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Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

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Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Old 02-10-16, 10:20 AM
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Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

March 22nd, 2016



What high school was like for the rest of us.


The modern classic, Freaks And Geeks, arrives on Blu-ray at last! Set in 1980 at the fictional McKinley High in Detroit, Freaks And Geeks focused on two groups of outsiders: the stoners, tough kids and bad girls; and the brains, nerds and squares. Although this Emmy award-winning series ran for only one season, it has remained a cult favorite and a benchmark of quality television.


A funny and authentic portrait of high school life with all of its horrors and triumphs, Freaks And Geeks resonates with anybody who has ever felt like they don’t quite fit in. The series’ legacy) including the ongoing success of many of its key personnel, from creator Paul Feig (Bridesmaids), to executive producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), to cast members such as Linda Cardellini, Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Jason Segel) is undoubtedly secure in the hearts and minds of its passionate (and ever-growing) fanbase.


Jam-packed with a treasure trove of extras, this Blu-ray collection also features all eighteen episodes in both original broadcast aspect ratio and a special widescreen presentation. Join Shout! Factory in celebrating this one-of-a-kind series with a set you’ll Geek out over.
Amazon Link
Old 02-10-16, 10:40 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

I hope to get this at some point, but with a $120 MSRP for one season, I don't know if I will be any time soon.
Are the widescreen versions just open matte?
Old 02-10-16, 10:56 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by joltman
Are the widescreen versions just open matte?
Comparisons swiped from blu-ray.com's forums (the widescreen versions are already making the rounds on Netflix and maybe iTunes):

Spoiler:






Like a lot of these things, you lose a little on the top and/or bottom and gain more on the sides. It looks like it's been reframed rather than just a straight every-shot-is-like-this-now.
Old 02-10-16, 10:56 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by joltman
I hope to get this at some point, but with a $120 MSRP for one season, I don't know if I will be any time soon.
Are the widescreen versions just open matte?
I think you meant to ask if the fullscreen versions are open matte?

The HD (16x9) versions are currently on Netflix. When sites have compared it to the DVDs, there's more information on both the left and right of the screen.
Old 02-10-16, 11:03 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

I can't wait!*





* for a price-drop
Old 02-10-16, 11:55 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Typically I don't advocate streaming, but at almost $7 (SRP) an episode, they're high. Stream away.
Old 02-10-16, 11:57 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Its $80 on Amazon currently. I'd like to pick it up at some point but I might wait it out to see if it drops as it seems like a lot of these big sets drop fast lately. The only thing I could see being different with this set is the fact that its being distributed by Shout Factory and their titles tend to not drop as fast.
Old 02-10-16, 01:10 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel
I think you meant to ask if the fullscreen versions are open matte?
In television production, the show would have been shot on film in 3-perf format, which has a shorter height (and thus wider image) than the 4-perf format used for feature films. The negative aspect ratio for a 3-perf image is fairly close to 16:9. If the show was composed for intended broadcast in 4:3, that would be taken as a center extraction from the negative and the sides of the frame would be matted off.

From the images Adam provided above, the new 16:9 transfer appears to be a combination of some cropping from the top and bottom with opened mattes on the sides.
Old 02-10-16, 06:02 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

I'm happy enough with my DVD set. Maybe if there's a major discount before Christmas as an Amazon Deal of the Day one of these years...
Old 02-12-16, 08:50 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

So what is in this thing to warrant such an extravagant price? I understand why the yearbook edition was priced the way it was, but this appears to be a set of blu rays. And not many at that.
Old 02-12-16, 09:10 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Decker
I'm happy enough with my DVD set. Maybe if there's a major discount before Christmas as an Amazon Deal of the Day one of these years...
Same. Especially since the DVD's are AOR.
Old 02-12-16, 09:12 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by hdnmickey
Same. Especially since the DVD's are AOR.
The Blu-ray set offers the OAR as well. Each episode is presented in its original aspect ratio and also widescreen: you have a choice.
Old 02-12-16, 09:40 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by jjcool
So what is in this thing to warrant such an extravagant price? I understand why the yearbook edition was priced the way it was, but this appears to be a set of blu rays. And not many at that.
It says its a nine disc set.
Old 02-12-16, 10:35 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by jjcool
So what is in this thing to warrant such an extravagant price? I understand why the yearbook edition was priced the way it was, but this appears to be a set of blu rays. And not many at that.
I'm not sure how much the 4K remastering contributed to the price tag, but surely that cost a pretty penny. The audience for this collection is going to gobble it up (I sure am!), but I don't think the size of that audience is especially large, particularly when you factor in its availability on Netflix and how many folks already spent a bunch on the DVD set. It's hard to have a really strong frame of reference for price since Shout Factory hasn't ventured out into catalog TV-on-Blu-ray all that much.

$30 is usually my ceiling for TV-on-BD (and I usually wait for something less than that), but the $79.99 that Freaks and Geeks going for now might be the lowest it gets for a long while.
Old 02-12-16, 11:05 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Mike86
It says its a nine disc set.
True. Two episodes per disc, with possibly two versions of each on each disc. So four hour long episodes per disc, plus commentaries and extras, I guess makes sense. Seems like an awful lot of discs for one season though.

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
I'm not sure how much the 4K remastering contributed to the price tag, but surely that cost a pretty penny. The audience for this collection is going to gobble it up (I sure am!), but I don't think the size of that audience is especially large, particularly when you factor in its availability on Netflix and how many folks already spent a bunch on the DVD set. It's hard to have a really strong frame of reference for price since Shout Factory hasn't ventured out into catalog TV-on-Blu-ray all that much.

$30 is usually my ceiling for TV-on-BD (and I usually wait for something less than that), but the $79.99 that Freaks and Geeks going for now might be the lowest it gets for a long while.
79.99 for a season of TV on blu is almost HBO level prices. I understand that they put in a good amount of money to get this title out on blu but I don't think they are going to sell many units at that price point. As you mentioned, the size of the audience is not large, and is getting smaller the further we get from when this originally aired. On top of that, many of the fans that would buy this, already dropped some serious coin on the Yearbook DVD edition. I understand that Shout Factory is a bit of a boutique label, but I really dont see them moving many units at that price.
Old 02-12-16, 11:47 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Yeah I'm not really sure why its so many discs considering its only eighteen episodes. Two episodes per disc seems kind of silly even if there is extra content. I kind of agree that it may not drop though considering its a Shout Factory release and their stuff tends not to drop very often.

Last edited by Mike86; 02-12-16 at 11:54 AM.
Old 02-12-16, 12:21 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Mike86
Two episodes per disc seems kind of silly even if there is extra content.
Remember, every episode is presented twice: once in its original aspect ratio and a second time in widescreen. It's basically like having 36 episodes.
Old 02-12-16, 01:25 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
The Blu-ray set offers the OAR as well. Each episode is presented in its original aspect ratio and also widescreen: you have a choice.
Didn't know that. But since that probably drive up the price, they still blew it IMO. Should have been OAR only.
Old 02-12-16, 01:39 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
Remember, every episode is presented twice: once in its original aspect ratio and a second time in widescreen. It's basically like having 36 episodes.
Ah right. I did forget about that.
Old 02-12-16, 02:12 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
Remember, every episode is presented twice: once in its original aspect ratio and a second time in widescreen. It's basically like having 36 episodes.
I think that's a dumb idea. As long as the framing was done with respect to the image, there's no reason why anyone would choose to watch full-frame over ws.
Old 02-12-16, 02:20 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by islandclaws
I think that's a dumb idea.
It's not a dumb idea to the people who disagree.

I think you'd find that a bunch of people willing to spend $80-$120 on a Blu-ray set of a 17 year old TV series they probably already own on DVD can be purists.
Old 02-12-16, 02:36 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by islandclaws
I think that's a dumb idea. As long as the framing was done with respect to the image, there's no reason why anyone would choose to watch full-frame over ws.
Or, perhaps, making assumptions about others' viewing habits is the "dumb idea". I will absolutely watch the full-frame version.
Old 02-15-16, 10:11 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by islandclaws
I think that's a dumb idea. As long as the framing was done with respect to the image, there's no reason why anyone would choose to watch full-frame over ws.
Originally Posted by Doctorossi
Or, perhaps, making assumptions about others' viewing habits is the "dumb idea". I will absolutely watch the full-frame version.
Question. Is "full-frame" still the proper term? I thought that term came from the picture filling the old 4:3 frame, no?
Old 02-16-16, 10:59 AM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by jjcool
Question. Is "full-frame" still the proper term? I thought that term came from the picture filling the old 4:3 frame, no?
Yes, it's not really apt any longer. I suppose I would just say "4:3 broadcast frame" or something to that effect.
Old 02-16-16, 01:31 PM
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Re: Freaks & Geeks: Collector's Edition

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner
It's not a dumb idea to the people who disagree.

I think you'd find that a bunch of people willing to spend $80-$120 on a Blu-ray set of a 17 year old TV series they probably already own on DVD can be purists.
Originally Posted by Doctorossi
Or, perhaps, making assumptions about others' viewing habits is the "dumb idea". I will absolutely watch the full-frame version.
Ok, ok, perhaps "dumb idea" was the wrong way to put it, but, honestly, I consider myself something of a purist and I have no qualms with watching the show in this new widescreen ratio.

In this age of large displays and clear HD imagery, why would you elect to watch this 4x3 when the new ws image looks respectable?

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