Soaps on DVD - possibility or never going to happen?

[EricMontreal22]

I want a complete set of Loving

[DRW50]

I would settle for a complete set of Mary Hartman.

[Scotty]

ITA. Good post.

As mentioned above, ABC did/does not own Dark Shadows. If you remember at the end of each episode, the voice-over said "Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production." The show may have been taped and aired by ABC, but the rights that's about it.

[Scotty]

Yes, but you have to remember that DS was not owned by ABC the way PC was. I wouldn't get my hopes up regarding ABC doing anything like that.

[Chris B]

I understand ABC had nothing to do with Dark Shadows on DVD. I was just showing it as an example of a soap successful on DVD. The fact that ABC DOES own it's soaps makes it even more baffling that they won't release them on DVD. They own their soaps so the profits are theirs. Same with the PGP soaps. The lack of any release is just lazy and a waste of all those episodes.

[JackPeyton]

i think dark shadows is an exception to the rule.

it sells itself, really.

most random people are not going to pick up Guiding Light - 1973 on DVD when looking through the store IMHO.

[Chris B]

Dark Shadows is so successful because they have a strong core audience and the supernatural elements draw in other people who might not watch a soap. That's why I say Port Charles would be the logical next step and then the current soaps. I also disagree with you about Guiding Light. It *just* went off the air so their fanbase is still large and mobilized. I think they'd buy the DVDs. And what about the soaps that are currently on air? You really expect me to believe they wouldn't sell when there are built in ways to promote them?

B&B was released overseas WITH extras, meaning they put money into the release. Why can't they simply take that and release it here? The US is certainly bigger than Australia and B&B has a bigger audience here. Why did it take them to release TWO different box sets?

[YRBB]

Exactly.

This certainty that a soap on DVD would fail is quite weird. Will it be hard? Sure. But if done in the right way, with the right promotion and the right packaging/price, it could be a goldmine.

But, as I've said before, what I don't get is why they aren't moving their asses and putting all the episodes online somewhere... much cheaper, much easier, and will appease a lot of fans.

[Chris B]

With GL ending they could've made tons of money selling DVDs of the show. In the weeks leading up to the end they could promote big boxsets as a way for the show to continue. With all the press people knew about the show and they'd even be able to get lapsed viewers as well. Maybe not even soap can sustain complete series type collections, but 30 episodes in a boxset? Any semi-popular show can do that. Even quickly canceled shows with tiny fanbases.

[SFK]

And edited storylines seem like an interesting way to go, but G-d forbid they should have to hire someone to do the editing. Was just talking about this in the OLTL thread, but if ABC for instance released a box set of "The Lord Saga" from OLTL starting with Lord of The Banner ending with Viki's acceptance of her father's (and Tori's) crimes, I would be all over that. It would be like watching my I, Claudius dvds.

[dragonflies]

Oh most definitely. I could see them releasing the arcs on DVD. I also think it would sell pretty well with KM on GH and various other PC actors on current soaps

[EricMontreal22]

I agree that it sure was a wasted opportunity not to even offer a mail order "Farewell to GL" special DVD or something. It probably woulda sold well enough to justify the costs even if it HADN't had much on it.

As I said earlier Dark Shadows also has always been owned by Dan Curtis productions. I think Agnes' company, Creative Horizons? always owned Loving--they never sold it to ABC--am I right?