Urgh!

[awanderingbard]

The latest series of Lewis was shown in the UK in two, hour-long episodes per story. So, six episodes overall. PBS just sent me a promotional e-mail telling me they are showing three, ninety minute episodes. Which would suggest they are cutting about thirty minutes per story, if I don't add on the ten minutes they've traditionally cut from a ninety-minute episode. Which have, on occasion, made the resolutions seem to be pulled from thin air.

Lame, PBS. I know you have hour- and two-hour long time slots for other Masterpiece profuctions. Why not just show them as they were intended to be shown?

ETA: Crisis averted, I forgot that ITV has commercials and PBS doesn't. 90minutes is enough time to cover both episodes with a standard PBS ten minute cut. I shall save my outrage for something else.

Comments

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

PBS has always cut the Lewis/Morse stories (which is annoying and I know the first few seasons of Lewis DVDs were even cut to match the aired version, which is ridiculous), but even so, that does stink, especially since 90 minutes =/= 90 min of story because there's the Masterpiece intro bit and the Alan Cummings intro bit, etc etc. SIGH

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I just found out about the cut DVDs today as I was researching. It's stupid! At least they restored the later seasons. I knew that some of the resolutions didn't make sense, though. I'm glad it wasn't me being stupid.

But approx. 40 minutes cut from a two hour story is stupid. If the plot makes sense, there will likely be no character stuff left intact. And this is the last series, too! Show some respect!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I do have to say that sometimes the full-as-it-aired-in-the-UK versions still had gaping holes and didn't make a ton of sense, but still... It'd be nice to have the chance to SEE them here.

And double urgh because the final ep was really great with less-than-vital plot bits that fleshed everything out and I have a feeling that's what'll get cut.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I think I've miscalculated, actually. I forgot tht ITV has commercials in the UK. 90 minutes is the running time of both without commercials, cut down as per normal for PBS. My outrage is over zealous! Thankfully, really. I'd rather be wrong than right in this case.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that is true. But still. Ep 1 of S7 ran for 45:41 and all the episodes seem to run from 45 to 47 minutes (I can point you to where to find them via youtube, if you're interested) so stuff definitely is getting cut, but at least we're talking maybe 10 min of stuff and not closer to 30.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I've downgraded from highly outraged to mildly outraged. They cut Laura Linney from most of the classic runs, I think Alan Cumming could go if it meant getting a few more minutes.

I would love YouTube links! They'll be handy to have around.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

You can find a lot of ITV shows (Lewis, Morse, even Endevour) uploaded by this person or their alt persona:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NickMaxnextone (newest season of Lewis and others)
http://www.youtube.com/user/nickmaxzp1780 (Morse, Endeavor and others)

I honestly wouldn't mind having Alan Cumming cut out, there's just not a real need for the introduction he does.

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

...and IMDB is splitting each ep into Part I and Part II.

I'm just glad we get more Lewis eps. (though the ending of this new ep felt more like it would make a great finale)