]

High Chaparral season three and The New Scooby Doo Movies the Lost episodes vol two.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Update on the unskippable promos on Stranger Things:

I'm done with this series. Last night I powered off the player like I always do when watching something in progress. Every other disc I have that supports "resume" will pick right back up where I left off when I turn the player on later. While pressing STOP and then EJECT seemed to activate a "resume" yesterday during testing, a full power off like I normally do does not. When I started the disc to pick up where I'd left off it started the 5 minute forced previews *again.* Not this time! The two episodes I did watch weren't good enough to put up with that mess another time. I immediately ejected the disc and tried the DVD. It does the same thing. Eject again. I'll watch something that doesn't waste my time so egregiously.

I'd debating returning it to Target for a refund - last time I had a defective disc they'd only do an exchange and it took getting 4 defectives in a row and me telling them I'd be happy to keep returning them until they were out of stock if they insisted so they said OK - we'll refund. For ~$5 I don't want to drive across town and hassle with it. It's likely this set will wind up in the trash. I *will* be sending Netflix a very strongly worded letter.

Well, sorry to hear the bad experience of the disc setup ruined this cool show for you. I think if you had stuck with the series, it would have picked up for you. But I can well understand your frustration. Your theory that Netflix might be making it so annoying to steer customers to their streaming service is sounding like a distinct possibility (although in your case, it certainly has backfired). Watching things on Netflix is ridiculously easy and free from annoyances such as this. Their interface is easy to navigate, no commercials or things of that nature. They make it simple as pie to binge a series such as this, which helps in Stranger Things' case, as it is structured and plays much like an 8 hour movie...IMO, a charming mash-up of Stephen King, Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter (with a little John Hughes thrown in there).

 

[TJPC]

Update on the unskippable promos on Stranger Things:

I'm done with this series. Last night I powered off the player like I always do when watching something in progress. Every other disc I have that supports "resume" will pick right back up where I left off when I turn the player on later. While pressing STOP and then EJECT seemed to activate a "resume" yesterday during testing, a full power off like I normally do does not. When I started the disc to pick up where I'd left off it started the 5 minute forced previews *again.* Not this time! The two episodes I did watch weren't good enough to put up with that mess another time. I immediately ejected the disc and tried the DVD. It does the same thing. Eject again. I'll watch something that doesn't waste my time so egregiously.

I'd debating returning it to Target for a refund - last time I had a defective disc they'd only do an exchange and it took getting 4 defectives in a row and me telling them I'd be happy to keep returning them until they were out of stock if they insisted so they said OK - we'll refund. For ~$5 I don't want to drive across town and hassle with it. It's likely this set will wind up in the trash. I *will* be sending Netflix a very strongly worded letter.

How about the “play all” function? I don’t usually use it, but sometimes if you do, it will “resume” the next time.

 

[BobO'Link]

Well, sorry to hear the bad experience of the disc setup ruined this cool show for you. I think if you had stuck with the series, it would have picked up for you. But I can well understand your frustration. Your theory that Netflix might be making it so annoying to steer customers to their streaming service is sounding like a distinct possibility (although in your case, it certainly has backfired).

It has most indeed backfired. I'm so annoyed that I can safely say I doubt I'd consider the service even if my wife said "Cancel the cable." Then again, I sampled the service a few years back at my son's house and found it had little to no catalog titles, TV or movies, from the 60s and earlier. If they don't have those "deep catalog" titles then it's pretty worthless to me.

Watching things on Netflix is ridiculously easy and free from annoyances such as this. Their interface is easy to navigate, no commercials or things of that nature.

My oldest granddaughter came in yesterday, saw the case laying by the TV and commented about it. They'd watched it at home via Netflix. When I told her about the promos she immediately said "You don't get those if you watch it on Netflix. It just plays." Maybe I should get their login and piggy back to see if there actually is anything I'd care for. I still won't pay for it unless my wife lets me cancel cable (I don't use cable at all - it's not even connected to my set - and it's far too expensive for what little she actually watches).

Stranger Things...IMO, a charming mash-up of Stephen King, Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter (with a little John Hughes thrown in there).

Well... Outside Kubrick's The Shining (which I understand deviates significantly from the book) I absolutely do not like Stephen King's body of work - written or adapted to the screen.

I maintain that Spielberg shouldn't be allowed to do SF/Fantasy as, IMHO, most is trite dreck (yes that includes E.T., Close Encounters..., and Jurassic Park [which suffers from being written by a hack, Michael Crichton, who does nothing but continuously recycle the same general story with new characters/locations - I give you Westworld as example - the first version of Jurassic Park he wrote - Roger Ebert is slightly more forgiving because of the dinosaurs, I'm not although they do look good] IMHO 3 highly overrated films). Out of his entire SF/Fantasy work I only like Minority Report (No... the Indiana films do not count - those are Action/Adventure and uniformly good, even the much maligned 4th movie ...Crystal Skull). He's at his best when he does pure action/adventure, like the "Indy" movies, and historical material (Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Amistad, Lincoln, etc).

Carpenter's work I generally like as well as the 1980s output of Hughes (but little to nothing since those years).

So... that taken with your comment pretty much explains my "meh" feeling towards the 2 episodes I've seen of the series.

 

[bmasters9]

It has most indeed backfired. I'm so annoyed that I can safely say I doubt I'd consider the service even if my wife said "Cancel the cable." Then again, I sampled the service a few years back at my son's house and found it had little to no catalog titles, TV or movies, from the 60s and earlier. If they don't have those "deep catalog" titles then it's pretty worthless to me.

That's why it's just as worthless to me (the only real classics on there being The Twilight Zone, Cheers, and Andy Griffith-- nothing I'd really care for); Hulu has Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere and Hunter at least, so there's something there.

 

[BobO'Link]

Update on the Stranger Things unskippable promo debacle.

In a Target bargains thread on another forum I warned about this issue and got a reply with the solution.

It's stupid to have to do this but I tested it and it works:

Insert disc *two* first. Let the menu come up. EJECT disc two and insert disc *one*. When it starts it'll come up to a "Resume: Yes/No" option very quickly. Select "Yes" and you'll be at the menu. This process takes ~30 seconds to complete from inserting disc two until you can select an episode on disc one.

So... I'll be watching the entire first season and, just in case I happen to like it, have ordered season 2. We'll see...

 

[bmasters9]

Update on the Stranger Things unskippable promo debacle.

In a Target bargains thread on another forum I warned about this issue and got a reply with the solution.

It's stupid to have to do this but I tested it and it works:

Insert disc *two* first. Let the menu come up. EJECT disc two and insert disc *one*. When it starts it'll come up to a "Resume: Yes/No" option very quickly. Select "Yes" and you'll be at the menu. This process takes ~30 seconds to complete from inserting disc two until you can select an episode on disc one.

So... I'll be watching the entire first season and, just in case I happen to like it, have ordered season 2. We'll see...

Glad you were able to find a workaround on that inexcusable unskippable promo (in a perfect world, you wouldn't have had to do such a thing on any seasonal DVD release)!

 

[MatthewA]

This is what I miss about pre-DVD home video formats: no forced promos. Anything you didn't want to see you could easily fast forward.

 

[TJPC]

Is this something new? I literally have 1000s of DVDs and blu rays and have yet to find one that would not let me skip these promos with the chapter, the ff button or the menu button.

 

[bmasters9]

Is this something new? I literally have 1000s of DVDs and blu rays and have yet to find one that would not let me skip these promos with the chapter, the ff button or the menu button.

Then you wouldn't want that sixth-season release of Dexter, which, as I've said before, has set up that Showtime promo to be the same way.