The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD Collector's Edition: The Official Thread

[cinco]

i'm not a head collector, but that doesn't look very appealing IMO

It sounds also wrong.

[Orange Harrison]

With a new DVD set, I tend to just watch the episodes I haven't seen in a while, then the commentaries for all of them. I don't really care about deleted scenes.


Also, I hope George Meyer does more commentaries.

[Real Melvin]

It sounds also wrong.

[Dehumanizer]

When I first get a season on DVD, I usually just watch it all the way through. Unless it's a season that's been out for awhile already and I had just recently gotten the set from the library or something. Then I just watch the episodes that were scratched on the library DVD.

Honestly, I've only watched like four or five episodes with commentary, ever. It's just something I always forget about.

[Disgruntled Goat]

That HMV one isn't the real one, it says "packaging tbc". Aren't the head boxes usually non-rectangular?

[Solid Snake]

That HMV one isn't the real one, it says "packaging tbc". Aren't the head boxes usually non-rectangular?

For S6-10 yeah, but in S11 and S12, they were just the regular square box with a removal head-shaped bit of plastic. :P

[merzitar]

Limited Edition

[zartok-35]

"I like it!"

Seeing as this is the last DVD of The Simpsons I really want to own, I might as well go all out. Mind you, thats what I said about season 7.

[Charlie]

That HMV one isn't the real one, it says "packaging tbc". Aren't the head boxes usually non-rectangular?

To elaborate on what Gary said, the post-Season 10 head boxes is merely the standard box with a plastic face glued to the front of it, covering the original artwork. Pretty cheap.

[merzitar]

To elaborate on what Gary said, the post-Season 10 head boxes is merely the standard box with a plastic face glued to the front of it, covering the original artwork. Pretty cheap.

I agree that they are a bit cheaply made, but I will still buy the limited edition version.

[cinco]

I agree that they are a bit cheaply made, but I will still buy the limited edition version.

Have you always collected the heads or do you collect both versions?

[Charlie]

I think the 'original' head boxes were the ones worth collecting because they were so much different than the standard boxes. With the new ones it's identical to the standard one, not really anything special about it. Just with that... plastic thing poking out the front.

[Solid Snake]

Which probably costs them about £1.50 to make and they sell it for £10 on top of the standard DVD set.

[Charlie]

At the least the original head boxes were unique. I find these ones plain tacky.

[Kang's Bastard Spore]

However, the new head box overcomes the difficulty of getting the discs out (theoretically) and the problem with the plastic case inevitably breaking. As well as reducing the overall amount of plastic used.

I usually watch an episode and then immediately follow it with the commentary. This is due to the fact that if the episode is not fresh in my mind, I tend to try to pay attention to what is happening in the ep over what is being said in the commentary. Plus some, statement in the commentary do not make sense without knowing the events of the episode.

I mix things up a bit by either watching them in the order Ep. w/o commentary, then with, then without then with, etc. OR utilize the play all without on a disc followed by the play all with commentary.

[Ray Jay Jonah]

However, the new head box overcomes the difficulty of getting the discs out (theoretically)

Really? Cos to me, it's the same old accordion with a fancy bit attached.

[merzitar]

Have you always collected the heads or do you collect both versions?

Since the first with Season 6, I buy the heads. However, when I have the money, I will buy the other versions aswell.

[The Wiggs]

Something about that Ralph head box just looks wrong. Good thing I only collect the standard boxes. Anyways, to comment on what we were talking about earlier in the thread about Ralph's ears, It seems that the "J" in the ear with Ralph is hit or miss. Sometimes its there, sometimes its not. I realized this yesterday when I was watching "Homer's Enemy". When Ralph brings his "Nuclear Dream House" up during the contest, he has the "J" in his ear. Its interesting that they don't just pick a design and go with it.

[6F01]

I hope George Meyer does more commentaries.

Me, too. Me, too. I was very disappointed he wasn't involved more with the season 12 commentaries.

However, with only five Mike Scully episodes on this set, he may not be in much. He was "demoted" to Producer once Al Jean took over. Hopefully he'll show up from time to time like the way David Mirkin now shows up randomly, so there's hope... but he should at least participate in those final Scully episodes.

David Silverman confirmed he's on the commentary for "I Am Furious (Yellow)" [alongside Stan Lee!]. I'm sure he'll show up more once he resumes Supervising Director duties in seasons 17 and 18, but this will be great to have him back!

Jon Vitti will be back as well! Hip hip!

Also hoping for more:

Tom Gammill
A bit airheaded and tangential at times, but damn, he was a breath of fresh air from the usual "Mike Scully can't remember anything about these episodes".

Matt Groening
Yes, his participation in the commentaries seasons 11 & 12 was minimal, but I'd think he have a better attitude toward this season.

Jim Reardon
It's a shame he has been missing commenting on his run as Supervising Director unless he directed the episode proper. Jim! Pop up for even two or three more episodes per season!

James L. Brooks
He'll for sure comment on his guest spot in next season's set, but he doesn't seem interested in doing these anymore... frown.

John Frink
Pretty funny. I like his voice.

Ron Hauge
Also "demoted" to Producer after Al Jean took over. I always liked him.... he has a nice "Jim Reardon-esque" voice. [TIDBIT: I believe "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" is the only time those two have been on the same commentary - it's fun to figure out which one is which] I have no idea what his contribution to show has been these last few years, but he was "re-promoted" to Co-Executive Producer a couple of seasons ago, though he hasn't officially written an episode since season 11.

And some of:

Matthew Nastuk
The "John Swartzwelder" of animation directors on commentaries.... but we've actually heard John at this point, so that title doesn't quite hold up!

Harry Shearer
Heh... maybe somed-.... eh, forget it.

And a bit less:

Matt Selman
He was on every commentary last set! Sometimes it's nice to have him, sometimes he makes bad jokes and is an unnecessary presence. However, he's best friends with Mike Scully and Al Jean, so I imagine he'll be more in-our-face than ever.

Tim Long
He can be funny, but he gets very annoying very quickly. If he sticks to just the episodes with his writing credit on, that should be enough.

Ian Maxtone-Graham
Eh, not as annoying as Selman or Long, but he was in too many last season as well.

Unnecessary Special Guests
No Phil Rosenthal. No "Jim Denton". No cute kids. These gimmicky guests just shift focus from the episode.

As for guest stars:

> Stan Lee is confirmed
> Jon Lovitz is likely; maybe Joe Mantegna, too (two Fat Tony episodes)
> Pierce Brosnan, Delroy Lindo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, George Takei, Phish, James Lipton, Robert Pinsky would be welcome, though some of those aren't very big parts

It will be interesting with Al Jean in every commentary from now on (barring some extremely unlikely staff turnover). Say what you will about the show these days, but the man knows what a good commentary should contain. I compare him to David X. Cohen in the audio commentary world in terms of mixing humor and insight and articulate...ness. I look forward to see how he progresses from the past "couple per season" to the future "every session for the next decade of shows and beyond".

[jscottstroup]

Matt Selman
He was on every commentary last set! Sometimes it's nice to have him, sometimes he makes bad jokes and is an unnecessary presence. However, he's best friends with Mike Scully and Al Jean, so I imagine he'll be more in-our-face than ever.

It should be well-known by now that I love Matt Selman, and I enjoy his commentaries, and yes he does make bad jokes, but I always get the sense that he irritates the other writers sometimes, and that they laugh at him more than with him a lot of the time.

Also, based on his ubiquitous presence with the "management" (he's as much Groening's right hand man these days as Jean is), I strongly suspect he's the #1 contender for future showrunner, assuming there's ever a post-Jean era.

[Charlie]

A bit airheaded and tangential at times, but damn, he was a breath of fresh air from the usual "Mike Scully can't remember anything about these episodes".

I like to think that Scully was high the entire time he was showrunner, hence the reason he can't remember anything. Also, it WOULD explain a lot of the episodes.

Also, love your username and title. Wonder how many people would "get" it.

[jscottstroup]

I like to think that Scully was high the entire time he was showrunner, hence the reason he can't remember anything. Also, it WOULD explain a lot of the episodes.

It would also explain why his seasons as showrunner are so conducive to getting high while watching, and it's probably the only possible way to explain "Saddlesore Galactica"

[Dehumanizer]

It would make sense that Scully was high pretty much the whole time, would make alot of sense!

By the way, earlier this morning before going to bed, I watched a couple season ten episodes with commentary on. Wow, it sucks and they hardly even talk about the episode. Then I switched over to season five and watched a couple episodes with commentary on. The David Mirkin-era commentaries are definitely my favorite. They actually talk and make jokes about the episode. Scully and that whole gang, as mentioned in here already, just dick around the whole time and Scully sounds like a complete idiot. Plus, they hardly talk about the episode they're doing commentary for.

[jscottstroup]

By the way, earlier this morning before going to bed, I watched a couple season ten episodes with commentary on. Wow, it sucks and they hardly even talk about the episode. Then I switched over to season five and watched a couple episodes with commentary on. The David Mirkin-era commentaries are definitely my favorite. They actually talk and make jokes about the episode.

I had a similar experience last night, except instead of season 5 after 10, I went to 6 with the commentary. And I realized I had been watching more of the Scully-era with the commentary lately, because I was almost taken aback by how much information they were giving, whilst making jokes. Even Groening was wittier in those commentaries. But, I guess that's the way it should be when doing commentaries for each episode. The first hundred or so episodes will undoubtedly contain not only the most stuff to talk about, but the more interesting stuff as well.

[Jesse Pinkman]

I've only watched a few episodes with commentary from seasons 10 and 11, and almost everything is scully and everyone else laughing at everything. every line, every joke in the episode, etc. there's very little information. granted, there still is some, but it's not really interesting. Though, I think from the couple I have seen from s12, that they stopped, at least for the most part.

[Bella Drape 'er]

Though, I think from the couple I have seen from s12, that they stopped, at least for the most part.

That's because they brought in more and different people for season 12.

It was probably their response to the criticism they received of the commentary in the previous sets.

[Jesse Pinkman]

wait, they actually do know/care about criticism for certain things?

[Bella Drape 'er]

Oakley and Weinstein did...

and besides they want us to buy these crappy episodes, so the least they can do is to add some decent extras.

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

Will Season 13 in blu ray be released in the UK? As on Amazon UK it's not listed, only the Region 1 US import

[Jesse Pinkman]

O@W did, but that was a long time ago.

Scully probably couldn't care less

or Jean