Will KING OF THE HILL Sell? (1 Viewer)

[Jaime_Weinman]

As I save up for the first two seasons of King of the Hill, I start to wonder if the show will sell well enough on DVD to justify releasing the rest of the series. The show's popular enough, especially in syndication, but it doesn't have the household-word status of The Simpsons, the sci-fi fanbase of Futurama, or the cult status of Family Guy (which I don't even like, but it undeniably sells well on DVD). I think it's great that Fox is spending so much effort and money on special features for the first season set, but I worry that it'll wind up like a Mary Tyler Moore Show situation -- namely, the first season doesn't sell enough to justify the cost of its features-packed DVD set, and the rest of the series languishes in the vaults. I hope not, because King of the Hill is one of my favorite shows and I want to get at least the first three seasons on DVD -- the first season is great, but it would be a shame if they didn't at least get to season 3, with the firefighting episode, Buckley's Angel, and so on. I keep worrying that it might not perform up to expectations on DVD, though, because its audience is not necessarily the same audience that has made other animated shows such a hit on disc.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how KotH is likely to perform on DVD?

EDIT: One thing I'm basing this on -- though I realize it's not a clear indicator of how something will sell -- is the preorders at amazon.com which don't seem all that impressive. Again, of course, amazon.com preorder rankings are not a reliable guide, but...

 

[DeathStar1]

I don't know... I stopped watching halfway through Season 2, so maby picking up Season one will rekindle my intrest for the show.

 

[MarkHastings]

I'm sure there are a few die-hard fans that will buy the set and I also think there are others that would buy it because it's being produced as a "Season" set.

Although, there are some that don't understand why I'm willing to buy EVERY Simpsons DVD set that comes out.

It all depends on what you like.

 

[Ryan Peter]

I think you underestimate its popularity. I expect it to sell better than The Family Guy and Futurama.

 

[Scott_J]

I would think there are a lot of casual viewers of the show who will buy it to try to watch the show from the beginning. I was in that category, planning on buying it, but am not now, in protest of Fox's treatment of the Family Guy set (censored/cut episodes, edited commentaries, recorded commentaries not used). The FG set was one of my most anticipated releases this year. And while I am enjoying it, it could (and should) have been much better.

 

[Tony-B]

I have a feeling that it will sell well enough to warrant Fox to release the remaining seasons.

 

[Brenton]

Me too.

 

[JohnE]

I hope so too. I think the show is great and would love to see them all eventually released.

 

[David Lambert]

Of all the tv shows listed for voting at TVShowsOnDVD.com King of the Hill is in the top 5% most-requested shows. 99% of voters want season sets.

While it does NOT rank higher than Futurama or Family Guy, it DOES rank higher than, say, The Dick Van Dyke show (which is also in the top 5%, by-the-way).

 

[ChuckDeLa]

I stopped watching when it became too Bobby-centric. I HATE Bobby.

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

I stopped watching when it became too Bobby-centric. I HATE Bobby.

I used to like Bobby a lot until he crossed the line from "innocent" to "obnoxious." (It's like now he knows he's acting weird and is just doing it to get attention, whereas early in the show he just was who he was.) And until they started doing the "Bobby gets a stupid hobby" plots that have overrun the show in the last couple of years. The other character who's gotten out of control is Dale, who is now a Homer Simpson clone. But the good thing about the DVDs is that it allows us to travel back in time to when the show hadn't gone nuts with that kind of thing.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The show's popular enough, especially in syndication,

Not here in Philly. In fact it's currently OFF broadcast after being banished to 12:30AM

Instead we get Dharma and Greg(the second time in 1 night) .blllllllleeeeeeeeccccchhhhhh

 

[Jon Robertson]

I would think there are a lot of casual viewers of the show who will buy it to try to watch the show from the beginning. I was in that category, planning on buying it, but am not now, in protest of Fox's treatment of the Family Guy set (censored/cut episodes, edited commentaries, recorded commentaries not used). The FG set was one of my most anticipated releases this year. And while I am enjoying it, it could (and should) have been much better.

Why not write a letter to Fox? (The address is over at The Digital Bits)

The only answer anyone ever seems to have when they're unhappy with a particular product is either start an online petition or boycott product of that studio which is pointless, unproductive and, despite what you may think, doesn't get the message across at all.

I'd be willing to bet a polite, carefully worded letter (stressing disappointment over anger) explaning your exact problem with the release is worth 1000 online signatures or, indeed, a few boycotted units of product.

As for King of the Hill, it's certainly the best TV show around at the moment. The new series has been unforgivably relegated to around 3:30am here on UK terrestrial television, but it's worth setting the timer on Friday nights. They just screened the episode where Hank is diagnosed with DGS requiring silicon buttocks to win a lawnmower. It's painfully funny, genuinely touching and absolutely wonderful. I've got my copy pre-ordered and will duly buy every single set of the show that Fox puts out - it's an unqualified, absurdly underrated masterpiece.

 

[Malcolm R]

I like animation, and have watched and purchased sets of "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," and "Futurama," but KOTH has always been one show I cannot stand. Just something about it rubs me the wrong way. So no purchase here.

 

[Jimmy Kustes]

Well, Undergrads and Dilbert are also getting released. Animated DVDs always sell. It's the only genre I can think of with its own DVD fansites like DVDToons.com and AnimatedBliss.com

How many TV shows does Fox put on DVD? I mean they just released Son of the Beach and Family Guy.

 

[Justin Bauer]

I am a huge fan of KOTH. I will for sure pick this up. I live in Texas, so that is probably why I like it so much.

 

[Nigel W]

The show runs in syndication here in Chicago and I assume it does well - I have no numbers to support either way.

I will definitely buy this set, but I'm not sure about any of the other seasons (if they are released). The first season was outstanding.

 

[Brian Kidd]

KOTH is consistently well-written and wonderfully acted. It's one of my favorite television shows, animated or live action. I'm not sure if I can afford the season sets right now. All my money is going toward BUFFY and ANGEL at the moment. I still need to get ST:TNG and B5 as well. AIGHHH so many shows, so little moolah.

 

[Jimmy Kustes]

As far as TV shows ar concerned, which should I pick up Son of the Beach, Dark Angel, or Mr.Show?

 

[BrianB]

I live in Texas, so that is probably why I like it so much.

My wife's family are from Arlington, which has more than a handful of things in common with Arlen in KOTH. Great show.