That's the very definition of a catch 22.

How many shows released Seasons and then everything?

At this point I wouldn't count on it. Many shows are no longer getting BD releases so.... It's not happening.

As an example of a title which is not judged by its first week units moved, Firefly has allegedly sold a total of 413,318 units from November 11, 2008 (its date of release) to October 19, 2014.

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2014/10/19

IIRC, the revived Battlestar Galactica released the season 4.5 and the complete series sets on July 28, 2009, before releasing the other seasons as individual bluray season sets.

The Sopranos first released season 6 parts 1 and 2 back in 2006-2007, and season 1 in 2009. The complete series bluray set was released a few weeks ago on November 4, 2014.

6 years and it's been on sale multiple times for $15 less

Right. But it's not like there gonna release Bones the Complete Series when they have stopped current seasons on Blu-Ray.

FYI Season One of that show was released on HD DVD.

Catalog on TV isn't so hot right now. TV even worse.

I see no reason to worry about CBS releasing more catalog TV titles on blu-ray. They have always released slowly, never keeping up with consumer demand. And even though there pricing model has on average been higher than most they still move product. My guess is we will see two new blu-ray titles in 2015, possibly Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, or The Fugitive, as they continue to test the waters

What retailers will stock Gunsmoke on Blu-Ray? Big Lots?

Most likely. Unless it is "outsourced" to somebody else willing to take the risk. Though I don't see third party firms like Twilight Time, Olive, Shout, etc ... doing such complete series bluray releases.

Pretty much online only. How many stock Gunsmoke DVD's? Not many, but they still sell.

They sell? Says who?

Okay, lets see...Gunsmoke season 11 is releasing on 11/2. Season 12 is currently slated for early Summer 2015. I'd say that is evidence it is doing just fine.

During 2010, the total units moved numbers for Firefly.

June 13, 2010 - 15,661 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2010/06/13

September 19, 2010 - 53,257 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2010/09/19


On the week ending on June 13, 2010, around 10,587 units of Firefly were moved that week.

So for a year and a half or so after its original release, from November 11, 2008 to June 6, 2010, only 5074 total units of the Firefly bluray were sold.

Not to forget that Perry Mason has had all seasons released and is currently finishing up releases ot th TV movies. Bonanza just released season 7 this past summer with season 8 slated for 2015. And guess what have already been transferred to HD, so the hard work has all been done.

Wonder if that June 2010 date coincided with the Firefly bluray first showing up in the $15 dump bins?

For completeness, the timeline of the total units moved of the Firefly bluray.

2010

June 13, 2010 - 15,661 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2010/06/13

September 19, 2010 - 53,257 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2010/09/19


2011

May 15, 2011 - 129,256 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2011/05/15

May 22, 2011 - 158,654 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2011/05/22

November 20, 2011 - 203,922 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2011/11/20


2012

November 4, 2012 - 299,687 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2012/11/04

November 11, 2012 - 315,291 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2012/11/11


2014

October 19, 2014 - 413,318 total units

http://www.the-numbers.com/home-mark...art/2014/10/19

Most likely the latter years (ie. after 2010) for the Firefly bluray, were dump bin purchases at $10-$15 a pop (or less).

On DVD. To old people who would buy it. Thy are not going to buy it on Blu-ray

If it is a series that I want, I don't give a shit if it is released on DVD or BD, as long as it is released.

I bought the first season of Three's Company on DVD way back when and never bought another season because I just didn't want to keep chasing rabbits down holes. (Money pit and not knowing if the studios were going to keep releasing until all the season were available.)

They just released the entire season on DVD and I bought it as soon as I got it for a reasonable price. I didn't give a shit whether it was BD or not. I think a lot of people probably feel this way. Sure I would have preferred BD but that it being on DVD was not going to determine from purchasing it. Price was.

Also, I recently sold several seasons of shows that I was enjoying but are currently still running. One, who knows when certain shows might end? Two, who knows if the studio will keep releasing the seasons until the show ends? Three, I don't want 2 seasons on dvd, 3 on BD and then suddenly the studio shift back to dvd releases from BD (WTF?). And finally Fourth, I am content to wait on complete series releases now on everything whether it is DVD or BD. Too much other stuff out there right now to watch.

Right now I think you put a complete series out on BD or DVD at the right (i.e. cheap) price and the buyers will come. The average person doesn't make a snap decision to buy the entire series on I Love Lucy on BD $400 or whatever.

Just for comparison sake, I just looked on Amazon and the first season of I Love Lucy is $68.15 on BD and $7.00 on DVD (brand new)! Which do you think the average person is going to buy?

BD just needs to come down in price on these series. They will sell more and maybe make more dough in the long run. But do the studios want that?

The fact of the matter is, the studios judge what they release by how much they make on previous releases. They don't care if people are waiting for a price drop or a complete series.

Personally I've been moving more towards this stance over the last year or so.

For me, its function is a way of severely restricting my impulse buying and ocd compulsive collecting/hoarding of dvds/blurays.

This is the main reason why I haven't purchased the dvd/bluray season sets of many current tv shows which I've been watching in their first-run broadcasts. For example, shows like: Revenge, The 100, Reign, Continuum, Falling Skies, NCIS, etc ...

Of these current shows, most likely I won't bother buying the bluray season sets of Continuum, Falling Skies, The 100, etc ... largely due to the (subjective) decline in writing quality and/or recent episodes are too much of a "chore" to watch through.

If Revenge or Reign end this season (or next season), I may look into buying the season sets. (Both shows have the lowest or second lowest ratings on their respective networks).

Now I'll use one of your answers, "Says who?"

Gunsmoke and shows like it have been airing currently in syndication. Even though some have complained about split volumes and higher than average pricing, it continues to br released on DVD, so CBS isn't complaining. We won't know for sure how well it will do on blu-ray until released, or what CBS will need to get back to continue with releases. It's already been transferred to HD, so the expensive work on their part is done.

The current market would seem to suggest it has a better than average chance, and it worth the effort by CBS to find out.

The $7 DVD's per season and $68 BD's are for two different markets. Most that have wanted ILL over the last decade already own it on DVD. And they paid well over $7 a season to get them. The $7 pricing are a last ditch effort to get sales from those that never purchased before. The BD pricing is primarily for those fans that already own it and want to upgrade for the better quality and extras.

Based on past history CBS doesn't go the quantity sales for a lower price route, so why would they start now? They work to find what the market will bear and stay at the upper margin. They are not in a rush for quick sales, so I would say that they disagree with the premise they could make more in the long run going with the LionGate approach.

I purchased all three of the referenced BD titles from this thread and would not have ant reservation in picking up more for titles i really want.

Some CBS/Paramount tv on bluray titles are already local dump bin fodder, such as:

NCIS: Los Angeles - season 1
the revived Hawaii Five-0 - seasons 1, 2, and 3
CSI - seasons 1 and 9
Dexter
South Park

IIRC, Lionsgate tv on bluray sets were not much more in price than the dvd versions since the dawn of bluray. (Stuff like Mad Men, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, etc ...).

If I was a big fan of Mad Men in those days, the (relatively) low prices of the bluray season sets might have tempted me to purchase a bluray player back then. (I didn't have AMC at the time).


Unfortunately these days, it appears that almost every movie company has moved to the Lionsgate approach of lowballing the price premiums (bluray vs dvd) straight out of the gate, such as Warner, Universal, Fox, Sony, etc ...