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I hadn’t yet watched a TV series on DVD although you get almost all the popular ones even at your local Blockbuster. Given that there are several interesting and popular TV shows and only so much time that you have to pick and choose. And often if you’ve missed couple of earlier episodes, it is difficult to catch up especially with complex plot lines like that of Heroes. HBO and F/X has several good shows and until recently, I didn’t have access to HBO so I missed the bus on the Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, and Rome. Of course, you have the free online streaming options but I’m not a big fan and having received a ‘warning’ from NBC Universal via my ISP for sharing illegally, I am now loathe to try and ‘bittorrent’ any digital content. So I’m giving movie-watching a break now and instead catching up on these TV shows.
I have always loved historical tales especially those dating to the Greco-Roman times. Also, we tackled Rome first because it is relatively a new show and is only two seasons old with the first season available on DVD. The best part about cable TV shows is that the season lasts for only 12 episodes (not necessarily a good thing because you want more of it by the time you are done). Rome - Season One is spread over six DVDs (bonus features on the sixth one though). Instead of waiting for the discs from the online store, we preferred to borrow them from the nearby Blockbuster store so that way you can watch several episodes in a marathon session. I have the one-DVD-at-a-time plan and thanks to Blockbuster’s Total Access plan we can exchange the mail-in DVDs at your local store so the turnaround is quicker than Netflix.
Having completed watching the first season of Rome over the past week, I definitely enjoyed the experience and convenience. You can even skip the opening credits. Probably I’ll write up a review in my next post. However, I am still not entirely convinced if this is the better option of watching TV shows. Of course, time and convenience is a big factor since you can skip the annoying commercials. But then you miss out on all the buzz and talk that surrounds a show especially with today’s blog chatter and limitless discussions on every aspect of the show. Remember the times when you talked about the exciting episode of 24 or Lost at the office water cooler or after class wondering what would happen next? Do we lose out on that inane yet wonderful conversations? Of course, reality TV is counted out for obvious reasons.
Have you watched any TV shows on DVD and if so, what has been your experience? What are the good or bad things of either option in your opinion?
by Patrix | on Thursday, June 7th, 2007 at 1:57 pm | 
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June 7th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Well, I watched Frasier on the DVD, and it was interesting because I could rewind and understand the humor in every scene, which I would’ve otherwise missed. And I watched it at my own convenience.
On the other hand, given my lifestyle, it is difficult to adapt and religiously watch any serial, no matter what.
June 7th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Black King, I guess DVDs definitely are much more convenient and don’t chain you to your TV. That in itself is a much need relief. I prefer to catch them online on the networks websites too. Unfortunately not all channels have that option.
June 7th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
In my opinion, the best option is to pirate-bay-download it soon as it’s aired cos invariably the popular shows are uploaded within an hour of them being shown on TV. That way you skip the irritating commercials and can still be a part of the buzz. Watched almost the entire season 3 of LOST like that. If you are not being allowed to ‘Bit torrent’ then maybe you should consider moving!
June 7th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Harsha, it is not the apartment complex that doesn’t allow Bit torrent but the ISP. The problem with Bit torrent is that your IP is tracked and that can land you in trouble. I would try but the risk is not worth it. Especially when you have been warned once :)
June 7th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
I am going to take your advice of ripping stuff off DVDs. Here I go now. Off to EDMS. Get a DVD, rip it, burn it, give it back there itself and get another one. They take an hour anyway, So I will avoid suspicion that way! :)
June 7th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
The series that I am going to rip is the Wire. Although on second thoughts, I wouldn’t write them onto dvds. Burning two dvds of episodes onto the hard disk should be enough for a day.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Piker, ripping DVDs? Who, me? I would never! :) BTW I would appreciate if you could pass on the Wire.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Okay so I am a TV buff! I have done marathons of shows like 24 and Sopranos…as everything addictive, it became an obsession for me…so was up until 3am watching TV. I don’t think I could’ve handled the suspense week after week so for peeps with addictive personalities, DVD is the best option. I am on the 3 DVD plan (ofcourse!) but the stoopid blockbuster online ppl would send sopranos episodes according to availability rather than the order so we had to get the episodes only by in-store exchange which kind of slowed down our pace :( :).
June 7th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Boss,
Rome rocks!
June 7th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Crys, ditto on the sending DVDs according to availability rather than order. Have gotten parts 2, 3, 4 before getting the first one…so after much gnashing of teeth and ranting to their customer service, I simply order some long-forgotten hence easily available DVD and exchange it in the store.
Confused, oh yeah! it sure does. Can’t wait to get my hands on Season 2.
June 7th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
Whatever of The Wire I have is Season 2. I don’t burn them onto DVDs. I watch episodes and delete them. The first season of the Wire I watched straight from the DVD 2 weeks ago when they allowed students to rent out DVDs (I had rented out the whole box set!)
I have Season 2 and 3 (DVD rips) of Arrested Development. I can pass them over to you. Although I have seen season 1, I am fishing for their DVD rips.
June 7th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Piker, hmmm…let me watch Season One first and then probably I’ll borrow Season 2. Where do you get them from?
June 8th, 2007 at 3:54 am
I saw Prison Break Season, lost and other TV show in DVD. I’m gonna start 24, Rome shortly…
There should not be any doubt that watching in DVD has any benefit. No credits, no ads, we can watch even we want to, etc… The most important point is we don’t need a TV or be in the USA! :D
June 8th, 2007 at 7:08 am
2 summers ago, I watched the entire sex and the city series in less than a week..the BEST part about DVDs is watching them 2x, where u can see the subtitles, but still runs faster…that way u can skip over parts you dont like, but still watch them for continuity.. :)
June 8th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Ashwin, not being in the U.S. is definitely one reason to wait for the DVD instead of watching delayed and probably cut versions in India.
Sqrl, I always wanted to own the Friends DVD set so I can watch them whenever I can. But instead, I can just switch on the TV in the evenings and some channels always has some Friends episode that I know inside out going on :)
June 8th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I absolutely loathe watching TV shows on DVD - the sheer number of hours required to finish ‘em all beats any enthusiasm that I may have.
That said, the *only* TV show I have watched on DVD (and not once, but thrice the entire 116 episodes) is “The Wonder Years”. Each time it has been one helluva long week trying to get them done.
One of these days I will get to sopranos…. but…
S
June 8th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Supremus, Ah! The Wonder Years! I never knew it was out on DVD. Must get my hands on it. But it is an all-time classic….at least for me. Can watch it umpteen times.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Oh yes btw, I got the entire Arrested Development series. (Yay!)
They are dvd rips. And yeah since you were wondering, I got all these episodes from Megashares (They are like Rapidshare)
Psst… Rapidshare, Megaupload and Megashares are safe places to download content from unlike torrents.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Piker, great…now if you have them on DVD please be sharing the good’ol way :)
June 10th, 2007 at 1:45 am
No problemo. I have burned them on to DVDs and they are avi formats. You can take them at your convenience.
June 10th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Hey Patrix,
I have seen a couple of seasons of M.A.S.H. the 70s sarcastic take on war. It is absolutely mindblowing, both, the sit com as well as the experience of watching it on DVD.
If you haven’t seen MASH already, go get the entire seasons. I think its your kind of comedy…. And even if you don’t like them, you can ship it to your home address. I’ll collect it from there! :)
June 10th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Piker, thanks. Will pick them up soon.
Abhishek, I’ve been a fan of M*A*S*H ever since it aired on the earlier version of Star Plus. Must have watched all the episodes including the much-talked about series finale. Have you seen the movie which inspired the series?
June 10th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I’m reading this all drowsy from a marathon viewing of Alias. The wife and I are now into the fifth and final season, and we’ve found out that Michael Vaughn is actually alive, in Bhutan.
Four episodes a night, four nights a week. If there’s some kind of a record for this, we’d like to apply.
I’m not a big TV watcher. But hey this is (was?) fun.
June 11th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Nitin, Alias? Oh.ok :) Watching TV shows on DVD is like watching a movie albeit a longer one. But you can take breaks too.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:12 am
Patrix: Nopes, I haven’t seen the movie! I am yet to see all the seasons of MASH. (still on season 2). Does the movie have Alan Alda in it? ANd clinger?:)
June 12th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Abhishek, then you must see the movie although the humor is more subtle. And nope, it doesn’t have Alan Alda but they of course have a Hawkeye character. And a Klinger one too. I think only Radar is the common guy in the series and the movie.
June 23rd, 2007 at 4:20 am
Don’t use megashares. They have Mediasentry spyware in they servers, it’s not a safe place to download anymore