External optical drives sound nice. You can get external DVD burners for $25-$30... no need to spend $98... although I guess you can if you want Blu-Ray. I don't see the point of Blu-Ray myself but each to their own.
I don't have/want a TV, but I do watch movies on my current but old 24" iMac. Having a Blu-Ray external would definitely be worth the extra $65-$70 over several years, since those discs are pretty cheap these days (or I could rent).