My question is this: Do you think you still would have bought the series on DVD if we didn't have such an awesome fandom with such great talent?

I don't think I would have (as much as I LOVE the show) if not for fanfic. This fandom has just added fuel to the fire, so to speak. I was just curious to see what other people's opinions were.

I would definitely have bought the series on DVD if there woudn't have been fanfic!!

I know because when I bought the DVD's, I didn't know there where such great fanfic stories and MB etc.

Heck, I'm here because I bought the DVDs. Though I've always considered it my favorite show, I hadn't really searched out other fans until I bought the DVDs and got really in to it. So glad I did!

Jessi

I guess I would have bought them anyway, but I'm not absolutely sure. And since my first season DVD and finding the archive went hand in hand for me, I can't say anymore which way it went. Did I buy the DVD because of the fanfics? Did I start reading fanfics because of the DVDs? I guess it went both ways.

Definetly would have bought it... one of my favorite series. Heck, I'm still waiting for them to come out with the Scarecrow and Mrs. King DVDs and I couldn't even tell you if they have a fandom! (and that show's even older!)

Jo

I liked the show when it was on reruns, but I never would have bought the DVDs if not for fanfic. Even now I consider them mainly background for the great stories that I read!

I chose "definitely" because I bought season 1 before I found the fandom. It was while I was on pins and needles waiting for season 2 (and the proposal <drool>) that I began hunting on the internet for stuff about Lois and Clark and I stumbled across this fandom. I feel so fortunate! Before that happened, I used to write stories purely for the joy of writing them. Now I get to write them and post them for other people to read... and read some really great stories by other people. Yay!

I had the show earmarked on tvshowsondvd.com for *years*, waiting for them to notify me that it was out on DVD. I bought the first and second seasons the moment they came out. Then, feeling all WAFFy (although I didn't know that was the word for it at the time), I started rethinking/remembering the stories I had composed in my head back when the show was on the air. And then I started wondering if there was already fanfic for the show out there. It seemed like, years before, I had stumbled across a story or two but since I was so heavily involved in another fandom I hadn't really read much.

I was delighted to find that not only were there fanfic stories, but the fandom was still very much alive.

One caveat - I would never have bought season four if I hadn't been so heavily involved in fanfic.

Actually I never bought the DVDs *because* of the fanfic. It eventually ruined me. I loved the show. I never missed an episode when it was on the air. But as soon as the show hit reruns, I started reading the fanfic and talking to fans. And I realized that we've (using that term loosely ROFL) really untwisted the heck out of some ridiculous plots over the years.

I might buy the DVDs some day. The music videos have been reminding me of all the classic scenes. But there are other TV shows I want to conquer off of Amazon first.

JD

I've bought the DVDs because of the fanfictions. I've always loved the show and I've watched every episode the first time it was shown on TV. Then I kind of forgot it and only years later I stumbled over lcfanfic.com, read some stories and thought, that I no longer could live without having the show on DVD. Because after I've read some stories I really had some problems with remembering what acutally had happened on the show and what was only fanfic

Hmm... a very hard question! I'm almost certain I would have bought the DVDs without the fandom, but I can't be 100% sure. The fandom and fanfic is what's kept my love for the show alive, even after all these years.

I've also bought DVDs of show I liked less and where I haven't that been involved in the fandoms, so it's not really a criteria of mine.

So my answer is 'definitely', but with a little bit of uncertainty.

*snicker* Well, I agree with Jessi, JD, and Sue S. I had loved the series, but only saw the first three seasons (had a baby just before the fourth and just never could get my act together to watch TV), so I bought the first season and went mad waiting for the second. Found some fics on FF.net, saw Wendy's note about the archive, and came searching. Then season two came out, I watched everything twice, and started reading fics about those episodes. Now I think that the DVDs are a nice suppliment to the fics. I say that because I'd rather read a fic than force my way through the ARGH, which I STILL haven't done, so I still haven't seen season four (tho I do have the DVDs). Honestly, I'm really tempted to start all over at the pilot and try to get up enough momentum to blast through the dog-gone wedding/clone arc.
mmouse

My journey to the Lois and Clark fandom was pretty... random, actually. I saw Superman Returns last year in theaters and I really, really, liked it. I went on a mini Superman kick, writing SR fanfic and such... I was at Target one day with my brother and I noticed season 3 of Lois and Clark. The tag mistakenly said 20 dollars and I thought that was a fantastic price for any season of a show. So I grabbed the DVD (kind of wary) and went to check out. Apparently it had been mislabeled and rang up at 40 dollars. I didn't feel like making a scene, and besides, I had geared myself up for watching a new series, so I bought it anyway, hoping I'd like it! So I came home and watched season 3 over the next few weeks. In the middle of it, I began looking for the other seasons. I found season 1 next, and then finally season 2. By that time I was absolutely in love with the show. I discovered the fandom somewhere... around my watching of season 2. (Though I had already seen 3!) Anyway, I was so excited for season 4 to come out I ran out and bought it the minute it came out. I know people say that it's the worst season, but I actually enjoyed it. It might be my second favorite. I just like seeing them finally together. Anyway, that's my journey to the Lois and Clark fandom. All because of a mislabeled price tag at Target!

Laura

Honestly, I didn't get into the fandom until a few years ago, but I'd always been a HUGE fan. For some reason, it never occurred to me to look much into L&C fanfic or anything like that even though I'd done so for a previous show. I guess since people I knew really didn't like the show as much as I did, I assumed that I was in a minority.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered so much dedication to this fandom! My first experience was with the Seasons 5 and 6 continuations on Pam's site; I'm pretty sure I found them as they were being written, but I can't remember. But even after that, the fandom kind of dropped off my radar. I rediscovered it about two years ago and I've been hooked ever since!

But to get back to the original question, I definitely would have bought the DVDs without being a huge part of the fandom. L&C has always been (and will always be) my all-time favorite TV show ever.

Honestly, I have no idea
I like to believe in the butterly effect so maybe, if the fandom hadn't existed, the whole world would have exploded and there would've been no DVDs to buy

But if not, I probably would have bought em anyway.. Boy do I love L&C!

My feeling is that if you write fanfic you really ought to be familiar with the series, and while I caught them when originally shown in Britain I never recorded them. So I wanted to watch them again, and the DVDs have simply been the best way to do so.

Definitely yes. I've been waiting for them to come out forever.

I bought the first season on DVD before I found out there were others like me. So yes. I woulda! BWAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

I definitely would have bought the dvds regardless because... I never watched it when it originally aired. My parents had a no soapie rule in the house.

The only soap I ever saw was MASH reruns because I had to tape them while the parents were still at work.

The rule was lifted around 2000 I think. Too late for l&c.

The only reason I even knew the series existed was that my brother taped something and let it run and he ended up with Contact and Ultrawoman on the end of whatever he was taping.

Yes I would have! L&C was always a favourite of mine and I was watching really bad recordings of the third season or at least what was left of them that I could watch so I would have bought it regardless. However, if it wasn't for the fandom I wouldn't have been able to find out that I was able to get it earlier since I was lucky a store here could import the region 1 editions for me.

There's no question that I would've bought it- would have done anything to buy them! I've cooked up some crazy plots over the years just to get ahold of any scrap of video or refrence to the series. I watched the pilot when I was ten and fell in love with it instantly. I thought I'd die when it went off air - luckily I discovered Harry Potter just a few months later. That and this fandom was what helped me deal with my "loss". Otherwise I might have gone starkers before the DVDs were ever released. Lois and Clark and Harry Potter still remain the Great Obsessions of my life. I can't magine anything ever replacing them.

I bought my Season 1 before I found all those fanfictions, that's why I've chosen "definitely"

Back when I first found this site, I was missing the series and really appreciated the stories thinking reading them was like watching the show only better written. Then I wanted to write my own stuff and found that it was hard to remember how the characters acted in each different season and that it was hard to make my story reflect the atmosphere of that season. Then Tank, who lives in the same area, offered me the VHS tapes of the shows he had and I was able to use them to get some inspiration, but then my hubby bought me season 1 as soon as it came out.

I bought season 4 last night and found someone who wanted all my VHS tapes. I think folcs will be buying these DVD's for years to come.

I loved the show 1st-3rd season, but I was so disenchanted with the ending of S3 (wedding, clone, amnesia, and then NK) that I remember thinking I didn't care if the show even came back for a fourth season. When it did, I kept watching, but I didn't love the show the way I used to.

So by 2000 it had completely fallen off my radar. It was only by accident that I discovered the fandom and started reading the fanfic. And once I started reading, the above-average level of quality here made me stay. If not for the fanfic, I would probably never have remembered the show, let alone gone out and bought the DVDs.

So I credit the fans with reviving my love for the series, and Warner Bros. can thank them for ensuring my purchase

Kaylle

I'm here because I bought the dvds as soon as they came out. I was a huge fan when the show was still on the air. Recently (like in the last month) I've been going through them episode by episode, got inspired to start fanficing, and wound up here thanks to another member.

I probably would have bought the DVD'S anyway, but then I've returned to fanfic to help me through a challenging time in my life. L&C is one of the 'safe places' for me.

Apparently, I voted on this one already. It must have been a while ago, although I can't remember what my answer was. Would I have bought the DVDs if it hadn't been for the fandom? No, probably not. ). I bought the DVDs because I often check back to the shows for quotes and details for stories. I consider the DVDs a research tool. That I get to watch the episodes over and over and over again as research, well, that's just a bonus.

When Lois and Clark aired on TV, I saw it sometimes. When it started, I was living at home with my parents and working as either a waitress or in retail and dating my husband. So, whenever my schedule permitted, I would watch it. Then, from Aug. 1993-March 1994 I was working two part-time jobs and planning a wedding. In March 1994, I got married and I just had other priorities than watching TV.

I had forgotten about this show until I saw Superman Returns. I remember thinking that Dean Cain was a better looking Superman. So, I went in search of fanfic for Lois and Clark. Then I found this board. And someone was kind enough to send me VHS tapes of the show.

So, at this point, I don't have the DVDs. Would I have the DVDs if not for the VHS tapes? No. Why? Because the only the reason I don't have the DVDs right now is because I haven't the money to get them. Everytime, I get the extra money, something else always takes priority. Like say for example, car breaks down and we need parts, or something like that.

My b-day is coming up and I still won't be able to get the DVDs. I need to buy a new tablet to replace the one that my kids broke. (I just spent my Christmas money on it! And they leave it sitting on my bed under the covers and someone sat on it.) I also need a new external hard-drive to back up the laptop.

So, it looks like it will be either Christmas or my birthday in 2014 before I will be able to get the DVDs and by then something else will probably take priority. But I will eventually get the DVDs because of fanfic. If it weren't for the fanfic, I wouldn't even worry about getting the DVDs. I wouldn't have worried about the VHS tapes either. The VHS tapes just keep me from going crazy in not be able to see the episodes to refresh my memory of what happened. The VHS tapes also make me hungry to see the extras on the DVDs, hense the reason that I will get them one day. Just as soon as I can save up to get them all. I'm not very patient and since all seasons are out, I can't just buy one season at a time. That would just make me even more crazy.

Absolutely, I would have. My DVD collection is my pride and joy and nothing gives me more pleasure than adding a new favourite to it.

Also, S4 was massacred on its first run here in the UK. It contained way too many hot scenes apparently for SKY 1. So we lost the contraception talk scenes, the "what was that?" kitchen scene, the make out scene in VD...you name it, it wasn't there. To the point where some eps made no sense until I watched the DVD.

LabRat :-)

Absolutely, I would have. My DVD collection is my pride and joy and nothing gives me more pleasure than adding a new favourite to it.

Also, S4 was massacred on its first run here in the UK. It contained way too many hot scenes apparently for SKY 1. So we lost the contraception talk scenes, the "what was that?" kitchen scene, the make out scene in VD...you name it, it wasn't there. To the point where some eps made no sense until I watched the DVD.

LabRat :-)

They left out the make-out scene in VD???!!??? That's...that's...so wrong!

That is my 'melt into a puddle of goo' scene, by the way. The second time he kisses her, and draws in a breath...

(Actually, I needed the DVDs since I'd watched several, erm, scenes/eps so many times the tapes died.)

I don't remember those scenes being left out. Actually that sounds the wrong way round. I DO remember seeing those scenes, but I wasn't watching on SKY, I was watching BBC. Strange, it was Saturday tea-time family viewing so how come BBC kept them in but SKY didn't?

Anyway, I've bought the DVDs twice now. The first time was nothing to do with fanfic, I just loved the shows. Then, in a fit of desperate cleaning rage and stupidity, I got rid of them. Finding the archives a couple of years ago and becoming addicted to LnC fanfic lead me to re-buy them. So the 2nd time was definitely because of this website and the people here.

I watched it first on BBC & then on Sky & now that you mention it I do remember changes,

I only saw them on BBC, not Sky. I think they were shown uncut but I could be wrong. I bought the DVDs almost as soon as they were available, for some reason they were much cheaper than e.g. Buffy.

Yes, I seem to recall being baffled at the time that the BBC was being less brutal with the knife than SKY. It was pretty bizarre. You'd kind of expect it to be the other way around.

I have no clue why SKY were so twitchy, but their cuts were utterly ridiculous and, even more irritating, with no attempt to disguise them or make the ep logical around them. I recall having no clue why the machine exploded in VD until the BBC/DVD showing.

I've no idea if they treated the previous three seasons in the same way because I caught those in reruns. S4 was the first season I watched 'live'.

LabRat :-)

Um... This makes me feel guilty because (obviously) Lois and Clark is one of my all time favorite tv shows... But I don't own the DVD's. I was a wee babe when the show first aired, and I mostly saw them in reruns a little later (though I know my parents watched it when it was on the air). When the DVD's came out, I was not in charge of the DVD purchasing and hadn't seen them all either. We rented them from Netflix when I was probably about 12-13 (before Instant) and I fell in love with the show (and Dean Cain!). When they came to Instant a few years later, I loved them all over again and watched them incessantly (also as an escape of sorts). I was devestated when they were taken off Netflix (I believe I've mentioned that before), but then they started showing them on the Hub this last year and so I recorded every single episode. Unfortunately, 87/88 episodes eats up a lot of space on the DVR, and that, coupled with all my Castle recordings, drove my mother crazy so I now only have my favorites recorded. I discovered fanfic somewhere in the middle of all that, though I first wrote for the Superman movies, trying to fix a whole BOATLOAD of mistakes....

Honestly, I would love to own the DVD's. I would love to own it for a lot of shows (LnC being top of the list, but Castle too), but I am a broke college student. The tv shows I do have on DVD were only because I got them cheap (i.e. "Firefly" being only the one season and the first season of "Chuck" because that was when our Blockbuster was going out of business). What helps me the most though as far as the research aspect goes is the scripts here on the site. They're accurate, they're right at your fingertips, and I love reading scripts anyways. That coupled with the episodes I do have recorded, plus the wonderful world of the internet... I can get by. Besides, if I had the DVD's too then I *REALLY* wouldn't have any time left in my day. (I barely have time for homework!)

Actually, I wouldn't call the scripts "accurate".
Apparently, from what I've heard, this *was* what some of the dubbed versions said. Not a mention of Mel Gibson or Lethal Weapon in sight. Thankfully, enough of us on the boards DO have the DVDs and can look up the correct wording of dialogue if you ask.

Which is why I still have my VCR. I have all the Buffy episodes recorded on VHS (not that I ever watch them anymore because Buffy, Angel, and Firefly are on Netflix's Instant List.

The scripts look to be shooting scripts. Which is the way that the writers had intended the episode to go. Alot of the time, during shooting, last minute changes are made or an actor might adlib something and the director decides to keep it because it works. Also sometimes the actors may rearange a line or two to make it flow more easily. Usually, those changes are very minor. It would be like changing, "Clark, hello." to "Hello, Clark." So the scripts are not 100% the way it was filmed. The scripts are still very valuable though. Someone went to a lot of trouble in typing up the scripts that they had and they are a very nice resource. I for one, would love to sit down and look at a script as I am watching an episode just to see the differences. I'm almost positive that the script would have some "deleted scenes" to add to some background. I personally, thank who ever took the time to type them up and post them on the net.

That's one of the things I actually do like about scripts-- catching all of the little edits/improvs that were made to it. For the most part, I remember them the way they were said anyways. But the little descriptors and changes actors make in dialogue from script to screen is what makes it. Of course, accuracy can suffer slightly in the research division, but it's mostly entertaining to me. Plus, I think it's interesting to see how well the actors did in comparison. It's a fascinating experiment actually. The process between writing a script and filming it are vastly different. A lot of times the things I might write down on paper sound way different/weird aloud. Also: ACTORS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. It's not just a joke. Coming from the writing/behind the scenes background, it's crazy complicated. Because you're relying on somebody else to try to make *your* vision in *your* head come true. (Hint: this is how I got into animation. TOTAL CONTROL AND WORLD DOMINATION!!! MWAHAHAHAHA!-- er, ahem. Something like that. Though I'm still considering writing/editing...)

/Psst/ Mouse. I hate to rain on your animated parade, but unless you do silent films, you still have to deal with voice actors./

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by VirginiaR:
<strong>/Psst/ Mouse. I hate to rain on your animated parade, but unless you do silent films, you still have to deal with voice actors./