Another Reason to Hate FOX and Other Random Crap

Well, you may remember that I've been advocating FOX's new show Wonderfalls. I really liked this funny, quirky drama that featured a young woman who sees and hears inanimate objects telling her to do things. My fears about it lasting were not unfounded, sadly. The show has just been cancelled. After just four episodes (one of which I missed). This show has become the latest "great but quirky" show to bite the dust at FOX. FOX has aired and cancelled more great shows than some networks even air. A couple have been resurrected (Firefly is getting a movie version, Family Guy has been un-cancelled) but most aren't. Here's hoping a cable channel like Bravo or Trio picks up the unaired episodes (or another bigger basic cable network even renews it). In the meantime, I'll make sure not to miss an episode of Arrested Development...each one I watch may be its last.

I finally gave up...I've been mentioning how my search to find the CD Atlas by Kinky and the DVD of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem at an actual store has been surprisingly futile. Well, I ordered both online over the weekend, like I really should have. I like buying online, but I try to buy at actual stores when it's convenient and not overly expensive. The only exceptions are anime CDs and DVDs, which are almost always cheaper online by more than a few dollars. By the end of the week (if I'm lucky) I should have both CD and DVD in hand, and I'll give my opinions on them.

I see a trend in video stores and I don't like it. One thing I failed to mention in my review of Brother Bear is that I rented it from Hollywood Video, who felt the need to take the two-disc DVD and actually split it. The Brother Bear DVD has two versions of the movie on it. The first disc has the "Family Friendly" widescreen version (in which the aspect ratio doesn't change), while the second disc preserves the original theatrical ratio. Hollywood Video separated the discs as "Home Video Widescreen" and "Theatrical Widescreen." This is the second time that I have been to a video store that separated the discs of a 2-disc DVD. Family Video split up the 2-disc Spy Kids 3-D DVD which featured the 3D version on one disc and the 2D version on another disc. Studios have been including two different versions of movies on 2-Disc or Double-Sided DVDs lately to please everyone with a single release (most of the Pixar DVDs, Shrek, Ice Age, even the original Legally Blonde). Most places keep the discs together, especially since the extras are normally spread across the two discs. I shouldn't have to pay double the rental price just to enjoy the entire DVD. It's not like when they split up multiple-disc collections (like seasons of The Simpsons, Sex and The City, or The Sopranos). Two discs for DVDs have become a norm, something many expect for popular movies. If I see this again, I will definitely think twice of renting the movie. What's sad, though, is the two places that have split up two-disc DVDs have lower rental prices than Blockbuster. In fact, the two stores are in direct competition (they are across the street from each other) as the Hollywood Video undersells the Family Video with 99 cent rentals. The price of renting both discs of Brother Bear at Hollywood Video is cheaper than Blockbuster's single new release rental. The price of renting both discs of Spy Kids 3-D from Family Video matches the price of a single new release rental at Blockbuster.