TV Starter Sets...Buffy, 24, Mary Tyler Moore, The pretender
 

From DVD ANSWERS

Title: TV Starter Sets
Starring: N/A (Various)
Released: 22nd March 2005
SRP: $9.98 Each

Further Details
Fox Home Entertainment has announced TV Starter Sets of hit shows 24, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Pretender and the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Each will be available to own from the 22nd March, priced at around $9.98 a piece. The 24, Buffy and Pretender releases will include the first two episodes of each respective show. TV spots will also be included on each disc. The Mary Tyler Moore set however will include four of the best episodes from the first season. As far as we know, no extra material will be included on this one. I should also point out that each title will contain a $10 discount voucher for use when purchasing an entire season package.

I know Target ran something like this in the past with first episodes in a cardboard sleeve...and seems more and more tv releases are getting free episodes for free on sampler....thought someone might want this

This is like getting the first 2 chapters of War & Peace.

24: Season One didn't have any TV spots! Dammit...

I bought 24: Season 1 during Amazon's recent Fox Season 1 sale for only $24.99. Best $25 I ever spent.

Yeah, and I got Buffy for like 13.50. The first two eps are really the two-hour pilot, I believe.
I like the concept though. Is the 10 coupon good only for S1, or any season of that show?
I know an anime publisher does/did this, called the Anime Test Drive; 7.99 or 8.99 for 2 eps [I think the first two eps] of a series, with a coupon for 10 bucks off that series set.
Good idea.

There are pictures of a couple of the starter sets on tvshowsondvd.com. There's a sticker on Buffy and 24 that says $10 off any season set, but on Pretender it says $10 off season 1.

Lol, i think im going to buy the Buffy DVD just for the TV Spots...

Fox has really been pushing for folks to get into the seasons and build fanbase loyalty from it. I guess they just got tired of having the low price of $24.99 (and $12.99 on black friday) on the first season of 24 and want to bump those up before the general value of the show drops to low.

Good idea.

is this going to be the next dumb idea?
 

just happened to come across this -

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.c...28&promotion=y

24 (Starter Set)

Synopsis:
Action, comedy, drama suspense - if you like it on TV, you'll love it on DVD! And now here's your chance to 'try out' your favorite shows in your favorite format. Watch the first two episodes of this hit TV series, then use the valuable coupon inside to purchase an entire season DVD set, packed with exclusive extras you can't get on television. Fox TV DVD - get into it...from the beginning.


http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.c...22&promotion=y

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Starter Set)

Synopsis:
Action, comedy, drama suspense - if you like it on TV, you'll love it on DVD! And now here's your chance to 'try out' your favorite shows in your favorite format. Watch the first few episodes of this hit TV series, then use the valuable coupon inside to purchase the entire season DVD set, packed with exclusive extras you can't get on television. Fox TV DVD - get into it...from the beginning.

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.c...26&promotion=y

Mary Tyler Moore (Starter Set)

Synopsis:
Action, comedy, drama suspense - if you like it on TV, you'll love it on DVD! And now here's your chance to 'try out' your favorite shows in your favorite format. Watch the first few episodes of this hit TV series, then use the valuable coupon inside to purchase the entire season DVD set, packed with exclusive extras you can't get on television. Fox TV DVD - get into it...from the beginning.

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.c...24&promotion=y

Pretender (Starter Set)

Synopsis:
Action, comedy, drama suspense - if you like it on TV, you'll love it on DVD! And now here's your chance to 'try out' your favorite shows in your favorite format. Watch the first few episodes of this hit TV series, then use the valuable coupon inside to purchase the entire season DVD set, packed with exclusive extras you can't get on television. Fox TV DVD - get into it...from the beginning


what will they think of next?

Hasn't this already been done, at least with Law & Order?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...v=glance&s=dvd

Gotta love the price for ONE episode, though.

What is it, just the first disc of the regular sets? How will they whore themselves next?

As long as they don't substitute for season releases, then I don't care for these "starter" sets. Besides, at least they allow TV DVD newbies to sample the shows without having to pay much (and that $10 rebate isn't too shabby either).

Actually, <i>24</i> and <i>The Pretender</i> seem to have two episodes each - still a dumb idea.

Uh, why is that dumb? It's not like they're replacing season sets, they're just offering on option so people have something to blind-buy without committing to an entire season.

I mean, I'm not interested, but I don't think I'd go so far as to call the entire idea "dumb". I think it's dumber to release individual episodes of shows which haven't been released yet as parts of season sets for other shows, but they've already started doing that...

Actually seems like a decent idea for those that may want to try something out. And a good way to hook new consumers. I doubt I'd ever use one, but I can see why they exist, and at a minimal cost.

Because it's cool and elitist to have negative opinions on the internet.

I agree. I think it's a great idea, even though it's something I personally wouldn't be interested in.

I think it is a great idea! There are many shows that I'd like to have just a few episodes of.... Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, My Favorite Martian, Car 54, Courtship of Eddie's Father, Mothers In-Law, etc.... There is no way that I would spend the money or shelf-space to buy the whole series or season.

And who knows... after watching a few of these older shows, people could get hooked and buy the rest of the episodes.

As long as season sets are not effected, I see it as a great idea.

Now THIS is what disposable DVD's should be used for :)

Actually, i don't think it's a bad idea. I wanted to try out 24 but i'll probably just rent it from blockbuster.

I don't rent so I have no idea what it costs, but wouldn't it still be cheaper to rent the 1st 4 eps. from BB/Hollywood/Netflix and then if you like it then buy it? can you really get hooked on a show in 2 eps? besides that, if you do end up liking the show and end up buying the entire season what do you do with the starter set? do you just throw it away?

I agree; I'm not interested in the shows they're offering yet, but I'd definitely be interested in, for instance, buying *just* the Steven Spielberg episode of 'Columbo' ... or *just* Disc One of the '80's 'Twilight Zone' [disc one has both 'Shatterday' and 'Nightcrawlers'] ... I already bought the Tim Burton and Francis Coppola directed episodes of 'Faerie Tale Theatre', but wouldn't have much interest beyond that.

I'd actually like to see this idea expanded a bit so you can choose individual episodes of a show to buy, but I imagine they've got to test the water before they do something that significant.

I believe the idea is set up specifically for folks like you, who don't rent. (It's obviously not set up for renters, because renters can already rent the individual discs.)

Isn't the point of the first episode of a show to draw the viewers in? If it works on television, why not on DVD?

I dunno; I'd imagine that, if trading in isn't part of the coupon deal that comes with it, you could just sell the individual episode. I don't know how the coupons are going to work, maybe it'll be something where you send in the coupon with a check and they send you the set minus the disc you already have? Not sure.

Anyway, it seems to me like more choice is always a better thing. If this were replacing season sets, that'd be different, that wouldn't be more choice.

Actually, it doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. It's a good way to reach a potential new audience that is curious about a particular tv show, wants to start watching from the beginning, but doesn't want to commit to buying a season set until they make sure they really like it. The coupon makes it even better. :up:

Great idea. Smart idea.

Why would it be dumb? They are banking on trying to get new customers for their product who may have never seen the shows before. Why spend $50+ on a box set of a full season which you may hate, when you can spend $9.99 or whatever to check out the first couple episodes? And if you like it, you get a coupon that discounts the price for a season box set.

The studios did this with Farscape with the Starburst editions. It's the only way I would've found out about that show. There's no way I'm paying $90 for a season set just to check it out!

so i guess you missed this thread... TV Starter Sets...Buffy, 24, Mary Tyler Moore, The pretender

enjoy

I kinda like the idea. Some TV box sets can be quite expensive, and since everything I buy is a "blind buy" a sample purchase would actually end up saving me money inthe end.

I guess it's not a bad idea. It wouldn't benefit me at all because I know already what TV on DVD I'd buy, but if other people are willing to just buy a few episodes of a show I see no problem. If they could get more people to buy by doing this it means prices could come down.

The $10 off coupon that comes with it could make it a nice deal if you can find the set on sale somewhere.

Last I heard, you don't get $10 bucks off the dvd when you rent.

Incase you didn't click on the original thread this was talked about (I.E. THIS THREAD IS A REPOST)

So while it does cost 10 bucks, you pretty much come out even if you decide to buy the season. So the rental cost you 4-5 bucks at block buster or hollywood video, you are getting a free extra dvd with MORE bonus features

from the other thread:

the season set for 24 and buffy didn't come with the tv spots and the buffy one didn't even come with some of the extras that are offered here.

So the dvds are not coasters when you are done with them. They do provide extra goodies that folks who just buy the season sets blindly wont be getting.

Doesn't sound like a total rip off anymore, does it?

It still sounds like a rip-off to me. There's a lot of people out there who could care less about buying a starter disc to begin with, even if it does include extras that aren't on the season sets. This is just a way for the company to grab new people into certain shows and have them buy the series. Now, as a business man, this isn't a bad idea at all. But as far as consumer common sense, buying something like this would just be dumb. Maybe for older shows that don't get aired on television anymore, but you can still catch shows like Buffy and 24 on TV... and check it out for nothing. If this was going to be done for shows like, I don't know, Freaks And Geeks (which is sometimes on ABC family but hardly ever on at all anymore) or other shows that are pretty much out of the loop in a similar manner... but it's not. It's for mainstream shows, and Buffy is even in syndication.

Greatest. Post. EVER.

Gee, television executives sure hope so. You realize that these things initially air on the TV at usually at a rate of no more than once per week, right? Somehow, using this strange and slow methodology, many shows have been able to be successful.

DJ

Actually, I think the idea of selling a remote control for your car stereo was worse than this.

Does this mean I can now sell my free DVD samplers on eBay?

For 24, they should definitely have the first 4 episodes. Talk about getting hooked. I don't see 2 episodes for $10 cutting it. Even with a $10 coupon. So if I don't like it, it ended costing me $5 an ep? I can rent the whole first disc for that and get 4 episodes.

Especially of a first season. For Buffy, the first 2 eps were a two-part pilot episode; same with Firefly. The first couple eps always have to establish a lot of groundwork and characters, and may not be fully representative of later eps, even in the same season.

I agree if they are trying to get people hooked, go for more episodes. You are pressing a disc might aswell go for 4 episodes. Everyone who watches 4 episodes of 24 will be running to buy the set. Buffy is the best show ever made, but people need at least 4 episodes to get hooked.

Also you can't catch them on TV for free if you want to start in oder, I will never watch TV out of order.

Didn't Warner already try this with the TV Premiere DVD samplers of Gilmore Girls, B5, etc.? Except I think they were only one episode, or two half-hour episodes.

If this results in more season sets of Mary Tyler Moore coming out, bring it on. Not a dumb idea at all, I am glad they are doing this.

:up: