Outrageous Fortune Not Blu-ray Bound

The final season of TV3’s HD hit, Outrageous Fortune, which continues 8.30 tonight with its 99^th episode, will not be released on Blu-ray.

The DVD of season six has been confirmed for November/December but unlike Australian producers, Kiwis are holding back from releasing their product in HD.

Outrageous Fortune’s release will coincide with the second and third series of Underbelly coming out on Blu-ray, and the second season of another Aussie hit, Packed to the Rafters, not far behind.

But Outrageous Fortune executive producer John Barnett confirms the NZ Blu-ray market isn’t mature enough to warrant releasing it in HD, given the higher production costs and limited replication facilities.

“Maybe we can do Blu-ray of the whole 110 eps at a later date,” he told ScreenScribe.tv.

As for whether there will be a swag of swan song extras on the DVD of season six, Barnett says this will be announced closer to it going on sale.

Meanwhile, season six continues to be a ratings juggernaut for TV3, dwarfing the competition and helping to build viewership of two other HD dramas, lead-out Californication and its predecessor, Nurse Jackie.