Monday, April 21, 2008

AN EDITING EDITORIAL

I don't think I'll ever understand the thinking that goes in to editing British TV shows to fit American schedules. For me, it's especially noticeable with 'Doctor Who'. I see the unedited BBC versions before I also watch the BBC-A/Sci-Fi versions that have been snipped to fit in a flood of commercials.
This came to mind with the broadcast of "The Voyage Of The Damned" this past week on Sci-Fi. The American audience never got to hear Mr. Copper admit that he didn't really have a degree in Earthanomics as he earlier claimed. Instead, he was a travelling salesman with a degree from Mrs. Golightly's Travelling University and Dry Cleaners who conned his way into the job on board the Titanic. So later, when he sadly ruminated on the inevitability of being arrested and spending ten years in prison, we really didn't know why.

As my Little Buddy Sean pointed out, that "Bridge of Khazad-Dum" sequence could have been snipped by several minutes and nobody would have noticed; nothing really would have been lost. And that way, they could have retained Mr. Copper's admission.
So that's the main reason why I'll never speak out against those who watch these shows in bit torrent - until the DVDs are released, it's the only way to properly see the episode in its entirety over here.

BCnU!
Toby OB

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