I ask this because I love LOST. I watched the first 2 seasons on DVD and loved breezing through them within a week or two. I was so into the show. I still am, but these 8 MONTH breaks between seasons really kills some of my enthusiasm for it. I care a little less about it when I go so long without seeing the show. It's not the shows fault, they can't help it, but I really think it'd be cool to discover this show when all 6 seasons are on DVD and go through the entire series over the course of a few weeks. That would be really cool.

I think I'm going to do that with Battlestar Galactica, as I've heard good things about it.

At the same time, it is fun to discuss each episode with friends on a weekly basis, and then having an episode have something big occur and then having to wait an entire week to see the conclusion to it can actually add to the fun sometimes because it's something I can look forward to.

As much as I love catching up on a show with DVD, there is a bit of a difference when you watch it as it airs. For example, I started watching Buffy when it first aired, and the show just felt more epic as it developed over years. I got older at the same pace that she did, and it felt like more of a connection with the character. I think I get more attached to it if I'm devoting years to it, rather than viewing it over a week or two.

24 was easier for me to watch on DVD.

It depends on the show. I watched all of Season 1 of Heroes in 3 days. It was great, but the pacing of it was completely different than watching it weekly. With the Office, I watch it weekly. There's a certain amount of anticipation that leads up to each episode, and if done well, the time off between episodes (and seasons) can add to a show's experience (for me anyway). As much as I hate waiting over the summer for new shoes, it makes September that much better. And by watching a show weekly I can savor each episode's goodness, and not just breeze through them in a weekend.

But for stuff like 24 & Lost, I'm so far behind I just said screw it, I'll watch them later haha.

For shows that I've devoured on DVD like Babylon 5, I can't imagine getting only 1 episode per week and then waiting 4 months for the next season. For shows that I've religiously followed on television, I can't imagine waiting a year for the DVD to be released.

I normally prefer to watch the TV shows I enjoy on DVD so that I can watch them all at the same time because with a show like LOST, if you miss one show, you will be lost (no pun intended).

I completely agree. Throughout my teen years I was a huge fan of the WB watching "Gilmore Girls," "Felicity," "Roswell," "Dawson's Creek," "Popular" and of course "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Angel." The same goes with HBO's "Sex and the City" and "Six Feet Under." Half the pleasure of these shows were watching them over the course of years. Watching them and being able to watch the characters grow and age over the years just like I was.

It is kinda cool to think back to a specific time of my life and thinking about what TV shows I was watching at that time and what was going on within the series. Buffy aired from fifth grade to junior year of high school for me. That is a big chunk. And I think the reason I still love the show so much is because it was a part of my life weekly for 7 years. While watching on DVD definitely has its advantages such as being able to watch an entire 24 hours within 3 or 4 days. But I prefer the epicness of being able to enjoy a 7-season series within 7 years versus a couple of months.

Guess I'd prefer the DVD route. My time is valuable...saving 7-14 minutes per episode by avoiding commercials is worth it to me.

DVD, definitely. I don't like commercials, and I don't like waiting a week to see what happens. With regards to Lost, I'm waiting until the entire show is over with, and then I'll rent the discs.

I'm fine with both and don't really have any preference. I can deal with the wait when I'm watching the run and I also like to watch multiple episodes in a row on DVD.

DVD.
The wait in between seasons is too much for me if I really like a show, especially when the breaks are REDICULOUSLY long which is what killed LOST for me. I gave up on it because of that and will just get back into it once it is over and available on Blu-Ray.

I guess it depends...I simply do not have the time to watch all the DVDs I want, so if I can catch certain shows on TV while they run, fine. Then even if I like the show I can put off buying the season set later on on DVD so I can watch it a few years later when I am ready to revisit the show and waiting to buy the season sets saves me money, since a lot of studios mark them down considerably a year later.

But there are shows like Lost and such that are rewarding to watch on DVD, since they have story lines that continue from one episode to the next, and you don't run the risk of forgetting things between long breaks.

I also prefer watching TV on DVD because sometimes I am just tired after work and I might nod off at some point during the show. I gave up on trying to watch Ugly Betty season two on TV for that reason alone. There was one episode I nodded off during numerous times (I enjoy the show...I was just TIRED!) and I realized I had NO idea what was going on towards the end so I stopped watching it for the rest of the season and caught up with it on DVD (I got to see the season for free through free rentals I had.)

I prefer watching shows as they run. As calhoun7 said, I don't have enough to watch all the DVDs I want and TV shows take up a lot of room in my Netflix queue. There are a lot of shows I have never seen that I'm sure I would love (Rescue Me, The Shield, Burn Notice all come to mind), but I always have lots of movies I want to watch and never add shows. Plus, I get far more frustrated when I catch up with a show and can't watch it. Or, like in the case of Mad Men, I just don't remember to adjust my TV schedule for a new show. Or Battlestar Galactica, which I have consistently stayed behind on no matter what I do.

Plus, it's a lot easier to avoid spoilers when you watch as a show runs.

like many others said, i watch some on dvd (a lot of showtime and hbo shows) and other shows i watch as they air or try to at least.

And to add, you can also participate in the threads about the shows right here on DVDtalk if you watch them as they air. Sometimes that provides insight into what you just watched, insight you might miss out on if you are avoiding spoilers and don't catch up on the threads after you view the episodes.

I know there are shows I've caught up with on DVD and I wonder from time to time, "I wonder what the people on DVDtalk thought about that episode?" Often times, I forget to do the search for the thread the next time I log on.

I prefer to watch on dvd. I'd rather be able to devour the entire season in one fell swoop as opposed to having to wait it out. The only show I've watched as it airs recently is The Shield.

You could always record a show and watch it as soon as the recording's done or, if you have a PVR, start watching when the show's been on for 7-14 minutes.

I only watch a show on DVD if I hear good worth of mouth on it and then play catch up in order to watch it live.

I could not wait until 8-10 months to watch Lost or 24 on DVD. Considering 24 has been off the air since May 2007, I could not wait until possibly December 2009 for the DVD. I surf the internet every day and would not be able to avoid spoilers.

Some shows that I am/have watched on DVD then watch live:
The Shield (finished 1-2 in 1 month, then watched 3 onwards live)
One Tree Hill (finished 1-4 in 3 months, then watched 5 live)
The Office (tryinng to finish season 4 to watch 5 live)
Dexter (trying to finish season 2 to watch 3 live)
Mad Men (trying to finish season 1, then will watch my DVR recording of 2 later this fall/winter)

This is in addition to shows that I am already a fan of and watch live, then I will pick up the DVD set afterwards. I think some people are a little spoiled by the medium. 15 years ago, noone said I will wait for the VHS of Friends or Seinfeld. There is also alot of quality programs still airing that won't/have stopped getting DVD releases due to lack of interest from the studios or being poor sellers. So, I think it's a little naive to think/expect that every show will get a DVD release so that you won't have to watch it live and can skip commercials etc.

If it's a show that I've watched as it aired from the beginning, I continue to do so. Only with "Supernatural", I had to switch over to DVD since CW only became available on digital cable. I don't put off watching a new-to-air show with the thought that I'll catch up on DVD.

There are lots of shows I'd never seen which I am now enjoying on DVD (often because I don't subscribe to HBO or Showtime). However, it is impossible to avoid certain spoilers over the years. For example, it was unavoidable to hear certain plot points about "The Sopranos" (just finished Season 3) and "Six Feet Under" (didn't start yet).

I tried to march past all 7 season of Buffy last summer and even as much as I really liked the show (own all the dvds), had already seen all the eps before when they first ran etc.. that, that was just a whole lot of one show at one time. lol

I really prefer shows on DVD but if I really like a show I can't really bring myself to wait. I also agree that some shows work better week to week then on DVD.. Like say Alias, most eps ended on a mini cliff hanger and seasons ended with huge ones.

So in a way you robbed of that "Ohhh what's going to happen?!?!" vibe that only comes with knowing you have to wait a week or longer for the next ep.

Of course it helps that now networks seem to view season 2 on DVD a good lead into to the new season 3 and release them right away. So it's easy for some to "wait" for say Lost on DVD being you know it will come out. Where as other shows might not even make it to dvd and in the past use to trickle out slowly.

Would one wait to see Lost on DVD if you knew last season was not going to come out for 2 years?

I will typically "discover" a show on TV, and then if I like it based off of a few episodes, I will usually plunge into every season eventually and marathon the show until its done. Some of those shows have been:

House
The Office
Entourage
Sopranos

But there are shows I have just bought the first season of because of their low price, and loved them. Like I said, if I like it the first time, I'll usually buy every season available. Some of those shows have been:

Battlestar Galactica
Nip/Tuck
Metalocalypse
Veronica Mars
Rome

It depends...if I hear about a show, and it sounds cool, then I will watch it as it airs. The only one as of late was Journeyman (about a year ago), and Heroes (although I caught it after the first 2 or so episodes).

For most other shows, I see it on DVD, and after I'm caught up, I watch it as it airs, like Entourage, The Wire, Rome, Dexter, upcoming BSG, etc.

I like watching them on DVD. I don't get Showtime so i got into Dexter through DVD and also got into "How I Met Your Mother" on DVD after never seeing an episode but hearing a lot of good things about the show. Next up for me, "The Wire" and maybe "House"

I prefer to watch as they run for several reasons:
1. They're free--no rental or purchase expense.
2. I have a TiVo, so commercials aren't really a bother and I can always stock up if I want to watch several in a row.
3. Part of the fun is the weekly anticipation, then watching a show and discussing it here right away!

Agree 100%, part of the fun of watching a TV show live week to week is talking about it with your co-workers and coming to message boards like this and talking about it with other fans/haters.