Will & Grace: season 3 (1 Viewer)

[Jim*F]

I've just examined the "problem" episodes on the Season 3 DVDs and it appears as though the only real "problem" is with Cheaters Part 1:

1 All regular episodes are fine and have running times between 21:30 and 21:45 (give or take a few seconds)

2 "Gypsies, Tramps, & Weed" was a "regular" episode when first broadcast, and has a DVD running time as listed above (I think 21:33). This is in line with all the other "regular" episodes from Season 3, but could this episode have had a longer initial running time? (I can't remember everything from the first broadcast, but people have said they remember a few bits from the original broadcast that were cut for syndication.)

3 "Lows In The Mid-Eighties" was a special 1-hour Thanksgiving night episode, and appears in its uncut 43-minute form on the DVD (not as a "syndicated 2-parter").

4 "Cheaters, Part 1" was originally a "super-sized" episode that had about 10 minutes of footage added during syndication to make it a "syndicated 2-parter." The DVD has the "super-sized" version running about 31 minutes. (This seems to be the only real "problem" with the set -- why wouldn't they include the syndication version, which is really a "super-super-sized" version?? And since they did use the 31-minute version, what proofreader goofed and forgot to remove the "Part 1" from the title??)

5 "Sons And Lovers" was the 1-hour season finale, and appears in its uncut 43-minute form on the DVD (not as a "syndicated 2-parter").

I'm not sure what DVDs CraigL has, but my Season 3 set has the two 1-hour episodes in their original 43-minute form (meaning that "Part 1" and "Part 2" designations are unnecessary). "Cheaters" seems like the only episode with a legitimate problem. Overall, this set is vast improvement over Seasons 1 & 2 (this set has outtakes, the 1-hour episodes don't appear as syndicated 2-parters, and I found all the episodes on the discs in their proper order).

 

[CraigL]

Well...to be honest...I haven't gotten my set yet.

I was going off of what I was told from several sources about the "Cheaters" situation. I also have the UK version and the episode listing that I saw for the US version was identical...meaning that the US would be cut as well.

If what Jim is saying is true, then he is right. The only "screw up" would have been Cheaters because of the extra footage not being included with the set. But that is VERY good to hear that the one hour episodes are intact. Makes me wonder if they'll ever go back and re-do season 2 since we're missing footage from that one.
Here's to hoping that they continue this trend with other seasons.

Just for future reference, in the UK, season 4 has "cut" 1 hour episodes but the "super sized" episodes are all still intact. There were a bunch in season 4-6 so we'll see what happens when they are released here.

 

[CraigL]

UPDATE:

just checked DVDtalk and as i suspected..."gypsies tramps and weed" IS edited!!! Just like the UK version!

"It's the version that airs in syndication, with a couple of minutes cut here and there to make room for more commercials. There's a part at the beginning when Grace gives Will the gift certificate for a visit to Psychic Sue, and he thinks she wants it for herself, and a part later where the waiter Grace got fired is working in her office, and selling drugs, and he and his customers are exchanging envelopes whenever she's not looking. There may be more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head."

 

[Jason_V]

I had the first season and then heard of all the problems with season 2 and decided against spending any more money on the show. I eventually sold S1 and refuse to pick up anything else from this show because of thr problems and the fact W/G is getting worse and worse with each passing week. Pity, too. I think someone forgot how to write without throwing in guest stars left, right and center.

 

[Hank E]

This is really sh%&**ty to learn of all these edited versions showing up on DVD. I don't know what's going on... are the companies making mistakes and not realizing it, are they trying to make a deadline or is it just plain laziness? Whatever the reason, I would like to encourage everyone to write, phone or email complaints to these companies. Refusing to buy the sets is not enough, they could write it off as loss of consumer interest in the show. Please write and tell them WHY you're not buying. Hopefully they'll learn.

 

[andrew markworthy]

I call it The Simpsons Effect.