Today is a bit of an odd post, but it has been something I have been thinking on for several years now. There is a horrific number of streaming services available right now. So many that it would end up being more expensive than cable to have them all. And in February 2023, Netflix announced that they were cracking down on password sharing- while they backed off in the US, they are fully pursuing it here in Canada. As such, we are seeing a lot of people looking elsewhere for their media. Although it may seem out of date, I still use DVDs quite often, for both cultural and historical purposes. I’m going to share why DVDs are still useful and why you should consider buying DVDs in 2023!
Why Are DVDs Still Useful?
When I tell people that I still use DVDs, I am often met with scoffs and derisive snorts, followed by “You know it is available online, right?”. But is it?…
The Ever-Moving Series
Suppose you are a fan of Downton Abbey, the perenially popular show, and you want to rewatch it. The last time you checked, it was on Netflix. However, now it is on Prime Video, and you don’t have a subscription. You are left with the choice: do I add another subscription or do I just not watch it? Or perhaps a network has decided that they need to get a piece of the streaming pie and pull all of their media to yet another streaming service. Once again, the question is: do you get another subscription or do you just skip it?
Just Not Available…
There are still several television shows that I have looked for in the last few months that are not available on any streaming service. Obviously, that varies by country due to licensing but many of the shows not available here in Canada that I’ve looked for are from the last 10-15 years- they are not old shows. Even if I wanted to pick up another streaming service, I can’t…
And yes, I do buy series on Google Play but you are not guaranteed to be able to watch those forever. I bought the first and second seasons of Victoria there, and then several episodes were removed from my season.
Budget
Realistically, most of us have budgets. And most of our budgets do not extend to $15 for Netflix, $12 for Disney+, $10 for Prime Video, $8 for a Prime Channel, $6 for another Prime Channel, $20 for Crave, and so on and so forth. Yes, you can do what most of us do and rotate through subscriptions so that you only have two or three at a time, but that takes organisation to make sure you are reading all terms and conditions and that you are cancelling on time. It’s also not the end of the world, but I find that you also miss out on the social experience of chatting about shows as they air/are available when you have to wait until the last four episodes are airing to stick to a one-month subscription.
Why You Should Consider Buying DVDs
Given that you need to now buy a separate piece to play DVDs on your computer, and DVD players are getting harder to find, DVDs are not the easy solution they once were. (I think you can play a DVD on the PS4, PS5, and XBox, but not everyone has a gaming console.) And DVDs are getting more expensive as the years go on. However, if there is a piece of media that you know you will rewatch over and over, a DVD can actually be a solid investment.
Rewatch Factor
If you are going to rewatch a series over and over, investing in the DVDs will probably pay off in the long run. I own several entire series on DVD- The Tudors, Reign, and Emily of New Moon come to mind. (If you want my thoughts on accuracy in period dramas re: shows like Reign and The Tudors, you can find my post here.) At this point, I have more than saved what I would have paid in subscription fees (when available) by investing in the DVD box sets.
Ballet and Cultural DVDs
I still feel that paying $165 CAD for my Royal Ballet DVD box set is one of the best investments I have made in adulthood. There are 22 different ballets included here, and I have watched almost all of them at least three times now (some many more than that). Fortunately, I have the Royal Winnipeg Ballet here, but they tend to only stage 4-5 productions a year. I love being able to watch other ballets, and this allows me to do so, and to go back and rewatch favourites.* And in addition to DVDs of specific ballets, I have several ballet documentaries on DVD. Sometimes they show up on YouTube, but they often get taken down.
*I have spoken about Marquee TV several times on the blog. It is a performing arts streaming service that has many ballets, operas, and plays on it. Currently, I do not have a subscription, as I had to make budget cuts. In late 2022, the Royal Opera House in London launched its own streaming service, so I would wonder if some ROH productions will eventually be pulled off of Marquee.
Where to Buy DVDs in 2023
Buying DVDs in 2023 can be tricky business. First of all, many series are just not released on DVD anymore, so you will have better luck with older slightly older media. Secondly, you need to remember to make sure that the DVD is playable in your DVD player/region.
I know that people hate Amazon, but I do buy quite a few DVDs there now. DVDs are getting more expensive the more obsolete they become, and Amazon is often the most competitive price.
I also find that eBay can be a good place to find DVDs. A lot of resellers on eBay do not appear to know or care about what they are selling, so you often can get a DVD/box set for half price.
So, I want to know- is anyone else still buying DVDs? And if yes, what was the last DVD you bought?
Cheers,
The Historian
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I haven’t bought DVD’s in ages but agree about the re-watch value! I have the complete box set of The West Wing (gorgeous blue box with the seal of the President on it). I have watched it so many times, some episodes more than other. Definitely worth the money- granted I got it during my BA but still.
Part of why I like it so much are the extras- bloopers, commentary on episodes etc. There’s a special in particular that is a full episode talking to past Presidents and those who worked for them so it explains where inspiration comes from. Really interesting!