TVSquad

As most people who follow our Press Kits Unwrapped series know, one of the most interesting perks to what we do is the free stuff the networks send us, usually along with their preview screeners. However, in the last year, the number of elaborate press kits have dwindled. Networks are starting to realize that sending a DVD in a sleeve is much cheaper than sending one with a water bottle or a t-shirt, and the show will get just as much coverage. Heck, ABC doesn't even send the DVDs anymore; they ask us to view screeners on their ABC Medianet website, which sometimes work and sometimes don't.

But FOX and its cable sibling FX are still plugging away, sending expensive-looking press kits to promote their shows. While FX is content with sending elaborately-packaged folders with DVDs and a glossy press guide, their broadcast cousins are still sending tchotchke-laden packages, like the one I got for the new season of House. An explanation, and more pics, after the jump.The press kits are coming in fast and furious from FOX: a Dollhouse t-shirt, a jersey and small football for Brothers, a water bottle for So You Think You Can Dance. But nothing has beaten the House kits for attention to detail. First was the Snakes on a Cane t-shirt, sent earlier this year without any other indication as to what it was. Now, the DVD of the season premiere comes with a fake pharmacy bag, complete with receipt stapled on the front.

Inside the bag, there's the DVD, but also a large pill bottle that doubles as a pencil holder. All the pencils inside the pill bottle say "Dr. Gregory House" on them.











But, as you can see by the pic on theright, the detail doesn't end there. The "Princeton Plainsboro Pharmacy," whose logo looks awfully familiar, also printed out a personalized label for the bottle itself, making sure to put in the disclaimer of "This is not a real prescription."

While I like getting knickknacks like this, it makes me wonder how much money the good folks at FOX are spending to send out these packages. Materials, printing, shipping... there must be dozens of us on their mailing list, and every little bit adds up. It's not like we wouldn't have reviewed House if they just sent the DVD; after all, it's the show that's the attraction, not the gift. And, since House is pretty much FOX's top scripted show, you'd think they wouldn't need to gild the lily like this.

Wouldn't the money FOX spends to send us swag be better spent on, oh, I don't know... developing better programming? Maybe they could have used the press kit money to have another go on those first couple of episodes of Brothers, for instance (they're both beyond awful).

What do you folks think? Let me know in the comments.