The Sitcom Merchandise I Want Is Not Available!

If you can't find the merchandise you're looking for anywhere online (see our buying guide for where to look) it's very likely that the merchandise you are trying to buy hasn't been distributed yet or has fallen out of circulation.

This page provides some insight into why certain merchandise isn't currently available and suggests some ways in which you might still be able to get hold of what you are after.

Why is certain merchandise not available now?

Many British sitcoms haven't been released on video or DVD as they're either too new or there isn't enough demand to warrant a release.

Newish series (broadcast 2004+)

If the series you are looking to buy was broadcast for the first time in the last couple of years you'll probably just have to be patient - it will no doubt come out on DVD - but there may be a one or two year delay before this happens. The reason for the wait is because it takes a while to produce and manage a DVD launch and by delaying the launch the TV companies can increase demand whilst still making money out of repeats (no one would watch BBC3 if all their repeats were on DVD).

If you want to find out when the series will be released see the next section of our guide.

Older series

Demand for old sitcoms is quite low as popularity inevitably fades over time; only the most well-known comedies are wanted by more than just a few hardcore fans. DVD distributors need very high demand to be able to get their investment in a new DVD back so unless there are a lot of people badly wanting a series it is unlikely it will be released any time soon.

That said, the good news is that manufacturing prices are now falling thus making it less of a risk to release a new DVD so expect some programmes which haven't appeared yet to come out in the next five years.

The next section explains how you can find out if / when a programme will be released.

When Will The DVD / Video I Want Be Released?

This section explains how to discover if / when the sitcom merchandise you're interested in will be coming out.

See our new release list

You may find the answer on our "releases coming soon" page - we list on there the new Region 2 sitcom-related DVD releases that have been announced. If you can't see the series on that page then we're afraid we don't know if / when it will be available. All the series releases we hear about we put on that page.

Note: Often the release date of new DVD is kept under-wraps until the last moment for competitive reasons so the DVD you want could be out soon just no one knows about it yet!

Calculate the release date

If a series has been partially released (e.g. the first two series have been brought out but not the others) it may be that the studio is staging the releases. This is a common tactic so that they can get more money out of people (few people can afford to pay for a nine-disc series all in one go). The clue to finding out when the next season is likely to be released is to look at the previous release dates - most web stores show these, including Amazon. e.g. if series one was released in 2005, series two in 2006, series three is likely to be along in 2007. For a definitive answer ask the distributor (see next section).

Note about flop DVD releases: In some cases, DVDs have not sold as well as expected and it has become financially un-viable for the distributors to release the other series on DVD. If some of the series of the sitcom you are interested in were released a while ago but there is no sign of any of the other series on the horizon this may be the case, sorry. You should contact the distributors for confirmation (see the next section). The good news is that, in some cases, another label will pick up the rights when they become available (usually five years later) and try again.

Ask the people in the know!

The distributors and production companies will have intimate knowledge of what is happening about their series. If you ask them nicely they may let you know what plans, if any, they have. See our contacts page for details on who exactly to contact.

Note: If you find out something from them we've not got listed on our website do please let us know so we can add it.

Join our free DVD mailing list for updates

Our DVD newsletter is a great way of staying in touch with all the latest release announcements. About once a month we email out a list of all the DVD releases which have been announced along with news on the series that have stalled etc. Join up for free now

Stay tuned as in early 2007 we'll be launching some new interactive features to keep you even better informed (e.g. free email alerts about the series you're waiting for).

Help! The Merchandise I Want Is Not Being Released Any Time Soon!

Due to the reasons mentioned above sometimes a series just isn't going to be released in the foreseeable future. In this case you may need to be very patient, plans do change and, as DVD manufacturing and distribution costs continue to fall, it may not be too long before a release is actually viable and you can get your hands on the merchandise you want. Additionally the BBC is considering opening up their huge archive of programmes to licence payers in a few years time which would allow many older series to be seen again.

If you're not the patient sort there are some possible avenues open for you to try now...

Find an old recording

Someone out there may still have a copy of the series, which they taped when it was broadcast on TV (or have it on a video which is now no longer distributed). The best places to search for these recordings are on places like eBay

You may also find digital copies of episodes on Usenet, file sharing networks and bit torrent websites - these avenues are fairly technical to use and understand though so probably not for novice users (sorry we can't help you due to copyright issues).

If the series you are looking for doesn't appear to be listed on any of the services above you might consider putting a wanted message on a comedy related discussion place such as the alt.comedy.british newsgroup or our DVD forum.

A Word of Warning: It can be illegal to buy, download or trade copies of television series that have not been officially distributed via video / DVD. We advise you to check the law before obtaining a copy via any of the avenues above.

Buy a master tape

In some cases the production company who made the series may be willing to send you a copy of their master recording. Be warned many companies turn these requests down because of their concerns about copyright protection (or because it's too much hard work for them).

This option is certainly not for the faint hearted as it is both very costly (typical price of a single episode: £100+) and usually involves lots of contractual paperwork red tape to help protect the production company from piracy etc.

Get in contact with the relevant production company if you'd like to find out if buying a copy of their master is a possibility.

If you are looking to get a copy of a programme broadcast on ITV this can normally be achieved by filling in the Viewers Request Form on the ITV website. At the time of writing the cost per 30 minutes requested is, on average, £100.

Ask distribution companies to release the series

This is very unlikely to work however you could ask one or more distribution companies if they'd be willing to release the series you're waiting for. If enough people ask them they may consider it! If you're a really passionate fan you could even organise a petition , however we must warn you that we've not yet heard of a petition that has worked.

A few of the smaller distribution companies, such as Replay DVD have been setup specifically to release neglected and forgotten sitcoms. They're normally very happy to receive suggestions about series to release in the future.

None Of This Helped?

Sorry, but we can't be of any more assistance than this. We really have put all we know above. If you really can't get hold of the merchandise you're after having tried all of the above avenues you are probably going to have to accept that, at least for the time being, that the sitcom is out of your grasp. Sorry.