Best of TPIR on DVD

[johnnya2k3]

Yesterday at Sam's Club, I bought the three-DVD set that had all the great moments from the Johnny Carson Tonight Show. I also got the Buffy Season 5 DVD, but that's another story.

Anyway, what if TPIR put out a DVD of their greatest moments from the last 30 years? I'm sure they'll include some that made the show famous (you know the ones), as well as a behind-the-scenes "featurette" about what goes on at TPIR. Heck, they might throw in something about the original version with Bill Cullen, and possibly audio commentary by Bob Barker!

TPIR has done so many episodes enough to warrant out a "Best Of" DVD of their own. I'm thinking it'll be web-ordered exclusively at CBS.com, but if it gets very successful sales, it might be available at stores.

Could "Family Feud's Funniest" be on the horizon (with the wackiest answers ever given from ALL versions--Dawson, Combs, Anderson, and Karn (so far))?

Jonathan Allen

[Jimmy Owen]

Not sure if it would make money for Fremantle.  Just yesterday I saw the first "American Idol" highlight DVD in the deep discount bin at Wal-Mart.  And there were A LOT of them there.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 03:30 AM\'] TPIR has done so many episodes enough to warrant out a "Best Of" DVD of their own. I'm thinking it'll be web-ordered exclusively at CBS.com, but if it gets very successful sales, it might be available at stores.

Could "Family Feud's Funniest" be on the horizon (with the wackiest answers ever given from ALL versions--Dawson, Combs, Anderson, and Karn (so far))?
 [/quote]
 This topic comes up once every three of four months, it seems anymore.

And for the eleventy-billionth time, there is not even close to enough of a remotely interested market for such a DVD, or in fact any game-show-centric DVD, to make enough of a profit to be worth doing.

In case you hadn't noticed, the niche cable channel dedicated to such things is moving away from its game-show identity. They can't make money from it either. So, yeah, let's flood the market with a bunch of DVD's that only the membership of this board would ever consider buying.

[cmjb13]

It's easier for some shows to release their whole run, maybe an average of 5 seasons on DVD.

But when you've got 32 years of shows, plus Barker/James/Kennedy nighttime, where do you start? Unless they plan on releasing all the years and making a huge profit, it's not worth it.

It's the same story with the music. There isn't enough interest to justify the expense of creating the CD's.

Although there have been obscure DVD's released, I can't see this being released yet. Maybe a few years down the road, but don't hold your breath.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 09:23 AM\'] It's easier for some shows to release their whole run, maybe an average of 5 seasons on DVD.

But when you've got 32 years of shows, plus Barker/James/Kennedy nighttime, where do you start? Unless they plan on releasing all the years and making a huge profit, it's not worth it.

It's the same story with the music. There isn't enough interest to justify the expense of creating the CD's.

Although there have been obscure DVD's released, I can't see this being released yet. Maybe a few years down the road, but don't hold your breath. [/quote]
 Weren't there a "Best of Gong Show" and "Best of Newlywed Game" home videos released at some point in the 90s. Chuck Barris mentioned a Gong Show home video coming out when he appeared on Bob Costas or Conan O'Brien in 1993 to promote the "Confessions" autobiography being released. Bob Eubanks mentioned a Newlywed home video coming out in 1997 to promote the show's supposed "25th anniversary", when the show premiered 31 years ago at that point, and only had about 17 or 18 years of actually being in production.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 10:03 AM\'] [quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 09:23 AM\'] It's easier for some shows to release their whole run, maybe an average of 5 seasons on DVD.

But when you've got 32 years of shows, plus Barker/James/Kennedy nighttime, where do you start? Unless they plan on releasing all the years and making a huge profit, it's not worth it.

It's the same story with the music. There isn't enough interest to justify the expense of creating the CD's.

Although there have been obscure DVD's released, I can't see this being released yet. Maybe a few years down the road, but don't hold your breath. [/quote]
Weren't there a "Best of Gong Show" and "Best of Newlywed Game" home videos released at some point in the 90s. Chuck Barris mentioned a Gong Show home video coming out when he appeared on Bob Costas or Conan O'Brien in 1993 to promote the "Confessions" autobiography being released. Bob Eubanks mentioned a Newlywed home video coming out in 1997 to promote the show's supposed "25th anniversary", when the show premiered 31 years ago at that point, and only had about 17 or 18 years of actually being in production. [/quote]
 Releasing a best of is totally different than releasing full seasons of episodes.

Still, the cost can't be justified.

But I always ask myself this question...

Were people really demanding shows like M*A*S*H and Married with Children to be released on DVD? (IIRC, MWC is owned by Sony, so they could easily absorb a loss)

[inturnaround]

TV shows on DVD have been the biggest surprise of the last two or three years. Hell, I've even heard that some studios were helped into the black by the release of TV on DVD, so there is a market out there for it. It even helped at least one show (Family Guy) back on the air.

If CBS can gamble on a Big Brother 3 DVD boxed set, then they can certainly make a "Best of" TPiR disc. I'm not saying full episodes, but something along the lines of what the OP suggested (bloopers, good plays, highest winners). I'm sure that such a DVD, reasonably priced, could sell very well. At least it would interest a lot more people than a Big Brother set, don't you think?

And it's not virgin territory either, an original "best of" Trading Spaces DVD sold very well earlier this year.

[cmjb13]

If CBS can gamble on a Big Brother 3 DVD boxed set, then they can certainly make a "Best of" TPiR disc.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't CBS own BB? CBS doesn't own Price.

I'm not saying full episodes, but something along the lines of what the OP suggested (bloopers, good plays, highest winners). I'm sure that such a DVD, reasonably priced, could sell very well.

A best of tape would be a good test and they could gauge the response from there for future sales. I think the royalties issue would get in the way (From on-air talent to music). I've always wondered how much the on-air talent made from TPIR re-runs a few years ago.

At least it would interest a lot more people than a Big Brother set, don't you think?

The thing is I don't believe people have been asking for this to be released, not to mention so soon. There is a know interest for previous episodes and for the music. And they realize it's the loyal fans that have kept the show going as long as it has. But are the loyal fans enough to make this worthwhile? I guess this saga will never end.

An interesting quote from the professor:

"Because of the expansion into prime time specials, CBS President Les Moonves feels very strongly the franchise can easily be hurt by overexposure"

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 11:21 AM\']

If CBS can gamble on a Big Brother 3 DVD boxed set, then they can certainly make a "Best of" TPiR disc.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't CBS own BB? CBS doesn't own Price.[/quote]
Not directly or formally, since the only logos I recall seeing at the end are for Endemol and Shapiro/Grodner(?) Productions (and the copyright's hidden under the dummy company "Our House Productions").  But CBS may have a licensing and merchandising contract similar to what it has for "Survivor" where it controls "BB"'s non-broadcast-and-cable-television exploitation.  Fremantle fully controls "TPIR"'s non-broadcast licensing and merchandising.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 11:21 AM\']
An interesting quote from the professor:

"Because of the expansion into prime time specials, CBS President Les Moonves feels very strongly the franchise can easily be hurt by overexposure" [/quote]
 That's an anti-game show comment from the traditionally anti-game show Moonves. It's good that he's starting to realize he inherited a network with a game show with such an incredible run as TPIR has had.

[Jay Temple]

I'm wondering if the proper business model is closer to Columbia House.  Make a limited run and sell them by mail.  If they sell enough, make more of the same and/or another volume.

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 12:33 PM\'][quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 11:21 AM\']
"Because of the expansion into prime time specials, CBS President Les Moonves feels very strongly the franchise can easily be hurt by overexposure" [/quote]
That's an anti-game show comment from the traditionally anti-game show Moonves.[/quote]
That may be how it was intended, but I don't know if that makes it entirely untrue. WWTBAM four times a week, anyone?

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 12:50 PM\']Make a limited run and sell them by mail[/quote]
The problem is the cost of getting them made.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 05:30 AM\']and possibly audio commentary by Bob Barker![/quote]
I believe Barker was asked to participate in the TPIR slot machine and he declined, thus having Rod in the game.

Sometimes, I think Barker is a lot like Pat Sajak in that he doesn't want to be associated with anything TPIR releases.

Have there been any TPIR items sold with Barker's likeness on them? (Maybe an early TPIR home game?)

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 02:32 PM\'] [quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Dec 31 2003, 12:50 PM\']Make a limited run and sell them by mail[/quote]
The problem is the cost of getting them made. [/quote]
 Anybody care to break down how much it would cost to put out such a DVD, line by line?