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Anyone else watching the MI-5 (Spooks) marathon on A&E?

Mahdi

By Mahdi
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Mahdi

Mahdi

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Started at eight with the last two episodes of the first season.  I wanted to get up for the second as I haven't seen it, but slept throught the first episode and the next fifteen minutes of the second episode.  Which really sucks because 20 minutes is already cut out of all these.

So I'm gonna be parked here until 11 o'clock tonight.

Mahdi

Mahdi

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Looks like a Nikita rip off ;)

God no.  Closest North American show I can think to compare it to is 24, and then because of just the style.  While 24 will kill off some important characters, no one on Spooks is safe.

In the first season an event in the second episode was the most complained about moment in British history, due to it's ferociousness, unexpectedness, and violence..

An event in the second season was complained about even more.

Mahdi

Mahdi

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The episodes are 60 minutes long.  A&E cuts them to 40 so they can show commercials.

It's actually a really deft editing job.  They excise whoel subplots and keep the main plots intact so you only occasionally notice thigns missing.

I own series one on DVD.  Series two jsut came out, but I don't want to buy it while I can still watch teh edited form on tv for free.

'Course, if I was rich....

ordos45

ordos45

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Yes it is a BBC production.  I came home the other night with only the last few episodes left.  Man had I forgotten how much I love that show!! 

[hide]I was happy to see Harry survived his shotgun wound...at three feet...and was able to walk and talk and everything...[/hide]

Mahdi

Mahdi

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"The episodes are 60 minutes long.  A&E cuts them to 40 so they can show commercials"

33% commercials?! That's awful!

When I was in the eighth grade there were fourteen minutes of commercials to every hour (on average).

Now, it's at least 18 minutes per hour, with some shows going up to 21.

Welcome to American TV.

Canadian shows have fewer commercials than American, or at least they used to.  Networks recently recieved permission to have more.

I own the first season Spooks uncut on DVD.  It's quite the difference, although A&E's editors were,  admittedly, quite apt.

Note:  I am talking about American network TV, not HBO, FX, Showtime, etc.

Ice_Cube

Ice_Cube

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Spooks Season 1 and 2 was pure genius, perfection from  the BBC  (NO adverts  :P)

Yet I felt that Season 3 lacked something, and I was a little dissapointed. Not to worry though, 24 starts today!

nemafakei

nemafakei

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I must admit, the BBC do advertise themselves more than they used to between programmes, and it does get a little annoying. But rarely as much as 5 minutes to the hour.

Mahdi

Mahdi

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Spooks Season 1 and 2 was pure genius, perfection from  the BBC  (NO adverts  :P)

Yet I felt that Season 3 lacked something, and I was a little dissapointed. Not to worry though, 24 starts today!

I think that the better idea would ahve been for Tom to spend most of the season trying to clear his name, while the rest of MI-5 thinks he is guilty and goes on with there regular cases....

ordos45

ordos45

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5 minutes per hour?  The average commercial break in America is 3-5 minutes, every 10-20 minutes.

Mahdi, tried to look for it, but it wasn't at Suncoast video...evil people.

Anathema

Anathema

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BBC is a state owned company though? Here we have 3 state owned stations (Nederland 1, 2 and 3) wich only have a few minutes of advertisement between shows, never during them.

Kiyouta

Kiyouta

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Well its not state owned as such, but it has no advertisements at all (expect for their own brands of course :P). People complain about the license fee we have to pay to watch TV, but actually the BBC is a wonderful and unique thing...

They have no media obligations to show things just because advertisers will benefit from them and can show programmes that wouldn't necessarly appeal to a mass audience, which would be impossible on the other commerical channels because they would receive no advertisement revenue from them.

And the amazing thing is, people actually watch it! They get quite a lot of money through exporting their shows too... :O

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