There was a time, shrouded in the mists of memory, when September heralded the end of summer reruns and ushered in a new season of network television. It was a time of great celebration and wide-eyed wonder as we breathlessly anticipated the new crop of series. It didn’t matter that most of them wouldn’t last more than thirteen weeks. What mattered was that once they came charging in, we’d be rescued from the summer of reruns.
That was before the onslaught of reality shows—err, “unscripted series”—and the resurgence of game shows, neither of which are well-equipped for the rerun circuit. But that didn’t stop the networks from serving us heaping helpings of them for summer fare.
A strange thing happened in the process: we came to miss the summer reruns. Fortunately, the studios were there to feed our addictions—for a price, of course. And thus was born the TV series box set. Sure, you can see almost any of these series on basic cable, or you can TIVO them, but that’s a poor substitute for actually owning them on DVDs loaded with special features that you previously never realized you needed.
TV box sets are the most profitable segment of the DVD market and this week finds no dearth of them. In fact, they pretty much make up the bulk of new releases in every category this time around.
In the Action/Adventure category, Prison Break: Season Two leads the way, with a six- disc set that runs 966 minutes, with extras. There are also some James Bond reissues out this week. You decide which set is more believable.
Dramas are a more delicate category, considering how quirky the plotlines often are. Is Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season a drama disguised as a comedy, or is it the other way around? Either way, it’s a pretty safe bet that by this time next year, you’ll be able to say you own the complete series.
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