I did not know this. BBC news covers an episode that was banned.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68342135
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68342135
Episode banned by the BBC
- Thread starter PCz911
- Start date
Why didn't they simply edit in a line about some other fictional event? Would've been easy to do.
I knew the Beeb banned an episode (or two?) of TOS for a long time, but I wasn’t aware of this.
It’s unsurprising though. Troubles with Ireland were at a peak around that time.
I think the article stating that the episode has ‘prospered in infamy’ is reaching a little bit.
It’s unsurprising though. Troubles with Ireland were at a peak around that time.
I think the article stating that the episode has ‘prospered in infamy’ is reaching a little bit.
"The High Ground" was the only TNG episode omitted by the BBC (a few others received edits at different times). In January 1992, it was skipped over ("Deja Q" - on 15th Jan - following "The Hunted" on the 8th Jan). As the BBC article suggests, the reason given at the time was the organisation felt the reference to future Irish history too politically dubious and contentious to broadcast.
Given they had already edited three episodes by this point (albeit for violence - "Hide And Q", "Conspiracy" and "The Icarus Factor"), it is curious the BBC did not simply edit the scene to finish before the dialogue between Data and Picard. Perhaps the whole story of such stark terrorism was seen as too close to the bone. Sky One did broadcast the episode in November 1992 as a 'special episode' (outside of their daily Mon-Fri airings) on a Sunday evening, with the dialogue edited out.
"The High Ground" was not shown in subsequent BBC repeats of season three - in 1997 or 2002. It was finally broadcast in the early hours, without any fanfare, in 2007. Sky had added it to their regular repeat showings years before, sometimes edited, sometimes not.
CIC Video did not have any issue with the episode and it was released - unedited - with the usual "PG" certificate that other releases in the series got, in late 91/early 92.
Given they had already edited three episodes by this point (albeit for violence - "Hide And Q", "Conspiracy" and "The Icarus Factor"), it is curious the BBC did not simply edit the scene to finish before the dialogue between Data and Picard. Perhaps the whole story of such stark terrorism was seen as too close to the bone. Sky One did broadcast the episode in November 1992 as a 'special episode' (outside of their daily Mon-Fri airings) on a Sunday evening, with the dialogue edited out.
"The High Ground" was not shown in subsequent BBC repeats of season three - in 1997 or 2002. It was finally broadcast in the early hours, without any fanfare, in 2007. Sky had added it to their regular repeat showings years before, sometimes edited, sometimes not.
CIC Video did not have any issue with the episode and it was released - unedited - with the usual "PG" certificate that other releases in the series got, in late 91/early 92.
It doesn't seem controversial at all. Who didn't want peace?
Of course, 2024 would have been a year many 1987 viewers could reasonably expect to see, and therefore perhaps was 'too close' . Would it have been any different had they mentioned the year 2124 instead?
I'm guessing in the UK they would just use the original sound track, not some dubbing. So how would they edit that in without making it jarring, given the still limited voice synthesis techniques of the time? Contact Spiner and ask him to record a different line, just for them?
I'm guessing in the UK they would just use the original sound track, not some dubbing. So how would they edit that in without making it jarring, given the still limited voice synthesis techniques of the time? Contact Spiner and ask him to record a different line, just for them?
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I suppose they could have cut that segment of the scene.
It's right in the middle.
Data said:
It's right in the middle.
Perhaps the entire plot of terrorists fighting for independence was too much for the BBC. The ideas inspired by the plot might have made the IRA look sympathetic.
It would have been controversial because Data's united Ireland line was part of a series of examples he was giving Picard where terrorists achieved their goals through violence, rather than from peaceful negotiation. Picard unsurprisingly didn't agree with him!
Because the history of certain nation states was achieved by getting rid of their oppressors with a gun in their hand. (July 4th 1776 anyone?)It would have been controversial because Data's united Ireland line was part of a series of examples he was giving Picard where terrorists achieved their goals through violence, rather than from peaceful negotiation. Picard unsurprisingly didn't agree with him!
Pretty sure talk of unifying a country through terrorism doesn't have anything to do with peace.
It was banned by RTE (the Irish equivalent of the BBC) as well.
My understanding is – it wasn't just that particular line about Irish unification, as many have pointed out that would have been easy to cut. It was the general themes of "terrorism being justified" throughout being dealt with in a rather ham-fisted way, along with the terrorist leader having a deliberately Irish-sounding name. Contrast it with Deep Space 9's much more nuanced and complex take while still having a definite "good side" and a "bad side".
Remember after September 11 the US also extensively censored its own media, including modifying existing film releases and TV show title sequences that discussed New York or showed the New York skyline. For some countries sensitivity about terrorism was a thing before 2001.
My understanding is – it wasn't just that particular line about Irish unification, as many have pointed out that would have been easy to cut. It was the general themes of "terrorism being justified" throughout being dealt with in a rather ham-fisted way, along with the terrorist leader having a deliberately Irish-sounding name. Contrast it with Deep Space 9's much more nuanced and complex take while still having a definite "good side" and a "bad side".
Remember after September 11 the US also extensively censored its own media, including modifying existing film releases and TV show title sequences that discussed New York or showed the New York skyline. For some countries sensitivity about terrorism was a thing before 2001.
Ireland reunification it's a hot topic even now, exacerbated by Brexit.
And honestly, if I were a Brit or an Irishman, I would be quite annoyed by the extreme simplification of a situation so close to me made by some American sitting quietly in a Hollywood studio thinking that this is the best way to make "space terrorists" appear in a sympathetic way
By the way, I wouldn't even put it among the best episodes of TNG.
And honestly, if I were a Brit or an Irishman, I would be quite annoyed by the extreme simplification of a situation so close to me made by some American sitting quietly in a Hollywood studio thinking that this is the best way to make "space terrorists" appear in a sympathetic way
By the way, I wouldn't even put it among the best episodes of TNG.
Regardless of where you stand on Irish unification or otherwise, the British and Irish governments at the time were both in the business of suppressing the glorification of militant groups who were literally blowing up civilians as a means to an end. People were being killed, and Hollywood decides it's a good idea to put out an episode saying this terrorism achieved its goal? You can see why the governments may have been a little upset.
Imagine if the BBC had put out an episode of Doctor Who in October 2001 that casually mentioned Al-Qaeda had achieved its endgame of a Caliphate across Islamic world by 2030 through its campaign of terrorism against America and its allies. I'm sure it would have promoted a very similar reaction in the US.
Imagine if the BBC had put out an episode of Doctor Who in October 2001 that casually mentioned Al-Qaeda had achieved its endgame of a Caliphate across Islamic world by 2030 through its campaign of terrorism against America and its allies. I'm sure it would have promoted a very similar reaction in the US.
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How many nations older than 200 years never initiated a war, a conquest or a 'freedom fight' in the first place? I think the number that did at some point is far higher than the number that never did.
Four. "Miri" was shown once in 1970 and not repeated until 1992 due to complaints about violence, which caused the BBC to vet the rest of the series. "The Empath", "Whom Gods Destroy" and "Plato's Stepchildren" received their first BBC showings in the 1992 run.
Could people find these episodes on VHS?
