Line #66 Main/VanillaEdition


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Film/BladeRunner https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blade_runner_dvd.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Wow, you couldn't even give us a menu with Creator/HarrisonFord?[[note]]It should be noted that this, along with ''Film/{{Twister}}'', was one of ''the first'' [[OnceOriginalNowCommon DVD releases ever]]. [[TechnologyMarchesOn "Cast" and the Warner Bros. logo are the only special features]].[[/note]]]]
3
4	Essentially a way to suck money out of the clueless, the witless, the careless and the impatient, the Vanilla Edition UsefulNotes/{{DVD}} is about as basic as a movie or TV DVD can get, basically comprising the footage, subtitles if you're lucky, and - if you're really lucky - a trailer and some cast biographies.
5
6	The Vanilla Edition is usually released a month or so before the AceCustom or LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition, so that those who are desperate to watch the movie ''now'' (or don't pay attention to what they're picking up, or don't have a clue about the industry) will snap it up, only to buy it again shortly afterwards once the better edition is released if they actually care about the special features in the slightest.
7
8	Manufacturers say that they do this because some people just want the movie and not the extras and shouldn't have to pay more for something they don't watch, [[MetaphoricallyTrue which is sometimes true]]. [[MoneyDearBoy But it's also true that there's money to be made in double-releases.]]
9
10	Note that some [=DVDs=] are just released without extras because the studio doesn't think that it will sell well enough to warrant spending money on commentaries, making-of movies, etc. These may retroactively become Vanilla Editions if, some months or years later, the studio changes its mind and releases a special edition with more features.
11
12	Furthermore, this is becoming a standard marketing strategy to get customers to purchase UsefulNotes/BluRay versions of films by largely creating a Vanilla Edition for the DVD version and having the special features in the Blu-ray instead. A similar method was used when VHS was being phased out.[[note]]VHS copies did sometimes have bonus footage, [[MontageEndsTheVHS after the credits of the movie]].[[/note]] Today, digital downloads such as [=iTunes=] Extras and the content available on {{Creator/Netflix}} are inherently the same thing.
13
14	It also can be argued that Vanilla Editions make for better rentals, as a frugal troper could blast through all the additional material in an evening. It makes sense for the studio to make it so you must buy the [=DVD=] to watch the special features.
15
16	And hey, if the work in question has up to that point been trapped in the kind of grey, murky, nebulous legal limbo of copyright law that forces you to KeepCirculatingTheTapes, a Vanilla Edition is better than nothing.
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18	If you look at the special features list and it includes "[[DamnedByFaintPraise interactive menus]]" (as though ''uninteractive'' menus were ever an option outside of restaurants) then you're holding either a Vanilla Edition or just a really crappy DVD. Unless it's also pitching "scene selection"; then it's just really old (these were common proclamations made on the earliest [=DVDs=] from 1997 and 1998). If it's a burn-on-demand disc from a service like Warner Archive that focuses on just bringing much-requested but not-exactly-blockbuster titles to [=DVD=], it's almost always going to be a Vanilla Edition.
19
20	Contrast AceCustom, UnratedEdition and LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition.
21
22	----
23	!!Example subpages:
24	[[index]]
25	* [[VanillaEdition/{{Film}} Films]]
26	[[/index]]
27
28	!!Other examples:
29	[[foldercontrol]]
30
31	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
32	* Prior to the North American industry's late-2000's collapse, this became standard procedure for several US licensors. They would initially release a series as individual [=DVDs=], often with several bonus features, and then later (''how'' much later proved to be this system's undoing) release the same series as Vanilla Edition boxed sets. Creator/ADVFilms was most notorious for this. The problem came when certain series had extras that explained some of the more obscure references that would otherwise go over a Western viewer's head…
33	** It's even more annoying as anime companies used to release the box sets WITH the extras, until thinpaks started to catch on. Now it feels even more like a ploy to entice the people who like extras to shell out the maximum amount of money possible.
34	** In a way, the feature-packed releases can ironically assume the role of Vanilla Edition. People who aren't ''dying'' to have all of the special features for a certain anime series may wish they had known about the slim-pack boxed set before spending money on each individual volume. The price difference is often 50% or more, and many people would prefer to save the money. But it's rarely clear that there will be a "slim" release, and so as with the rest of the examples here, it's another case of buyer beware.
35	** This became less of an issue after the industry crashed, around 2009, when individual disc releases started to drop off in favor of half-season or full-season boxed sets becoming the norm. These releases have a much lower profit margin than the old singles, and as such have fewer (if any) extras since those cost extra to license. The only company left releasing anime in the old style is Aniplex USA (and they get a ''lot'' of flak for it due to their high prices) – their release of Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica is easily the most prominent example. Bonus features, sadly, are still few and far between outside of LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition releases (like the aforementioned PMMM).
36	* Within Japan, nearly every studio issues new anime releases in two separate editions. One is a retail version with fancy cover art, bells and whistles like commentary tracks or DVD-only episodes, and often cool {{feelies}} of some sort, ranging from postcards to full-size action figures, T-shirts, or concert tickets; the other will be a Vanilla Edition for the video-rental market, and be a much more bare-bones release, typically containing only the episodes. Given the high cost of anime [=DVD=]s and Blu-rays in Japan, where 5000 yen for a disc with ''two episodes'' isn't uncommon, this practice is undoubtedly meant to give fans a reason to shell out the money for the retail discs instead of just renting the whole series for 100 yen a pop.
37	* After long delays, Viz released ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' on DVD. Creator/CartoonNetwork edited version, English language track only. "Naruto Uncut" appeared some time later.
38	* Due to a sudden shift of the rights to ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' from Creator/ADVFilms to Creator/{{Bandai\|Entertainment}} right before the former was about to start their release, Bandai decided that they would quickly release a version that has only the subbed episodes in three volumes, while the full release (dual-audio, {{feelies}}, and really cool box) was finished in 2009.
39	* You'd like to assume the ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' boxset would contain all of the features listed for the individual discs, namely the commentary. Fortunately it had ''some'' special features, but it's still disappointing.
40	* For years ''Manga/DragonBall'' only had a DVD release in the US that was English only, heavily censored, and just the first 13 episodes (and the first of three movies). Funimation finally got the rights to air their version in line with the rest of the series.
41	* The only releases of ''Anime/KirbyRightBackAtYa'' on DVD (and since it aired only 2-3 times on TV, it desperately needed one) were--like just about every [=4Kids=] release--English-only, had no bonus features, and only contained a few early episodes each, out of order. Unsurprisingly, they are now out of print.
42	* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' was so terribly stripped down that Geneon didn't even bother to double check whether the selection arrows on the the main screen lined up with the menu items. The Funimation releases of the latter half of the series [[UsefulNotes/DigitalRightsManagement had even more problems]].
43	** Geneon was notorious for this before they went out of business. As a last ditch effort to just save what dwindling money was left, a lot of Geneon title DVD releases such as ''Manga/DearS'', ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi'', and ''Manga/{{Karin}}'' were nothing more than the episodes, and maybe a textless Opening and ending. Older series released back when they were still doing fine at least had some trailers, but still nothing much beyond that in terms of extras.
44	* Creator/CentralParkMedia was a frontrunner for providing entertaining extras for their DVD sets. Unfortunately, the titles that they lost to other companies usually dropped them; one example is ''Literature/{{Slayers}}''. When they initially released the first three seasons of ''Slayers'' on DVD, there actually were many bloopers and commentary with the cast, with humorous ad-libbing involved. None of these amusing and entertaining extras made it to Funimation's digitally remastered re-releases.
45	** Strangely still, when all three seasons were made into a box set by the aforementioned Funimation, the old, washed-out picture quality from CPM's releases was used, and… you guessed it, still no extras…
46	* The UK release of Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods is an odd example. The DVD contains all of the extras from the US version, but the Blu-ray released alongside it only includes the film. The only way to get the film in HD ''and'' all the extras was to buy the now out of print [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition Deluxe Collectors Edition]], which included both formats.
47	* Creator/MangaEntertainment decided to release the first ten Manga/OnePiece movies in the UK in 2014, even though only two had been dubbed. While the already dubbed Anime/OnePieceFilmStrongWorld was released individually as a full priced DVD and Blu-ray (with extras), movies 1-9 would be released as inexpensive 3-pack [=DVDs=]. ''[[Anime/TheDesertPrincessAndThePiratesAdventuresInAlabasta Episode of Alabasta]]'' later got an individual DVD/Blu-ray release too, as it had also been dubbed. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools This is currently the only English-language release of the other eight One Piece movies]].
48	* Discotek Media has released ''Anime/LupinIIIPart1'' on DVD twice, the second release being an example of this. The first release in 2012 contained a good amount of extras, including commentary on some of the episodes, as well as both versions of the ''Anime/LupinIIIPilotFilm''. The second release in 2014 is cheaper and uses different cover art, but has none of the extras from the previous release.
49	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'':
50	** When a limited edition Blu-ray disc set of the first three movies was confirmed for release for February 2016, along with 16:9 widescreen [=DVDs=], it was revealed that the special features from the original DVD releases would be excluded. In addition, the Pikachu shorts in the beginning of each film were left out of the set for rights issues. So what do we get? The movies in widescreen with a 2.0 Stereo presentation of the 4Kids English track, and.....that's about it[[note]]Inexplicably, the Blu-ray set from Australia has the 4Kids English dub in 5.1 surround sound[[/note]]. Some fans have taken solace at this, though, as it was a complete miracle that the movies ever got a Blu-ray release in North America to begin with.
51	** After Disney sold off Miramax, the four movies that they distributed were rereleased by budget DVD company Echo Bridge. Like the above Steelbook, these were among the first Region 1 releases of the films in widescreen, but all the bonus features from those films, including three shorts, audio commentary on ''4Ever'', and Japanese and English trailers, were removed. Nor were they reinstated when Creator/{{Lionsgate}} and later Creator/{{Paramount}} got the rights to the movies.
52	** As seen on [[http://dogasu.bulbagarden.net/features/best_collection_get_review.html this fan site]], some episodes of the ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'' were released on DVD in Japan under a line called "Get Pokémon". What makes this line of [=DVDs=] bare-bones is that they lack menus [[note]] Although there are chapter stops, they're only accessible by using a DVD remote [[/note]], the opening theme, ending theme, and the next episode preview. Not to mention that each disc contains only '''one episode'''.
53	** The [=DVDs=] of the show in the USA, also by Viz Media, lack bonus features, instead using the space to cram up to 12 episodes onto a single disc.
54	* Creator/StudioGhibli:
55	** ''Anime/MyNeighborTotoro'' first came to American DVD with English audio only, pan-and-scan picture, and no bonus features. Later [=DVDs=] fixed the cropping, and added some extras -- as well as the original Japanese version of the movie. However, they also updated the English dub, without porting the previous one over.
56	** The Blu-ray boxset ''The Collected Works of Creator/HayaoMiyazaki'' compiled the first 11 movies that Miyazaki directed, but didn't carry over any extras from their individual Blu-ray releases. [[{{Subverted}} To compensate]], there is an included [[{{Feelies}} book]] that has rare interviews, documents, and a complete filmography. There is also two exclusive bonus discs (combined into one in international releases) including some of Hayao Miyazaki's earlier works and the full version of his [[TenMinuteRetirement retirement]] press conference from 2013.
57	** [[NoExportForYou Japan]] also got an exclusive ''The Collected Works of Creator/IsaoTakahata'' that compiled all 11 films that Takahata directed. It too did not carry over any extras from their individual Blu-ray releases. But it had a book as well as an exclusive bonus disc that contained some of Isao Takahata's earlier work and an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary. Said box set is also the only way to watch his documentary ''The Story of Yanagawa's Canals'' in HD.
58	** And a [[RuleOfThree third]] box set was released [[NoExportForYou exclusively to Japan]] that compiled the first nine Creator/StudioGhibli films that were not directed by Miyazaki or Takahata. This too did not carry over any extras, but it had no exclusive bonus disc either. It did still contain a bonus book. The sole on-disc extra was the first home video release of the short ''The GHIBLIES'', which was previously [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes nigh-impossible to watch outside of 240p TV recordings]]. The short film was included as a bonus with the ''Anime/TheCatReturns''/''The GHIBLIES episode2'' double feature disc.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Literature]]
62	* One of the selling points of the ''Literature/{{Abarat}}'' books is that they are chock-full of lavish, full-color paintings done by [[Creator/CliveBarker the author]] himself. This means the books have to be printed on special paper, which makes them [[CrackIsCheaper much more costly]] than regular books. The Vanilla Edition paperbacks of each book replicate the text, but their only illustration is the one on the cover. However, similar to the case with LightNovels, the illustrations are one of the big draws.
63	* The Literature/{{Discworld}} series has done the same, twice. The original formats of ''Literature/{{Eric}}'' and ''Literature/TheLastHero'' were big large-format lavishly illustrated novels full of SceneryPorn illustrations. However, the big fully-illustrated coffee-table versions are all sold out now and later readers have to make do with text-only vanilla imprints.
64	* Creator/RobinJarvis is known for illustrating his own books, usually with full-page ink drawings. When his ''Literature/DeptfordMice'' trilogy was brought over to the US from the UK, the illustrations were retained and the volumes were well-designed. However, when the prequel trilogy was printed, their illustrations were conspicuously (to those who knew they existed) absent. The covers, while by the same artist who did the US editions of the ''Deptford Mice'' (not the author), seem to have had less effort put into them than the previous three books. They are largely monochromatic and have an overall slapdash feel. The colored foil used before for the lettering of the titles is also absent. Basically, if you want the text they're okay, but they're not much to look at.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
68	* Like with subscription-based music series that often have budget versions containing far-fewer tracks and few if any rarities, several distributors (such as Creator/WarnerBros and Creator/{{CBS}}[=/=]Creator/{{Paramount}}) issued special "budget" versions of their series or season box sets of TV shows. These often contain only a few select episodes, either only the most popular episodes or early episodes of a series that establish the tone and characters/character interactions of a series. Sometimes -- especially if a full season had not yet been released -- these will be test runs that, if a sales success, will lead to a full release of a given season.
69	** Additionally, some budget labels will release only "public domain" episodes (episodes that have fallen into the public domain) of a popular series, where other companies have released full box season sets with complete features. Examples include ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'' and ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'', (who have complete season box sets issued by Creator/{{CBS}}[=/=]Creator/{{Paramount}}), but because they have several episodes each that have fallen into the public domain, also have episodes issued on budget-priced compilations and, as such, have generic music replacing the original score (due to copyright laws), variable video quality (often on 16-mm prints) and no "bonus" features. Like Creator/TimeLifeMusic's budget-priced box sets, these [=DVDs=] are often sold at discount/convenience stores or other impulse-purchase shelves, at prices far lower than a full box set.
70	* The DVD releases of ''Series/HappyDays'' have no special features. The seasons 3 and 4 [=DVDs=] actually pass the clip shows as bonus features, even though those are included in the show's reruns.
71	* ''Series/DoctorWho'': New series [=DVDs=] are released in two ways - a series of [=DVDs=] throughout the year, containing only the episodes and often devoid of special features, and then a special features-packed boxset at the end of the year.
72	** Though more recently, the [=DVDs=] released throughout the year have included a few special features aimed towards the younger viewer. The idea seems to be that the special boxset is aimed at the 'Christmas present' market (very big in the UK) and the older viewers, while the ones released through the year are aimed at the 'pocket money' market.
73	** Some classic series serials were released twice: ''The Five Doctors'' was originally released in 1999 as part of the BBC's launch of their DVD ranges. The only special feature was an isolated music track. Many early official releases also contained relatively few special features; since then most [=DVDs=] have as much special features as they possibly can - only a few releases nowadays (usually one-disc releases of six-part stories) have very few special features.
74	** To play it straight - the 2013 DVD release of the recovered classic story ''The Enemy of the World'' has no special features whatsoever, as it was found and released just after recovery.
75	** Other recovered {{Missing Episode}}s have been released in all sorts of weird editions. For instance, the found third episode of "Galaxy 4" was cleaned up and dumped straight onto [=iTunes=] for those who desperately wanted to see it, and it along with some reconstructions eventually saw a DVD release bundled with a rerelease of "The Aztecs" (the original release of which had been a Vanilla Edition). When "The Web of Fear" was rediscovered, it was released with no restoration or cleanup beyond the "[=VidFIRE=]" technique (an algorithm that makes the recovered film look like video again) and no restoration or reanimation of the third part - and certainly no special features.
76	** A few returning monsters from the Classic series have been released with the New Who story featuring them as cheap bundles, likely aimed at a child market [[FleetingDemographicRule curious about what the references are]]. "Davros" pairs the Creator/TomBaker serial "Genesis of the Daleks" (Davros's first appearance) with the Creator/DavidTennant story "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End"; "Sontarans" bundles the Creator/JonPertwee serial "The Time Warrior" and the Tennant story "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky", and "Silurians" bundles Pertwee story "Dr. Who and the Silurians" with the Creator/MattSmith story "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood"...No extras, no commentary, but super cheap.
77	** 2015-16 saw similar budget releases in North America. ''The Daleks'' set featured "Dalek" (Creator/ChristopherEccleston), "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End" (Tennant), "Asylum of the Daleks" (Smith), and "Into the Dalek" (Creator/PeterCapaldi), plus "Genesis of the Daleks" (Tom Baker) as a "bonus" vintage serial. ''The Cybermen'' brought together "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday" (Tennant), "Closing Time" and "Nightmare in Silver" (Smith), and "Dark Water/Death in Heaven" (Capaldi), with "Earthshock" (Peter Davison) as the classic series bonus. Both releases also had short, kid-oriented documentaries recounting the in-show histories of the villains and providing a little behind-the-scenes stuff. Later ''The Weeping Angels'' was released, which featured "Blink" (Tennant), "The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone" and "The Angels Take Manhattan" (Smith). Since that was all they could (and as of 2018 still can) dredge up for Weeping Angel appearances beyond cameos, and the characters are exclusive to the revival era, the bonus episodes were "The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon" from Series 6, which featured the debut of the Silence.
78	* Something of a subversion: ''Series/RedDwarf'' was released in both Vanilla Edition and LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition form, but the version with the extras came out ''first''. In fact, Grant Naylor Productions ''refused'' to allow ''Red Dwarf'' to be released on DVD in the 1990s because they wanted to wait until they could actually make good [=DVDs=] with loads of extras instead of vanilla releases with interactive menus and scene selection as the only special features. As a result, ''Red Dwarf I'' had its DVD release in 2002, while the [[{{Uncancelled}} then-last series]], ''Red Dwarf VIII'', was released in 2006, seven years after it had first aired. The Vanilla Editions came out in boxsets called "''Red Dwarf'': Just the Shows".
79	* Some UK DVD companies like VCI and [=StudioCanal=] are notorious for not including any bonus features on their [=DVDs=]. Most discs by the aforementioned companies do not even include English HOH subtitling. By contrast, Network DVD discs often include bonus content - but ''they'' don't have subtitling either.
80	** This may be due to the expensive nature of DVD ratings in the UK. Apparently the [[strike:censor]] rating board [[http://www.bbfc.co.uk/customer/cust_proc_fees.php charges by the minute of footage]] for the (mandatory by law) rating, so cheap companies don't put more on the disc than they have to.
81	* The ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' TV series boxed sets are unusually sparse. The first season was released on [=DVD=] in 2002, making it one of the first major disc collections. Each disc had three 45-minute episodes, which is a full episode less than other compilations of similar size put onto their [=DVDs=]. This required nine discs for a 22 episode season, compared to six discs for most other series boxed sets. Also, menu selection was very static with no background music, there were no subtitles or alternate languages, and no remastered video (which definitely shows its age).
82	* The series 4 DVD release of ''Series/WouldILieToYou'' is just the episodes and nothing else. They attempt to cover this by passing the ClipShow off as a special feature.
83	* The original ''Series/TheYoungOnes'' [=DVDs=] were vanilla editions, with no bonus features and some footage cut. Later releases have documentaries and the missing footage restored.
84	* ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'' has been completely released on DVD, but with no bonus features and several scenes and music cues cut.
85	* The first ''Series/FraggleRock'' DVD was "Where It All Began", a single-disc release of the first three episodes sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. The third episode was the only bonus feature. Several months later a wide release special edition was released, with more bonus features including the "Fraggle Songs" video compilation and an episode of the animated series, while the third episode was part of the main program (but still excluded from the VHS release).
86	* Early Creator/CirqueDuSoleil TV specials, be they recordings of actual shows or MilestoneCelebration programs, received this treatment from Sony, even as smaller distributor Image gave the barely-seen dramatic film version of ''Theatre/{{Alegria}}'' a (now out-of-print) release that included a director's commentary track, making-of material, promos, and a music video. Sony started giving the newer shows special editions with ''Theatre/{{Dralion}}'' in 2001, with ''Theatre/{{Varekai}}'' and ''Theatre/LaNouba'' even warranting 2-disc sets. Unfortunately, the "Anniversary Collection" roundup of the discs in 2005 dropped the second discs from both of those sets, thus losing almost all of the extras. To add insult to injury, both the DVD and 3-D Blu-ray versions of ''Film/CirqueDuSoleilJourneyOfMan'', a 39-minute IMAX short, are vanilla editions despite tons of disc space ''and'' the existence of two trailers and a making-of short, the latter of which ''appeared on the VHS release!''
87	* When individual seasons of ''[[Series/{{Mash}} MAS*H]]'' were first released, they were all bare-bones, with no special features, other than an option to turn off the LaughTrack (as the producers originally wanted to bypass a laugh track all along). At first, this was justifiable, as the series was from a time period where home video releases were not common, and as such, special features really wouldn't have been available. Then, around the same time the final season was released, Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox released a complete series set that not only had special features (a blooper reel, the 20th and 30th anniversary reunion specials, a ''Series/{{Biography}}'' special, interviews with the cast, behind-the-scenes footage, among other things), but also included the [[Film/{{Mash}} original 1970 movie as well]]; because of this, many angry fans that had already spent time, effort, and money collecting the individual season sets complained to Fox, and they responded by temporarily removing the complete series set from shelves, and releasing instead a set with the GrandFinale as the main feature, but with all of the bonuses from the complete series set included (except the movie).
88	* Creator/{{Sony}} released a "Fan Favorites" DVD line, which repackaged individual discs of classic TV shows' complete season boxsets. Just a few of the specific discs that received this treatment include the first one of ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' season one, the first disc of ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' season two (in which Sam became pregnant with Tabitha, and Cousin Arthur made his first onscreen appearance, among other events), and the second disc of ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' season five (in which Jeannie and Tony got married, among other events). For potential irony, some of these volumes came from boxsets that didn't have any extras to begin with.
89	* Creator/{{CBS}}[=/=]Creator/{{Paramount}} has re-released the Complete Series DVD sets of some TV shows (including ''Series/TheBradyBunch'' and ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'') with cheaper prices and more compact packaging, but without the bonus discs exclusive to the old boxsets.[[note]]Though in the case of ''Andy Griffith'', an owner of the Vanilla Complete Series set could watch the bonus disc's extras on the 3-Disc ''Best of Mayberry'' DVD, which has more bonus features than any of the show's complete season [=DVDs=] do.[[/note]]
90	* Creator/{{Paramount}} originally released ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' in 2000 as 40 single [=DVD=] volumes with 2 episodes per disc and no bonus features (except for both the color and black-and white versions of "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E0TheCage The Cage]]" on volume 40), which was similar to their previous releases of the series on [=VHS=]/Beta[[note]]80 tapes with one episode each (except for one tape with [[Recap/StarTrekS1E11TheMenageriePartI both]] [[Recap/StarTrekS1E12TheMenageriePartII parts]] of "The Menagerie"), with two tapes for each version of "The Cage"[[/note]] and [=LaserDisc=][[note]]42 discs with 2 episodes per disc, with "The Cage" getting two separate discs and "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E24TurnaboutIntruder Turnabout Intruder]]" getting a disc to itself[[/note]]. The volumes were seen by the public as an inefficient and outmoded way to buy TV series, and box sets came four years later.
91	* ''Series/{{Daredevil\| 2015}}'''s first two seasons and ''Series/JessicaJones2015'' season one have been released on DVD/Blu-ray with absolutely zero additional content. And being web exclusive series is not that much of an excuse, as Netflix's own ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack'' and ''Series/HouseOfCardsUS'' have had some extras on occasion, as did season one of the third Marvel/Netflix show, ''Series/{{Luke Cage\| 2016}}''[[note]]In the US, this marked the final Marvel/Netflix Blu-ray.[[/note]].
92	* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'': The later seasons [=DVD=] releases gradually phased out extras to the point where season eleven didn't have any.
93	* BBC's initial DVD lineup also included releases of ''Series/{{Tweenies}}'' and ''Series/TheNoddyShop'', where the only bonus features on the discs were chapter selection and English and foreign-language subtitles. Some prints of the former DVD opened with trailers for other BBC [=DVDs=], including the aforementioned ''Noddy Shop'' one. The ''Noddy Shop'' one is also known for freezing at random points during the actual episodes, even if the disc isn't scratched.
94	* Up until the Yuuna-chan era, the [=DVDs=] of ''Series/InaiInaiBaa'' lacked any special features. For instance, the Fuuka-chan [=DVDs=] mainly only contain a narrated menu by Fuuka herself and a little section with character profiles, but that's it. However, one DVD from that era, ''Uta Uta Daisuki'', contained a featurette about Pakupaku-san. [=DVDs=] released after the Yuuna-chan era often contain plenty of bonus features, including dance alongs and exclusive segments.
95	* Whereas the first 12 seasons of ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' were released to DVD with a plethora of bonus material, the original ''Degrassi'' series were less fortunate. ''Series/TheKidsOfDegrassiStreet'' had no special features. ''Series/DegrassiJuniorHigh'' and ''Series/DegrassiHigh'' did come with bonus content, including all six episodes of ''Series/DegrassiTalks'', a contemporary documentary, and DVD-rom content like wallpapers, but no deleted scenes, bloopers, or other behind-the-scenes material that fans of ''The Next Generation'' were pampered with year after year.
96	* Initial printings of the Creator/ShoutFactory ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' complete series set had a disc with bonus features. That edition went out of print, and the current version just has the episodes.
97	* The Image Entertainment complete series set of ''Series/SledgeHammer'' did not include any of the bonus features from Anchor Bay Entertainment's previous season sets of the series (the Image set uses the broadcast version of the pilot, complete with laugh track, in place of the extended executive producer's cut used on Anchor Bay's Season 1, although the versions of episodes 2-12 are the laugh track-less ones from the Season 1 set).
98	* Universal Home Entertainment has come out with a Blu-Ray of ''Series/TheAct'', but it's very much this--just the 8 episodes of that Hulu limited series w/Creator/JoeyKing and Creator/PatriciaArquette.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Music]]
102	* Since record companies started producing Deluxe Editions, they have often produced a vanilla edition on the side. Understandable with remastered versions of classic albums, as you have to be a serious fan of an album or an artist to want an extended edition, but it is a little confusing when it's done with new albums and there's little to no difference in price. You wonder who would choose the shorter version.
103	** Music/SimpleMinds intended ''Sons And Fascination / Sister Feelings Call'' to be released as a double LP, but Virgin felt it wasn't cost-effective, so the compromise was reached -- the two discs were released as a twinned limited edition in some countries, with ''Sons And Fascination'' also being available on its own. ''Sons'' was released on its own elsewhere. CD and cassette reissues reunited the two albums.
104	* Like the early [=DVDs=], the first wave of CD reissues in TheEighties simply duplicated the original album releases without any extra material. One notable exception was Creator/{{Rykodisc}}, which started as something of a musical version of Creator/TheCriterionCollection, reissuing critically acclaimed titles with extra tracks and remastered sound. For example, Music/DavidBowie's 1969-80 back catalog got the Rykodisc treatment at the start of TheNineties, and similar special editions of those and both his earlier and latter work have been a constant ever since. Later, as CD manufacturing costs went down, vanilla edition CD reissues became commonplace once again, with deluxe/definitive/collector's edition releases typically including extra material on a second disc instead of as bonus tracks.
105	* Creator/TimeLifeMusic and other subscription-based music labels and distributors offered special "budget" versions of their popular music series -- e.g., "The Rock 'n' Roll Era," "AM Gold," "Classic Country," etc. -- during the late 1990s and through the 2000s decade. These were usually three-disc CD or cassette sets that contained 12 tracks each, and had usually only the most popular or essential tracks of the era (as opposed to albums in the regular subscription series, which often contained rare tracks or tracks that, while popular, weren't (and still aren't) commonly issued on various artists compilations). Priced substantially lower than an entire series -- which could cost hundreds of dollars, a costly investment for someone wanting only the very most popular or essential songs -- these "budget" sets were often found in discount or convenience stores and intended for impulse purchase.
106	* The EMI Manhattan and EMI USA [=CDs=] of Music/KateBush's first five albums in the US and Canada are fairly barebones compared to other editions on the format (including Creator/EMIAmericaRecords' earlier CD releases), removing most of the liner notes in favor of just the tracklists and a standard blurb about the UsefulNotes/CompactDisc.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Video Games]]
110	* Most mobile ports are pretty much vanilla versions of the original games. Some of the include the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' games, ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4'', and ''VideoGame/PapersPlease'', among other ones.
111	* ''Music/TheBeatles: VideoGame/RockBand'' is sold both as a standalone game disc as well as two separate instrument bundles - the 'Value Edition' ships with the stock ''Rock Band 2'' instruments, while the [[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition "Limited Edition"]] bundle includes a guitar controller based on Paul [=McCartney's=] Höfner [=500/1=] bass and a special drumkit with white pads and faux wood, adding an extra $100 to the price tag.
112	* The ''Classic [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem NES]] Series'' for Platform/GameBoyAdvance. Sure, they were the only way to play the oldies without an emulator back then, but at least "Platform/VirtualConsole" includes [[SaveScumming save states]]! These were direct emulations (fixing a BlindIdiotTranslation or two) of the original games, with a huge drop in resolution due to the GBA's tiny screen and no attempt to rectify it. Hit the hardest were ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' and ''VideoGame/{{Metroid\|1}}'', ''Super Mario Bros.'' already being available for Platform/GameBoyColor as the UpdatedRerelease ''Super Mario Bros. Deluxe'' (which the Game Boy Advance was backwards-compatible with), and ''Metroid'' being available in the expanded VideoGameRemake ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', which even includes a port of the original game! And the asking price? $30-40 each.
113	* Similarly, the 10 Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem and Platform/GameBoyAdvance games released for free as part of the "Platform/Nintendo3DS Ambassador Program" to compensate the cost for people who bought the [=3DS=] before its first price drop were released without features standard to other Platform/VirtualConsole games, such as [[SaveScumming restore points]]. Ambassadors could update the NES games for free when they became available for purchase on the [=eShop=] to include restore points, but while playing the GBA games, the system cannot go into sleep mode or go to the home menu without closing the game, and the game doesn't pick up where you closed it. [[https://www.vooks.net/why-the-game-boy-advance-isnt-on-the-3ds-virtual-console/ This is because instead of being emulated via software, the system's smaller CPU is slowed down to GBA speed.]] For this reason, these were the only GBA games ever released on the [=3DS=], and later GBA games were made available on the Platform/WiiU Virtual Console, with restore points, the ability to suspend play, and even fully mappable controls.
114	* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' is notorious for this. First is the barest Japanese release, then the American release, which has a few more bits, and the European one, usually has a few more changes too. Then the ''[[LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition Final Mix]]'' goes out in Japan, [[NoExportForYou and only in Japan]]. This one can be explained by Sony of America's policy on not rereleasing games for the same console unless there's a minimum percentage of new content (one wonders what low, spooky voodoo is used to determine that percentage). When the first two games got HD remasters on [[Platform/PlayStation3 PS3]], America finally got the final mix versions.
115	* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' did the Japan-rest of the world-Japan thing, too. Oh, and now ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' is getting a remastered Japanese release, too… at least the ''Dissidia'' version was just the original with the changes from the European/Australian version incorporated.
116	* An odd example, maybe an inversion: ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' for the DS. The DS game has a long and enjoyable bonus case, adding about an extra third to the length of an otherwise rather short game, and introducing a character who would become relevant later on. The Wii version removes this case, then later charges you money for it.
117	** On the other hand, the game itself on [=WiiWare=] is 1000 Wii Points ($10 US), and Rise From the Ashes is only 100 points. The real issue with this is we had to wait 4 months for the case to be released as DLC!
118	* Creator/{{Capcom}} is ''infamous'' for this trope, thanks in part to CapcomSequelStagnation in regards to ''Franchise/StreetFighter''. ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII: The World Warrior'' would see four revisions, ending with ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo'' (which had about 3-4 remakes of its own). ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII: New Generation'' would later be followed up by ''Second Impact'', although ''Third Strike'' subverts this by being an actual sequel. ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' was given a ''Super'' rerelease, which would in turn be given its own arcade port (''Arcade Edition''), which then came to consoles. ''AE'' then proceeded to get its own update patch. (''Arcade Edition Ver. 2012''). And then ''that'' would be followed by an ''Ultra'' re-release! Thank goodness ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' averts this trope...
119	** This trope, in an unprecedented move, now applies to the ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVs Vs.]]'' series. Five months after the release of ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'', '''''Ultimate''' Marvel vs. Capcom 3'' (which is what was intended to be [[DownloadableContent DLC]] for the original game) hit shelves.
120	* The first ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' game was as vanilla a port as you can get, having only an Arcade, Vs and Options mode in addition to the ''Galaga'' Minigame that played whilst the game was loading. The makers said that it was basically rushed out to capitalise on the [=PlayStation=]'s popularity. ''Tekken 2'' was given more time to be ported and as a result features the extra modes like Team Battle, Survival and Time Attack that would become a trademark of the series.
121	[[/folder]]
122
123	[[folder:Western Animation]]
124	* Unfortunately, many classic cartoon shorts in the PublicDomain have the misfortune of being carelessly compiled onto many, many extremely bare-bones, low-budget DVD collections, usually with no extras and the prints used being in poor quality, and it's only once in a blue moon if they even try to go to the trouble of at least cleaning up the picture and sound quality.
125	----
126	* Averted with the two official ''WesternAnimation/WoodyWoodpecker'' collections, played incredibly straight with the mail-order Columbia House sets.
127	* Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} is notorious for giving any show that isn't ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants SpongeBob]]'' or ''[[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]''-related the most bare-bones home video releases conceivable. To wit:
128	** This was the only format that ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' had been released on until the early [=2010s=], and it took an outsourcing-production deal with Amazon.com to even make that happen. It was averted with the Shout! Factory release of Season 2 onward and the complete series box set. Joe Murray was brought in to do new cover art, "How to Draw the Characters" featurettes, and a "select scene commentary", while Shout! also included the original "Trash-O-Madness" pilot and a recording of a 2012 live reading of the "Wacky Delly" script.
129	** The Amazon sets are manufactured-on-demand on DVD-Rs, making the discs even worse than the standard Vanilla Edition due to player compatibility issues and worse durability.
130	** Another series that shared this fate was Nick's run of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', with Amazon at least giving the series an barebones MOD DVD set.[[note]]Admittedly, a Vanilla Edition would be a step up for the Disney run, which the Mouse didn't do anything with until posting it on Creator/DisneyPlus.[[/note]]
131	** Creator/ButchHartman's first three shows--''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', and ''WesternAnimation/TUFFPuppy''--got this treatment as well. The Fairly [=OddParents=] and T.U.F.F. Puppy were only partially released, and some of the season sets are now out of print. ''Danny Phantom'' does have a complete series box set from Shout! Factory, albeit without bonus features and the episodes from the second season OutOfOrder, to the point that a villain's follow-up episode may be placed immediately before their ''introduction'' episode.[[note]]''WesternAnimation/BunsenIsABeast'' hasn't received any DVD release.[[/note]]
132	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' got this treatment as well - which is pretty insulting considering its status as the only Nicktoon to get a star on the ''Hollywood Walk of Fame''. Initially only released on DVD-Rs from Amazon, Paramount has since released the complete series in a box set, but it's still missing any sort of special features. Much like the ''Happy Days '' example in the Live-Action TV section above, the show’s complete series DVD set from Paramount tries to pass the show’s made-for-TV movies (such as “Runaway Reptar” and “Babies in Toyland”) and the ''Tales from the Crib'' direct-to-video specials as extras, even though the former pieces of ''Rugrats'' content are included in the show’s regular episode rotation on Creator/TeenNick as part of Creator/NickRewind.
133	** ''WesternAnimation/{{CatDog}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys'' initially got the Amazon DVD-R treatment, but have since received box sets from Shout! Factory. Neither include special features, though.
134	** ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' was supposed to get one for the 2009 holiday season, but it was scrapped (it was very disappointing for fans of it, since it's never been released on VHS tapes or [=DVDs=], but since 2021 it's available on Paramount+).
135	** ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' has had two distinct DVD releases. The first one, by Creator/MediaBlasters – which they picked up on the cheap because Nick had washed their hands of the series – was a lavish thing chock full of extras (including Irken subtitles); they also put out a LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition that had a box shaped like Zim's house. It was a massive hit... so massive, that Nick yanked the rights back the first chance they could, put Media Blasters' sets out of print (and as a result making used copies of the house-shaped box set [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes insanely expensive]])... and immediately set out to give fans a ''much worse'' release. "Operation: Doom" is the least appealing of the bunch. No special features at all, no subtitles, and it only includes a handful of episodes. The only redeeming quality was the [[UnCancelled prospect of the show being revived]] by the Nickelodeon execs (this ultimately manifested as the Creator/{{Netflix}} film ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus'').
136	** ''WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot'' is yet another series that got the treatment.
137	** ''WesternAnimation/MakingFiends'' got perhaps the worst treatment of the bunch, only featuring the 18 7-minute segments, adding up to around 2 hours of entertainment.
138	** ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' didn't receive any bonus features until Paramount decided to bundle the show and the movies together, with some archival extras (including the pitch pilot and one of Arnold's ''Series/PeeWeesPlayhouse'' claymation shorts) added to the first disc.
139	** Surprisingly, this was eventually averted with ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius''. While the show initially only had 'best of' releases through Amazon's DVD-R program, Shout! Factory eventually released the entire series in a box set, with a bonus features disc containing all three Jimmy Timmy Power Hour specials, the show's original pilot, as well as featurettes.
140	** The release of ''Theatre/TheSpongeBobMusical'' only has the sing-along edition of the musical and a photo gallery as bonus features. This is unusual for a ''[=SpongeBob=]'' release, as they usually come with a lot of bonus features.
141	** The [=SpongeBob=] [=DVDs=] after season 9 have been very light on bonus features.
142	*** ''[=SpongeBob=]'' Season 10 has no bonus features and half the episodes of a regular season.
143	*** The Season 11 DVD only has one special feature, being a less than two-minute animated short that you can also watch online for free.
144	*** The season 12 DVD also has only one special feature: a clip show called ''Patchy's Beach Bash!'' There are also English, Spanish, and French audio options, in addition to incredibly bland-looking menus.
145	*** Season 13's DVD didn't even have the season number or ''show name'' on the menus, no preview screenshots for episodes, and some episodes weren't available in Spanish or French. It does have an extra episode of ''Kamp Koral'' and ''The Patrick Star Show'' as part of a FakeCrossover, but that's it.
146	** The ''WesternAnimation/KampKoral: Season 1, Volume 1'' DVD has no bonus features besides audio options and subtitles.
147	** ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow: Season 1, Volume 1'' DVD has no bonus features. It has audio options, but they don't even apply to every episode. Of the 13 episode pairs, French is only available for 7, and Spanish is only available for 10.
148	** ''Patrick'''s ''Season 1, Volume 2'' DVD fared even worse. There aren't even preview screenshots on the menu, just a plain text list of episodes.
149	* Surprisingly zig-zagged with DVD releases of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' in the UK. After a season's aired, [=DVDs=] containing four to eight episodes of the season and special features are released. Then a single-disc release of the entire season is released, devoid of the special features.
150	** For some reason, the US releases seem to get more, special-features wise, than the UK. The US's release of ''The Great Discovery'' contained behind-the-scenes featurettes, the UK only received kid's DVD games and music videos of the songs from the film.
151	* Zig-zagged with ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirlsMovie''. The US release was pan and scan, but contained a decent amount of bonus features, while the UK release was widescreen, but contained much less bonus features.
152	* Creator/AdultSwim [=DVDs=] have no bonus features in the UK, with the odd exception with ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'' and ''WesternAnimation/LucyTheDaughterOfTheDevil''.
153	* Similar to Nickelodeon, Disney gives this treatment to the television shows owned by the studio that are lucky to even get a DVD release.
154	** A lot of the old WesternAnimation/DisneyAfternoon shows (''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'', ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'') got released on DVD with zero bonus features whatsoever. The Eastern European release of the first DVD volume of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' is even worse. It doesn't contain the original English language track, only the dub.
155	** When [[WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1967 the 1960s]] ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' animated series was released on DVD in the United States (around the time ''Film/SpiderMan2'' was released to theaters), it only got all 52 episodes and a booklet with an introduction by Creator/StanLee. No commentaries, no commercials, no behind-the-scenes featurettes, nothing. The '90s ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' received even worse [=DVDs=], as Disney never released all of its episodes on the format.
156	** All of the television series releases exclusive to the Disney Movie Club are these. Some received wider retail releases, but others, such as ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', ''WesternAnimation/TheWeekenders'' and ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'', remain exclusive to the club. Still, considering Disney is notorious for never releasing [=DVDs=] of much of their animated series, something is better than nothing in this case.
157	* Surprisingly, for a show otherwise known for its excellent box-sets, Season 20 of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' was released in this form. The only special feature was a preview for the 20th Anniversary special, which aired two days before the release of the DVD. It was also [[NoExportForYou never released in the UK]].
158	** Season 19's DVD is also lacking in bonus features (aside from the usual commentary tracks, creator introduction and "Special Language Feature"), but [[https://youtu.be/whRtVM7umNw the trippy menus]] ''really'' make up for it.
159	* Strangely enough ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' released on two [=DVDs=] with either 4 episodes without any special features during the summer before the box release. There are no vanilla editions of any other TCW episodes and the boxes only come in this edition or as Blu-ray version with extra animation libraries that wouldn't fit on regular [=DVDs=].
160	** Not quite so outside English speaking countries. In Finland, the seasons are first released in four [=DVDs=], each containing 5-6 episodes. Few months later, a set with all the episodes is published. No bonus material anywhere. Not even commentaries. Aforementioned 4-episode [=DVDs=] were also released here.
161	* Creator/{{DiC\|Entertainment}} has not been very lucky with this for DVD releases of their shows.
162	** The company's first DVD releases were released through Lions Gate Home Entertainment between 2001-2002 and were known "[=DIC EasyPlay=]" [=DVDs=], which several shows like ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' and ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' had DVD releases for. The only significant special feature on the discs is a trivia game with questions pertaining to the show in question that allows you to see something after completing them (mainly a trailer seen on another DIC DVD at the time, or artwork), and a main menu feature where WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget [[http://cinemassacre.com/2011/04/01/super-mario-bros-super-show-dvd-menu-screen-review/ teaches you how to use the DVD]] where you can [[MemeticMutation MOVE THE GLOW over the BUTTONS]]. The languages menu gives you English subtitles only, and the ''Super Show'' DVD release (a release titled "Mario's Greatest Movie Moments") doesn't even give you the live-action Mario Bros. segments or the "Do the Mario" closing credits!
163	** Strangely, the 2001 [=DVDs=] contained Spanish voice tracks, but the 2002 ones don't, so this devoids any need for a Language menu.
164	** Considering they were a low-key distributor, [=DVDs=] released through Creator/UAVEntertainment from 2003-2005 are more bare-bones than the Lions Gate ones. They only contain four episodes (one of which being a DVD "Bonus" episode) and '''nothing else'''. The 2004 and 2005 releases did include trailers for other DIC releases by them, although they are just the intros for the shows with a screen at the end showcasing the show's DVD release.
165	** The [=NCircle DVDs=] suffered the same fate. Only 4 episodes and only consists of trailers as bonus material, if at all for some of the UAV reprints.
166	** The 2004 DVD release of ''A Christmas Carol'' from Fox has almost nothing on it except for the film. Not even a '''DVD menu'''.
167	** The DVD releases of from Shout! Factory mainly have a good range of special features alongside the main feature, so it averts this.
168	** The 2-disc Complete Series DVD release of ''WesternAnimation/TheGetAlongGang'' from Mill Creek Entertainment. The first disc only has the episodes in English with ''no bonus features, alternate audio tracks or subtitles at all''. The second disc, on the other hand, is literally just a re-issue of a compilation DVD featuring the episodes of the show not on Disc 1, as well as episodes of other 80s cartoons [=DHX=] Media has the rights to.
169	* The DVD box sets of WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends had nothing but trailers as bonus features.
170	* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry: Shiver Me Whiskers'' was released on DVD with neither a set-up menu '''''NOR''''' with scene selections! There are only two featurettes and some trailers as bonus features. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxvSkW94Dw0 Really.]]
171	* The Shout! Factory [=DVDs=] for ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}''. This is just one of the reasons why people are complaining about how expensive the complete series set is.
172	* Back in 2004, ''[[Literature/CliffordTheBigRedDog Clifford's Really Big Movie]]'' came to DVD by Creator/WarnerBros with a handful of special features and scene selections. The re-release by Creator/{{Universal}}, on the other hand...
173	* This is true with many releases of Creator/CartoonNetwork series. While the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' and ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'', all six seasons of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', and the first season of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' were released with special features, Creator/WarnerBrothers released a line as the "Cartoon Network Hall of Fame," which was the first seasons of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'', and ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog''. Surprisingly, despite the popularity of these series (especially considering ''Dexter'' was Cartoon Network's first big hit), only the ''Johnny Bravo'' set got a special feature, and ''only'' because of Creator/SethMacFarlane (he was a writer on ''Johnny Bravo'' before moving on to ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', and other shows of his). Adding insult to injury, the ''Dexter'' set omits one of the ''Dial M For Monkey'' segments, "Barbequor".[[note]]The episode was banned and has been pulled from most re-releases of the show, having been replaced with a segment from season 2, "Dexter's Lab: A Story"[[/note]]
174	** More recent Warner releases are much worse about this. Complete sets of ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'', ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'', and ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' have been released, but none have any new extras, and the latter show doesn't include its TV movie and holiday special episodes, meaning it isn't even fully complete!
175	** Somewhat averted with Madman's Region 4 releases in Australia:
176	*** ''Dexter's Lab'' received releases of the 1st Season, which retains "Barbequor", and part 1 of the 2nd season, which comes with bonus Dexter music videos. The series later received a complete series box set from Madman, ''Dexter's Laboratory: Collected Experiments'', which also includes the TV movie ''Ego Trip'', which hadn't been rereleased since VHS. It doesn't include "Barbequor", though.
177	*** The 2nd season of ''Courage The Cowardly Dog'' comes with the original pilot, and the 2nd season of ''Johnny Bravo'' comes with ''Johnny Goes To Bollywood'', an 11-minute episode created for the Asian market. Not to be confused with the full-length movie produced afterwards, ''Johnny Bravo Goes To Bollywood''.
178	*** Madman released a complete series box set of ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'', complete with DVD-ROM bonus features.
179	*** Played straight with most of their other unique releases, though. Madman's releases of stuff Warner released in the US generally retain their special features, but releases that Madman did on their own tend to be barebones. They've released all eight seasons of ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', but forgot a season 4 episode and don't include any new extras for later seasons. All 4 seasons of ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'' were released by them in vanilla DVD form, with no extras. ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'' managed to get a release of its entire run, even after the show was written off, but still without extras. Partial releases exist for other shows - ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee'', ''WesternAnimation/ClassOf3000'', ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls2016'', and ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'' all only received a single season release, with ''WesternAnimation/MyGymPartnersAMonkey'' receiving one split over two volumes. ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'' got two seasons, with its spinoff show ''WesternAnimation/IAmWeasel'' getting an additional release of all shorts produced for its standalone show. ''WesternAnimation/CraigOfTheCreek'' and ''WesternAnimation/SummerCampIsland'' each got a box set for their first three seasons. Every single one of these releases is vanilla and contains no special features - though many of these shows never got a release anywhere else, so this is the only option available.
180	* Visual Entertainment's complete DVD set of the ''WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim'' animated series only has the episodes in English with no subtitles or bonus features, not even the animation featuretes included in the VHS releases.
181	* The releases of the ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' movies in America have been this. The only option on the DVD menus are to play the movies!
182	* The first DVD release of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' from 1997 was just a port of the VHS version and so bare bone that it's one of the few [=DVDs=] to not have a menu. [[note]]Seriously, it just plays when you insert it and the "menu" button does nothing.[[/note]]
183	* All of Fox's DVD-R releases of their animated shows, such as ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow''. The DVD release of Season 2 of ''Bob's Burgers'', which is the shortest season of that show, does have ''one'' bonus feature: a table read of the first act of a Season 3 episode.
184	* Every ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' DVD set after season 2.
185	* The DVD releases of ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' and ''WesternAnimation/WakkosWish'' especially after it took so long for them to be released, it was especially jarring in the case of Wakko's Wish considering DVD's were already around when it was first released.
186	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' has for the longest time seen nothing but these types of releases. The Sony Wonder [=DVDs=] (many of which were "souped-up" versions of Random House's videotapes) had no sorts of special features, unless you count the "Kid-Friendly Instant Play" (read: the DVD menu appears after the program is over) and the [[MontageEndsTheVHS closing promos and funding credits]]. While Funimation's "Our Time" issues and the later [=WGBH=]/Creator/{{PBS}} self-releases have a little more content (more trailers and "activities") they're still quite barebones. This is especially infuriating because, with the exceptions of seasons 7 (released under the name "Sleepovers, Sports and More"), 10, 11, 22 (under the name "Arthur Celebrates Community") and 25 (under the name "Believe In Yourself") in the USA and Canada, as well as seasons 1, 2 and 3 in the United Kingdom, ''Arthur'' ''still'' hasn't received proper season releases, despite having been on the air since 1996.
187	* As with ''Arthur'', most PBS Kids DVD releases are quite bare-bones. For example, the ''WesternAnimation/SagwaTheChineseSiameseCat'' DVD "Cat Tales & Celebrations" only has three special features: being an interview with Creator/AmyTan, interactive show trivia, and printable coloring pages.
188	** The PBS Kids releases by Skiprope Entertainment are even worse, as most of them do not contain bonus features, save for trailers at the beginning of some releases. This also applies to non-PBS [=DVDs=] released by the company such as ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends''.
189	** The first DVD of ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'' was so barebones, it only had the episodes, and ''four'' of them at that.[[note]]Parts 1 and 2 of "Jet's First Halloween", "Diggin' Earth", and "Mindy's Mystery"[[/note]] So the DVD only lasts ''1 hour'' since each individual episode is 11-minutes.
190	* While such DVD releases of animated media have been common in Greece, the [=DVDs=] of ''WesternAnimation/MrMagoosChristmasCarol'' and ''WesternAnimation/FrostyTheSnowman'' in 2015 (some of the last ever made there, excluding later Nickelodeon DVD releases) don't even have a DVD menu. In fact, the video in the latter ends midway through the end credits.
191	* The U.S. DVD release of ''WesternAnimation/{{Animalympics}}'' by Hen's Tooth Video is this. The only featurette is scene selection, while the only menu options are playing the movie and turning subtitles on or off.
192	* This is prominent in Warner Bros.' season set releases of cartoons as of TheNewTens, including ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', ''[[WesternAnimation/GreenEggsAndHam2019 Green Eggs and Ham]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020 Animaniacs]]''.
193	* All DVD releases of ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTeddyRuxpin'' fall under this trope, as they lack bonus features. The two [=DVDs=] from First National Pictures did have bonus features, but they were ''Baby Felix'' music videos and an additional episode ("The Faded Fobs"), respectively.
194	* The DVD releases of ''WesternAnimation/TheAnimalsOfFarthingWood'' don't have bonus features, not even a commentary or a behind the scenes featurette. This is likely due to the fact that the [[ReclusiveArtist show's cast (save for the late-great Ron Moody) and crew are very private and have not given any interviews at all]], which is also the reason why virtually no behind the scenes info, cast list and character models from the show have not been made public, which has also made the show become one of few animated shows with no public behind the scenes info out there.
195	* The 2014 and 2021 Mill Creek Entertainment reprints of ''WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'' lack the extras from the original 2004 Sony releases of both, in order to add more episodes on the discs.
196	* The ''Meet WesternAnimation/{{Pingu}}'' DVD has no menu, and it doesn't even have the trailers that the VHS release has.
197	* Unlike most ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'' releases, the [=DVDs=] for ''WesternAnimation/TheVeggieTalesShow'', ''Fruit Of The Spirit Stories'', only contain three episodes and no bonus features.
198	[[/folder]]
199
200	[[folder:Real Life]]
201	* Most UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers went through a phase of competing to give Vanilla Editions of DVD films, TV shows and music CD's away with their Saturday and Sunday editions. The ''Guardian'' focused on things like arthouse subtitled foreign movies; the ''Daily Mail'' reissued craggy-jawed British war movies like the ''Dambusters'' and ''633 Squadron''; the ''Telegraph'' did 1930's and 1950's nostalgia about the Good Old Days; the ''Sun'' and ''Daily Star'' focused on low-brow sex comedies. Some were genuinely worth having, but many were, to be kind, not good. The common identifying factor in all these free issues was that you only got the very basic film-only DVD edition with no extra bangs, whistles or bounces. These free promotions largely ended when the newspapers started to tally up the revenue from increased sales against money paid out in licence fees, DVD production, etc., and concluded it wasn't worth it.
202	** The Daily Mail did this with a series of card sleeve reissues of various 70s & 80s CD albums years ago, and Music/{{Prince}} seized the opportunity to get two of his new albums pressed up by them too.
203	[[/folder]]
204

Context Main / VanillaEdition