Potential pitfalls for potential purchasers

[bmasters9]

Besides double-sided discs (which several FOX and Universal releases have; examples being Universal's "Knight Rider" and "Murder She Wrote," and MTM's "St. Elsewhere" and "Hill Street Blues," which were released from FOX), and volume releases (examples are "The Untouchables," "The Fugitive," and the upcoming "Love Boat" release), what other pitfalls can you think of that might warn away potential purchasers, if any?

[JulieSomoski]

God, do I hate double sided discs! MTM Season 2 had the third disc double sided, and more than once have I gotten confused as to which way it goes into my DVD player.

I think a high list price is definitely one thing. Like, if a sitcom has a lit price of $35, and other sitcoms from the same era are around $20, that'll warn potential buyers today. For example, the Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and other CBS/Paramount DVD's have the high list price, with little bonus features and cheap packaging, and it's hardly worth it.

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

God, do I hate double sided discs! MTM Season 2 had the third disc double sided, and more than once have I gotten confused as to which way it goes into my DVD player.

I think a high list price is definitely one thing. Like, if a sitcom has a lit price of $35, and other sitcoms from the same era are around $20, that'll warn potential buyers today. For example, the Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, and other CBS/Paramount DVD's have the high list price, with little bonus features and cheap packaging, and it's hardly worth it.

That's a good point, roseanne88-97, and I thank you for making it. About the high list prices-- the Borders in the Westfield Annapolis mall in Annapolis, MD (I went there with my sister Michel last month) sold the first season's worth of "The Fall Guy" at the same $59.99 price that FOX had originally quoted for it. Of course, in a moment of total brain fade I believe it was (perhaps because I was so happy to be there that I didn't really pay attention to what I was doing), I blindly bought it. I enjoyed it well enough to finish it, but I am still kicking myself to this day for paying in Borders what FOX had originally quoted for it instead of trying to find a lower price for it or trying to find something else that was lower-priced.

[TV_Fan]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

Besides double-sided discs (which several FOX and Universal releases have; examples being Universal's "Knight Rider" and "Murder She Wrote," and MTM's "St. Elsewhere" and "Hill Street Blues," which were released from FOX), and volume releases (examples are "The Untouchables," "The Fugitive," and the upcoming "Love Boat" release), what other pitfalls can you think of that might warn away potential purchasers, if any?

I think the obvious and now pretty standard from CBS/Paramount "Music has been changed for this home entertainment version." And of course "Some episodes may be edited from their original network versions."

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I think the obvious and now pretty standard from CBS/Paramount "Music has been changed for this home entertainment version." And of course "Some episodes may be edited from their original network versions."

When they say that, they mean it. They are the worst company when it comes to music edits. Are they that cheap to try to pay for songs. Like with the Sabrina sets, the show never used that much music, but the music it did use, it's complete replaced, all the time. I'm sick of it. And when yu combine that with the cheap packaging and over-the-top $38.99 list price, it's a waste of money.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

That's a good point, roseanne88-97, and I thank you for making it. About the high list prices-- the Borders in the Westfield Annapolis mall in Annapolis, MD (I went there with my sister Michel last month) sold the first season's worth of "The Fall Guy" at the same $59.99 price that FOX had originally quoted for it. Of course, in a moment of total brain fade I believe it was (perhaps because I was so happy to be there that I didn't really pay attention to what I was doing), I blindly bought it. I enjoyed it well enough to finish it, but I am still kicking myself to this day for paying in Borders what FOX had originally quoted for it instead of trying to find a lower price for it or trying to find something else that was lower-priced.

Borders and FYE are the worst outlets when it comes to DVD's. Everything they sell is always the same price as the SRP, which is outrageous. Another example: I went to FYE, looking for What I Like About You Season 1. They had the price listed at $39.98, which I guess they thought was the retail price. But, if you go to other stores or websites, they list the retail price of $26.98, which is almost $15 less than the FYE listprice. So, I didn't buy it there, and eventually bought it off circuitcity.com for just $20, which would have been $20 than if I had bought it at FYE. Insane.

[TV_Fan]

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

Borders and FYE are the worst outlets when it comes to DVD's. Everything they sell is always the same price as the SRP, which is outrageous. Another example: I went to FYE, looking for What I Like About You Season 1. They had the price listed at $39.98, which I guess they thought was the retail price. But, if you go to other stores or websites, they list the retail price of $26.98, which is almost $15 less than the FYE listprice. So, I didn't buy it there, and eventually bought it off circuitcity.com for just $20, which would have been $20 than if I had bought it at FYE. Insane.

I agree. I usally buy my TV DVD's pre-order from Amazon where they're usually about 30% off retail. For those I buy in stores, I usually go to Best Buy or Circuit City. I would never buy any DVD's at Fye's Borders or Barnes & Nobles. Even Target and K Mart usally sell for list price. The only cheap DVDs I got at Fye were used ones, or ones on their buy one get one free sale.

[TV_Fan]

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

When they say that, they mean it. They are the worst company when it comes to music edits. Are they that cheap to try to pay for songs. Like with the Sabrina sets, the show never used that much music, but the music it did use, it's complete replaced, all the time. I'm sick of it. And when yu combine that with the cheap packaging and over-the-top $38.99 list price, it's a waste of money.

I think they don't even try. Even Sony is better when it comes to music. I don't trust Fox because they replace music and don't put it on the box.

I really hate hearing that CBS/Paramount will be releasing a show I like. I don't even want to buy it because I know all music will be chopped out and scenes could be edited. I have Mork & Mindy S3 and luckily music wasn't a big issue with the show. I saw some scenes though that didn't seem right, like dialog was replaced. I have no idea why they would edit a show that's almost 30 years old.

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I don't trust Fox because they replace music and don't put it on the box.

Which is, of course, TV_Fan, another reason why I am still kicking myself for purchasing "The Fall Guy" S1. By not indicating the replacements/edits on the package, they deceived me into thinking that it would be the same "Fall Guy" that was originally on then. Boy, did I get a chill when I found out about it from the IMDB "Fall Guy" forum. My father said it was like getting a "pig in a poke"-- that means don't get something unless you really know what you're getting, because sometimes they hide changes/edits under the guise of the word "complete", so that unsuspecting purchasers will purchase the items in question. Then when these purchasers find out what really happened, it's a done deal, or so it seems. It was a done deal to me because Borders has a strict policy with DVD's--movies and television--that once it's opened, the only options are to either keep it or replace it with the same thing.

[TV_Fan]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

Which is, of course, TV_Fan, another reason why I am still kicking myself for purchasing "The Fall Guy" S1. By not indicating the replacements/edits on the package, they deceived me into thinking that it would be the same "Fall Guy" that was originally on then. Boy, did I get a chill when I found out about it from the IMDB "Fall Guy" forum. My father said it was like getting a "pig in a poke"-- that means don't get something unless you really know what you're getting, because sometimes they hide changes/edits under the guise of the word "complete", so that unsuspecting purchasers will purchase the items in question. Then when these purchasers find out what really happened, it's a done deal, or so it seems. It was a done deal to me because Borders has a strict policy with DVD's--movies and television--that once it's opened, the only options are to either keep it or replace it with the same thing.

I actually did buy the Fall Guy S1 knowing there would be music replacements. I had read it on a review on tsod. As long as the theme song is intact I'm happy. This was one show the edits didn't bother me as much because A) The theme song was intact B) Music wasn't a big part of the show (aside from the theme song) C) I dodn't even remember what songs were on the show exacept the theme and D) I hadn't seen the show in years.

My Name is Earl S1 is a different story. I love that season but knowing some music is replaced totally turns me off to the idea of purchasing the DVD. What irritates me most about this is that it is not mentioned on the box and also IT IS A CURRENT SHOW IN THE DVD AGE. Fox knew DVD's would have to be produced. Why did they only license some music for the DVD? I understand how epxensive it is with 6 + songs in some episodes, but I think in a show like this all the music should be licensed for the DVD at the time of initial licensing.

[bmasters9]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I actually did buy the Fall Guy S1 knowing there would be music replacements. I had read it on a review on tsod. As long as the theme song is intact I'm happy. This was one show the edits didn't bother me as much because A) The theme song was intact B) Music wasn't a big part of the show (aside from the theme song) C) I dodn't even remember what songs were on the show exacept the theme and D) I hadn't seen the show in years.

My Name is Earl S1 is a different story. I love that season but knowing some music is replaced totally turns me off to the idea of purchasing the DVD. What irritates me most about this is that it is not mentioned on the box and also IT IS A CURRENT SHOW IN THE DVD AGE. Fox knew DVD's would have to be produced. Why did they only license some music for the DVD? I understand how epxensive it is with 6 + songs in some episodes, but I think in a show like this all the music should be licensed for the DVD at the time of initial licensing.

Well, I was originally embarrassed and angry when I learned about the replacements on "The Fall Guy" set, but as the season progressed, I started to warm to it, to the point where I thought, what's a little replacement if the episodes are still good and entertaining, which of course they were? And also, music replacements are a small tradeoff for the privilege of seeing Glen Larson's logo and the original TCF logo of the time, so it turned out to be not that bad at all.

[bmasters9]

Remember how I said that it was Borders' policy to not take back opened DVD's (movies or television)? Well, I just found out that it is not exactly Borders' policy, but rather that it comes from copyright laws. I may be incorrect on that, so please correct me if I am.

[TV_Fan]

Originally Posted by bmasters9

Remember how I said that it was Borders' policy to not take back opened DVD's (movies or television)? Well, I just found out that it is not exactly Borders' policy, but rather that it comes from copyright laws. I may be incorrect on that, so please correct me if I am.

I don't know if it's from copyright laws or what not, but most places will only take back an opened item if it's defective and usually only exchange it for the same title. At least that's how it is here.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I agree. I usally buy my TV DVD's pre-order from Amazon where they're usually about 30% off retail. For those I buy in stores, I usually go to Best Buy or Circuit City. I would never buy any DVD's at Fye's Borders or Barnes & Nobles. Even Target and K Mart usally sell for list price. The only cheap DVDs I got at Fye were used ones, or ones on their buy one get one free sale.

Yeah, Amazon's always reliable, especially when they have great sales (the BOGO sony sale was incredible). Best Buy and Circuit City are the stores to go to for your TV on DVD. Target is high a lot of the times too. The only thing I went there for were all thhe Roseanne sets. They were normally $30-35 at Best Buy, but every single one has always been $19.99 at Target, which is a huge saving if you're buying all 9.

Walmart is okay too. I really hate their odd prices, though, like $21.37. Why can't it just be .99?

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by TV_Fan

I think they don't even try. Even Sony is better when it comes to music. I don't trust Fox because they replace music and don't put it on the box.

I really hate hearing that CBS/Paramount will be releasing a show I like. I don't even want to buy it because I know all music will be chopped out and scenes could be edited. I have Mork & Mindy S3 and luckily music wasn't a big issue with the show. I saw some scenes though that didn't seem right, like dialog was replaced. I have no idea why they would edit a show that's almost 30 years old.

The thing with Sony is there shows rarely have music in them. They have mostly classics to release (and most of the Normal Lear shows) which almost never used music.I can't think of one show they have that used extensive amounts of music.

You're right, though - Paramount obviously just knows people will buy the show no matter hoe badly the music is cut, so they don't try, especially when it means losing profits because of it. You'd think they could give us some special features, or better packaging, for the price they want.