Series 2 promo
OK so Downton starts Sunday on PBS and I have a question. This article in Variety (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946801?refCatId=32) says:
“The lone disclaimer would be that PBS has withheld the finale, and with a few strained developments in the sixth chapter, it’s difficult to see how Fellowes can resolve the multitude of plots as neatly as the war did in season one.”
Now I distinctly remember them Fellows and the others saying that S2 would NOT be edited of U.S. audiences. This seems like editing to me. Is this quote true?
Next iTunes says it is the “Unedited UK Edition” and Amazon packaging has PBS Masterpiece Classic but says “Original UK Edition.” So will either of these editions be different from each other. Will one (or both) be what the folks in the UK saw?
I just want to see the series the way it was originally broadcast in the UK as Fellows intended.
Update 01/4/2012 3pm:
My good friend Ryan Ozawa from Popspotting suggested that the writer of the article may have been referencing the screener copy he received. So I emailed the author. The following:
Dear Mr. Lowry,
I read your article, because I greatly enjoy Downton Abbey. However your article left me asking a question. (https://geoffgentry.org/2012/01/04/downton-abbey-s2-us-question/) A friend suggested that you may have meant that the statement you made was based on a screener copy you had access to in order to review. If this is the case your writing is unclear in the article. Nowhere in the article do you mention a screener copy. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Geoff Gentry
geoff(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)geoffgentry.org
Update 01/04/2012 4:42pm:
email correspondence between Mr. Lowry and myself.
Mr. Lowry:
Yes, just to be clear, I received a screener from PBS with six parts
totaling eight hours. When I asked about the last chapter or so-called
“Christmas episode,” they said it wouldn’t be coming to us until later
in January — after the Jan. 8 premiere — so most U.S. reviews you see
will be without the benefit of seeing the last part.
Me:
Thank-you for clearing that up. I will pass this info along. I
appreciate your quick response.
Mr. Lowry:
It’s fairly standard. In fact, it’s rare to receive a whole series in
advance, though I was a trifle irritated not to in this case.
Me:
I can understand that frustration. As someone who is not a regular reader of Variety the wording in your article was just a bit unclear. Maybe saying something like this. “When PBS sent me the screener copy, they did not include the last two hours. So it’s difficult to see how Fellowes can resolve the multitude of plots as neatly as the war did in season one.” But that is just my opinion. Thanks so much!
Mr. Lowry:
That is clearer, but Variety is hardly alone in getting advance review
copies. Virtually any review you read is based on an advance screener.
Me:
I see. I guess in my excitement I overlooked that. Plus, I have been trying to remain spoiler free. Which is challenging when people in the UK have been gushing over it on sites like Tumblr for months. Thanks again for your help.
