Simpsons Season 4 DVD Speculation thread

[Reply #40 on:]

I dont know about that though Al Jean and Co have
been recording them this month,  Jean even said they might get them done quicker when its other people with less commitments.

[Reply #41 on:]

The reason I say they can't afford to take so long to release these is simply that its a gamble in terms of the holding the consumers' interest.  Alot of people that are collecting these now may lose interest by the time they get to later seasons, and maybe even just lose track of them completely.  To begin with I imagine these things are currently benefited alot by the fact that its a still hugely popular show that's still on the air.

Gorky speaks the truth though.  This entirely has to do with syndication.  The money they make off those reruns simply outweighs the dvds (no matter how well the dvds sell), and they don't want to hurt it.  Personally, I'd have to admit that I gave up syndication long ago, sticking instead with tapes and dvds.

[Reply #42 on:]

I want seasons 4-10 on DVD,I'll buy them.I just don't want the later ones.

  I'm the pope now!   

[Reply #43 on:]

TEN?  Egads man!  At least shave off that peice of shit.  I don't think even I'll be buying that one (9 is a BIG maybe).

[Reply #44 on:]

I haven't completely given up on syndication yet. My local station is currently showing season 5, which contains alot of my favorites.
I'm still undecided as to how many of the sets I will buy. Purchasing any of them after season 8 would only be justified by the fact that there would be commentaries.

[Reply #45 on:]

Well, I think I'll buy 15 when that comes out in 2015 or whatever.  13 and 9 are, as said, BIG maybes.  Same with 14 (which is worse then either of those), although "Moe Baby Blues" may be enough to justify a purchase.

10-12 I just don't give a shit about anymore and won't buy them unless I have A LOT of money to blow, commentaries or not.  I definetely want to hear those commentaries, but will just rent/borrow them.  No need to blow 40-50 bucks a piece on seasons that suck ass.  There's only maybe 15 episodes total in all of those that I MIGHT consider watching again without the commentaries anyway.

[Reply #46 on:]

I'll buy them all. Every season, including the sucky ones. I feel I owe them for the hours of entertainment. Plus, I don't eat Butterfingers, so I gotta give back to them some how.

[Reply #47 on:]

I just can't justify not buying every season.  It will be so awesome to have them all.  Also, it won't be that much money if you buy them when they first come out.  I just think that every Simpsons episode is spectacular, even the later ones.

[Reply #48 on:]

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
The reason I say they can't afford to take so long to release these is simply that its a gamble in terms of the holding the consumers' interest.  Alot of people that are collecting these now may lose interest by the time they get to later seasons,

Yeah I mean there's going be at least 16,
If its still one a year its going to take about 13 years till then.
I'll probaly be 30, and possibly (but very unlikley i think) be married with Kids
I'm not sure I still be so intrested in rewatching Simpsons episodes and listening to audio commentaries by that age.


I'll probably buy all of them though
season 9 I consider worth it, season 10 is still possible, 13 and 14 are maybe's 15 so far is a yes, But If I'm getting all those I might as well buy them all.

[Reply #49 on:]

I agree with DanMan4040, it would kind of be wrong to not buy every set.
Anyway, I'd buy seasons 4-8 for the episodes. But after that, I'd still buy them. Not for episodes but for, as I said before, the commentaries. I'd love to hear how the crew's opinions on the show's quality change from season-to-season.

[Reply #50 on:]

Conan? Woo hoo! We can listen to him not be funny! 

Anyway, I want all the seasons, though I sure won't be in a hurry to buy 10-12.

[Reply #51 on:]

 

Originally posted by Gorky:
 I'd love to hear how the crew's opinions on the show's quality change from season-to-season.

I don't think they'll really comment much on what they did wrong, especcially since Scully probably liked his episodes anyway.  It'll be interesting hearing some of them TRY to justify the episodes though.

Also, you can hear some comments about the changes in quality from interviews and so forth:

Yeardley Smith: Was complaining around 93/94 that the show was going for the easy laughs too much and not living up to the characters.  But still felt the show was otherwise good.  No word since, although she is still working on it anyway.

Dan Castelenetta: Seemingly danced around the issue.  But seasons three and four are his favorites, Lisa's Pony is his favorite episode, and Saddlesore Gallactica is his least favorite.  Did comment that "every season has at least a few good ones".

Harry Shearer: Has vocally bashed the writing of later seasons.  He once said "the Simpsons now is merely a shell of its former self that occasionally shows its old brilliance.  And that alone is worth keeping it on the air".  In another case he said something like "There's certain writers who, when I see their name on the script, my heart just leaps with joy because I know it will be true to the characters and full of wit and intelligence.  We also have other writers".  Apparently felt season 14 was an improvement, no word since.

Mike Reiss: Vocally bashed the state of the show in the Scully era, and has freely admitted that the show declined alot.  However, he recently stated that "the show may have gotten stale for a while but I think Al (Jean) has really rejuvinated it".  Also recently named Simpsons Safari as one of the worst shows apparently.  In his words, "we've been through some good shows...and some bad ones.  Remember that time the Simpsons went to Africa and for some reason there were diamonds and monkeys?  Seriously...what the fuck?"

[Reply #52 on:]

Where do you get all this from, I know about Yeardley and Mike reiss. but never saw Harry or Dan's comments.

I'd love to know exactly to who harry's reffering to, and when he made that comment about the writers.

According to snpp.com 'Simpson and Delilah' was Dan's favourite.

[Reply #53 on:]

 

Originally posted by User_names_suck:
Where do you get all this from, I know about Yeardley and Mike reiss. but never saw Harry or Dan's comments.

I'd love to know exactly to who harry's reffering to, and when he made that comment about the writers.

According to snpp.com 'Simpson and Delilah' was Dan's favourite.

I do remember seen that, but I guess Dan changed his mind.  It was interesting (as snpp noted) that all the favorites people mentioned were from season two.

I don't remember the exact sources of the Shearer and Dan C. comments but you can find them on snpp somewhere I'm sure.  The Dan one was from shortly before season 15 began I believe, and the Harry ones comes mostly from various "official" interviews.  In the case of Shearer though, his comment about 14 being better I think came from an interview with a fan site, or maybe an e-mail to the person that ran said site, I'm not sure.

[Reply #54 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:Mike Reiss: [...] Also recently named Simpsons Safari as one of the worst shows apparently.  In his words, "we've been through some good shows...and some bad ones.  Remember that time the Simpsons went to Africa and for some reason there were diamonds and monkeys?  Seriously...what the fuck?"

It's really hard to imagine Mike Reiss swearing like that, innit? 'coz his voice is just so pleasant all the time: "I could watch this all day, that's terrific!"

(okay, admittedly that's Maurice LaMarche's impression of Mike Reiss but he sure did nail it.  )

[Reply #55 on:]

Heh, well he has been document using the word "fuck" before.  I know, it actually doesn't sound that much like him from the commentaries.  But I would say when he does swear its probably at least partially in jest.

[Reply #56 on:]

Yeah but its still hard to Imagine it was shocking enough hearing Groening say 'Shit' on the 'Some Enchanted Evening' commentary, although thats partly because they really built up supense wonering 'oh can we say this' For about 10 minutes.

Its nice to see the staff and cast can make fun of the show too.
although having seen The Pitts its actually amazing the Scully era turned out as good as it did.

[Reply #57 on:]

Not really shocking, I agree, but I thought that the way that they debated saying it was hilarious.

[Reply #58 on:]

Official: Season 4 will come out on June 15.

[Reply #59 on:]

 

Originally posted by Action Jacktion:
Official: Season 4 will come out on June 15.

Awesome!Conan O' Brian and Jon Lovitz!
This is a dream!

[Reply #60 on:]

Damn you Jacktion! I was going to say that!
But don't get too excited. It could get pushed back. [Raoul]It always does...[/Raoul]

[Reply #61 on:]

Thanks for the info. What's the source?

[Reply #62 on:]

I believe FOX said it during a press release.

[Reply #63 on:]

Ohhh, FOX said it. Then I'm almost certain that it'll be pushed back.

[Reply #64 on:]

No, I believe them. I see no reason why they wouldn't have it out by June 15th 2005. 

[Reply #65 on:]

If they actually do get it out by then it also means a December release for season 5 is plausible. There could be a slight delay in the U.K though.

Although as MOV said before there's too much sense in that idea so it probably wont happen.

[Reply #66 on:]

I was just kidding, but I'm rather surprised that the season 4 release will take a shorter time to come out than season 3 did.

[Reply #67 on:]

Why? I mean there's less episodes for a start. and Season 3 was orginally planned about that time anyway.

[Reply #68 on:]

 

Originally posted by Gleno:
 I agree....and why does it take so long for them anyway....?
Each new Futurama dvd was out in 6 month intervals....over here anyway....

the reason why is because of those DVDs you can get with four episodes in, theyre called like 'The Simpsons Too Hot For TV' etc. and they make loads of money, while they continue to make money from these im sure theyll quite happily take their time with the season dvds

[Reply #69 on:]

No, those compilations cater to a different audience anyway.  The money they make off of them doesn't warrant holding these back.

The real thing holding these back is syndication.  They make so much money off of that, that they don't want to jeopardize it with the dvds.

[Reply #70 on:]

You say that and your probably right but the commentray schedule plays a heavy part as well.
and you know The DVD's have sold brilliantly well.

[Reply #71 on:]

Exactly.  Its practically BECAUSE these things are selling so well that they're shaking a little about syndication.  No matter how much money these dvds make (and I realize they have done extremely well), they aren't currently going to overtake the money made off of syndication.  HOWEVER, what do people that own the dvds not have to watch?  Syndication.  And the more people who buy these dvds, the less people there are watching syndication.

[Reply #72 on:]

Hmm But I'd have also thought people only watch in syndication for so long, so it could also damage sales. but whatever your probably right.

[Reply #73 on:]

so did conan o'brian write for the simpsons or something then? thats pretty cool if he did although i dont really know much about him. When did he quit?

[Reply #74 on:]

Yes, he wrote these episodes.

I don't know the exact date when he quit, but it was at about the same time that David X. Cohen joined the Simpsons staff. DXC tells a little anecdote about how he took over Conan O'Brien's old office on the Futurama commentary tracks.

[Reply #75 on:]

do you know which episode? + how come conan o brian had his own office if he wrote 3 episodes?

[Reply #76 on:]

It's "Xmas Story"

It might have just been his cubicle, though.

[Reply #77 on:]

 

Originally posted by User_names_suck:
Hmm But I'd have also thought people only watch in syndication for so long, so it could also damage sales. but whatever your probably right.

You're right also, some people get fed up of the eps in syndication, which turns them off the DVD's...

[Reply #78 on:]

 

Originally posted by SwanMan3000:
do you know which episode? + how come conan o brian had his own office if he wrote 3 episodes?

"The Simpsons" (and for that matter, Futurama) have a collaborative writing process. While O'Brien most likely wrote the first draft of the script and possibly came up with the idea, it's widely banded about that at most 40% of the final episode is the original writer's work. Equally, O'Brien would have contributed to other episodes.

Or not. (DtB would be more able to clear this up  ).

[Reply #79 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:The real thing holding these back is syndication.  They make so much money off of that, that they don't want to jeopardize it with the dvds.

The other reason would be that if you release 1 DVD a year, you make a killing at Christmas. If two seasons a year were released people might only choose to buy one out of the two as a present, resulting in (slightly) reduced sales.

Basically, it's all about money