A Matter of Nipples

I read a general statement somewhere about sci-fi shows made for both the U.S. and European markets that they are often edited into two versions- a more sexually-explicit European version and a more violent American cut.

It is hard to see how they could take the violence out of Starhunter- frequent shooting and fisticuffs being central to the plot- but here in America when the show aired it had any (female) nudity edited out (as well as the time-consuming introductory Rudulpho-monologues).

In the episodes on the U.S.-released DVD's, however, there are intact nipple-shots in "The Divinity Cluster" and "Cell Game" while in the Australian DVDs the same shots are either cropped out or an alternate shot is substituted.

There may be others but I am not such a perv to go frame by frame through each ep. looking for them. I just think it is interesting that two versions were made of episodes with female nudity and that both the "censored" and the "explicit" ones have been released... albeit on two seperate continents!

I might also add that this nudity, at least in "Cell Game," is NOT gratuitous. ***SPOILERS AHEAD*** On Dante's night in prison, he is approached by a rather unattractive female inmate. She sits next to Dante and in the audio on both versions she says "I want to be your girlfriend, or else they will decide." On the U.S. DVD she then lifts her shirt to expose her breasts. On the Australian disc, however, a shot of her legs is substituted. Without the footage of the woman exposing herself it is difficult for the viewer to fully appreciate Dante's shocked-yet-noble response, the leering faces of the other male inmates, and the over-arching comment on the woman's cruel fate of having to prostitute herself for protection or be raped.