SD (standard definition) Blu-ray is a simple concept—instead of using the storage on a Blu-ray disk to hold higher definition video, you can get standard quality video and a longer video time on the same Blu-ray disk. There are a number of shows that I feel like have long enough runs that I feel would fit well onto standard definition Blu-ray.
One 50g Blu-ray is said to have enough room for 23 hours of video. I will use this information to calculate how many SD Blu-ray disks (SDBDs) it would take to fit the full series.
Also, I'm more focused on series where episode quantity is a bigger factor than episode quality. And likewise I might have a different list later for series that need regular Blu-ray releases. To make things a little more fun, I'll add a bonus or gimmick to each that I think would complete the experience. This will be a ten-entry two-parter, with half coming out now and the other half coming sometime in the future.
1- Good Eats
Episodes: 256 (30 min)
Disks: 6
Gimmick: Virtual cookbook
Good Eats is a classic series from the Food Network, known for being a cooking show presented as all-ages edutainment hosted by Alton Brown. Yes, this includes actually learning food science, history, and techniques with the presence of some lovely puppets alongside the spirited delivery of a beloved cartoonish television chef.
My idea for the gimmick for this one is just basically having an official virtual cookbook—probably as a premium app—that you can get free with the DVD set or on its own, where you can search for specific recipes with both text instructions and video. Maybe you could even search recipes by what ingredients and equipment you currently possess.
2- Lamb Chop's Play-Along
Episodes: 84+23 (30 min)
Disks: 3
Bonus: The Charlie Horse Music Pizza full series
This classic PBS series created by Shari Lewis is currently experiencing a lost media situation. Despite diminishing relevance, Lamb Chop is still a household name; but there's currently no way to watch the full series of Lamb Chop’s Play-Along even with bootlegs.
The show's shorter-lived spin-off, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, is also publicly missing some episodes and I'd say tossing it in would be a good addition.
3- Sheep in the Big City/Time Squad
Episodes: 27+26 (22 Min)
Disks: 1
Gimmick: Two-in-one
Ok, this one is an odd case, but hear me out. Sheep in the Big City and Time Squad are two different Rocky and Bullwinkle-inspired cartoons that aired on Cartoon Network at the turn of the millennium that have never received full-series home media releases. Both series are 10 hours each, so you could fit both series on a single disk with room to spare, and they would both be saved from only being viewable on bootlegged TV recordings.
4- Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Episodes: 295 (30 min)
Disks: 6
Gimmick: Optional correctional pop-ups
This classic PBS game show deserves to be on home media, but it has a very good reason it likely never has been. The nations of the world are less consistent than you think they would be—of course, countries changed names, borders, or even dissolved into other countries, so a few episodes of the show became outdated in the time between filming and airing. Likewise there are even more disparities between the information on the show and contemporary world geography.
After talking it over with David and Mouse, we all agreed the best way they could address any outdated information would be to have a visual pop-up that indicates points where geographical information is outdated and provides more corrected information, with the year of the SDBD’s release being indicated. But this feature would be optional if you don't really care about accuracy and just want to see Rockapella do their thing or something.
5- The Red Green Show
Episodes: 300 (22 min) + Plentiful Bonus Features
Disks: 7 (+)
Bonus: All the DVD bonus features
This Canadian skit series about an old man duct taping things to bad cars among other hijinks is best known in the United States, where I live, for its airtime on PBS. It is a series that is already readily available, being on DVD and officially on YouTube, but I still think a SDBD to condense the series would be appropriate. The big thing here is the series length, with 15 seasons and a run lasting over a decade, so having everything condensed into the SDBD format would just be good containment.
The current full series release is from 2012 and costs $300 for 50 DVDs, including bonus features. The series on SDBD would be down to 7 disks, and you could easily fill up to 10 disks with bonus features already on hand.
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