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Strike Season

Bob's look at Lost Season 3 DVD and more.

By Robert T. Trate, Columnist February 19, 2008

How much is a mini season?
© ABC

The strike is over. TV will continue. Well, most of it anyway. Okay, so it isn’t all roses but some shows will return with a slight break and then squeeze out a few more episodes and then be back in the fall. Hopefully. So I started looking ahead. It’s my nature. Just the other day Tim Janson, fellow Maniac and DVD columnist, and I were already discussing the DVD fall releases. I think I already laid the ground work for a fight over a title but, rest assured Maniacs, we’ll get the job done*. As we were discussing the fall schedule I suddenly thought about this season of TV and the titles that would be coming out. More importantly I thought about the price. What does 13 episodes of “Lost” cost? How many discs will it take for 13 episodes? Well, with Blu-Ray it should be only one, but it seems that they have this thing where the more discs it is the more expensive it has to be. So figure 6 discs at two episodes per disc, and 1 episode by itself with added bonus features.

“Heroes” did a whopping 11 episodes before they were done. So what do you think the good people and NBC/ Universal will give us with that season two box set? A ton of extras, an action figure exclusive (an in the coffin Takezo Kensei would be cool), a comic book? Would that get you to pay $49.95? I hope not. There will be people who will still buy it with nothing but 11 bare bone episodes at that price.

In my perfect world we would mail in our “Lost” and “Heroes” box set proof of purchases from previous season(s) and get these mini seasons for free. Why not? Don’t we deserve it? Aren’t we the ones getting swindled in the long run? What, you don’t believe the crazy man with column? The original season of “the Office” initially cost $29.99. It still costs $19.99. The total number of episodes on disk: (drum roll, please) 6. Everyone wants to recoup their losses. The studios have a bit of a drought coming up and the writers are finally going to get what they should have been getting all along. Are you ready to pay more for less?

My plan, your plan, our plan should be to hold out and get these “strike seasons” in bundle packs with the following season. It will be the only way to get the most for your hard earned dollar. By then we might be finally disappointed by “Heroes” or had it with “Lost”. You won’t have wasted your money on buying an expensive “strike season” and saved that valuable shelf space.

ACTION / ADVENTURE / KUNG FU/ THRILLERS / WESTERNS

American Gangster (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

American Gangster (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

American Gangster (Three-Disc Deluxe Edition)

Eyes Front

Fatal Pursuit

In the Valley of Elah

In the Valley of Elah [Blu-ray]

Hitchcock's Finest

The Perfect Witness

Redacted

Run Lola Run [Blu-ray]

Spiral

ANIME

Clamp Double Feature: Tsubasa Chronicle and xxxHOLiC

Death Note - Vol. 3

Dragon Ball Z: Heroes Condenados v.6

Dragon Ball Z - Season Four (Garlic Jr., Trunks, and Android Sagas)

Dragon Ball Z Double Feature - The History of Trunks / Bardock the Father of Goku (Steelbook)

Dragon Ball Z: Goku Es Detenido v.5

Dragon Ball Z: Heroes Condenados v.6

Girls High Collection, Vol. 1-3

One Piece - The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta (Movie No. 8)

Tokyo Majin Vol. 2: Dark Arts: Predestined Power + Artbox

Tokyo Majin Vol. 2: Dark Arts: Predestined Power

Welcome to the NHK Vol. 3: 3rd Conspiracy

CARTOONS

Animated Classics

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Volume One

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (remastered deluxe edition)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 2, Part 1

COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style

The Charlie Chaplin Collection

Red Skelton in Color

HORROR

Black Water (check out Tim Janson’s Review)

Catacombs

Forest Primeval

Frankenstein's Bloody Nightmare

The Hands of Orlac (1924)

Living Dead

Naked Beneath the Water [HD DVD]

Nightmare Detective

Revamped

Secrets of a Soul (1926)

Vampire Triple Feature: Central Park Drifter/Fiancee of Dracula/Two Orphan Vampires

The Walking Dead

SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY

Gabriel

The Invasion (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Moonlight Mile Vol. 1: One Small Step

Rock and Rule

TV LAND

Classic Bonanza Vol. 1

Vol. 1-2-Best of Bonanza

Walker, Texas Ranger: The Complete Fourth Season

The Criterion Collection

Pierrot le Fou - Criterion Collection

Walker - Criterion Collection

BOX SETS

Best Of Bela Lugosi

Gangsters - The Ultimate Film Collection (American Gangster / Scarface (1983) / Casino / Carlito's Way)

German Expressionism Collection (The Hands of Orlac / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Secrets of a Soul / Warning Shadows) (4pc)

Karloff Classics

Monsters Unleashed (9 Movies / 3 Discs) Featuring: Gamera, Gappa, Yongary, and Giant Gila Monster

*Tim if you think you are getting ‘Iron Man’ you got another thing coming.

COMMENTS AND RESPONSES

isgrimner 2/19/2008 7:05:24 AM

I was wondering what Season 4 of Lost would eventually cost on DVD/Blu-Ray back when they cut it from the normal 22-23 episode season to a 16 episode season. I feel that since 13 episodes is just a little more than half of the previous seasons, the price should be equivilently around half the cost of the previous seasons. As far as fitting all 13 episodes on one Blu-Ray disc, it could be done but the quality would suffer. I have Season 3 on Blu-Ray and I think there are about 3 or 4 episodes per disc and it looks fantastic. There is a little greeting on the first disc by Lindelhoff and Cuse talking about it being the best possible version of Lost available. So I don't think they would compress them more to be able to squeeze more on to one disc. My guess is that it'll be a 4 disc set. Three discs just for the episodes and 1 disc with 1 or two episodes and special features.

hanso 2/19/2008 7:13:32 AM

I believe Lost season 3 on Blu Ray has 5 eps per disc and the 5th disc has the last 2 eps. As far as the new seasons go, the prices won't change. Look at the Shield, Nip/Tuck prices, and they are usually around that lenght long. Entourage is the same with HBO,

isgrimner 2/19/2008 7:34:52 AM

It probalby will be the same price, because they know suckers like me will buy it anyway. I will even double dip, and rebuy seasons 1 and 2 if/when they get put out on Blu-Ray. Then I'll sell or give away my DVD versions.

Hobbs 2/19/2008 8:56:31 AM

Yup, way to go isgrimner. Thanks to many people like you the 13 episode season will be $50. You must have all the super duper triple, extended editions of DVD's in your collection. All those DVDs of the same movie. Hollywood loves ya! I on the other hand am not a fool and will not spend the money and let them rip me off but to each their own. That's the biggest reason I don't own BSG on DVD with that split season crap charging full season prices.

TheLastCleric 2/19/2008 9:25:26 AM

That's why I still haven't nabbed season 1 of The Office nor will I until I can find it for 10 bucks or less. As to these microseasons, they need to be released at greatly reduced prices. Half a season should equal half the cost.

isgrimner 2/19/2008 9:59:17 AM

Actually, I normally wouldn't pay a huge price, but Lost is my favorite show so for it I will. I like Heros a lot, but I doubt I'll ever buy it. As far as double dipping and buying Blu-Rays of the first two seasons should they come out, I would do that because I could then give my DVD copies to my younger sister who also loves the show, but is in college and doesn't have much disposable income. I didn't start watching 24 untill season six started. I didn't want to buy 5 seasons worth of DVDs so I joined Blockbuster online to watch them all. I don't buy a lot of the complete TV series seasons. I own Lost, The Office, a couple of Scrubs, a couple Buffy's that were gifts, and some Aqua Teens. As far as my movie DVD/Blu-Ray collection. I don't think I have ever double dipped. I waited for the extended cuts of LotRs because I knew they were coming. If I own a DVD and later on a "new and improved" version comes out, I don't replace my original, though I may rent it to check it out.

experiMENTAL 2/19/2008 1:28:25 PM

I'd like to bring this little gem listed under horror to the discussion table: Vampire Triple Feature: Central Park Drifter/Fiancee of Dracula/Two Orphan Vampires lol

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