MovieChat Forums > Murphy's Law Discussion > UK DVDs - running time

UK DVDs - running time


I see that the UK issuers of the Murphy's Law DVDs, 'ITV DVD', have messed up the release of Murphy's Law from Series 2 onwards. The original running time of the episodes is about 59 minutes each from series 2, yet the episodes on the DVDs are only 50 minutes each. This is because they were taken from the masters for international distribution - these have a shorter running time to allow the overseas broadcasters to insert advertisements and so run the episodes in 1 hour or even 1.5 hour slots.

I've just just bought the reletively recently released box set of series 1 to 5 and am not at all happy about this monumental error.

Anyone else noticed this mistake?

reply

Absolutely, I just finished watching Series 5 on DVD last night and noticed many missing scenes which really took away from the episodes. I didn't notice anything missing from series 3 and 4, but maybe that's because Series 5 is still fresh in my mind from when I saw it last year on TV.

Spoilers ahead. Scenes missing from Series 5:

1. Murphy falls asleep at the wheel of his car, almost crashes, swerves off the road and is shaken up.
2. In an attempt to calm himself down, snorts a line of Cocaine.
3. Murphy sleeps with Jackie. Wakes in the middle of the night and points his gun at her thinking she is an intruder after having a nightmare (from what I remember). They then sit and have a conversation about the stress the job is having on Murphy.
4. After Goodall kills herself at the station. Murphy is seen fleeing to his car as Jackie and Atwood run after him. Murphy then drives off in the rain which leads to the scene where he sits in his car trying to commit suicide. However, on the DVD it cuts straight too him sitting in his car.

All of these scenes are, IMO, moments of important character development which were cut for no reason. I was proper pissed off, not just because of the missing scenes but because it really took away the impact of the Series 5 ending, which I thought was very powerful the first time when there was a greater emphasis on how the case was effecting Murphy.

If I knew where to complain, damn it I would! Lol.

Recently Watched:
I Am Legend 7/10

reply

Sorry to hear this.
I was very happy to but all 5 series in one box for £25 but it is not such a bargain if the episodes are not complete.

Some time ago bought THE VICE complete box but it was edited I assumed for content rather than time.
It should state on the box that it is not the whole thing.

reply

Well that really sucks... but I missed it when it was on TV, and these DVDs are the only way to see it now. Oh well - at least it's cheap. £18 for all 5 seasons from sendit.com :)

reply

I'm actually in the middle of watching the first episode from series 3 and I just noticed a mising scene, Steve Sweeney's character gets glassed by Caz Miller. The sceme has been removed but Murphy mentions the event later in the episode.

reply

SWIM might advise looking for seasons 3 - 5 on bittorrent, as they might possibly be the original 60min versions that were broadcast, instead of the shortened versions on the DVDs. no such luck on season 2 though.

reply

Hello everyone.Does anyone know if I can find seasons 3-5 on region 1 dvds?I am looking for the 60 min episodes.I was so angry to find out that the episodes were cut.Great series,especially the last three.Thanks

reply

[deleted]