MovieChat Forums > My Family and Other Animals (2005) Discussion > This Masterpiece Theater censored by KCE...

This Masterpiece Theater censored by KCET in Los Angeles!

posted 18 years ago by C-Slim
9 replies | jump to latest

It was supposed to be televised here on Sunday April 9, 2006 and was even listed on their website as well as others. However, they ran another program instead of this one and so I e-mailed an angry letter to them and got this rely:

> Thank you for your program inquiry.

> KCET regrets that Sunday night's airing of MASTERPIECE THEATRE -
> "My Family and Other Animals" was replaced with a last-minute
> repeat of "Foyle's War."

> This particular Masterpiece Theatre episode included a scene
> which we believe did not conform to new FCC decency guidelines.
> The scene has now been re-edited and the program "My Family
> and Other Animals" will air on Sunday, June 4th at 9:00 pm.

> If you have any additional questions or comments, please
> contact our Member & Viewer Services Department at (323) 953-5238.
> Our office hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

> We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and frustration
> that this schedule change has caused you.
> Thank you for your patience and understanding.

> Sincerely,
> Julie Villarreal
> Web Correspondent

Does anyone know what scene would be edited out? Was it nudity or language?
The only thing I could find about it is this on a Catholic website:

"There's a smattering of profanity and crude language, some partial nudity, sexual innuendo, groping between Margot and the tutor, and heavy drinking and smoking by Larry."

I don't know why THEY had to edit it when other stations didn't. (unless those stations made cuts prior to the broadcasts there)
I'm still very angry but a friend in the Philadelphia area (where they seem to have ran it uncut) will be sending me a copy of his recording on DVD-R. I can't wait to see it!

[–] angelofvic 18 years ago

Oh for crissakes, the whole thing is told from the point of view of a ten-year-old boy, I have no idea why they would edit anything out. My PBS station aired it and it was completely innoccuous. This is REALLY hard to believe. Yes, it was funny and yes there was silly innuendo, but jeez, Masterpiece Theater is clean as a whistle -- I mean look at it compared to Monty Python and Benny Hill and other such suggestive and profane fare.... not even close to as sleazy as those things are, or as American TV is ("The O.C." has an average of three sex acts per show now, I've noticed ...)

[–] openstorage 18 years ago

Hee, hee, land of the free eh!? Sorry mate, shouldn'd mock :-(

This is about as harmless as telly gets, so why they'd censor it is beyond me!

Maybe they edited out some of Omid Djalili because of his Iranian roots? I'm not being sarcastic by the way, I'm serious!

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sambuca 17 years ago

Can't believe people still pay attention to those moronic "Catholic" websites!

-Goodnight, mother of six!
-Goodnight, father of two!

[–] d_man1890 16 years ago

Probably the part Margot and Peter (the tutor), she was underage after all. Quite stupid I think...

[–] pd78w 15 years ago

C-Slim asked:

Does anyone know what scene would be edited out? Was it nudity or language?

I watched the DVD and can't imagine what scene would have been offensive. There was no nudity or language problems.

However, overall, the movie was not up to Masterpiece Theatre's usual standards. It had good intentions but really never got going. Terrible overacting, horrible soundtrack. Personally, I can't say you missed much.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] randommovies2002 8 years ago

If you watched the US dvd, it would have been the censored version. All of the Masterpiece Theatre DVDs released by WGBH Video are the edited versions: Northanger Abbey 07, Mansfield park 07, Rebecca 1997, etc.

[–] kenburke0627 13 years ago

I think the scene they are talking about involves the boy seeing Marot and the tutor making out. As far as censorship goes, I have long ago given up trying to figure out why Hollywood considers some things proper and others improper.