Simpsons on DVD- no more syndication edits! (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Hom]

I watch the Simpsons on my re-run channels all the time. I just pulled out some old tapes of the early seasons, from 4-8 and notice that the re-runs are edited! They take out some parts of jokes that make more sense when included.
As an example, the Radioactive Man move episode, they leave out the entire bit the Krusty has to get a role in the film, sort of analogous to Sean Young trying to get a part in Batman Returns . There was also the Homer3 in one of the Treehouse horror shows where Prof. Frink explains the "cube concept" to everyone, and Lisa accidently hits a light switch. It changed the joke completely!
So I for one am glad to finally get the full uncut episodes on DVD. Anyone else notice syndication omissions?

 

[Craig S]

All shows in syndication are trimmed to make room for more commercials. Popular syndicated shows like "The Simpsons", "Seinfeld" & "Friends" are cash cows for the stations airing them.
You're right, this may be the best reason of all to get good shows like this released on DVD. Only two months until "The Simpsons - The Complete First Season"!!
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Too many DVDs, too little time...
AFI 100 Challenge - 36 to go!

 

[Bryan Farris]

My most-annoying Simpsons DVD cut is from the flash-forward episode where Lisa is in college. Troy McClure is teaching "Math: Sponsored by Crystal Pepsi". He asks a word problem:
Troy: "Suppose you have 5 Pepsis and your friend asks you to give them 3 Pepsis. How much Pepsi do you have left?"
Kid in Class: "Pepsi?"
Troy: "Partial Credit!"
But The Simpsons are far from the only show that suffers from this. Check out the older 70's & 80's shows like Mary Tyler Moore, MASH, and Miami Vice. Better yet, don't. 27-minute comedies have been cut to 20 minutes. And 52-minute dramas are now barely 41.
Thank goodness for DVD!!!

 

[JasonK]

Another cut is in the episode where Bart gets a fake ID and he and Milhouse, Martin, and Nelson go to Tennesee. On the drive down, in the original episode, they pass another family and you hear the Dad yell "If you kids...can't keep your hands to yourself, I'm gonna turn this car around and there'll be no Cape Canaveral for anyone!!!!" The kids sit still, but Nelson leans over from their car and into the angry man's car, and hits the guy on the head. Pissed, the Dad yells "That's it, back to Winnipeg!!!!!!" and turns the car around.
There are also cuts in the Truckosaurus episode, and many others that I'll notice once all the DVD's are in my hands.
Jason

 

[Sebastian_M]

Here in Toronto the Simpsons is on a variety of channels. On all of them but CFMT the episodes are cut a little. For some reason CFMT starts the show at 5:55pm rather than 6:00 and the uncut episodes can be seen there. It is really apparent if you see one ep on one channel and then a couple days later you see it again on CFMT. The differences are visible.
I've got my set pre-ordered already. I can't wait.
Seb
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All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

 

[Anthony Hom]

Another I just saw was the Jebediah Springfield episode. They cut a bit when Lisa read his confession stuck in a fife. The last bit they cut is when he confesses he will probably die of diptheria. After reading this, Lisa realizes she blew on the fife and starts spitting.

 

[Gui A]

Sebastian, in Toronto, Global and TeleToon for sure show unedited Simpsons.
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but i don't want to be a pirate!

 

[Jason Whyte]

My favorite episode, "32 Short Films About Springfield", was heavily cut by one network, so much so that it destroys the entire narrative. The episode was set up to have one object or edit move to the next scene, here they cut many of those, so all of a sudden there are some good transitions and then none at all. Unwatchable.
Jason
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"Enjoy the Ozzy and keep your mouth shut!" George Plimpton
Film Critic, Link Removed

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

I believe the quicklists have the cuts listed in them:http://www.snpp.com/guides/ql.html
AIM: VinceMaskeeper
Interested in moving into FRONT PROJECTION with huge 6-10 foot widescreen? Buy my whole HDTV-ready CRT based front projection system delivered, cheap! Click here

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Yeah, Vince. www.snpp.com is a great place to spend three random hours. Easily one of the best Simpsons sites out there.
Another thing that really bugs me about the syndication edits is that sometimes Homer (or whomever) kinda just fades out mid-gag and the commercials pop up. Can't these "networks" at least make an effort? Like just cutting the shows cleanly at least?
I digress. Season 1 coming soon. Must have. mmmmmmm
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Scott
TheAngryJew's Movie Reviews at HBS.com

 

[Mark Kalzer]

Another annoyance I've had with the syndication is how they've ruined the credits. For most shows, there's nothing interesting in the credits that make them worth watching, but The Simpsons is well known for putting audio jokes over the credits, such as an old man rambling on and on, to the point where you still here him as the credits roll!
My favorite instance was in the episode where Homer coaches a pee-wee football team, and is hapily cutting everyone off the team. During the credits, we hear him verbally cut the entire Simpsons production team as their names are shown in the credits. ("Matt Greoning, you're cut!") Unfortunantly, during a Global broadcast of it, they completely ruined those credits by (As typical) pushing them into one half of the screen, and running advertisements on the other side, over dubbing the audio. The entire gag is ruined.

Thank god for the DVDs!

 

[Scott_J]

Another annoyance I've had with the syndication is how they've ruined the credits.

Credits? What credits? The FOX affiliate here in CT shows generic credits, with just the main cast and a generic copyright screen (no year), with the 20th Century logo at the end. Their "credits" last just long enough for one of their voice over guys (in a bad impression of Smithers or Grampa, depending on the day) to say "stay tuned for" whatever's next on the station. Horrible! Not to mention their big ass logo in the lower right the whole time the show's on.
Whenever I want to see a guest voice, year, or episode number after watching an episode on that station, I have to go to my Complete Guide to the Simpsons book for it.
I'm eternally grateful FOX is releasing this wonderful show on DVD.