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[cjamescook]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I think a lot of studios are looking to complete boxes as the best way to get catalog TV out. It's probably easier to convince people to upgrade all at once.
...

So, some series are released in one huge box set containing all seasons because it's easier to convince people to buy them.

Other series are released in half-season box sets because it is easier to convince people to buy half a season at a time.

And these two seemingly opposite points of view reconcile themselves how?

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by cjamescook

So, some series are released in one huge box set containing all seasons because it's easier to convince people to buy them.

Other series are released in half-season box sets because it is easier to convince people to buy half a season at a time.

And these two seemingly opposite points of view reconcile themselves how?

Maybe because not every consumer has exactly the same priorities/habits/budget as every other consumer? Maybe because not every show attracts the same kind of consumer as every other show?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

It's not my #1 wanted from WB ("The Big Bang Theory" is), but I'm surprised given it's success.

~Alan

I'd buy both seasons in a heartbeat. Bam!

[Jeff Kleist]

So, some series are released in one huge box set containing all seasons because it's easier to convince people to buy them.
Other series are released in half-season box sets because it is easier to convince people to buy half a season at a time.

And these two seemingly opposite points of view reconcile themselves how?

Series you know have a base, especially among the prime Blu enthusiast demographic like Prison Break or Lost or 24 are good risks to do all that up front (notice, this is for illustrative purposes only)

Series like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea have a strong niche audience, but small come in half season boxes, because it lowers the upfront risk. Other shows, which have a half season box coming know it's a lot easier to jack up the SRP and convince people to still buy if you slam them for $50 twice rather than $60 once (Or $69.99 in this case for the Blus). Obviously that is not the case with the full season box.

Historically it's far easier to get people to buy something they don't already have than it is to get them to buy something again. So you'll get "where's 24 season 1?" and such

I've heard various things about Fox's plans for 24, but nothing I'd call concrete enough to even begin to comment on. Suffice to say the performance of season 7 will definately determine the speed, quantity, frequency, and even pricing of the back seasons, so if you want 24 fast, buy it week 1. That goes for any series. Suffice to say the TV stuff is DEFINATELY being thought about at the top, they just need help justifying the outlay.

And yes, different audiences have different spending habits. Disney did very well for instance with Home Improvement seasons at low low SRPs, aiming them at the family market.

[NoQuestion]

24 season 7, the Unit season 4, and Lie to Me season 1 are all pre-ordered. I am doing my part.

Would love to see a scrubs complete series. I'd buy that day one too.

[depooter]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I expect you'll see complete boxes for Holidays and then singles starting to dole out 6 months or so down the line

I would love to see Angel, Buffy and Alias in complete sets....also The Office in some form would be awesome too!

[Jeff Kleist]

Alias and Angel are possible, but don't count on Buffy due to it being 4:3 and lacking HD post except the last 2 seasons

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Alias and Angel are possible, but don't count on Buffy due to it being 4:3 and lacking HD post except the last 2 seasons

Something tells me that if Fox knew that Buffy (specifically) would be a worthy Blu-ray title, they would ignore Joss Whedon's stance and release it 16:9.

I've seen a couple of episodes of the modified version that had the 'previously on' recaps, and included were scenes from season 2, and they were not 4:3, so Fox could indeed expand the whole series to widescreen if they truly wanted to for BD. Of course it wouldn't be correct, but my point is that probably wouldn't stop them from changing it anyway.

As for ANGEL, as I'm going through the Hulu-sourced widescreen season 1, I'm noticing many an issue, mostly in the scene transitions. Eventually I'll make screencaps for everything I see, and make a photobucket folder for anyone curious to view. They're funny, not negatively distracting.

[Jeff Kleist]

Something tells me that if Fox knew that Buffy (specifically) would be a worthy Blu-ray title, they would ignore Joss Whedon's stance and release it 16:9.

No, they won't. If they released it at all it'd be 4:3. That would also violate director's guild and a whole bunch of stuff. Plus you don't want to piss off the talent, and he definately has the power to stop it contractually and influence.

An HD finally anamorphic lossless audio Once More With Feeling I think everyone can get behind (this time with actual karaoke tracks, Sing-A-Long is NOT karaoke!) If the Buffy movie actually happens (looking good actually, but I wouldn't expect it out before 2011), then I could see them putting that out. Angel is still the far more likely series to get the upgrade, simply because it was designed wide (except seaosn 1) and more cinematic from the get-go.

And I will tell you one thing: those early episodes you don't want to see in HD. The show was low budget, and there's only so many foam graveyards you can take

I've seen a couple of episodes of the modified version that had the 'previously on' recaps, and included were scenes from season 2, and they were not 4:3, so Fox could indeed expand the whole series to widescreen if they truly wanted to for BD. Of course it wouldn't be correct, but my point is that probably wouldn't stop them from changing it anyway.

The episodes were shot 4:3 negative until season 4 when they moved to center extraction Super35, there's nothing to expand, only tilt-n-scan

[NL197]

I was just going by what I saw, is all. Seeing the recaps that used season 2 footage (taken from Spike-based episodes like 'School Hard' and 'What's My Line') didn't look like they were cropped for wide. I'll look again.

I know that Fox released the UK DVDs before Whedon's official stance on the aspect ratio, but Fox likely wouldn't release the show at all if they couldn't in wide. It's not like the Star Trek Original series restoration and preservation.

I wouldn't buy Buffy in HD because I wouldn't be interested in an HD version of it unless the price was just right and those recaps were included. 16mm-shot TV shows in HD are a bit of an eyesore, because the grain is just so excessive even in bright scenes. I remember "The OC", which reruns locally in HD, season 1 being 16mm. Not much added detail, just added grain. The DVD actually doesn't look half bad in comparison.

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

An HD finally anamorphic lossless audio Once More With Feeling I think everyone can get behind (this time with actual karaoke tracks, Sing-A-Long is NOT karaoke!)

To this day I have never been able to sit through the whole episode. I completely loathe musicals, and this one was no different. I suppose I never will see the whole thing, but I wouldn't consider it a loss of any kind. It's not that it's a Buffy musical that turns me off, it's that it's a musical. A musical could be based on any of my favorite things and I wouldn't be able to tolerate it. That's just my way of saying I'm not knocking Buffy or Joss' need to tell stories that way - and I've heard him say many times that he would make nothing but musicals if he could. More power to him if he ever gets that chance.

[NL197]

Here are screencaptures that are taken from season 2 episodes. The widescreen images of Spike and Giles are from "School Hard", used in a recap while the Xander image is from "Phases", also reused in the season 3, 4 and 5 opening title sequences.

For the fullscreen images I used the source episode, except for Xander, which I took from the season 3 titles.

Spike vampface - 16:9
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...pface-16x9.jpg

Spike vampface - 4:3
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...mpface-4x3.jpg

Spike and Drusilla - 16:9
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ndDru-16x9.jpg

Spike and Drusilla - 4:3
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...andDru-4x3.jpg

Xander - 16:9 (is that a camera in the left top corner?)
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...ander-16x9.jpg

Xander - 4:3
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...Xander-4x3.jpg

Giles - 16:9
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...Giles-16x9.jpg

Giles - 4:3
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q.../Giles-4x3.jpg

In case my 4:3 caps are in doubt (I didn't just crop the wide images to 4:3) feel free to dig out the season 2 and 3 DVDs themselves to verify.

This is why I figure they could expand the frame for season 2 like they did seasons 4 through 7, because there isn't anything missing, only added information on the sides. Not a crop-to-wide.

[wolfyncsu7]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Alias and Angel are possible, but don't count on Buffy due to it being 4:3 and lacking HD post except the last 2 seasons

Hey Jeff... not 'Buffy' related, but do you believe this same thinking of "it was 4:3 and non-HD" will keep 'The Simpsons' Season sets or 'Friends' from being released on Blu-ray? I know I'd upgrade just for the reduction in compression, maybe better colors, and possibly an entire Season on one disc.

[Jeff Kleist]

Friends already has HD masters, Simpsons will almost certainly never see an upgrade. Too many seasons, too much material, and who knows if they even still have the film (don't count on it). Plus something like the last decade is 480 only due to computer post production

[blokhed]

I'd like to see at least an SD-DVD redo of The Simpsons, if not in Blu, due to poorly mastered seasons like Season 3. I was watching episodes from that recently and was astounded by the poor picture quality. Really ugly and embarrassing work.

[helius]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Friends already has HD masters, Simpsons will almost certainly never see an upgrade. Too many seasons, too much material, and who knows if they even still have the film (don't count on it). Plus something like the last decade is 480 only due to computer post production

Thanks for the info on The Simpsons. I was beginning to worry about my investment when they started airing in HD this year. I really didn't want to have to buy the series again.

[Uxi]

Hmm don't supposed there's any chance of getting SD on Blu-ray? I'd love to have the whole Simpsons season on a single BD-50 for example.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Uxi

Hmm don't supposed there's any chance of getting SD on Blu-ray? I'd love to have the whole Simpsons season on a single BD-50 for example.

I wouldnt count on it. You're going to have a very hard time of convincing people that one disc will have value thats worth forking over $40.

[assur191]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Friends already has HD masters, Simpsons will almost certainly never see an upgrade. Too many seasons, too much material, and who knows if they even still have the film (don't count on it). Plus something like the last decade is 480 only due to computer post production

What is the possibility of the new HD seasons of The Simpsons coming to blu-ray? Also, when might we be expecting Friends?. It's been hinted at for quite some time. Thanks.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by assur191

What is the possibility of the new HD seasons of The Simpsons coming to blu-ray?

This is just an educated guess, but I would say 99%.