If the 1990s were the birth of DVD, the 2000s were its reign. For most of that decade, DVDs weren’t just popular — they were the default. Films, TV shows, documentaries, stand-up specials… everything landed on disc. Everyone had a collection. You could walk into someone’s house and learn everything about them just by scanning their DVD shelf. And for the AV-obsessed, the 2000s were glorious.
But as much as it was a time of growth, the seeds of decline were already there — in the form of Blu-ray, streaming, and digital downloads. The decade began with stacks of discs. It ended with the question: do we even need physical media?
The Boom Years – DVD Goes Mainstream
Retail Everywhere
By 2001, DVDs were no longer for enthusiasts — they were for everyone. Supermarkets stocked them. Petrol stations stocked them. You’d go into Tesco for a loaf of bread and come out with Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Big retailers like HMV, Woolworths, WHSmith, and Virgin Megastores carved out floor space for discs. Some had walls entirely devoted to box sets. You could find Friends, The Office, and The Sopranos season-by-season, spine labels aligned like trophies.
The Online Rise
It was also the rise of Play.com, Amazon UK, and CD-WOW! — all offering titles often cheaper than the high street. And crucially: free delivery. Suddenly, collectors had access to a deeper catalogue without leaving the house.
The Golden Age of Bonus Content
DVDs as Film School
This was the decade when special features hit their peak. Director’s commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers, behind-the-scenes documentaries — for film fans, it was like getting a mini film school in every box.
The Extended Editions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy were particularly revered. The Alien Quadrilogy (2003) also raised the bar, packed with commentaries, alternate cuts, production diaries, and more.
Easter Eggs & Hidden Menus
Some DVDs got playful. Hidden content — called “Easter eggs” — could be found by clicking obscure menu icons or navigating to invisible selections. It wasn’t always easy, but when you found them, it was pure geek joy.
There’s an entire subculture still cataloguing these — check out the DVD Easter Eggs Archive for nostalgia.
TV on DVD – The Binge Before Streaming
In the early 2000s, binge-watching didn’t mean Netflix. It meant box sets. You’d wait for the new season of 24, then spend the weekend burning through 18 episodes in a haze of snacks and sleep deprivation.
BBC DVD also went big on legacy series. Doctor Who classic stories, Only Fools and Horses, Fawlty Towers — all lovingly remastered and repackaged, often with interviews and archival extras.
Hardware and Home Cinema Culture
DVD players were standard kit by the mid-2000s. Even budget brands from Argos or Richer Sounds supported component output, progressive scan, and region unlocking.
Upscaling players — like those from Pioneer, Denon, or Panasonic — could make your DVDs look better on new flat-screen TVs. Add a 5.1 system and you had a cinema in your living room.
Magazines like What Hi-Fi? and Home Cinema Choice covered DVD players alongside AV receivers and speaker packages. Reviews obsessed over black levels, layer changes, and menu speeds.
The Blu-ray Battle Begins
HD-DVD vs Blu-ray
Around 2006, the industry decided we needed “next-gen” discs. Two emerged: HD-DVD and Blu-ray. What followed was a format war no one really asked for — and many didn’t care about.
In the UK, early adopters picked up HD-DVD players (often bundled with King Kong) or Sony’s PlayStation 3, which doubled as a Blu-ray player.
DVD Holds Strong
Despite all that, DVD still dominated. Many buyers couldn’t see the difference in resolution, especially on modest TVs. And Blu-ray players were expensive. DVD remained the everyman’s format — available, reliable, cheap.
For those curious, Wikipedia has a solid breakdown of the HD-DVD vs Blu-ray war.
Signs of Decline
By the late 2000s, cracks were forming. High-speed internet was improving. iTunes had launched movie downloads. LoveFilm was pushing DVD rentals by post, but also hinting at digital streaming.
Retailers felt it. Woolworths collapsed. HMV faced administration. Virgin Megastores rebranded, then vanished. The DVD wall began to shrink.
Legacy of the 2000s
Despite the slow fade, the 2000s remain DVD’s high point. It was the decade where:
- Films came packed with thoughtful extras
- TV was treated like a collectible
- Retail and online offered something for every price point
- Home cinema became accessible, not elite
Even now, many collectors still hang on to their 2000s discs. Not just out of nostalgia, but because that content — the extras, commentaries, menus — often doesn’t exist anywhere else.
Streaming may be convenient, but it’s not the same. You can’t flip through it. You can’t lend it. And you certainly don’t get DTS sound and a behind-the-scenes tour of the editing room.