Brent L

If this is true it looks like more downloading for me to do. I own all of the DVD sets released so far, and other than watching a random rerun every now and then, this is how I've been watching the show for the first time. I look forward to the new KOTH sets because most of the episodes are totally new to me, and I will continue to buy each DVD set if they release anymore.

But if they are going to just short change me like this, yeah, more downloading for me. Screw 'em.

Jah-Wren Ryel

Lol. Do you see the inherent contradiction in these two points? Studios, like most big businesses, are as much about fiefdoms as they are about making money. Somebody with enough juice decided that farming productions out to other studios would be enough of a risk to his power and position that he didn't want to allow it.

MrBob

I think King of the Hill gets hurt by being played in syndication so much. I know that I have refrained from buying them, because I see the show 2-3 times every weekday.

calhoun07

I would think that would help it. It certainly doesn't hurt Friends, Sienfeld or the Simpsons.

joliom

If they won't license them out to a third party why not set up some sort of direct order system? I've never understood why the studios don't just setup their own online stores where you can buy all their DVD's and other products. For these shows and smaller films where they don't think a retail sell-through effort will be profitable enough, they could press a few thousand and sell them direct via the website. And they could also sell individual discs from existing box sets at a prorated price for people who had a disc lost/stolen/damaged and don't want to have to drop $40 to rebuy the entire set. It makes them extra money and fosters better customer satisfaction, so why not? But God forbid they try sometime different and get innovative.

porieux

Why is this show even on Fox in the first place? They shouldn't have shows that are actually good, like KotH and House, they don't belong on Fox.

paradicelost

Very good point there. completely agree.

calhoun07

I guess a big studio doesn't want to jack around with the same concept that is successful for many smaller places, like Rhino Handmade, but that's an awesome idea. Inevitably, the sets would cost more that way, but for the fans who want the show it would be worth it.

cdollaz

Having them on tv 10 times a day keeps me from buying the sets.

jmj713

Since I never watch King of the Hill on TV (only saw the first couple of seasons first-run), these DVD seasons have been my only exposure to it. I hope it keeps going. Don't leave us with incomplete collections!

joliom

Even if they had to charge a higher price, I think they could still do well since the fans are willing to shell out more to get an exclusive release of their favorite shows. If they did a smaller run of KotH - say 50,000 instead of the usual 1 million or so units for a full retail sell-through - I'm sure they could easily get away with charging $40-50 per set instead of the usual $20. I know I'd buy it. I guarantee they could make money if they structured the thing right. If anything, cutting all the transportation costs associated with shipping hundreds of thousands of units to stores all over the world, all the marketing and advertising costs that you incure with a big sell-through effort, all the costs associated with producing special features for the set, and the high return rate from unsold units, should dramatically cut your overhead to the point where you could probably even lower the price. The only added expense would be with the production run itself, since the pressing plants charge a lower per unit fee for large bulk orders. But that's easily offset by the cost benefits of not having to roll out the whole big retail campaign, plus you could probably write-off the smaller production runs with the larger ones (i.e. they'll cut you a deal on the price for the smaller order if you're placing it in conjunction with another - separate - huge one). I really think it's idiodic that they don't take advantage of the direct order market. But they're not really known for cutting edge business thinking, that's why they're constantly getting bought up by other, more innovative corporations. Why do you think Apple is the biggest profit-maker in the music business instead of the record companies that actually own the music that's being sold?

nateman

So I guess you enjoy watching hacked up syndicated episodes?

PixyJunket

Can anybody key in on how good the show is after season 6? Personally, if the show has a drop-off point I won't be too bummed out if the DVDs stop. But with King of the Hill it just seemed like the show was progressively getting stronger into season 6, so I don't know. I do know that season 7 has that insane pig factory episode, and that one was nuts.

cdollaz

Yes.

HappySysiphus

These giant, short-sighted, supply-siders are going to ruin the entire economy with exactly this kind of crapola.

There is definitely SOME demand for this content. There is undoubtedly SOME money in meeting that demand.

But if six million people won't pay 40 bucks for it immediately, THIS QUARTER, FOX can't do it their way, therefore it can't be done.

Keep on refusing to accept input from the demand side of the economy boys.

Let the robot steer you into the sun.

-HS

PixyJunket

For the love of.. c'mon, I love King of the Hill but, seriously?

mzupeman2

Haven't they only done like one King Of The Hill season per year for a while, and only near the end bumped it up to be a little quicker? Seems like it wasn't working out for them. As much as I hate this, as I love this show and also am watching it through for the first time on DVD as it comes out, what do we know? We know nothing of what happens in those offices and who says what and what's on their agendas.

joliom

It was strong right up until the present season (season 11), then it kind of hit a downward slide. Don't get me wrong, it's still better than 90% of the crap on TV today, but a lot of the episodes this season have been really mediocre compared to previous ones. I heard several of the writers jumped ship and that's the reason for the sudden decline. But it's unfortunate that Fox stopped at S6; 7 & 8 have some of the best episodes of the whole series.

Jah-Wren Ryel

I'm pretty sure that "entire economy" was meant as the entire economy of the entertainment business. His point being that by ignoring demand, they guarantee the creation of a black market.

Because the current economy of the entertainment business is based completely on artificial scarcity (payment is nominally for distribution, not for creation) any actions that encourage the creation of a black market, just increase the chance for customers of all entertainment to realize that paying for distribution, when the digital age has made distribution a non-rivalrous service, is not in their best interests as 'rational consumers.'

PixyJunket

Aye, well.. here's hoping they come back to the DVDs at some point.

im_ryandick

i'm in the same boat. first malcolm in the middle, now this.

prizm76

I gotta admit this sucks. I try to be careful buying shows I think I can complete.

There had to be some sales to get all the way to Season 6? I realize that it all comes down to money but you have to think once you sell 6 seasons of a show and stop your gonna burn your customers. If you release one season of a show it's understandable that poor sales would end any further releases. While it sucks you've been stuck with one season it's less painful then $150 worth (conservative estimate) of half a show.

I was going to start collecting Married With Children after this but I think I'll pass. Way to go Fox. Thanks for half of KOTH.

fitprod

Married With Children is distributed by Sony.

fitprod

Shampoohorn

First Son of the Beach and now this

Just a few months ago I realized this series was still ongoing, and now I'm kicking myself for not having Tivo record those episodes the last few years. Unless Fox releases these, I'm stuck waiting for FX to rotate some of the later seasons.

calhoun07

What I really don't understand is why they don't release new season sets of KOTH before the new season starts on TV...that kind of promotion works for other shows so why wouldn't it work here?