20
Jul
Jul
Free Viewing Has Ended
Free viewing of Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog - the Whedon creation that has taken the internet by storm, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion & Felicia Day - has ended.
Dr Horrible is available to purchase as individual episodes ($1.99) or as a “season” ($3.99) through iTunes in the US & Canadian stores and will be available in other countries soon.
We’ll update you with news of the DVD release when information becomes available.
I do hope it is extended. A friend of mine outside the country can’t see it when I mentioned it to him and today was supposedly the last day. If not idk when he will be able to see it as he is in the UAE. And apparently iTunes isn’t very friendly outside the US and Canada.
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July 21st, 2008 at 12:00 amI have loved this show so much. I have already bought the Season Pass on iTunes. It was completely my privilege to buy it and I wanted to make sure I did my part to support the great work! Thanks for this… it was the highlight of my week! Can’t wait for the soundtrack!!
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July 21st, 2008 at 12:57 amarrrggh… I just clicked on it and started watching it, and called my girlfriend to watch it with me. When I went to restart it said it was unavailable.
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July 21st, 2008 at 1:02 amAw crap…I missed it…I read that there will be a transcript though, so there’s that at least.
Is it just in my head, or did I read something recently saying there would be a live chat with Joss or someone else related? Anyone know if this is true or if I am just making things up in my mind?
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July 21st, 2008 at 2:14 amI REALLY hope it’s extended; my browser mysteriously crashed as I was halfway through Act II about an hour ago. Considering how freaking long these are taking to load, & the fact that it had to start reloading Act II all over again from the title, I doubt I’ll even be able to BEGIN Act III by midnight.
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July 21st, 2008 at 2:37 amI’ll be real happy when the soundtrack comes out. Especially if the videos are gone in (at the moment of posting) 20 minutes.
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July 21st, 2008 at 3:40 amI’m actually shocked they don’t have a donate button. I’m in Canada, but I don’t agree with iTunes’ policies, so I planned on just donating and getting it through other means. But they won’t let me donate! And without donating, it would be like I was stealing from Joss. So now I have to wait until the stupid DVD is out, just because I have morals and stuff. Stupid morals. x.x
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July 21st, 2008 at 4:31 amIt’s past midnight EST, and it still seems to be online…
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July 21st, 2008 at 4:32 amI really do hope a DVD release becomes available over the internet soon. I too am outside the US/Canada, so I had no real choice but to already get “all piratey” as Joss Whedon put it. As soon as there’s something solid for me to buy, I’m there.
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July 21st, 2008 at 6:28 amThe free viewing is down now. So sad.
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July 21st, 2008 at 7:32 amYep, it’s gone. So now I either have to download iTunes and wait for it to be available in the UK, or wait for the DVD (although I’d probably do both - I want the extras!). I was even dreaming the songs last night!
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July 21st, 2008 at 7:44 amFor god’s sake - why the hell is this not available in the UK iTunes store?
How hard would it be to do a global launch of a program that is trying to utilise the web for buzz???
I’d pay for it - but I can’t, great work…
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July 21st, 2008 at 8:58 amIt’s only been gone a few hours and I miss it terribly already!! I find myself humming a tune then realise where its come from…and I havnt yet learnt all the words, so Im gonna go crazy waiting for the soundtrack!! I cant wait to blast it from my car on the way to work!!
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July 21st, 2008 at 9:58 amHey Joss,
I loved it. Please let me buy it from you directly, or at least without the DRM. I really don’t fancy pointless DRM. The torrents are already out there anyway - DRM was never going to prevent that. And the DVD is not going to have DRM either. So why bother for the paid download? And why prevent honest fans from viewing it on any device we like?
Doctor Horrible is so cool - why spoil it like this?
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July 21st, 2008 at 10:23 amPatrick - it WILL be available on iTunes in the UK - and soon
Aparently there’s a lot of work involved in getting it in each store around the world - that’s why it’s taking so long, it’s not a simple matter of saying to iTunes, here, put this up 
You can hear Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen talking about the issue (and a lot more) in this interview
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July 21st, 2008 at 11:36 amJoss is doing a live chat at washingtonpost.com today at noon EDT (Monday). You can submit questions in advance!!
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July 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pmI am anxiously waiting on the DVD and the soundtrack CD!
I’d also like to echo an earlier comment and say that if they’ll make it available for direct download from their web site (in any non-iTunes/non-DSM format), I will happily pay for that as well.
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July 21st, 2008 at 1:35 pmGladly I was able to watch the last episode last night. aparently as I wanted to watch it, it was afternoon in the states so I guess everybody wanted to watch it as well….It was great, and it is great! Joss&Co you did an awesome job and I can’t wait to buy it on DVD!
Thanks to you all
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July 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pmSadly, iTunes doesn’t work with my operating system (an online store that requires you to install a program other than a web browser? Really? In 2008?), so without the ability to give Joss my money, I just recorded Dr. Horrible like I record everything else I watch.
I added this site’s feed to my list, though, so that I can preorder the DVD the day it’s announced.
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July 21st, 2008 at 1:51 pm*sniff* I’ve been so heavily anticipating this for so long now, it’s hard to believe it’s over… well, now I’m waiting forthe dvd,a nd all of its amazing extras! and also the soundtrack
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July 21st, 2008 at 2:12 pmI really hope that i-tunes makes it available in Germany. I told all my friends about it, they where a bit slow in watching and now its gone.
We all want to buy it from I-tunes over here, so keep fingers crossed that it becomes available internationally on i-tunes.
Can´t wait for the DVD
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July 21st, 2008 at 3:54 pmThere are many ways that this could have been distributed better. One thing that comes to mind is purchasing the episodes outside of iTunes.
In my mind, the best way (could be used in addition to iTunes) would be by having a simple PayPal purchasing link that upon payment automatically gives a unique url for a download. A unique torrent passkey perhaps - easily track/prevent too many downloads/IP’s from grabbing it once it obviously surpasses one person’s legit downloading. (Actually, I’m sure so many people would want to pay or even just donate, you wouldn’t need unique links.) Anywho, such a system would be fairly easy to setup and maintain and I’m sure many people would appreciate it.
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July 21st, 2008 at 4:33 pmCan’t wait for the DVD release….will we get it in the uk?
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July 21st, 2008 at 5:15 pmPlans are being made to release the DVD internationally, it should also be available on iTunes in the UK soon
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July 21st, 2008 at 5:34 pmI really wonder how (and when) the DVD’s come out, what with international distribution (incl. shipping costs, PAL/NTSC etc.).
And while I’m at it, I’m really interested in the facts and figures of Dr. Horrible production-wise. Has anything been said about how much they need to make to cover production costs? How much they’ve already made (via iTunes)?
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July 21st, 2008 at 5:50 pmAw c’mon, iTunes?!? I don’t have it on my system and won’t pander to them. There is a rumor of a DVD? That’d be great, especially since my friend in Canada (who is also iTunesless) was also unable to watch the show. What is this fascination with iCrap? Yeesh.
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July 21st, 2008 at 6:20 pmiTunes isn’t available on Linux (and yeah, while I could try to set it up in Wine, that’s more effort than I’m willing to put forth). Couldn’t you set up a simple ecommerce interface to buy / download the video files directly from the website? That way, you wouldn’t be cutting out international viewers and viewers not using Windows or Mac OS.
If not, I can’t give you money, at least not until the DVD comes out. And I really want to support Doctor Horrible :^P
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July 21st, 2008 at 6:41 pmI, too, am bothered that the current viewing option for paying customers is iTunes. Anything with DRM that isn’t portable from system to system is a disgrace.
However, I am glad to see the selling price is low and gladder still to know a DVD is coming soon.
Count me in the “I will buy this on DVD as soon as it is available” crowd. In the meantime, I hope Mutant Enemy is able to offer iTunes alternatives, including simple pay-per-direct-download of the film in a format viewable with Windows Media Player, Real Player, Quick Time, etc.
I certainly understand that once files are downloaded directly there is nothing stopping inscrutable thugs from just posting or e-mailing copies. But then, ever since the 1970’s, people have been able to videotape television shows off the air and distribute illegal copies… and yet, TV lives on! I believe enough fans would gladly pay the small nominal fee to legally download to return a profit, pirates notwithstanding.
I know I would.
I’d also like to suggest the idea of continuing to offer free streaming video with paid advertising. I would happily sit through a 30 second commercial before viewing each of the three acts in order to receive the video for “free.”
Just a thought.
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July 21st, 2008 at 8:59 pmJoss! Joss! We love you! We adore you! We are your legions of fans!
So why, WHY are you preventing us from expressing that love?? How can it be that you, in all your brilliance, have missed such an obvious trick?
Ember and Wacko have it exactly right: you need, yes NEED, a “Donate Now” button on doctorhorrible.com. Not because I’m not going to buy it on ITunes (which I will, even though I hate them). And not because I’m not going to buy the DVD (which I will). You need it because we, your fans, WANT to express our love and appreciation for you and for what you have done for us.
So get with it, ‘K? Give us what we want! We want a “Donate Now” button, damn it, and we want it NOW!
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July 22nd, 2008 at 12:34 amCaught the first 2 episodes (2nd one on Sunday), and didn’t notice Sunday was the last day to see episode 3.
Would have liked to have seen it to be able to better review it before I commit to either buying it on DVD or leaving it in the stores.
As it is, I’ll just have to wait to see what it sells for and if there are any extras. A DVD with less than an hour of content just isn’t worth it. I did like the first 2 episodes although the Hammer did seem a bit of a tool in the 2nd episode and would have liked to see how it turned out.
iTunes just isn’t an option. I’m not really a download and watch kinda guy.
I think the “free” viewing would be good. Show a few clips and then if the numbers are up there, do a direct to DVD for a season. The downside is that the internet viewing suggests a “Low budget” which may or may not be true. same with direct to DVD - just ask JMS and his direct to DVD Babylon 5 Lost Tales.
I’m not a music person but I did like the musicals that Joss has done in the past (Buffy episodes) and this project.
Hopefully Dollhouse will be a success and Fox wont sabotage it like they did Firefly.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 amI agree with Gullyborg.
iTunes = boo
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July 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 amI can’t believe that even after 6 days of free viewing (which we should all consider a gift - nobody had to do that) for something potentially revolutionary, there are still people whining about their inability to watch it again. If you notice, as many deals are, the gig with iTunes is an exclusive. As much as that may annoy North Americans who are anti-everything, this very deal likely made the very show that’s availibility you are griping about available to the broadest audience possible. If you don’t have/want/support iTunes, that’s fine - that’s your perogative. Wait for the DVD - it WILL be available. Hold your Bad Horses. And quit looking them in the mouth.
To the creators, portrayers, motion-makers et al - THANK YOU!
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July 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 amFrankly, even if I buy this on iTunes, I’m transcoding it to a DRM-free format as soon as I do so. The DRM is easily broken anyway and just isn’t worth it.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 amI struggle with this. How to spread the evil genius of Joss Whedon and clan as far and wide as possible. I *have* to buy the iTunes version anyway. My kids were away during the free viewing period, so I’ll buy for them (my privilege to do so).
Our box-set of Firefly is well travelled, even though I struggle with this a bit. Every person we make watch it becomes infected with the Whedon meme; but, at the same, every person we infect also becomes a lost sales opportunity.
It would be reallllly nice if you could set the first episode free, so that we can infect people with Dr. Horrible as well, without having moral qualms about having impoverished the justly deserving Whedon bank account.l
Regards.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 4:18 amI’ve enjoyed the series a lot, and I’m willing to pay for de DVD. I only ask it to be Region Code 0, so that I can play it in Spain.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 amToo bad - I liked the first 2 episodes. Missed the last one.
WILL NOT get iTunes - hate it.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 3:44 pmWell I Watched Act 1 and 2 then went about my day thinking that this was a weekly thing and I could see Act 3 soon, but no it wasnt and since I live in the UK and ITunes America wont let me even use paypal, I will just have to get it by anyway I can. Much like every other show that is ITunes America only, and most of the time its for a long time like 6 months until it comes out in the UK. *sigh*
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July 22nd, 2008 at 6:49 pmI missed that this was only going to be available for a limited time. Wish I hadn’t watched the first two now, as I don’t do iTunes.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 pmAnother UK viewer here. I caught the free viewing in the last few moments (about 7am Monday here), immediately told my buddy (who introduced me to Firefly), but by the time he got there it was gone
It was just *so* shiny that I’m seriously considering making the only ever exception to my long standing policy of never letting Apple get a penny of my hard earned - once it appears on iTunes UK, that is.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 pmCan’t Itunes, won’t Itunes. If there was ANY other way I will gladly fork over the cash for the digital download. I understand about exclusive gigs and all that, and I know if another download solution was availble there would be much complaining about whatever that was as well from the Itunes masses. I’ll wait for the dvd. Thanks for the brilliance Joss. Well done.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 pmI got the chance to watch it for free and I’ll definitely be purchasing it from Itunes. I hope it’ll become a special feature on one of Joss Whedon’s creations on DVD or a DVD of it’s own.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:38 amI’ll also wait for the DVD.
No way in hell am I supporting iTunes.
Still an awesome show. Well worth the wait for the DVD.
Any day.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:54 am“…can’t believe that even after 6 days of free viewing (which we should all consider a gift - nobody had to do that) for something potentially revolutionary, there are still people whining about their inability to watch it again.”
–JustPlainCarly #32
Like she said.
I swear to all that is wacky some of you people are just the biggest whiners. EVER.
“Why can’t it be free?!” “Why is it only on iTunes?!” “Why was it only available for a week?”
To which I say: Why don’t you just pay the damned Buck-99 per Act on iTunes or wait until the DVDs come out?
Just quit yer bitchin’ for crying out loud, and be glad that we got to see it at all.
I’m just sayin’…
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July 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 amI have no problem buying the video from iTunes or waiting for the DVD, but I don’t understand why the acts cost the same in Canada ($1.99 each) but the series is not the $3.99 it costs in the US but $5.97. I don’t mind paying an extra $2 for the genius that is this movie, but it is a really big piss off.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 11:48 amTallgrrl, has it not crossed your mind that some people are trying to give constructive criticism? Everything you see here is not whining (there surely is some, but not all of it).
Not to endorse whining but the people who do ask “Why is it only on iTunes?!”, while not saying it the best way, are at least making their voices heard and, to some extent, ’strengthening’ the valid points that others have made.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 4:05 pmTo sum up: Leaving the preview up on iTunes only must be the work of Dr. Horrible himself. Villainous!
I use Linux, saw Act I & 2, did NOT know it was a limited time preview, and now CANNOT buy Act 3 even though I want to. Apple eschews linux you see (we keep breaking their evil plans I guess :p ).
Awesome work on screen, but bitter aftertaste lingers from the iTunes only taunting.
Did I mention you guys should be proud of yourselves for the production? OK then.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 pmArgh! the iTunes-Download does not work in Europe !!!
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July 23rd, 2008 at 9:48 pmI absolutely loved this idea. I felt it was the best thing to come around since I first discovered girls. I absolutely loved it!
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July 24th, 2008 at 3:55 amWell… I feel bad for a lot of you… but I’ll enjoy watching it on my iPhone. Already bought the season pass. Thanks Joss et al!
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July 24th, 2008 at 5:18 amI’m glad I saw Dr. Horrible mentioned on two blogs I read daily. Watched it at least five times through Sunday and thought I’d be content to waitfor the DVD release. By Monday afternoon, I was in withdrawl and had to set up my computer to receive iTunes and buy the episodes.
Still waiting for the soundtrack and DVD. The songs are addictive and the performances are brilliant. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
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July 24th, 2008 at 6:13 amI don’t think we’re whining. I think we’re pointing a few contradictions:
** Whedon announces a bold experiment, using the open internet as a medium to convey a message. Nice and good, gutsy and on tune with the times.
** When a limited time period ends, the open become the closed: you have to use a desktop application to be able to purchase and download internet content (Apple: It’s 2008, GET A FRACKIN’ CLUE!); content which although you’ve paid good money for it it WON’T be yours thanks to Mr. Job’s beloved DRM; content that you don’t have access to if you’re on a computer outside the US or Canada. Peachy: the great internet has suddenly become the little bazaar.
I am a hardcore Whedon fan, but sadly I couldn’t watch this because I learned about it *after* the free-viewing period ended. And then this. And as it turns out, I’m as rabid a hater of S. Jobs and all his works as I’m a fan of Whedon’s, so sadly no cigar. I won’t never, EVER, allow that iTunes crap installed on any computer system I own.
So, Mr. Whedon, you leave me (and A LOT of people like me) no choice AT ALL except going all piratey. Har har de har.
PS.- Let’s hope that when Dr. Horrible’s comes out on DVD it does on a region-free format, because if it is only playable on Region 1 I’ll be forced AGAIN to get my eyepatch and hook: you see, pirated “products” have no DRM, no region coding, no price tags. Publish your products without all of that except the price tag and I’ll happily pay, as I did for my Buffy, Angel and Firefly DVDs, comics and books.
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July 24th, 2008 at 10:44 amAs I said when I originally posted, iTunes is literally not an option for me unless I invest in another computer and operating system. Nonetheless, I have a copy of Dr. Horrible, just as I have a copy of everything else I’ve watched on my TV (and liked) in the last year or so. I obtained it through legal means (as far as I know, they haven’t outlawed recording video on a DVR yet) but not using a method that gave Joss and company any money. Which is too bad, because I’d gladly buy the series now, in unencrypted form (as it was broadcast from Hulu) and then buy it again on DVD. He’ll still get my money, just not twice.
And if I didn’t want to give them my money, I wouldn’t be posting here about it; I’d probably be making illegal copies of it for everyone I know because the show was just that good. They don’t need to worry about people like me and the other people on here who can’t or won’t use iTunes. They need to worry about the people who, when they hear they need iTunes, just head for a torrent site or Usenet because it’s not only cheaper but easier and less invasive (not to mention possible, in the case of Linux and BSD users.) It’s not a matter of jumping through hoops to get something cheaper. It’s a matter of not having the hoops to jump through in the first place, so the most readily available option is the illegal one. And so they’d have no reason to come here and complain.
Joss lives in the rarefied world of Hollywood, where most people seem to have a Mac, an iPod and these days probably an iPhone as well. I can understand why it would have never occurred to him, and the people he hired to do the deals, that making it iTunes-exclusive would be a problem. But his fan-base is loaded with geeks, and a lot of geeks don’t use iTunes. They do use Bittorrent, though. Not most geeks, but enough that it will impact, and in all probability already has impacted, his bottom line.
Picacodigos: Joss has already mentioned in an interview that the DVD will be region zero. He really does mean to do the right thing.
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July 24th, 2008 at 6:42 pmYES! Nice 5 minute download, watched a few minutes and you got me, I’m buying this on hard-copy DVD for sure. Good work.
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July 24th, 2008 at 11:28 pmI’m looking forward to buying a dvd. Its too bad its only for DL on itunes, which looks to be the realplayer of the 2000’s.
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July 26th, 2008 at 1:40 amHey, someone must have listened to me…
I checked back at the main Dr Horrible site today and found you can now view for free directly from the site with commercial breaks. They are short and only come between the acts.
This is a GREAT solution to the “no iTunes” crowd and will allow Joss to make money before the DVDs ship at the same time.
HOORAY!
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August 5th, 2008 at 9:54 pm