# Why don't reality shows re-cut for DVD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768 "2009-05-17T18:39:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/1 "2009-05-17T18:39:30Z")
I’m watching mythbusters. And it got me thinking, whytf should I watch, on DVD, a show where half the content is spoilers trying to keep you from switching the channel? In general, how cool would it be if reality shows (whether it’s Next Top Model or anything) had “Director’s Cut” versions for people with longer attention spans, different interests, etc. It seems like such a simple, low-cost thing to do, and also with a lot of benefit. Some people may watch mythbusters for the explosions, others want to see how different setups/machines get constructed or problems analyzed, others want to see the younger members just tell jokes and goof off. There could be three different versions, for each demographic’s tastes, and many fans would spend the money to get them all. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/2 "2009-05-17T18:57:28Z")
Wow, they don’t even cut the promos out? That’s pathetic. I’m guessing because DVDs have become, essentially, free money. They already have the show, so it just costs them some plastic and cardboard to charge another 30 bucks to the same people who have probably already seen it anyway. Doing any manner of re-editing would cut into their profit. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/3 "2009-05-17T19:25:09Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Wow, they don’t even cut the promos out? It’s not quite “promos.” It’s that every ten minutes, before what would be a commercial break, the show starts showing you clips of explosions and experiments that will appear later in the episode. Or, if it’s coming out of commercial, it will spend a good deal of time recapping what has previously happened (what the myth is, the experimental setup, etc.). It’s totally understandable when shown on television, but think of all the cut-out mythbusting i could be seeing instead. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/4 "2009-05-17T19:26:53Z")
I knew what you meant; the bumpers that are supposed to keep you watching. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/5 "2009-05-17T19:34:10Z")
No one would pay for a DVD full of eight minute episodes if they cut out all the bumpers and they’re not willing to suck up the expense of adding new footage to pad it back out. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/6 "2009-05-17T19:45:33Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > It’s not quite “promos.” It’s that every ten minutes, before what would be a commercial break, the show starts showing you clips of explosions and experiments that will appear later in the episode. Or, if it’s coming out of commercial, it will spend a good deal of time recapping what has previously happened (what the myth is, the experimental setup, etc.). > > It’s totally understandable when shown on television, but think of all the cut-out mythbusting i could be seeing instead. Actually I disagree with you 100% here about the bumpers. It’s infuriating to watch an hour long show in 10 minute chunks with 2 minutes showing me what’s coming up and 2 minutes showing me what I just saw before and after commercials. It artificially extends the show and I despise it. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/7 "2009-05-17T19:55:35Z")
Well, by “understandable” I meant that TV networks live off people flipping channels (constantly), and that they have to accommodate for that. Maybe they could have a cleaned-up show at 1am for ppl to TiVo, or they could sell it on DVD. But they don’t even do that. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-reality-shows-re-cut-for-dvd/496768/8 "2009-05-18T00:41:41Z")
But anyway, my point is that it’d be really clever to take the hours (even days) of footage that reality shows produce per episode and recut it with different audiences in mind. So a show like American Top Model can have the standard cut, or a cut that focuses more on the actual modeling/posing/photography that aspiring models have to go through (you know, for the ppl who might fantasize about doing that). Shows could have quick 22-minute cuts, or long 2-hour cuts for the fans. You could do so many interesting things, cheaply.