Syndication Cuts

[EEE]

Does anybody remember how many minutes were cut in the very first syndication run? IIRC, they kept cutting more every few years, until some episodes were completely unwatchable, unless you were a fan and had the missing bits memorized.

(I got to windering why anybody watches Trek on TV anymore, when DVD's can be picked up rather cheaply... if you look around enough and bide your time. All of which made me wax nostalgic to when the cuts were minimal)

 

[Therin of Andor]

Does anybody remember how many minutes were cut in the very first syndication run? IIRC, they kept cutting more every few years, until some episodes were completely unwatchable, unless you were a fan and had the missing bits memorized.

The old Nitpicker's Guide catalogued what was missing at time of writing, but I don't think the author catalogued the timeline of increasing advertising space.

(I got to windering why anybody watches Trek on TV anymore, when DVD's can be picked up rather cheaply... if you look around enough and bide your time. All of which made me wax nostalgic to when the cuts were minimal)

So why haven't you picked up your sets? There's the answer to your question.

 

[EEE]

(I got to windering why anybody watches Trek on TV anymore, when DVD's can be picked up rather cheaply... if you look around enough and bide your time. All of which made me wax nostalgic to when the cuts were minimal)

So why haven't you picked up your sets? There's the answer to your question.

Your logic has failed you. I did pick them up... YEARS ago (prior to that, I lived on VHS tapes, taped in 1980 for me while I was stationed overseas... one half hour of TOS a week in Japanese wasn't enough for me! *grin*). My musings here, were sparked by another post of how many wonderful episodes some TV station was scheduled to run soon. (Except for "Sci-Fi Friday" which ended years ago, I haven't watched TV per se' in a decade. ...which means of course, I can't avoid a confused look on my face when family or friends discuss current, recent or semi-recent TV shows)

...I have them all. I am currently watching Enterprise season 3 with my wife (my second run through, her first) while personally finishing up season 7 of DS9 and concurrently starting season 1 of Voyager. All intermingled with random TOS.

 

[Esteban]

The original eps ran about 51-52 minutes. Add to that scenes from next week.

The current syndicated package, with the new effects, clock in at about 43 minutes. I suspect, but cannot confirm that "they" are speeding them up a notch, too.

That's bullshit, IMO, and is why I find the "Remastered" shows unwatchable as aired.

 

[EEE]

The current syndicated package, with the new effects, clock in at about 43 minutes. I suspect, but cannot confirm that "they" are speeding them up a notch, too.

My gawd. I thought they became unwatchable around 5 or 6 mins cut. Now they've cut about 2 MORE minutes? (I always assumed an average of 50.5 mins for the entire episode including credits). It may've been you awhile back, but I think I've heard the speed up suspicion before.

But your post does answer my original question by pointing out one reason people would watch... for people who like or need the remastering, TV would be the only source for that? (or part of them anyway). (I assume due to availability and much higher prices for the remastered DVD sets)

DVD's are Star Trek Heaven to me... full length, no commercials, no adjusting antennas (for old timers like me), watching in any order, no scheduling conflicts, etc, etc, etc. I cannot recommend enough that hard core fans get them if they haven't already!

 

[A beaker full of death]

I believe there were different cuts in different markets. I remember seeing scenes in California I had never seen in NY.

 

[Esteban]

I believe there were different cuts in different markets. I remember seeing scenes in California I had never seen in NY.

I don't think it was different cuts for different markets; rather, it depended on WHEN you saw them.

Paramount packaged the series several times over the years. Depending on when the station bought the package, there were doubtlessly ever-increasing cuts.

Also, a station has the right (WE have the RIGHT) to further butcher the package once bought depending on how many Cal Worthington and his Dog Spot ads (car ads, for you non-left coasters) they want to insert.

All in all, a sad state of affairs. Even the DVDs were messed with a bit (music trims, mostly).

What we need is a Guardian of Forever. Strangely compelling, to lose oneself in there....

 

[Outpost4]

I agree with beaker. In the early 1970s, I'd see a different episode in northern California than southern. I think each local market was given the full episode and it was up to them to figure out how many commercials they wanted to squeeze in.

What I hated was when commercials were dropped in where there was no break initially. It would totally destroy the pacing of the episode.

 

[EEE]

Also, a station has the right (WE have the RIGHT) to further butcher the package once bought depending on how many Cal Worthington and his Dog Spot ads (car ads, for you non-left coasters) they want to insert.

We ran him out of our state (but I had been in yours for a few months once and knew who he was previously).

"Open 'til midnight, everyday"

..."Marge, should we watch Johnny Carson or go buy a car tonight?"

What we need is a Guardian of Forever.

Now that would be appropos! LOL

As to different cuts, I couldn't say having watched them in only one Cal Worthington-less state. But I thought I read in a nitpicker's guide, they were pretty uniform if not exact? (fuzzy memory there though)

 

[Forbin]

I remember a whole scene being trimmed from Conscience of the King - the scene where Kirk hears a phaser overloading in his quarters, then barely ejects it (using a conveniently located hi-speed garbage chute that we've never seen before and never see again). That scene was missing for decades from the NY syndicated showing. Yet the very next scene starts with Kirk confronting Karidian and saying "We just narrowly avoided an explosion that would have taken out several decks of this ship!"

Must have been confusing for people who never saw the cut scene in first run. Explosion? What? Huh?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Your logic has failed you.

Not at all. There are completists and then there are people who just wanna get free TV.

 

[EEE]

Your logic has failed you.

Not at all. There are completists and then there are people who just wanna get free TV.

Please explain how this applies to illogically concluding I didn't already have the DVD's.

 

[A beaker full of death]

...That scene was missing for decades from the NY syndicated showing...

Yeah, WPIX also used to cut certain lines out of the scene in Space Seed where Khan totally mind-fucks McGivers. I was amazed the first time I saw the uncut scene.

 

[Forbin]

"Now you QUESSStion meeee?"

 

[Therin of Andor]

Please explain how this applies to illogically concluding I didn't already have the DVD's.

I asked you to consider your own purchasing/viewing habits to answer your initial question. Whether you said you did or didn't own the sets was immaterial. The answer to your question was obvious (at least to me): that owning sets of episodes is not a priority for everyone.

You then said you already owned them. You then gave reasons why you chose to own them; in fact, you have owned various incarnations of them, through various format changes. Hence, by listing the reasons why you chose to own them gave us a the list of potential counter reasons of why others rely on TV broadcasts instead.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Yeah, WPIX also used to cut certain lines out of the scene in Space Seed where Khan totally mind-fucks McGivers. I was amazed the first time I saw the uncut scene.

Here in Oz, the scene where Khan reaches for the scissors to threaten McCoy is clipped for violence. Also, the swing Khan takes at Uhura is cut in the middle of the action. You see him swing, then an abrupt cut, then you see her react.

I was amazed to see the uncut version, since Khan never actually slaps Uhura. The censored version implies that he does hit her, and in my mind makes the scene more horrific.

Another weird cut: Uhura's reflection - as an old, withered crone - is twice clipped from "And the Children Shall Lead". Deemed too scary for prime time. But... a shot of old Uhura is in the closing credits of another episode.

 

[Shatmandu]

Another weird cut: Uhura's reflection - as an old, withered crone - is twice clipped from "And the Children Shall Lead". Deemed too scary for prime time.

I guess my paparazzi shots of her without makeup, out for a gallon of milk this past weekend, won't find a market in Australia.

Joe, lurker