If at justwatch you go to other Apple TV shows that are available on DVD/BR, the “Where to watch” section will say something like “Besides streaming, you can also buy the series on DVD from Amazon DVD / Blu-ray and on Blu-ray from Amazon DVD / Blu-ray, Barnes & Noble.” So, since it doesn’t list DVD/BR as an option, according to justwatch it isn’t available on those formats. That might be right, that might be wrong, but that’s the sort of thing they keep track of.
I just asked Google’s AI and it says
There are no widely released, authorized physical DVDs or Blu-rays for the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses. While box sets (Seasons 1-5) are frequently listed on sites like eBay or Walmart, these are unofficial, bootleg, or illegally produced sets.
Also, every image of the seasons 1-5 collection box I could find says the copyright is “Warner Bros. Entertainment & Universal Television LLC.” The show is not produced by Warner Bros or Universal.
Slow Horses is produced by See-Saw Films (neither their name nor logo is on the DVD boxes I saw) and Flying Studio Pictures in association with Apple TV. They had some sort of affiliation with Sony Pictures Television Studios in the first season.
What does your box cover say about the copyright? Can you post a picture? What site did you buy it from?
If you want a look at the box, it’s probably easiest just to look at Blockbuster DVD UK and check out the one with Lamb with his feet up and socks with holes in them. They also have a different set of seasons 1-4 with a different cover. The copyright does say Warner Bros. etc. If it really is bootleg, I’m surprised Blockbuster is carrying it.
Anyway, it’s too late for me to do anything about it, bootleg or not. I wonder if it’s possible that the DVD rights were sold to Warner Bros, etc. since those other production companies may not have as much experience making and marketing DVD sets. Just spitballing, really. These things always seem very complicated. Since the authenticity is in doubt, I promise not to sell it to anyone else, but I’m still going to watch it in lieu of signing up for Apple TV.
Also, FWIW, I’m not like trying to pick apart your story or anything. I don’t think you did anything wrong. It’s just that my Spidey-sense is tingling in the direction of bootleg.
Well, that site is not Blockbuster of video rental store fame. It’s BlockbustersDVD. They are apparently just trying to trade on the genuine Blockbuster name. Their email isn’t even their own domain, they use a gmail address. That’s the kind of site that, to me, screams less than legit.
See-Saw Films has been around for almost 20 years and has produced about 40 films/tv shows, including Oscar winner The King’s Speech, so I think they are familiar with the ins and outs of home video distribution.
Again, I don’t think you did anything wrong, but yeah it’s a bootleg.
Some of it was filmed near me a couple of years ago and I watched the next season about 6 months later expecting to see local landmarks. But no, they turned up in the one after that. So some of the next season is filmed before the current season even starts.