HBO’s Flight of the Conchords:
First Episode’s Free, Second One’s $62.90
HBO put the first episode of Flight of the Conchords up on iTunes for free, so I downloaded and, hey, it’s actually pretty funny.
So, I checked back in a couple weeks thinking I could pony up $2 for the next episode. No such luck. It would seem even though HBO uses free podcasts to promote it’s shows, they still don’t have the sense to offer their shows for sale online. Instead, according to the Time Warner NYC website, I’m expected to pay $62.90 to watch the second episode. Forget it. I don’t have cable and this one show isn’t worth $62.90.
Why in the world would I buy video in bulk at a premium price? That’s like buying the 132 pack of toilet paper at Costco for ten times the price. I have a multipass to both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, so clearly I’m more than willing to pay for online video.
Catch up with the times HBO. For a show like Flight of the Conchords, your demographic is clearly younger and yet you aren’t offering your shows in the one way the younger audience understands: online, on their computer, and on their ipod.
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Right there with you. Do you know how many times Alli and I have said, “I wonder if HBO will ever get with the itunes program?”
We found our perfect mix - basic directv for bulk “crap” and buying season passes for premium shows. I don’t need HBO piped continuously into my home 29 days a month, when I only want one of their shows.
but wanna know what HBO is good at? charging you wayyyy too much for the show once it hits dvd. those sex and the city sets were like $55 when they first came out (i think??) and six feet under is pretty damn expensive, too. makes me glad that most of the shows i like nowadays are on shotime (though weeds season 1 is still strangely expensive!)