- TV Version: 42:38 min (including credits) [PAL]

- Unrated: 42:28 min (including credits) [NTSC] [equals about 40:50 min in PAL]

- 6 changes
* 4x censorship
* 2x additional footage in the TV Version

- Difference: 107.8 sec (1:48 min)

Compared are the TV Version from Spike TV, taken from the German DVD Release and the Uncut US Unrated DVD by New Line Home Entertainment.


The Series

After the popular Vampire Slayer (played by Wesley Snipes) could be seen in theatres three times between 1998 and 2004, producer David S. Goyer in 2006 produced a short TV Series. This time it was rapper Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones who played the main character in the pilot film as well as the following 11 episodes of the first season of this sophisticated series.
After a pretty promising release of the pilot film, the TV ratings constantly decreased, therefore they did not produce a second season.



The Unrated Versions

For the DVD release in february 2008 in America the producers decided to release a box-set with the note "Unrated and Never-Before-Seen Footage Too Graphic for TV".
Just as for the previous release of the pilot film in 2007 (that was released with the exact same note), you should not expect too much. You shouldn't expect too many extensions of gore - most of the "never before seen footage" offers naked skin as well as swearing in alternative takes. One could say that most of these scenes are examples of the pretty typical censorship for American movies/TV series.

However, there are also some extensions to the plot and 2 episodes actually do offer some more violence. Episode 11 constitutes an exception - except for the rather uninteresting aspects (see next paragraph) this eposide offers no changes compared to the TV Version. This is why we won't release a separate report for Episode 11!


Additionally, the episodes are different in that only the TV Version at the beginning of each episode shows a little flashback of the previous episode as well as at the end a preview of the events of the following episode. Furthermore, the TV Version from time to time shows a black screen for a little longer (due to the fact that at this point there was a commercial break). Because of these circumstances the TV Versions are often longer than the Unrated Episodes.




This report is a comparison of the 8th episode of the first season - "Turn of the Screw".


The time designations are listed as follows: "TV Version [PAL]" ("Unrated DVD [NTSC]"). The duration of the cuts is always calculated in PAL-speed.

Additional Footage in the TV Version
00:08-00:54 (00:08)

The TV Version at the beginning of the episodes shows a flashback of the events of the previous episode.

+ 46.4 sec

Alternative Footage / Censorship
05:16-05:29 (04:37-04:52)

The first few shots of the strip club in LA are completely different in the Unrated. While the TV Version shows no more than an ass in a thong, the Unrated Version also shows some naked breasts. Overall, the Unrated is minimally longer.

TV Version

Unrated

Unrated 0.6 sec longer




Alternative Footage / Censorship
05:33 (04:56-04:58)

After the shot of the woman in the red dress only the Unrated Version cuts to a well-hung stripper.

2.2 sec

Alternative Footage / Censorship
05:35-05:40 (05:00-05:03)

Interesting: At this point, the TV Version shows an additional shot where you see some naked bereasts. The following shot is slightly different in both versions.
In the Unrated, the ass is a shown a little more towards the center of the image, however, the woman doesn't move differently.

The TV Version (due to the brighter image) actually seems to be a little more explicit, however, this can also be attributed to the different mastering of the German DVD.

+ 2.2 sec

TV Version	Unrated

Alternative Footage / Censorship
05:42-05:43 (05:05)

In the TV Version, the blonde woman ensnares Alex a little longer while the Unrated adds a short shot of breasts. By the way, the TV Version continues right after the breasts are off the screen when Chase arrives in the background - therefore, they both used the exact same take.

At this point, the TV Version is minimally longer and therefore (accurate to a frame) compensates for the first 2 cuts during the strip club sequence.

+ 0.6 sec

TV Version	Unrated

07:46-07:51 (07:13)
The TV Version at this point shows a black screen while the episode immediately continues in the Unrated Version.
+ 5.2 sec


17:49-17:55 (17:36)
Again, a black screen.
+ 5.7 sec


21:07-21:13 (20:55)
Again, a black screen.
+ 6.1 sec


26:46-26:52 (26:42)
Again, a black screen.
+ 6 sec


32:23-32:28 (32:27)
Again, a black screen.
+ 5.6 sec


Additional Footage in the TV Version
41:31-42:03 (41:52)

After the first few credits (Executive Producer: David S. Goyer) the TV Version shows a little preview of what's going to happen in the next episode.

+ 32.8 sec