I was just thinking...

[matt_zimmer]

Why exactly aren't The Little Mermaid: The Animated Series and Aladdin: The Series on DVD in box sets yet? I understand that most of the sales for The Disney Afternoon shows fizzled out on the second release but I would think Little Mermaid and Aladdin would be a different story because the source material (i.e. the feature films) are so well known amongst families. Not only would they get sales from fans of the shows but if the sets weren't too expensive soccer moms would pick them up for their kids even if they had never heard of them before. They'd certainly sell as well as all of those dozens of Disney Cheapquels they used to put out. What is the logic behind not releasing these? Help me out here.

By the way The New Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh should be released for the same reason although that might be a tougher sell because that show was aimed at slightly younger viewers. Still, there's no reason releases for TV shows based on cultural phenomenon like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh wouldn't sell like hotcakes.

Comments

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

Matt, I thought we were cool. I thought we were friends. Way to rub salt in the wound, buddy.

Just kidding, but it annoys me endlessly that there's so much merchandising for The Little Mermaid and Aladdin and they won't release these, which I'd buy in an instant (plus Hercules, which I know wasn't as huge a blockbuster as the other two, but the show was awesome). Actually, I think some of the Disney Princess DVD's do feature Little Mermaid episodes and possibly a Jasmine-heavy episode of Aladdin or two, but dangit, I want season sets! I want to see Mark Hamill as Hans Christian Andersen again! IT MAKES NO SENSE!!!

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if Disney understands that they don't HAVE to release these titles in expensive 28 episode sets. I'd be cool with buying each show 13 episodes at a time on a two disc set for twenty bucks a pop and that certainly would be no more expensive than an average Disney movie.

Hercules would be a bit trickier to justisfy but I'd buy sets of that too. I missed most of that series while it was still on the air.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

I'd do that too if and only if they put those 13 episodes together in a season set, do it cheaply like X-Men: Evolution. You're right, it would be cheaper, but just because none of the Disney box sets did well means they're afraid to do anything.

Still waiting for a special edition of the Hercules movie since it's been over ten years, but...bleh. I feel like since you're expectations of the series are low, you'd enjoy it (provided you can tolerate French Stewart).

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

They could just have Shout Factory release them then. They have a special deal with them to release their less popular series. If they have that licensing agreement they should use it.

Tolerating French Stewart is a tall order but I will give it a shot if and when it's released on DVD.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

"Less popular" being the operative phrase. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to learn those series are locked up in a special secret Disney fault.

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

At this point Disney Afternoon stuff qualifies. I keep hearing from people that the TDA shows are WAAAAYYYYY too important to license out to Shout but that makes zero sense to me considering Disney licensed out their comics featuring their MOST popular characters (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge) to MUCH smaller companies than Shout (Gladstone, Gemstone, BoomKids). I mean that's what the licensing agreement was for: to release shows on DVD that would sell poorly by Disney standards but well by Shout standards. That describes every Disney Afternoon show to a T. They ain't releasing 'em. They might as well make a buck off it by giving it to someone who gladly would.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

The TDA shows are WAAAAYYYYY too important to make money off of.

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

LOL! No, but seriously, I'm just saying I think Shout will release them sooner or later. Not sure quite WHEN but I'm guessing it will happen within a few years. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Disney itself released Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Or try dieing (I was going to write "die trying", but that sounded more accurate).

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

Funny. :D