Survivor 20 Gets On-Demand DVD Release

Survivor 20, the Heroes vs. Villains season, features cast members from various Survivor cycles who are pitted against each other on two teams according to whether they were known for acting honorably or dubiously in their own seasons. This does two things: makes for outgoing television, but also means that the players in Season 20 aren’t necessarily the best or the brightest -- just the most watchable. As a marketing ploy, it does put a spin on the average all-star season plot, but whether the season is the best use of a returning cast is up to viewers.

If you are interested in seeing the return of some of your favorite and most hated players, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains will be hitting DVD on February 22nd. The catch is, you have to buy the set from Amazon, who is working with partner company CreateSpace to bring the title in an on-demand format to viewers.

For people who aren’t really online buyers, this format might be a slight inconvenience. A second issue might be a delay in shipment time, since the set must be created after it has been ordered. In some ways, it’s a great idea, though, bringing about an entirely new and cost-effective way to release titles that might otherwise never get major releases. Creating products on demand will mean there is no waste, either in the physical or monetary sense. I wonder if CreateSpace would profit more by marketing themselves as an environmentally friendly group?

Another pro is that the on-demand format still includes extras. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains will feature a “Meet the Contestants” segment, a celebration segment reuniting castaways from different seasons, webisodes, exit interviews, and a “Tribal Council” segment, which is basically a tour of the set hosted by Jeff Probst. Less exciting additions include a season preview and a music video.

Check back to see if further Survivor cycles will be released in the same format.