Will & Grace Box Sets - Are they edited???
 

I apologize if this is covered in another thread, I did a search and couldn't find it.

I'd really like to start collecting the Will & Grace DVD's but I vaguely remember something I read here a long time ago that the episodes on the box sets (at least the first few seasons, anyway) were edited and they were the versions of the episodes that were shortened for syndication. I guess it had something to do with Lion's Gate only buying the rights to those versions and not the originals. Can anyone verify this? Thanks!

Welcome to the forum! :wave:

Some of the episodes in the Seasons 2, 3 and 5 DVD sets are the edited syndicated versions. Not every episode in those sets, just some of them. As far as I know, Seasons 1 and 4 are all the full, original broadcast versions.

Rob

Thanks Rob! I actually used to be a member but hadn't posted in awhile and I think my info got deleted - I had to re-register ...

Very odd - any idea why they'd put edited versions on the DVD's? I can't imagine any other series doing this, but maybe it's a common occurrence?

short answer is they really don't give a rat's ass...if they did, they wouldn't be so inconsistent from season to season on the same series. i know on the Roseanne season sets, the outcry over syndicated cuts actually helped, and they started using uncut episodes. that unfortunately is more the exception than the rule.

I think 3rd Rock had synicated shows on the dvd's; I had to really make a tough call when I started picking those up. I finally got the first two during DDD's 20% off sale and so it wasn't the worst amount of money to spend on them (something like $13). I am glad I did though as that show has become one of my favourites again.
I think ALF had syndication issues as well, and is much less funny... and yet I continue to buy the dvd's. Darn nostalgia.

Well unfortunately studios have us by the short hairs, because syndication prints or not, they have access to the best possible sources for many shows. Of course there is the fact that seeing the complete episode is often more important than picture quality, and that leads many people to buy bootlegs instead of official releases when there are syndication print or music replacement issues.