DS9 on blu ray?

[BillJ]

Each of these shows represents hundreds of millions of dollars of quality sci fi. Rescuing it and future-proofing it for that relatively low amount of money (you could barely do 3 new episodes of a sci fi show for that) just seems like it would be a sensible decision.

I guess the question would be: does it make the shows any more valuable to CBS than they are now? These shows are only going to get older and the fanbase is getting older as well. Is there going to be a huge demand for these shows in five to ten years?

Both Netflix and Amazon write checks for $50 million plus for just 10 episodes of a new show, and so to get 170 episodes for $15 million, or whatever, would seem to me like a bargain....

Depends on whether or not those remastered shows would drive a spike in new subscribers? Are there a huge amount of people that are going to rush to subscribe to Netflix to watch twenty-year old reruns?

 

[benjaminh]

Each of these shows represents hundreds of millions of dollars of quality sci fi. Rescuing it and future-proofing it for that relatively low amount of money (you could barely do 3 new episodes of a sci fi show for that) just seems like it would be a sensible decision.

I guess the question would be: does it make the shows any more valuable to CBS than they are now? These shows are only going to get older and the fanbase is getting older as well. Is there going to be a huge demand for these shows in five to ten years?

Both Netflix and Amazon write checks for $50 million plus for just 10 episodes of a new show, and so to get 170 episodes for $15 million, or whatever, would seem to me like a bargain....

Depends on whether or not those remastered shows would drive a spike in new subscribers? Are there a huge amount of people that are going to rush to subscribe to Netflix to watch twenty-year old reruns?

Good points.

But I think in an HD world rebuilding the shows really does add value. In terms of it being a 20 year old show, that's obviously true, but TOS is almost 50 years old and yet still popular. And part of that continued popularity is that it's in HD and has redone FX!

 

[Salinga]

Also a sad side effect of VOY and DS9 not getting a conversion: No additional extras which document the making of these shows. The longer you wait, the older all the behind the scenes people get and the lesser the chance to get all to talk about their experiences.

 

[BillJ]

But I think in an HD world rebuilding the shows really does add value. In terms of it being a 20 year old show, that's obviously true, but TOS is almost 50 years old and yet still popular. And part of that continued popularity is that it's in HD and has redone FX!

I think the only way these shows would get done, would be as a compliment to get much younger viewers into the fold. Animation aimed at kids is the only way they're going to be able to grow the fanbase in any appreciable way.

There's nothing really accessible to today's kids where Star Trek is concerned.

 

[CorporalClegg]

There's virtually no chance of DS9 to get a remaster. There's simply no profitable market for it.

However, if by some miracle Katie wins, CBS might put some feelers out in September to see how viable VOY is--or how marketable she is.

 

[dub]

If there's a DS9 fan somewhere in the decision-making machinery at Amazon Prime or Netflix, either one of those places could simply cut a check and get the ball rolling on this in exchange for exclusive streaming rights. Both Netflix and Amazon write checks for $50 million plus for just 10 episodes of a new show, and so to get 170 episodes for $15 million, or whatever, would seem to me like a bargain....

That's an interesting idea!

However, if by some miracle Katie wins, CBS might put some feelers out in September to see how viable VOY is--or how marketable she is.

This makes no sense to me. The ratings for VOY began lower than DS9 and ended lower than DS9. So unless somehow remastering VOY is way cheaper than remastering DS9, it seemed to me the odds of VOY on BD are lower than the odds of DS9. It seems to me they would do both or neither at this point.

 

[DonIago]

Salinga brings up a good point. I would very much like commentary tracks for DS9 episodes.

 

[timtonruben359]

So based on what's been said here, a DS9 HD remaster isn't on the books. I'm very disappointed but not very surprised. The information coming out from people involved in the TNG remaster seemed to strongly hint that a full DS9 remaster would be more costly and complex due to the CGI elements in the show particularly in the last few seasons. Also their line of 'if you want DS9 you've got to buy TNG' seems to somewhat substantiate the rumors that TNG blu ray sales aren't want CBS had hoped.

With the likely increased costs and likely lower sales figures than TNG due to DS9's smaller following, CBS isn't willing to invest.

I still say with Star Trek never say never. If they can find a cheaper way of doing it or a better way to up convert SD to HD it could happen.

 

[Hober Mallow]

But FrontierTrek, who seems the best source on this, says that CBS has looked at it and isn't going forward with DS9.

That's not at all what anyone said. All the studio has said is that they currently "have no plans." And that's going to be the official line until something is officially announced. When will that be? Maybe never, but again, don't read into the non-statement "we have no plans" anything that isn't there. They are literally saying nothing.

Who says TNG is "barely making any money?"

Admittedly that's just here say from others in this thread.

I think that it makes sense. If TNG was bringing Brinks trucks full of cash to CBS, they'd be falling all over themselves to get the rest of the series out on Blu-ray.

How much money has the TNG remaster made the studio? The answer is every penny they make from now to the end of time. The selling of blurays was not the primary reason for remastering TNG.

 

[USS KG5]

How much money has the TNG remaster made the studio? The answer is every penny they make from now to the end of time. The selling of blurays was not the primary reason for remastering TNG.

Too true, though as you know they won't make a financial judgement for DS9 remastered based on what it will make ever, as they don't know that yet, but an extrapolation from what TNG HD has made so far.

Something like 50% of the TNG Blu Ray revenue, plus 50% of the already arranged syndication deals for TNG for the next three years should put them in clear profit for a DS9 remaster, or they won't do one. I might even be being kind by saying 50%.

No business makes an investment expecting a return at some point, typically it has to be within three years.

 

[Saxman1]

Last week I sold the DVD sets at Half Price of Voyager and Enterprise, which I had all gotten fairly cheap over time used. I'm at a point where I don't want to ever watch them again, or the TNG movies, which I gave to a family friend. I didn't get a lot of $ for Voyager and Enterprise. The people at the store said they'd have to put them on clearance immediately because no one is intersted in those series. They said if I had brought in TOS, TNG or DS9, I'd have gotten a lot more $. Not parting with those! We have all of TOS including movies on Blu Ray ($30 at Costco a while back for the movies), season 1 of TNG (I will buy subsequent seasons as I see used deals, I got season 1 for $35 NEW) and never parting with DS9 if it never comes out on Blu Ray!

 

[Squiggy]

This makes no sense to me. The ratings for VOY began lower than DS9 and ended lower than DS9. So unless somehow remastering VOY is way cheaper than remastering DS9, it seemed to me the odds of VOY on BD are lower than the odds of DS9. It seems to me they would do both or neither at this point.

Because it doesn't matter what demand was 20 years ago. What matters is demand today.

How much money has the TNG remaster made the studio? The answer is every penny they make from now to the end of time. The selling of blurays was not the primary reason for remastering TNG.

Indeed.

• It was to future-proof for syndication.
  
• TNG currently has some demand for syndication.
  
• The rest of Trek currently does not.
  
• Demand won't magically spring forth out of no where.

You might as well be holding out for remasterings of TimeTrax or Sliders because as far as networks are concerned they're the same show.

 

[dub]

This makes no sense to me. The ratings for VOY began lower than DS9 and ended lower than DS9. So unless somehow remastering VOY is way cheaper than remastering DS9, it seemed to me the odds of VOY on BD are lower than the odds of DS9. It seems to me they would do both or neither at this point.

Because it doesn't matter what demand was 20 years ago. What matters is demand today.

But...

Demand won't magically spring forth out of no where.

 

[Squiggy]

Yes. What seems to be the problem?

My original point was comparing the original two series to each other. You could pick any two shows and the fact would remain the same. Cheers has a DVD box set of the entire series. Simon and Simon does not...even though more people watched the later during the 84-85 season..

Cheers is more popular today. They get the DVDs.

My second point was just talking about human nature. Millions of people in 2014 aren't going to suddenly discover DS9 and make Paramount change their minds about remastering.

Demand for something usually decreases over time.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

If there's increased demand for Voyager, that won't be springing out of nowhere, for reasons already mentioned.

 

[dub]

I guess I'm just not clear why VOY would suddenly have such a great demand that it would get BD treatment before DS9 when there's no evidence that VOY is suddenly more popular or more in demand than DS9?

Or, it could be that I'm daft and totally missed earlier points on it. If so, I'm sorry.

 

[Tosk]

Demand for something usually decreases over time.

I wonder how that original, unaltered Star Wars trilogy box set is coming along.

 

[BillJ]

I guess I'm just not clear why VOY would suddenly have such a great demand that it would get BD treatment before DS9 when there's no evidence that VOY is suddenly more popular or more in demand than DS9?

Or, it could be that I'm daft and totally missed earlier points on it. If so, I'm sorry.

Kate Mulgrew's appearances in an Emmy nominated show, Orange is the New Black.

 

[Squiggy]

Demand for something usually decreases over time.

I wonder how that original, unaltered Star Wars trilogy box set is coming along.

1. I said usually.
2. Star Wars is a fickle beast.

Now that Disney owns it, I wonder if they will ever release the original movies in one of their ultra-special collections. Lucas might have forbidden that as part of the terms of the sale.

 

[drt]

Heh, the entirety of DS9 could be watched today if you wanted, seeing it in HD probably isn't going to add that much to the experience.

Have you even seen TNG on blu ray?

Yep, I have the sampler and BoBW, I found it to be flatly lit with a bland color palette. Sure, the exterior visual effects looked much better, but being able to read "Enterprise" on the side of a model didn't make it worth it to me to buy full seasons. Although, when they inevitably rerelase particular episodes as theme sets (e.g. a set with all the Borg, Q, "time travel" episodes), I might buy some of those if the episode mix is favorable.

I will grant you and Tosk there's a good chance that DS9 and even VOY will look better on BD than TNG, since they tend to have a bit moodier lighting (DS9) and more varied color palette (VOY). But the point I was more trying to make originally with the "add to the experience" bit, is that with DS9 in particular the story is 99.9% of why it's awesome.