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Daniel Lona's avatar

The number of modern shows that aren't getting a physical release is upsetting.

Even some of the most popular series don't receive a Bluray release. Some that I'd kill to get a complete series on Bluray or 4K are The Queen's Gambit, Stranger Things, White Lotus, Barry, and Handmaid's Tale. Just for starters.

It feels like the percentage of new shows that are released on Blu-ray/4K is getting smaller all the time. Which is sad for those who value true ownership, media preservation, and/or watching art in the best A/V format possible.

To some degree, I understand that unpopular series that only receive one or two seasons may not be profitable for businesses to release on physical media. (Though, as you say, Jeff, there should still be options for consumer preservation. Maybe an option to purchase a digital license.)

And, now, even many movies don't receive a physical media release, especially if they were a Netflix project. It's a disturbing era in this regard, for sure.

All I know to do is vote with my bank account. I try to purchase as many streaming shows that interest me on Bluray/4K as I can. (And, of course, many movies.)

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today's avatar

I'd be shocked if they were fully deleting shows. Even if a streaming company goes under, if they have original shows and films they own the rights to, the intellectual property in those are hugely valuable assets. No half smart company would delete their assets without maximizing the value at the end. You see this play out in a lot of tech companies where the last thing left in the company are accountants and patents. If Netflix was merely deleting assets that would probably be a good reason for a shareholder lawsuit. Hopefully they'll bring removed content back in some form, and hopefully release more physical media someday. but with the interactive assets maybe they aren't keeping the tech that enables them around?

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