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Idle speculation

June 24th, 2008 · Posted by Skuds in Life · 5 Comments · Life

I was thinking about Doctor Who earlier – something I am likely to do a lot of this week while I look forward to seeing Davros, Daleks, and all sorts of goodies on Saturday – and my train of thought started wandering, as it so often does.

I wondered how many copies they would sell if they released the last two episodes on DVD before the weekend. And then I wondered if that might happen more in the future.  At the moment DVD box sets go on sale almost as soon as a series end, but what if they did it the other way round?  Not something the BBC would do I am sure, at least I don’t think they would, but surely someone will.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when the box sets com out at £60 a throw I find it very easy to resist them because I have recently seen the whole thing and know it will probably be thirty quid in a couple of months.  Would I be prepared to fork out full price if I had not seen the programmes and couldn’t wait to know what happens next?   Or would I be down to Blockbusters to rent it instead?  Or would I just wait for it to be broadcast?

Right now it seems an unlikely business model.  If some TV company tried it there would be a lot of negative comment, which I would join in with but if it suited the TV companies they would continue, and after a few years it would seem perfectly natural as we all absorbed it into our habits.  The fact that films have already been in the cinema and available to buy or rent doesn’t seem to stop them attracting decent audiences on TV, maybe it would work for serials as well.  I’m sure some people already do it with American shows where the DVD is available over there before its even shown here.

It would only work with shows like Doctor Who, Heroes or Lost where there is a story arc and a bit of suspense: nobody would be queueing up to see Last of the Summer Wine or My Family before they are broadcast.

I wonder…  will I be sitting in the corner of the room in 20 years moaning to the grandchildren about how we used to have to wait until something was broadcast before we could see it, and how much better it was then, while they can’t understand how we ever used to put up with being dictated to like that?

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5 Comments so far ↓

  • Ferry Boy

    I missed Doctor Who this weekend – as I was in Amsterdam with my girlfriend for her birthday. I did manage to catch up with it on the BBC I-player. Which is fab. If only donna noble could have died I would have enjoyed it even more.
    My wee boy was running about the house in joy as there were different coloured Daleks in the trailer – has convinced himself that the red Daleks are the most scary ones ever. He was convinved, probably due to the fact I paused the I-player, that I could also fast forward to next weeks Doctor Who. TBh I would happily have paid a tenner or so to see next weeks Doctor Who.

  • skud's sister

    My boss’s little lad has already asked for a red dalek for Christmas and they haven’t even said they are making them yet. But they will….

  • Andy's_mum

    Loved the Vote Saxon picture on the top of your blog!

  • Skuds

    Serendipity! The pictures, as you will have worked out, are random.

    The Vote Saxon poster is still up – the Mrs keeps telling me to take it down, but I keep putting it off.

  • Hiro

    I love Catherine Tate in the series. So much better than Billie Piper! Was it me or was Billie talking a bit odd? Has she had dental work?