bsmith

A growing trend I see in DVD menus for TV shows is to provide a synopsis of the episode when selecting it for play. Is it just me or does it just seem wrong to provide a texual summary of what is in an episode to the viewer before they watch it? Many times they will even add a screen capture showing an important scene from that episode. Don't they think some viewers are watching for the first time?

I don't remember if it was Stargate Atlantis or BSG but I just got used to the right series of clicks to avoid glancing at the text and seeing the screen capture. Now I just started watching "Six Feet Under" for the first time and not to be bested, they not only provide a synopsis but they play a small video of scenes from the various episodes on the disc, which is harder to ignore with video and audio. I couldn't help but notice while selecting an episode that a character earlier dismissed is now back in one of the episodes on this disk because of there need to show me what's coming up. Movies at times will loop through scenes of the movie as part of the menu startup.

I know it is a rant but who gets paid to come up with these brainless ideas and why are they allowed to continue? Does this bother anyone else?

kstublen

Doesn't bother me. Actually, it's kinda nice, especially if I am looking for a particular episode to watch and I can't recall the name or episode number. Most of the time though, when I am watching every episode of something, just don't read 'em. If they bother you that much, just skip 'em. I think it also adds a certain level of aesthetics to the menus with a screen capture and synopsis, which is likely the same synopsis you could've found in TV Guide or something similar.

scarredgod

i like an episode synopsis, but i despise spoiler screenshots (buffy and angel were the worst)

NoirFan

I don't mind an episode summary, I just hate when they include spoilers. It is possible to summarize without giving away the goddamn ending. Really though, such things should be included in a booklet, not onscreen, but companies are too cheap to spring for the paper I guess. Over time, I've trained my eye to glaze over the episode summaries, as I quickly press play. I have had a few episodes ruined by unwanted synopsis/spoilers over the years though.

bsmith

I guess I just hate to lose out on a surprise by having it forced upon me. I typically try to avoid reading anything about what I am going to watch before I watch it. The textual only descriptions are not hard to ignore but when they actually play scenes from the episode while you're trying to select it, I think they are going to far.

You mention looking for an episode, that would usually mean this is not your first viewing. I don't mind them providing it but wouldn't it suffice to have an option to selectively view the synopsis instead of displaying it all the time as a default?

Arthur Dent

How right you are! FOX didn't limit this to Buffy and Angel-- I can think of other 20th Century Fox-produced shows that contain spoiler screenshots, like 24.

meshershark

Another sometimes spoiling trend is to show the chapters with thumbnails when you select an episode. Sometimes the chapter images or chapter titles will contain spoiler information.

Both that and the syopses are very useful to repeat watchers but potentially upsetting to first-timers. I suppose the menu designers figure most buyers watched the show when it was aired.

Michael Corvin

24 is the worst when it comes to spoiler screenshots in the menus.

marty888

I've stopped reading them.

One of the worst offenders is Alfred Hitchcock Presents - their summaries often give away the twist that ends the episode.

David Levine

Homicide: Life on the Streets is one of the worst offenders. The synopsis is essentially a "Cliff Notes" version of the episode including every plot twist and surprise.

critterdvd

I really like this feature from series because when I'm looking for a specific episode or something it helps me go through the different episodes to find the one I'm looking at.

When I'm watching a series for the first time I just usually avoid the text, but the audio/visual is a lot harder avoid - and that can downright piss me off.

Something I do LOVE is when the DVDs include the TV spots for the specific episodes. HBO used to do this and I love it!

n.phelge

I think that the general summary is:

- Hate it when I haven't seen the episode.
- Love it afterward when I'm trying to find an episode.

For watching 24 and The Sopranos seasons for the 1st time, I would basically put the disc in without turning on the TV, wait until I figured that the disc had played past the intro video and was on the main menu, turn on the TV, squint my eyes and click on the episode play button as fast as I can.

bsmith

I guess I'm one for rewatching a series from beginning to end. I never try to find a particular episode to watch, so they provide absolutely no value to me. As mentioned, text is easy enough to ignore but images, audio, and actual video from the episode in question is definitely harder to ignore.

Rypro 525

everytime i put in a disc for a buffy episode, i actually close my eyes before watching, since there are extreme spoilers for new viewers, the worst is prob season 5 I also hate how they spoil stuff that happens a few seasons from then in commentaries, or put featurettes on disc 2, that spoil stuff for the entire season. i made the mistake of watching a character overview for season 5