Nonspoiler Comment on Belg

[neadods]

I'd be liveblogging BELG as it airs, but 15 minutes in, the cuts are already rubbing me the wrong way. Time to order the DVDs and be done. Anyone know if the same commentary's on the American editions as the British ones?

Comments

[signeh.livejournal.com]

Don't know aboout the different extras, but I'm glad to have the uncut BBC versions.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I don't think the actual Dvds are cut?

[quartersawn.livejournal.com]

I ordered the British ones from Amazon UK in January, got 'em in 5 days, under $30 for both series including international shipping. You just have to have an all-region DVD player or find the unlock code for your region-1 player by searching online.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've only got one region free player, and of first season, most of the aired edits were restored in the DVD, except the ASBO to commmunity service line. I figure buying here is a vote to PBS to keep going. But I also want the commmentary.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

I gave up on PBS after buying DVDs of Lewis - Inspector Lewis in the US - and finding that in the first two series 10 minutes were cut from every episode on the DVD as well as the version shown on TV. (Cuts are still made on PBS TV, but not on DVDs). The cuts, now that I've seen the complete episodes, ruined the flow, made some of the logical leaps completely illogical, and removed some lovely character moments.

What kept me from buying the later series on PBS DVD was the irritating commentary before and after by some moronic bloke pontificating for several minutes - actually giving away bits of the plot before the episode. Never again. If I want a DVD of a British TV programme, I'll order from the UK.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Aw, *hell!* I didn't know any DVDs were cut.

The commentary is always tagged onto Mystery episodes by PBS, I guess I'm just used to it.

[quartersawn.livejournal.com]

I agree about wanting everyone who worked on the show to get their revenue. We have to support work of this quality financially. Since WGBH/Masterpiece were original co-producers (and they are credited on the British DVD box) I felt I was making sure they got their appropriate share.

[penguineggs.livejournal.com]

Is it actually true PBS cut the ashtray scene in its entirety?

I feel a rant brewing but I'd rather not go off half-cocked.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Don't know for sure; was gone by then. "I want to steal an ashtray" was one of the many things cut.

[penguineggs.livejournal.com]

In that case they probably cut the reference to the Queen smoking and Sherlock actually stealing an ashtray.

Damn!

[penguineggs.livejournal.com]

Why so many cuts? If it was PBS, it can't have been for ad-breaks, presumably.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Sadly, PBS does now have to run ads, as too many members of Congress consider it a pinko liberal indoctrination machine that must be starved along with the rest of Governmental public services. They just run relatively classy ones and don't break into the show. Slap on the Mystery! intros (both a music/animated series intro and the "moronic bloke pontificating" that wendymr complains about above) and there's about 15 minutes gone.

TBH, I think they do it on purpose to some degree to keep people from taping the show and calling it a day; the DVDs are outright advertised as having unaired in America scenes.