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

[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.