Sex And The City on DVD..

After hearing people rave about how much better the original episodes were compared to the edited versions on TBS which I have been watching...

I finally broke down and bought the first two seasons on DVD from TBS. (They seem to have the lowest price).

I had been told that the original shows were 30 minutes long without commercials on HBO--but to my disappointment they are only clocking in at about 22 minutes each on DVD. And these ARE the exact, original episodes as shown on HBO.

I am seeing a lot of new scenes/footage I hadn't seen on TBS, sometimes it's like watching an entirely new show. So that is probably worth the cost of the DVDs, as I would have always wondered what I had missed on TBS.

But to be honest-the main difference seems to be the language and sex scenes. I had no idea they had used so much profanity in the original episodes, and sometimes entire lines of dialogue have been changed when they were edited for TBS. It makes it a little harder to watch, with the constant use of the F word, etc. I've only seen the TBS versions for awhile, so this is quite a change for me.

I also noticed there is a lot more nudity shown, mostly with the girls being topless. I have always loved this show because it was so perfectly cast, and the ensemble actors were so great. But frankly, now that I am seeing 'more' of them, and hearing how they talked originally; I'm afraid I have lost some respect for these actors.

This entire series is about empowered females; all highly intelligent, cultured, educated, professionally successful and stylish. Women who are 'above the heap' so to speak, and self-aware in terms of having self-esteem. So it's somewhat of a disappointment to see the actresses playing these roles 'selling out' by allowing themselves to be filmed with partial nudity, and using a lot of vulgar language. It cheapens their characters, and I am surprised they would agree to those roles considering they are doing exactly what their characters would never allow. Letting themselves be used basically for sexual gratification on a TV show.

Just saddens me to see these brilliantly talented actresses degrade themselves with so much nudity and vulgar language. Just to be in a TV show. I almost liked the show better in PG format.

It is weird, seeing how much they changed some of the scenes from the original to the PG version. Entire lines of dialogue have been changed, which means they had to re-film certain scenes and have the actors come back in to re-loop their lines of dialogue. IE: The scene where Carrie is in the bathroom, and can't get her diaphram out. What I saw on TBS, was Samantha offered to help her and Carrie said no, she could do it herself. She then remarked that if she had let Samantha help her with something so intimate, she would have needed therapy the rest of her life.

But in the original R version-Carrie allows Samantha to come into the bathroom to help her and that is the end of the scene. There is no additional dialogue. Quite a difference.

So although I am glad to finally see the original versions--I am somewhat disappointed in the amount of gratuitous sex and profanity used. I get that the show is about sex, but it was pretty great on TBS without so much of it. Hearing these girls use profanity so much really changes their characters to me, it makes them seem less likeable and more vulgar. I am actually glad I had the chance to enjoy the PG version for so long before seeing how the show was actually created.

And apparently the show was never a full 30 minutes, these episodes on DVD (complete with more extended intro/theme song) are only 22-23 minutes long. Period, and they are completely original. But there is enough added footage compared to TBS versions, that it still makes the DVD price worthwhile, barely.

Just not sure why they had to ruin such a great show with so much offensive language, it was just as good if not easier to watch without it.