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TV shows on Blu-ray: Why so expensive?

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Old 12-22-08 | 06:11 PM
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TV shows on Blu-ray: Why so expensive?

So I was at Best Buy the other day looking through the tv shows on Blu-Ray. Season one of prison break is $70! the standard def. is only $20. But then I noticed Terminator season one was only $20 on Blu-Ray. I thought maybe Terminator was one disc but it turns out its three discs so price per disc isn't a factor in this. So why is one show more expensive than another? Are they ever gonna lower prices for tv shows to more affordable prices? I could see paying $40 or $50 but not $80
Old 12-22-08 | 06:17 PM
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I think it has to do with the popularity of each shows.

Weeds and Terminator TV series can be easily found for less than $20 for an entire season, while others LOST, Prison Break, Sopranos, etc are considerably much higher.
Old 12-22-08 | 06:26 PM
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^Yes, and also depends on the studio. HBO has always been expensive.
Old 12-22-08 | 06:48 PM
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...also Terminator is 9 episodes, Prison break is 22 episodes.

...and good prices are not to be found at Best Buy.
Old 12-22-08 | 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by mhg83
So I was at Best Buy the other day looking through the tv shows on Blu-Ray.
There's your problem right there in your own post....never shop at Worst Buy for Blu-ray Discs! Their regular prices are pretty much shit....99 times out of 100 you can find the same title from Amazon or DD or most anywhere else online much cheaper....

Forgot to add: I recently bought all three seasons of Weeds for under $45, got the first season of Mad Men for $17.49, bought both first seasons of Chuck and Terminator for under $25 each...all of these were online and were less than Best Buy's release week "sale" prices....

Last edited by WMAangel; 12-22-08 at 06:52 PM.
Old 12-22-08 | 07:17 PM
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It's very expensive to produce a tv show on BD. Weren't tv shows expensive when they first appeared on DVD?
Old 12-22-08 | 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Kevin M. Dean
...and good prices are not to be found at Best Buy.
$37 band of brothers and $35 call of duty 5 would like to say hello.
Old 12-22-08 | 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
$37 band of brothers and $35 call of duty 5 would like to say hello.
Agreed. I picked up Band of Brothers on BD finally even though I already own the DVD. Figure for that price it was worth the upgrade.
Old 12-22-08 | 07:46 PM
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Originally Posted by mhg83
Are they ever gonna lower prices for tv shows to more affordable prices?
Sure they will... but not before the milk it for all it's worth at the uber expensive price point.
One of the first shows on DVD was the X-files. The MSRP was $150 per season. Really. Seems they were on sale not long ago for $20 a pop. Bide your time.
Old 12-22-08 | 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
$37 band of brothers and $35 call of duty 5 would like to say hello.
Very rare exceptions. Very.
Old 12-22-08 | 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by mhg83
So I was at Best Buy the other day looking through the tv shows on Blu-Ray. Season one of prison break is $70! the standard def. is only $20. But then I noticed Terminator season one was only $20 on Blu-Ray. I thought maybe Terminator was one disc but it turns out its three discs so price per disc isn't a factor in this. So why is one show more expensive than another? Are they ever gonna lower prices for tv shows to more affordable prices? I could see paying $40 or $50 but not $80
Patience and wise shopping. I bought Supernatural Season 3 for $31.99 at Amazon. At Best Buy, it was actually $22.99 if you managed to grab it before they went OOS.

Just casually walking into a B&M on any given day will wreak havoc on your wallet. Yah gotta plan your purchases and scour the forums for deals. It's the only way to have an even modest collection and still afford to eat and pay bills.
Old 12-22-08 | 08:13 PM
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Also, if you're doing comparisons based on the last season, I believe they're charging full price for strike-shortened shows.

Plus, even though Lost didn't lose much, going to 16 episodes in a season instead of 23 or so didn't lower the price.
Old 12-22-08 | 08:38 PM
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Part of the problem for me is the heavy discounts we see TV sets on DVD at all the time. The MSRPs may only be $10-$20 higher, but I frequently get the TV sets for $30-$40 less than the BD set. I just don't need my TV shows in HD if I have to pay that heavy of a price increase.
Old 12-22-08 | 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Drexl
Also, if you're doing comparisons based on the last season, I believe they're charging full price for strike-shortened shows.

Plus, even though Lost didn't lose much, going to 16 episodes in a season instead of 23 or so didn't lower the price.
Amazon.com pricing:

Lost Season 3: $62.99

Lost Season 4: $49.99

Amazon does not show this, but the retail price for Season 4 dropped to $69.99 before the title was released.
Old 12-22-08 | 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by WiiDSmoker
I think it has to do with the popularity of each shows.

Weeds and Terminator TV series can be easily found for less than $20 for an entire season, while others LOST, Prison Break, Sopranos, etc are considerably much higher.
The pricing depends on the studio in a lot of cases.

Fox and Warners are more likely to let their TV series (like Buffy, Angel, X-Files, West Wing, Babylon 5, etc) sell for under $20 than other studios.

While Disney/Buena Vista seems unwilling to let things like Lost and Alias sell for less than $30.
Old 12-22-08 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Easy
Sure they will... but not before the milk it for all it's worth at the uber expensive price point.
One of the first shows on DVD was the X-files. The MSRP was $150 per season. Really. Seems they were on sale not long ago for $20 a pop. Bide your time.
I'd go so far as to say it was THE first complete-season TV set, and they were setting the market price for something that really hadn't existed before.
Old 12-22-08 | 10:57 PM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
$37 band of brothers and $35 call of duty 5 would like to say hello.
Don't know about Call of Duty, but I know that Amazon matched the Band of Brothers price. So, you can order from Amazon, get free shipping and probably won't even have to save sales tax, creating savings over the identical Best Buy price.

And yes, TV on DVD was even more expensive than Blu-ray TV titles when it was first introduced. Prices will settle, but if you are patient, you can still find great deals. If you aren't patient, just be content with paying more.
Old 12-22-08 | 11:41 PM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
$37 band of brothers and $35 call of duty 5 would like to say hello.
I didn't know Call Of Duty 5 was a tv show on Blu-ray Disc....

I don't think comparing deals available on video games has any relevance when discussing Best Buy's usual pricing methods for Blu-ray Discs....yes, the BOB price is a very good deal, but that is more due to their "once a year half off sale of all HBO titles" and is an incredible exception to their typical awful pricing on high def titles....
Old 12-23-08 | 12:48 AM
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We are spoiled by recent loss leaders funded by retailers who simply want people in the door (not by actual bargain basement prices). Retailers are simply not discounting BR TV that much yet. When they do, the bargains are just as good. BF had $17-18 Terminator, and Amazon has had Lost S3 for $39.99. Sony had a rebate where you B2G1 free that included Damages as a choice, for free. I personally purchased Prison Break season 1 off eBay for $26.

-beebs
Old 12-23-08 | 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by WMAangel
I didn't know Call Of Duty 5 was a tv show on Blu-ray Disc....

I don't think comparing deals available on video games has any relevance when discussing Best Buy's usual pricing methods for Blu-ray Discs....yes, the BOB price is a very good deal, but that is more due to their "once a year half off sale of all HBO titles" and is an incredible exception to their typical awful pricing on high def titles....
It was a generalized statement toward Best Buy, not in reference toward Blus.

That said, their prices are fairly standard on newer titles, their weekly sales make them tolerable ($24.99 for The Dark Knight isn't great but it isn't eye gougingly awful).

Last edited by RichC2; 12-23-08 at 08:34 AM.
Old 12-23-08 | 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by RichC2
$24.99 for The Dark Knight isn't great but it isn't eye gougingly awful.
It's nothing compared to the $34.99 Shooter.
Old 12-23-08 | 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by WMAangel
There's your problem right there in your own post....never shop at Worst Buy for Blu-ray Discs!

Yeah yeah, we know Best Buy doesn't have the best prices in the world. But that's beside the point, even on Amazon Prison Break is $67 (wow, big difference from BB) compared to $20 for Terminator:SCC.
Old 12-23-08 | 10:19 AM
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I like how price on the yellow "sale" tag at BB is often the same as the sticker on the package.

"Oh look honey, it's on sale this week..."
Old 12-25-08 | 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
While Disney/Buena Vista seems unwilling to let things like Lost and Alias sell for less than $30.
Disney maybe be joining the party. Check the bargains forum, Alias and Felicity have just price dropped to $29.99 per season.
Old 12-25-08 | 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Kevin M. Dean
...and good prices are not to be found at Best Buy.
Originally Posted by Double_Oh_7
Very rare exceptions. Very.
Total BS.

Best Buy has great deals all the time.

Just on TV sets, I've purchased at least 50-100 various season sets over the years for $5-10. I've bought over 30 blu rays there for less than $10 each.

I'm a pretty saavy shopper, using Amazon and CH all the time, and always comparing prices. But I spend just as much at Best Buy than anywhere else.

If you believe Best Buy doesn't have great deals, then you aren't shopping very well.


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