I can't believe A & E is going to pay a king's ransom-- $2.5 million per episode-- to broadcast The Sopranos. I think David Chase, the series creator, producer and writer, is making a mistake by selling the show to A & E, who will cheat the viewers out of watching one of the finer dramas on the small screen.
Viewers will get a heavily edited, FCC-friendly version of The Sopranos. Each episode will be scrubbed for profanity, excessive violence and sexual content; not to mention truncated to for commercials. In my opinion, this will make an honest show dishonest.
The least A & E can do is notify its viewers that The Sopranos they'll be watching is nothing like The Sopranos that originally aired on HBO.
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Article comments
1 - DJRadiohead
I do not see the big deal. I think it is a win-win situation.
Anyone who wants to see the shows in their unedited format has options: HBO or DVD. I own the first four seasons on DVD and will be purchasing Season 5 when it is released.
There is nothing wrong with A&E offering a free, edited option. I will not watch it in this format, but I think consumer choice is a good thing.
2 - Eric Berlin
I can see both sides of it -- it's hard to watch an edited version of anything "R"-rated, but seeing even a toned down version of The Sopranos is better than nothing.
The truth is that nearly all of the violence will be allowed to be shown, with only language sexual content getting the majority of cuts with our Puritan FCC monitors in charge.
Another truth is that The Sopranos is largely about relationships, and besides from some cussing, viewers of the A&E version will get to see almost everything.
3 - bhw
On A&E, will they be able to call Big Pussy by that name, I wonder?
4 - Eric Berlin
Good question -- I assume so. I've heard it referenced on television and radio before.
But nowadays? Who knows?
That reminds me that I've been seeing/hearing a creepy level of censorship of late. For example, the word "oral" was blanked out of a Howard Stern Show best of program.
5 - s barnett
I am very happy that A&E will edit the programs. I don't need or care to hear the profanity and I feel that the editing is done very well. I am not naive enough to think that the show was originally done with this "softer" text, but I am grateful that I do not have to hear the original version. I feel the same about watching the Godfater series on televison rather than on dvd. I again appreciate the edited profanity. I agree with the previous speaker, I enjoy these shows for their relationships, the family life and friendships and loyalty. I also agree with the previous speaker that those who wish to watch, and hear, the unedited versions, have DVD and HBO to do so.