Why are there so many tv series stuck on dvd and not on blu ray

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by LetsGetATaco

Because they don't sell.

...and that's proably the biggest reason.

Being shot or edited on tape is obviously a reason too, but we have come to a point where studios don't even put out NEW shows on blu-ray. Actually we've been there for awhile. There are classic shows they COULD reconstruct from the original film elements (Deep Space 9), but they won't bother. Which is a shame, because even Netflix benefits when they remaster a show in an HD format.

[AgentOrange]

Originally Posted by Comicfan

Sleepy Hollow season 3 is only coming out on DVD because the blu rays of season 1 and 2 didn't sell well enough.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Sle...Season-3/22856

I understand catering to what sells, and shrinking the amount of SKU's is a way to cut costs. So if DVD's sells more that is what studios will do.

But it is just so mind boggling to me for a newer show that any consumers would have been buying the DVD at all at this point, let alone that the SD DVD would OUTSELL the blu-ray. In situations like this they really need to do something for people that did buy the 1st couple seasons, like make it availble "on demand" or for a limited time or something.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by buck135

That's the biggest reason. My favorite, Cheers, despite looking gorgeous on HDNet, is owned by....Paramount. Since Cheers doesn’t contain Transformers, it will never see a blu-ray release.

Or Star Trek characters.

[Daredevil666]

Sadly, as said above, most 80's shows masters were edited on tape. It means they're stuck on SD, unless much money is spent restoring them from all the negatives trims.

It's justified for Star Trek or X-Files or Friends, but who's going to buy Moonlighting re-conformed in HD, apart from me and a few hundred others?

At the same time, those kind of restorations would do good on syndication. I heard the new Wiseguy remasters are widescreen and amazing looking. Sadly we're stuck with the crap DVDs for now.

[CHASLS2]

At least SPACE1999 is out on BD.

[dcfan88]

I know ABC and Fox have tried putting various shows on Blu-ray and several of them did not sell well (currently OUAT and Marvel shows are only ABC Blu-ray shows and Fox/FX shows kinda vary)
The issue I think Paramount (CBS) tv shows have is that Paramount overcharges for their Blu-ray releases (I have a friend who loves Scorpion and never saw season 1 below 40 dollars).
While I do prefer Blu-ray to DVD, I have bought some shows on DVD (old nickelodeon cartoons and White Collar are examples). And I do own Sherlock and Prison Break on DVD instead of Blu-ray due to the fact I found them at significantly cheap prices

Some shows were made in SD and it would cost A LOT to put them on Blu-ray and some companies have not had success putting their stuff on Blu-ray. So while I do hate that some shows don't or even won't ever get a Blu-ray release, to an extent I can understand why

[geekesmind]

heck I just be happy if tv shows on dvd would just have close captioning.

A tv show you being wanting for ever to hit some type of media like say DVD then you find out who is releasing it (mill creek) you go DANG IT NO BUY!

[goodstuff]

At this point I'm just happy TV shows are even getting released on DVD at least. Still waiting for Diff'rent Strokes to be completed...

[EVERYONE LIES]

The best television show of all time and the one that benefits the most from HD is The Twilight Zone. All other TV shows for the most part are second rate.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by geekesmind

heck I just be happy if tv shows on dvd would just have close captioning.

A tv show you being wanting for ever to hit some type of media like say DVD then you find out who is releasing it (mill creek) you go DANG IT NO BUY!

For you but others have already ordered and enjoyed.

[ElectricPeterTork]

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

For you but others have already ordered and enjoyed.

I'm not always thrilled with the number of episodes Mill Creek crams on one disc, but they give us uncut, unaltered, unedited episodes in return, so I can live with it.

Now, a company like VEI, who slaps any old crap onto disc and hopes no one notices until it's too late... I do avoid their stuff like the plague.

[OneWayFilms]

I don't know what they use to determine whether it gets released on DVD only, or both DVD AND Blu ray, sure wish I did.

Modern shows like Bates Motel, Big Bang Theory, etc...they get the Blu ray and DVD treatment, but then OTHER modern shows like Teen Wolf, Duck Dynasty, etc...only get the DVD treatment now.

I started out buying Duck Dynasty on DVD, but then they switched to blu ray, so I switched too. But the last two seasons went back to DVD ONLY! AGHHHHH, SO FRUSTRATING!

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by OneWayFilms

I don't know what they use to determine whether it gets released on DVD only, or both DVD AND Blu ray, sure wish I did.

Fox abandoned all future releases of The Simpsons because the cost to produce the DVDs would far outweight any return on invesetmens.

Warner stopped lesser popular titles like 2 Broke Girls on Blu-ray because, again, cost to produce was higher than what consumer spent.

Paramount even dipped back into TV on Blu-ray with NCIS and I Love Lucy. Despite NCIS actually getting some extra financial backing with a Best Buy exclusive, it still did not sell enough to justify any more releases. i Love Lucy made it to two seasons before Paramount stopped CBS Video from producing any future Blu-rays.

[manfromatlantis]

Originally Posted by AgentOrange

...and that's proably the biggest reason.

Being shot or edited on tape is obviously a reason too, but we have come to a point where studios don't even put out NEW shows on blu-ray. Actually we've been there for awhile. There are classic shows they COULD reconstruct from the original film elements (Deep Space 9), but they won't bother. Which is a shame, because even Netflix benefits when they remaster a show in an HD format.

Deep Space 9 or any sci fi show is not a good example because its not simply a case of going to the film elements and doing a new transfer. All the special effects need recreating from the ground up which is why it costs so much.

But something like Frasier is like Friends and could easily be transferred to HD with the minimum of fuss and cost. But by the same token these are the shows that don't really improve in HD. They don't need to look pristine like a sci fi show where the visuals are more important.

Before I die I would like a Bluray box of 24 and Alias , both of which I believe were made at the right time and just past the editing on tape era.

[manfromatlantis]

Originally Posted by CHASLS2

At least SPACE1999 is out on BD.

That was fortunate in being made completely on film like all ITC shows

[mzupeman]

It's already been said but, it's just a matter of what some popular shows were actually distributed on in the first place (tape), and what the studios think will actually sell.

It could also be a case like The Simpsons depending on what we're talking about. Some studios would rather put their back catalog on their own services where people pay monthly, or are forced to watch commercials (or both), which are probably better sources of revenue for those products.

[Stanis]

When bluray was first announced, I remember reading that theyd be able to fit whole SD seasons on one BD, which makes sense for the consumer but the studios would probably see that as a loss of revenue.

[ElectricPeterTork]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Fox abandoned all future releases of The Simpsons because the cost to produce the DVDs would far outweight any return on invesetmens.

No they didn't and no it wouldn't.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Sim...examined/21379

The most likely explanation is that they wanted to force anyone who wanted to see seasons 18 and up to subscribe to that dumbass streaming site they set up. But sales were still more than good enough to continue the DVDs.

[CHASLS2]

Originally Posted by manfromatlantis

That was fortunate in being made completely on film like all ITC shows

It sure looks better than the laser disc and DVD versions. I say Year one was done better than year 2 on BD.

[manfromatlantis]

Originally Posted by CHASLS2

It sure looks better than the laser disc and DVD versions. I say Year one was done better than year 2 on BD.

I think Year One always looks better than Year Two because at the time Year One was the most expensive British tv production ever but part of the decision to do a second year relied on reducing the budget.

Year One tried and I think succeeded in trying to produce a sense of wonder similar to that of 2001 and it wasn't until Bluray that the money spent on those sets could be fully appreciated. It seemed like a waste of money on 16mm and VHS but the HD upgrade really showed how well it was done.

Year 2 deliberately went for a more cosy Star Trek like vibe so the sense of wonder was gone although I enjoyed it as a completely different show to Year One.