Let me show you something I just noticed as I was downloading the latest episode of Lost. This screenshot says it all:
Now how cool is that? You could potentially save more than $10 on the whole season. Unfortunately, I won’t be buying a season pass since it’s cheaper for me to continue purchasing the next 6 episodes or so individually for the rest of this season…but does this marketing pitch give me incentive to buy into other television shows? Yea, to my own detriment, it does — especially since I don’t own a television (on purpose…yes, really. My productivity would go through the floor if I owned one. And besides, I only watch a few select shows, and I can’t stand commercials.)
But take note of one thing: seasons passes are only being marketed on shows that are currently in season, and that approach makes good sense…at least from the supplier’s perspective. Why discount entire seasons of shows that people are willing to pay full price for? Selling in advance always seems to be the way to go, and I bet it’s especially profitable in the digital media market.
And on a related, but different note: I just noticed that they added South Park to iTMS too. And just when I thought I’d broken that bad habit…
So what do you think of the whole season pass idea? (Or the Weight Gainer 2000 episode of South Park?)
While, what happens when Apple supplies a season pass and then the show gets the cut? Some new shows don't even make it to six episodes.
It seems to me they are being VERY choosey about what gets a season pass and what doesn't. I don't think you will see new shows immediately go season pass unless they are wi8ldly popular.
I like the idea in concept, but until Apple delivers at least DVD quality files with 5.1 stereo this is only a good solution for folks that don't mind the low quality video and audio. I'll either keep recording stuff on my HD TiVo or buy the DVDs and rip them to a higher quality format myself.
I got burned on "Beavis and Butt-Head." I thought the episodes would look pretty good on my full-size monitor, since they were cartoons and you can compress those decently these days, but they look pretty crappy. And for the price I paid, I could have just bought the DVDs. Be careful of what you're buying.
Good idea on the whole, although I agree with the above comments that season passes are only generally available for popular shows. Great saving to be had though!