OldBoy

Would it make sense to get this if I wasn't a huge fan, but watched some episodes and liked it, but just seems likes this is a set to own for all the goodies and I would watch all the eps and most likely enjoy?

And is that posted website in the other thread the only place to buy this edition and is this the only, lowest price?
Why is there such a severe price difference $45 for 6-disc to $120 for 2-disc's more? Simply because of all the extras...that seems absurd, but I would like all.

DVD Josh

If you read up on the Limited Edition, you'll see why the LE is more. Search around the forum.

As for your question - I would say that it's a great show for persons that were high school age during the 80s (the time period of the show). Others will probably enjoy it, but not as much.

For example, I really like My So Called Life, because I was Danes' age during the show. My cousin didn't care for it, but loved F&G for the same reason (age similarity).

moviezzz

Well I'm a major F&G fan, one of the first to sign the petition to get it on DVD. But, I'm only going for the regular edition.

For me, it is the episodes that matter the most. And, I really hate most collectible packaging (hard to store etc). The extra discs may be nice, and the yearbook looks interesting, but for the extra price, for me it isn't worth it.

You can get the regular edition for I think it is $48 at Amazon.

JuryDuty

Here's the thread discussing this: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...postid=4722552

Bottom line is that the Fan edition is amazingly awesome, but it is about $80 more than what you'll pay for the regular edition. That's $80 for 2 more discs and a super-nice yearbook package. You can see in that thread what's on the 2 extra discs and if it's worth it to you. Personally, I think I'm just going with the regular edition because I won't watch all the extras as it is, as much as I love the show.

NYHOFSTRA

The fact that this is the only way you'll ever get those two discs of bonus footage and its limited to so few copies makes it a must get for me (which is why I have it now).

The packaging is simply the best ever done for a DVD set, and I'm willing to bet, as an over all package, nothing will ever top it.

Why? Because this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime convergences where there was no corporate involvement, the creators are as passionate about the work as the fans and it's a finite thing. This is our (including the creators') childhood on screen. It began and ended just like the show. It was fun and painful and we never wanted to see it end. There's no future for it and there's no future for Freaks and Geeks. All we have is what has passed. So we have to embrace that. There's no hoping for prequels or sequels. It is what it is and we are happy to have had it and now, we'll have it forever.

To be able to collect it all and be able to look back on it whenever is well worth the money.

gjamesm

I agree, I am passing this up mainly because of the packaging. I hate packaging that doesn't go with the rest of my TVShow sets.

Buford T Pusser

I bought the LE and am very glad I did.

But I love the show.

How old are you? The time period correlated to my High School years so it brought back a lot of memories of the time.

Breakfast with Girls

I just can't justify the extra $75, as much as I like this show.

tonyc3742

I got my LE today.
It was expensive, and I haven't had a chance to watch any of it yet, but just flipping through the yearbook brought me back to high school. Very cool. Worth 70 extra bucks? [well, that and the two extra disks]? Hard to quantify. Ultimately, the decision is of course yours. The packaging is definitely unique--I perhaps wouldn't have minded a yearbook and a LotR-EE like disk case for the DVD shelf, but it's not that huge a deal for me [my dvds are in three different places anyway, so I put this one on the bookshelf next to my college yearbook.]
The way I look at it, it is as close to direct involvement with the creators as I'll get, and like NYHOFSTRA said, this is it, it's done now.

gjamesm

It would cost me an EXTRA $121.79 CDN and that is with shipping to my PO Box in the U.S. Going to stick with the cheaper box. Amazon.ca has changed the release date to April 27 though.

Laertes

Yes, I bought the LE. I live in Canada, so it was very, very expensive. I'm glad I got it though. Just got it yesterday, and the packaging is the best packaging I've ever seen for a DVD collection. I love it. Haven't even watched any of it yet.

OldBoy

i'm still wondering if i should pick this up if i was only a causual fan..better to say i didn't really have time to watch as i think it was on at an odd time, but from what i saw i liked..but the le seems so darn interesting...but also the regular set of just series sounds good too..what to do? what to do? please help sway....

Laertes

Okay, scott, the thing is, i think if you're a casual fan, the normal version is going to be okay. I think you still get the 30 commentaries for the 18 episodes.

Here's the rub: I think that once you see the episodes, you'll be more than a "casual fan."

I hadn't seen the episodes since they first aired, but I love each and every one and I love all the characters, who are all fully-rounded and whom you learn more about each episode. I really love it.

The LE also has good articles from the LA Times, notes on each episode and behind the scene photos. Not sure which, if any, will be included on the regular edition. Plus, ion the extra two dvd's, you get the table reads, etc.

If I had just bought the regular edition, after watching the eps, I would have been lusting for the LE. All the extras aren't strictly necessary, but I'm sure glad I have them.

If you do get the LE, and decide you didn't need it, I think someone suggested it before, you can always sell it on ebay.

bboisvert

scott1598 -- I really think that you've answered your own question. I don't think anyone can recommend that any self-described 'casual fan' spend $80 for 2 discs of extras.

Get the regular edition for $45 or so. As you mentioned, it is pretty jammed packed already...


However, on the flip side, if you got the LE set and didn't enjoy it (unlikely) or didn't feel it was worth the cost (possible), you could probably turn around in 6 months or so and sell it on eBay for much more than you paid... so that's something to consider, if you needed swaying in the other direction.

ThatGuamGuy

I'll never understand people who say they won't buy something they want because of the packaging, but won't spend the extra dollar or two to buy a few extra cases. I, personally, hate the yearbook on the shelf (on top of being missized, there's nothing on the spine that says "Freaks and Geeks"), so I'm gonna stick it into two four-disc cases. The yearbook is a great extra, I love the stuff in it, I just don't want the discs to be in there.

That said, for a casual fan, I don't know if the eight disc would be worth it. I think the stuff on discs 7 and 8 is pretty cool, but I don't know that I'm going to watch it again, and I'm a huge fan. The Q&A was okay, but like twenty minutes of introductions...
The auditions were cool, but part of the joke (at least on disc 8) is how wrong the people are for the parts they're trying out for. I mean, I love Joe Flaherty, but his gym teacher audition was terrible. So I won't watch those again.
All the good deleted scenes are on the actual six discs; the ones on 7 & 8, again, are interesting, but not as re-watchable. I mean, the raw footage of Shia LeBouf ... interesting, but it's so similar to what aired that I can't imagine me watching it again.
The behind the scenes footage is too short to be more than a curiosity.
The best thing on it, as far as I've seen, was "Goodbye", which is three or four minutes worth of footage really well-edited to 'Come Sail Away'.

It's that kind of stuff. I haven't watched the script readthroughs yet, though.

I say all this as a huge fan; so you can extrapolate from this what a "casual" fan might think about discs 7 and 8.

Also, I love the yearbook, but I was a little upset that they changed Nick's character arc within it. It kinda bugged me, I really liked where his arc ended.

If you're just a casual fan, you probably won't even get through all the cool stuff on the main six discs.

JuryDuty

I'm the one who started the other Freaks and Geeks LE thread, and since then I've decided against getting the LE. I think it's awesome if you have the money to burn--but I personally can't justify it for these reasons:

1. It's $80 more for 2 discs and a book--and I'll spend the majority of my time watching the first 6 discs.

2. I love extras on DVDs, but I only watch them once. I think the 6 discs have enough extras for me, and I can't justify $80 on something I might watch once.

3. Call me silly, but I want the collection to fit in my current shelving. I have the ET gift set and it sits in a cupboard because it won't fit with other DVDs...and I forget I even have it.

4. They're coming out with a book of scripts with handwritten notes and a CD of the show's music--this will help make my $45 edition more "complete" for a fraction of the cost.

Hope this helps!

ThatGuamGuy

I totally agree with this as a criticism of 'F+G' (even though you can switch cases easily), but why not just take the 'E.T.' disc case out of the bigger box? It's perfectly sized to go on the shelf, and the actual case for the disc looks *really* cool. It even has the name on the spine, unlike the lousy two-disc.

I know, I know, it's weird, because it's all shiny and all that, and it looks like it'll get all fingerprinty. But, still, I think it's better than forgetting you have it. It looks really cool on my Spielberg shelf 'cause it's the same size as the "Jurassic Park/Lost World" box.

JuryDuty

I hadn't done it earlier because it is kinda big, but you know, you're right. I think I'll do that. Thanks!

OldBoy

you know, i think this thread was so great for me...the last few posts were excellent and i must say thanks to all that participated..i think i am just about convinced that i will pick up just the 6-discer at BB after school today. i look forward to seeing the shows and what extras are there and think it makes sense to enjoy and if i become more than a fan, than i do, but i will at least have the shows which are really the only re-watchable things to be truthful..the extras are just that and while might be icing..to be honest...if the extras aren't on the disc of the movie it takes me a very long time to get to the other disc.

LBCrazyFool

Any idea as to when this will be coming out? This will make my $120 edition more complete.

JuryDuty

The CD is supposed to be out this month. Not sure about the script book. But I do know the script book contains about half the episodes, complete with the directors and writers notes. The CD is music from the show (obviously).