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Apple Sued Over Failing to Provide All Episodes of 'Breaking Bad' Season 5 for Season Pass Purchasers

cfischer83 said:
I agree. I bought "season 5" of breaking bad last year knowing that there would be 8 more episodes, only to find that it's been split into "season 5" and "the final season".... Even though season 5 IS the final season. There was no disclaimer anywhere that I was only buying half a season (I checked thoroughly).
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Business is business, unfortunately for the consumer:mad:. Technically you got your season, season 5 because there was no stipulation that season 5 was suppose to be 16 episodes. We all assume it should be 16 episodes, but call the last half something else i.e. Final Season and boom, the consumer gets screwed. As the article says, MS and Amazon did the same thing.

My daughter used to watch iCarly and in her collection I noticed that the first 3 seasons had 20+ episodes, then it got cut down until the last season was only 10 or 12 episodes. Of course the networks don't tell you this, but you pay the same for each season.
 
Without knowing.....

all the legalese involved, seems as a valid request....But still, seems to me that Apple is now "The Big Elephant to Chase" in claims, suits and the same. Seems doubtful Applel legal dept dont have a legal safeguard in cases like this.Legal, not necessarily right o fair......:confused:......:eek:


:):apple:
 
aws2 said:
The decision to split up season 5 into two "parts" aired a year apart and still call it one "season" is one that I've been scratching my head about since I found about it. And the only way I found out about it was by reading it on wikipedia a week before episode 8 aired. They made little to no effort to let people know there would be a "hiatus" or whatever they called it.
Now they're trying to get away with charging people for two seasons when people thought they were buying the whole season 5... They should get sued and they better lose. This whole season 5 a&b thing was a terrible idea from the beginning and people need to cry foul about it or we'll start seeing it happen more. If they want to split it up and still call it one season, instead of just doing the simple, straight-forward thing and call them seasons 5 & 6, then they need to TREAT it like one season and give all the episodes to people who pay for a season.

Or just don't split it up. That would have been good too.
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It's been common knowledge since the end of Season 4 that Season 5 would be split up (at the time, no one knew how long the break would be, but it wouldn't be one full run Season). It was all around the internet since Sony and AMC were going back and fourth trying to figure out how many episodes to make.

This isn't a new thing either - multiple Cable shows do this (Suits, Rizolli and Isles, Walking Dead etc.) Half Season is common so that the shows don't run while network TV typically does (plus less of a reason to give casts more money since it's still one Season and not two).

Nearly everyone who is mad about this is really just trying to scam Apple into giving them free stuff. Getting 16 episodes in HD for $22 (or whatever the price was) was clearly wrong and they were hoping to taking advantage of a loophole.

Now, had they charged you the full amount for a 16 episode Season and only gave you 8 episodes I would agree. That's what many people probably THINK they did but failed to actually read.

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Iconoclysm said:
Right, we should just bend over and take it when we see wrongdoing. Is that supposed to be the American way?
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Should Apple? You want 8 episodes in HD for FREE. Why should Apple give it to you? Because you can't read?
 
"...other television providers like Amazon and Microsoft have also split the two sections of Breaking Bad into two purchases given the year-long gap between airings."

Correct me if I’m wrong (I know you will) but 'seasons' do not spread themselves across years. Series Pass? Yes. Season Pass? No.
 
Perspective

If this is the kind of thing this guy has to worry about, then he should consider himself to be in a pretty good place in life. I hope the damages he is hoping to receive are the cost of the season (about $23) and nothing more. Imagine the wasted court costs. I wonder if he's going to claim distress at not being able to watch his show and attempt to finagle a further few grand from the deal. Our sense of perspective can be so skewed sometimes, eh?

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CodexMonkey said:
"...other television providers like Amazon and Microsoft have also split the two sections of Breaking Bad into two purchases given the year-long gap between airings."

Correct me if I’m wrong (I know you will) but 'seasons' do not spread themselves across years. Series Pass? Yes. Season Pass? No.
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In the US, they refer to series as seasons. A series means the show itself rather than the 'year' it's currently on. However, things have changed massively, so a season could take a full calendar year to air versus the typical six months or so (without the break in the middle) that it used to. So, it's not 'series 1, 2, 3, etc'. Breaking Bad is a TV series and it airs as 'season 1,2,3, etc'. The terminology is slightly different than the UK in that regard. Therefore, a 'season pass' would equate to a 'series pass' (though I still think the lawsuit is absurd).
 
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CodexMonkey said:
"...other television providers like Amazon and Microsoft have also split the two sections of Breaking Bad into two purchases given the year-long gap between airings."

Correct me if I’m wrong (I know you will) but 'seasons' do not spread themselves across years. Series Pass? Yes. Season Pass? No.
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Yes, they often do.

Soprano's is a good example of this. 10 months from the end of 6A to the start of 6B. Wasn't Mad Men like a year and a half (between FULL Seasons, not split)?

But are we talking normal Network Seasons? A show doesn't have to end in May and start in September. The Networks can do whatever they want.

For Cable multiple shows do Half-Season splits. I think its more common then a typical 'block' of episodes as a Season (most of those shows have reduced orders, i.e. Franklin and Bash, while the bigger shows have split Seasons and more episodes, i.e. Rizolli and Isles)
 
mac1984user said:
If this is the kind of thing this guy has to worry about, then he should consider himself to be in a pretty good place in life. I hope the damages he is hoping to receive are the cost of the season (about $23) and nothing more. Imagine the wasted court costs. I wonder if he's going to claim distress at not being able to watch his show and attempt to finagle a further few grand from the deal. Our sense of perspective can be so skewed sometimes, eh?[
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He's a Doctor (which he made sure his Attorney noted) and apparently he purchased the episodes on his Son in Law's iTunes account (I read through a bit of it, but once I got to the part where 'he has to pony up' I started to realize this guy hired some jack-off Attorney)
 
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Zellio said:
The only crying is from some Apple fanboys in a forum... like this.

I'm sure most of you would enjoy if 'seasons' were suddenly seperated into 2-4 episodes, all while being called seasons, as long as nobody dares say Apple could do any wrong?

This calling things seasons and then seperating the season is going on long enough.
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True, but this really isn't Apple's fault. I think this was a way to get Season 5 onto things like Netflix without including the latter half.

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GizmoDVD said:
It's been common knowledge since the end of Season 4 that Season 5 would be split up (at the time, no one knew how long the break would be, but it wouldn't be one full run Season). It was all around the internet since Sony and AMC were going back and fourth trying to figure out how many episodes to make.

This isn't a new thing either - multiple Cable shows do this (Suits, Rizolli and Isles, Walking Dead etc.) Half Season is common so that the shows don't run while network TV typically does (plus less of a reason to give casts more money since it's still one Season and not two).

Nearly everyone who is mad about this is really just trying to scam Apple into giving them free stuff. Getting 16 episodes in HD for $22 (or whatever the price was) was clearly wrong and they were hoping to taking advantage of a loophole.

Now, had they charged you the full amount for a 16 episode Season and only gave you 8 episodes I would agree. That's what many people probably THINK they did but failed to actually read.

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Should Apple? You want 8 episodes in HD for FREE. Why should Apple give it to you? Because you can't read?
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First off, if you CAN read, you would know that this was supposed to be part of Season 5. I don't think Apple should give me anything at all, I think those that purchased it early have plenty to say to AMC however.
 
Iconoclysm said:
True, but this really isn't Apple's fault. I think this was a way to get Season 5 onto things like Netflix without including the latter half.
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It's a way for the studios and such to pay less money to the Actors by calling it one Season and not two.

Dean Norris (Hank) was pretty pissed since it meant he couldn't go out for any Network pilots because of the split and wanted his character killed in 5A (he did get the role in Under the Dome, since it started casting in late January). Betsy was able to snag a role this pilot cycle since Sony produces both Breaking Bad and MJ Fox Show for NBC.

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Iconoclysm said:
First off, if you CAN read, you would know that this was supposed to be part of Season 5. I don't think Apple should give me anything at all, I think those that purchased it early have plenty to say to AMC however.
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It is part of Season 5 - its 5B. It's been known since before the first episode of 5A Aired the show would be split.

Math shows that 8, $3 episode's in HD = $24 (apparently Apple charged $21.99 for it, no idea why the discount since I don't buy TV Shows on iTunes. I assume getting a discount for paying in advance is common?)

Not sure why anyone would think they would get 16 episodes in HD for $21.99 would even be a reality.

Maybe AMC will be nice and credit people half the season...who knows. Of course, it'll be after the Series has ended :lol:
 
The problem is a lot of these "studios" are getting greedy and they would pay for a single season of shows from whomever is producing them then split that single season up into 2. They basically double their money.

This is just a continuation of studios reducing the number of episodes shown each season to cut costs. The Lone Ranger for instance had 78 episodes shown in 78 consecutive weeks. Andy Griffith Show about 32 per season, Cosby Show 24-26, Miami Vice 22, Falling Skies 10....
 
hexor said:
The problem is a lot of these "studios" are getting greedy and they would pay for a single season of shows from whomever is producing them then split that single season up into 2. They basically double their money.

This is just a continuation of studios reducing the number of episodes shown each season to cut costs. The Lone Ranger for instance had 78 episodes shown in 78 consecutive weeks. Andy Griffith Show about 32 per season, Cosby Show 24-26, Miami Vice 22, Falling Skies 10....
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Your examples are laughable.

You think an episode of Cosby show was more expensive to produce over Falling Skies - a show with tons of CGI and on a cable network? Ratings-wise, what would bring in more money for a studio - selling an episode of Cosby show into 100+ international markets for syndication or selling an episode of Falling Skies into a few? There are so many factors as to why what shows have how many episodes. Most are lucky to get more then the first 13.

Gee, how can soap operas air 5 episodes a week nearly all year round? :

Apples to KiWis.
 
It seems pretty clear to me that something that airs a year later is a new season. Add to that the fact that it's $22... Did you really think that got you 16 HD episodes of a very popular currently airing show? I get that the wording was confusing, but how about a little common sense?
 
I can't argue that it's confusing. The creator of the show refers to this final run as "season 5" but I saw an ad on AMC calling it "season 6." I bought the season pass for BB because I love the show and I find it highly re-watchable. I did find the price suspect, and so I wasn't very surprised that "season 6" episodes are not included. This is one of a thousand reasons I can't wait for cable channels to go stand alone.

On the flip side, when I bought a season pass for Venture Bros, I got the whole season, plus the behind the music special, plus the halloween special, all for one price. It was nice to have two bonus "episodes" show up several months after the season aired and several months apart from one another.
 
kwikdeth said:
First world problems...
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I'm so tired of that meme. We get it, some have it worse than others. That problems are relevant doesn't make them shameful or imaginary.

And don't bother telling me that being tired of the phrase "First world problems" is a First world problem.

I did the math and Breaking Bad season 5A and 5B together is the most expensive season(s) per episode. Also, there is a deluxe version for the same price, but if you purchased the regular one, (I did) there is no "complete my season" option. What a mess.
 
I'm pleased to see this. I bought season pass for season 1 of Tron Uprising, having seen a great price, knowing there were 22 episodes. There was zero indication exactly how many episodes I was paying for, it just says all current and future episodes in the season. Then the iTunes Store split the season in half. I was pissed off! I sent them an email, got a refund and used it to buy the second half.

All they need to do is be more up front about how many episodes the price is for.
 
Do the Math

Bottom line, a "Season Pass" is just a bundle of single episodes at normal prices, with a very minor discount of maybe a buck or so.

SD TV single episode = $1.99 X 8 episodes = $16 - $1 discount
HD TV single episode = $2.99 X 8 episodes = $24 - $1 discount

Everyone got what they paid for.
 
Zellio said:
The only crying is from some Apple fanboys in a forum... like this.
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Crying? WTF. & before calling someone "fanboy", perhaps take a moment to check their previous posts. I'm certainly no fanboy, but I'm even less of a fan of frivolous lawsuits and spoiled children for whom missing episodes of TV is important enough to sue over.

Iconoclysm said:
we should just bend over and take it when we see wrongdoing
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Sure, I got irritated when I bought Futurama season 7 or whatever it was, and it only included half a season too. I learned that just like in real life, when buying a series in the iTunes store, I should LOOK AT WHAT I'M BUYING BEFORE BUYING IT. Everyone knew Breaking Bad was being split in two, it was no secret. If you're too lazy to pay attention to... what freaking TV show you're buying, it's your own problem. 3000 years of people buying things, and you still haven't figured out caveat emptor?

Perhaps I should sue over not getting any of the extra content that comes on the DVD's for the same $, which I just assumed would be included too. Because clearly this is a critical issue in the world today that will surely be solved once and for all with a gimme lawsuit.
 
Rogifan said:
Why?
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1. I prefer to own my content. Netflix is nice. We have an account, but unfortunately, content comes and goes on services such as these. In fact we're just about to go back and watch Iron Man 2 to catch up to the third movie, went on Netflix, and....oh, it's not there anymore. Screw that game. I'll buy it and won't have to deal with elusive content.

2. I purchased the Breaking Bad "Deluxe Editions" which so far include almost 200 bonus features, ranging from commentaries, behind the scenes, interviews, and all the little easter eggs like Saul commercials, music videos found in episodes, etc. Do you know of anywhere else I can get these bonuses legally?

3. It's on my iCloud account, so I can watch it on any of my Apple devices, anywhere, any time. Again, I'm not on cable time, and I'm not on Netflix time.

4. Season passes allow you to watch the TV show during the season it airs. I don't pay for HD cable, or cable at all, so this works great for me for brand new TV shows.
 
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