It is still astonishing that in a land with hundreds of TV channels there can be virtually nothing worth watching during the summer months.
The networks are burning off the unaired shows they didn’t want you to see during the regular season, numbing your brain with inane reality shows, or repeating their complete 2004-05 collections.
So, if you’re going to watch re-runs anyway, why not make them re-runs of your own choosing?
The brave new world of TV shows on DVD continues to unearth titles that were long ago stored away in our hearts and minds – and in the deepest, darkest corners of Hollywood production studios.
With nearly six decades worth of material to choose from, each TV show release can bring even more excitement than your typical movie because you never know what’s coming, or when.
We all know that “Batman Begins” or “War of the Worlds” will eventually be on DVD. But when you see that the first couple of seasons of “Moonlighting,” “Remington Steele” or “Northern Exposure” are available, you’re more likely to jump.
And there’s truly something for everyone – from the all-time classics to shows that were cancelled before finishing their first season.
“For every bad show, or show that the majority of people think is bad, there are still millions of people that tune in every week to watch it,” said Gord Lacey, founder of tvshowsondvd.com. “If you take those millions of people, there’s going to be a bunch that want to buy the show on DVD.”
Lacey’s Web site, which started as a personal obsession to get “Family Guy” and “The Kids in the Hall” released on DVD, is spreading the love to all shows.
The site lists thousands of TV shows and keeps tabs on whether they’re already available, soon to be released or still sitting on a studio’s shelf somewhere. Most shows also have links to online stores where customers can buy them.
Most importantly, though, Lacey collects TV fans’ votes on what shows they’d like to see on DVD, and production companies often use those numbers in deciding whether to expand on the 5,000 already available releases.
“One of reasons why TV on DVD appeals to so many people is not only because you can see every episode, you can own every episode,” Lacey said. “You know coming home from work you can watch any episode of ‘X-Files’ or ‘Star Trek.’ People love that.
“More people just buy TV DVDs just to have them; and they want the whole set.”
That point is proved by the fact that “Seinfeld,” which airs at least four time each night in syndication, is one of the best selling DVDs around.
But the process of getting shows onto DVD isn’t always a matter of packaging them up and shipping them out.
Many new shows – including “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives,” whose first seasons will be available on DVD in September – are being licensed with future DVD sales in mind, and turned over quickly.
But some older shows, such as “WKRP in Cincinnati,” may never land on DVD, Lacey said, because licensing all the music that appeared on the original broadcasts is too expensive.
| The most requested TV shows as-yet-unreleased on DVD, according to tvshowsondvd.com:
“Beverly Hills, 90210” (1990) “JAG” (1995) “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” (1993) “SeaQuest DSV” (1993) “The Wonder Years” (1988) “The Facts of Life” (1979) “Wings” (1990) “Batman” (1966) “Get Smart” (1965) “Third Watch” (1999) |
Log on to tvshowsondvd.com to make your voice heard.
But until then, grab a juice box, curl up on the couch and pop in your favorite episodes of “Too Close for Comfort,” “Walker, Texas Ranger” or “The Abbott &Costello Show.”
Victor Balta’s column runs Mondays and Thursdays on the A&E page. Call him at 425-339-3455 or e-mail vbalta@heraldnet.com.
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