What is this trope? Definition drift?: Better On DVD

Really. Is this...

• "The story runs better and the plot is more understandable when you can see a bunch of episodes in a row." OR
• "The initial production was in a hurry, so the home video release gives the crew extra time and money to improve the visuals." OR
• "The televised release was censored for time or content, so the DVD has extra material that couldn't be broadcast (including more Fanservice)." OR
• "Watching it at home lets you pause, fast-forward, watch it in slow motion, etc." OR
• "The total running time can be increased (restoring deleted scenes etc.), giving the audience more to enjoy."

Because this page contains examples of all of these. Perhaps a split is needed.

I don't think it needs to be split. Those are all valid reasons that a show may work better when it can be watched on a DVD.

I agree that a split isn't necessary, but should the various reasons be separated into sections within the page?

Soft split? if there's one reason why it's better on DVD for the show. But then what about the examples that are often considered better on DVD for several reasons, like The West Wing — the example mentions both all the callbacks that were easy to miss, and the ability to turn on the subtitles.

Hm. Good point. I guess it wouldn't work, though I suppose there could be a "multiple" category.

edited 13th Jan '11 4:33:40 PM by INUH

No change needed, not even a soft split. Most of the examples would end up in the multiple category.

Current Laconic: "A show with a strong sense of continuity, making it better if you watch it from beginning to end (such as on DVD)." Is this incorrect?

It's not really correct, because there are other reasons than only strong continuity.

I'd say more like "A show which may, for any number of reasons, be better if you watch it in recorded format, such as a DVD."

Okay. Changed the Laconic to "The recorded version of a show is more enjoyable than its original airing."

Also, "Watching it at home lets you pause, fast-forward, watch it in slow motion, etc." is going to be misuse. If there's a reason why you'd need to freeze-frame it, it's probably an example of a different, Easter Eggier trope.

There were examples that cited the advantage of VCR-style controls. I was just listing them.

At the very least, could we limit this trope to "the plot works better when watched sequentially" and split off cleaner animation and better effects examples into something else?

or it can be that the dubbed version of an anime sucks, so you need the dvd or online version, not the made for tv version.

"The story runs better and the plot is more understandable when you can see a bunch of episodes in a row."

IIRC, this was the original intended definition.

That will just lead to multiple pages with basically identical works-lists, because almost everything listed has "it's easier to follow" and one of the other reasons.

I think the primary definitions are "Story Arc heavy shows work better when viewed back-to-back" and "Features unique to the DVD media allow a better viewing experience."

A lot of the other items tend to have their own tropes and the reason they are being put into this trope is mostly due to the idea it somehow makes the product better, since this trope is largely not subjective (despite the name) there should likely be some pruning of the examples. Newly filmed scenes or polished animation / special effects should really stay with Re-Cut.

Animation which gets redrawn or upgraded for the DVD/Blueray releases getting rid of Off-Model or adding coolness for certain scenes IMO should be a separate trope.

Nanoha's pwning of Quattro example is probably one of the most famous of these.

Yeah, there seems to be a "the effects/animation/etc. was improved for the home video release" subset of examples that can be split without much trouble.

I don't think Lost-like serials belong in this trope. Sure, it helps with continuity to watch them in succession, but DV Ds ruins the suspense of the end-of-episode cliffhanger and the fun of speculation, which is the whole point of mystery shows. It's a trade-off at best, not clearly Better on DVD like Arrested Development or The Wire.

I don't think I would have been able to STAND Lost if it wasn't on DVD. I like my information through a firehose, not trickled through a straw.

Yeah Lost was just long exercise in fan-teasing if you watched it as broadcast. Its a lot more coherent on DVD (of course it would be even more coherent, and two seasons shorter, if they had quit trying to be clever with the twists and just got on with telling the story). Mark my words, when humanity develops time-travel then the first thing people will do when they work out the can't kill Hitler, will be to see if the same exemption applies to the guys that green-lit that show.

edited 14th Jan '11 2:33:28 PM by CrypticMirror

JJ Abrams Time Travel Ezemption Act ?

edited 14th Jan '11 2:47:42 PM by Ghilz

This trope also works for Tankoubon releases. Negima is quite famous for fixing errors going from mag to Tankoubon from correcting missing things from panel to panel to adding MORE Latin.

Goin to bump this

Going to bump this again with a Visual example of the way Anime and manga can be Better on DVD thats completely different than the way the trope describes On the left Broadcast on the right DVD version◊. The scene has been completely reworked (In the case of this show the entire anime got this treatment.)

That's more aligned with a Re-Cut, physical changes made to improve on the original. The purpose of the trope is more like a Rewatch Bonus.

Its not quite Re-Cut its more of a rebuild from the ground up and its the only way you will find it on any kind of medium besides the tv broadcast. On DVD, Blue Ray or any other kind of medium its the version on the right. There isn't two versions released on dvd and such its literally Better on DVD. Hence the rather massive misuse with the anime section.

edited 20th Apr '11 12:56:22 PM by Raso