A message for TV show producers (e.g. Jeff Kleist, etc)

[Blu Tiger]

What I don't think some TV show producers realize is that many people, like me, won't buy a series on blu-ray until they release the seasons sequentially (some of us don't watch a lot of tv and haven't seen a lot of these shows).

They did that with Smallville by releasing the later seasons first. I haven't bought ANY of them. If they would just release the show from Season 1, I would buy them all!

I just bought Supernatural Season 1 and I love it!!! But i'm not buying anymore Seasons until they release Season 2 (even though season's 3 and 4 are out now.) Think about it...

[Jeff Kleist]

I don't make TV shows man, sorry, wish I did

NEW TV shows on Blu aren't selling as well as the studios would like, and getting people to rebuy what they have is even more difficult. As I've said before, there's a lot of different scenarios that we've been exploring to make catalog Blu more attractive for TV, but it has to make financial sense to do so, as the cost is still easily triple of DVD for maybe 30% of the units when it's a new title, not one people already have.

[fatediesel]

It's also been reported that there are technical problems with the first season of Smallville that they are trying to work out but they do hope to release them. While I agree it would be nice to get earlier seasons of shows like Smallville and 24 I wouldn't expect them soon because as Jeff said the sales don't justify the costs. Hopefully Warner will release season 2 of Supernatural since it is the only season that is unreleased on Blu and I hope the sales of Sopranos season 1 were good enough to justify the release of more seasons.

[Blu Tiger]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I don't make TV shows man, sorry, wish I did

NEW TV shows on Blu aren't selling as well as the studios would like, and getting people to rebuy what they have is even more difficult. As I've said before, there's a lot of different scenarios that we've been exploring to make catalog Blu more attractive for TV, but it has to make financial sense to do so, as the cost is still easily triple of DVD for maybe 30% of the units when it's a new title, not one people already have.

Ok sorry, I thought I read that in a forum about Supernatural. But the point still stands. If some shows aren't selling well, it might be because they start releasing the shows at season 5 or something. They should start with Season 1

[SpaceDog]

I've only been buying shows that initiate on blu-ray or that have complete series sets for blu-ray. I'm patient and I do think most everything that will benefit from being on blu-ray will eventually come.

The best thing to do is to support as much as you can. Look into other shows that are available from the start that have similar themes to the shows that you like : Fringe, Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, etc.

[Jeff Kleist]

Ok sorry, I thought I read that in a forum about Supernatural. But the point still stands. If some shows aren't selling well, it might be because they start releasing the shows at season 5 or something. They should start with Season 1

That is definately not why. Convincing people to replace existing product they're already pretty happy with (the majority) is hard. Pricing certainly hasn't helped things, Firefly for instance did not do well at $89.99, especially when he DVD could reguarly be had at $20. But price it at $30-40, and it's doing pretty good. The number of people who haven't seen these shows before who are going to refuse to buy on Blu because season 1(2,3,4) isn't in the format is extremely small.

Selling complete box sets of the show on Blu, or at least multipacks, priced well is the way to go for getting people to upgrade

Hypothetical situation for 24

How many people would drop on a season 1-4 box, $199 (obviously discounted at amazon/retail first week) SRP? How many would bite at $179? $159? Keep in mind you can take 30% off that price or so for amazon/first week discounts.

[BillieCassin]

Originally Posted by Blu Tiger

Ok sorry, I thought I read that in a forum about Supernatural. But the point still stands. If some shows aren't selling well, it might be because they start releasing the shows at season 5 or something. They should start with Season 1

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

That is definately not why.

Uh, it's why *I* don't buy them. I can't imagine I am alone. The only thing worse than getting burned with the first few seasons of a show getting released and not getting the later seasons, is to get burned with the MIDDLE seasons of a show and nothing else.

It's also not just about rebuying, either; I stopped buying shows that were filmed in HD a long while back because I specifically didn't want to rebuy shows. So I've never collected Housewives, 24, or any number of shows that normally I would have because I won't buy them until they are in HD.

I think the bigger problem is the assumptions being made by the studios about their buyers. They seem mis-educated about what we really want. I have purchased 100's of TV on DVD titles that I proudly collect, but I have very few on Blu because of the two issues above; I will not buy HD shows in SD, and I refuse to start a series in the middle.

Yes, cost is a factor, but if they gave us good releases it would be worth it, with retailer discounting. People always forget in these discussions that the average TV on DVD set used to cost a lot more, too - I remember paying $50+ for Buffy and Angel seasons as they were released, quite happily. It has only been in recent years that the sub-$30 market in TV DVD has become the norm.

[Atreyu]

Originally Posted by Blu Tiger

What I don't think some TV show producers realize is that many people, like me, won't buy a series on blu-ray until they release the seasons sequentially (some of us don't watch a lot of tv and haven't seen a lot of these shows).

They did that with Smallville by releasing the later seasons first. I haven't bought ANY of them. If they would just release the show from Season 1, I would buy them all!

I just bought Supernatural Season 1 and I love it!!! But i'm not buying anymore Seasons until they release Season 2 (even though season's 3 and 4 are out now.) Think about it...

Price is what stops me, as I am absolutely in love with Glee, but for the price of the first season on blu they can keep it.. The first half of the season was on standard for around 20 bucks.
Until blu prices drop on television series they will more than likely just gather dust on the shelves of the stores.

[kemcha]

Do you want to know what I think? Studios need to seriously drop the prices on Blu-ray boxed sets. I'm still boycotting studio networks on their television show releases because they have priced them so far into the stratosphere that they are extremely overpriced.

The Prisoner, Lost, Battlestar Galactica ... just about every season has a national retail price of $99.99. Even when they are discounted, the prices are so ridiculously high that nobody can afford them. When they drop the prices down to around $50, then I'll consider picking up some of my favourites.

[BillieCassin]

Originally Posted by kemcha

The Prisoner, Lost, Battlestar Galactica ... just about every season has a national retail price of $99.99. Even when they are discounted, the prices are so ridiculously high that nobody can afford them. When they drop the prices down to around $50, then I'll consider picking up some of my favourites.

I have to agree about Battlestar in particular - the single-season sets are ridiculously priced when you can get the whole series for the price of practically two sets.

That said, there have been some amazing deals...I got Lost 1-5 for $108 when Amazon had their sale, and they hover around the $45ish range these days per season. Prisoner just had a big sale too, but I wasn't interested in that title so I'm not sure how low it went.

Deals are out there...for example, I paid $25 for True Blood, S1 (actually $15 after a $10 certificate I had) when BBuy had it on sale. The retail of $80+ is just ridiculous though. Weeds is rather cheap to collect as well.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by BillieCassin

I have to agree about Battlestar in particular - the single-season sets are ridiculously priced when you can get the whole series for the price of practically two sets.

That said, there have been some amazing deals...I got Lost 1-5 for $108 when Amazon had their sale, and they hover around the $45ish range these days per season. Prisoner just had a big sale too, but I wasn't interested in that title so I'm not sure how low it went.

Deals are out there...for example, I paid $25 for True Blood, S1 (actually $15 after a $10 certificate I had) when BBuy had it on sale. The retail of $80+ is just ridiculous though. Weeds is rather cheap to collect as well.

I also got True Blood for $25. And both seasons of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for $20 each. I think Firefly cost me $27ish. Definitely some good deals if you pick and choose. I'm patiently waiting to catch the Dexter seasons on sale right now.

[BillieCassin]

Originally Posted by Rob71

I also got True Blood for $25. And both seasons of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for $20 each. I think Firefly cost me $27ish. Definitely some good deals if you pick and choose. I'm patiently waiting to catch the Dexter seasons on sale right now.

And looking ahead, it seems the prices on some future sets I want aren't that disproportionate : Dollhouse Season 2 - $31.99 on DVD, $41.99 on Blu, Big Bang Theory S3 - $28.99 on DVD, $38.49 on Blu. Prices are coming down, and at least on these two coming releases they are reasonably priced.

It's against my better judgement to buy Big Bang, I am making an extreme exception and I preordered it. I missed a few eps that season, and a sitcom isn't as bad as a drama series - but I will not start in the middle of, say, Supernatural or a show like that. Just won't do it. And I can't think of any other sitcoms I'd do it for either.