You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: I am now going to the local library for videos of TV shows thanks to what has become a shambles on off-network programming. Due to the horrendous editing of golden-age programs, I cannot understand plots anymore with over 15 minutes missing. There is never a slide saying the show has been edited like when there is with a feature film.
A: The amount of commercial time in a program has grown over the years (to about a third of the total running time). With older programs where the original commercial load was smaller, some programmers and syndicators will often trim content and/or speed up the show a bit to make room for more ads (which can also be awkwardly placed, breaking up scenes that were not meant to be interrupted). Besides changes to meet broadcast standards, movies also get trimmed and sped, to make room for ads while fitting a time slot. (As you noted, those movie deals at least call for an advisory about the editing.) I have heard shows' makers and stars lament the changes because it spoils the way the program was meant to be seen, for example messing up the timing of a joke. But that has not really stopped the money grab, which has gone on for decades and shows no signs of letting up.
Yes, some services offer uncut and even uninterrupted versions of shows, but you have to be watchful. Even when you go searching for the DVDs of shows, look closely at the fine print. As I have mentioned before, some shows are released on disc in versions trimmed for syndication. They may also have different music, but that’s another long story.
Q: There is a movie I saw in 1959 and am trying to find: “Sapphire,” with Nigel Patrick and Yvonne Mitchell. I have written to two movie catalogs, and they have never heard of it. Is it only me who has?
A: No. The movie you remember does exist. While I have not seen an authorized DVD in a format compatible with U.S. players, you can find it for rent or purchase digitally on Amazon’s Prime Video and Apple TV. There’s also pretty good-looking print on YouTube. Another possibility: the Criterion Channel (criterionchannel.com) has it streaming; the channel has a membership fee but also has a free trial period. (As always, there may be other places to find the films folks ask about, but I try to provide some options.)
Q: I am a huge fan of Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn. There was a Western they were in called “The Unforgiven.” I have been waiting for years to see that on TV. Can you tell me if I will?
A: As you know, “on TV” these days covers an enormous amount of ground — broadcast, cable, satellite, downloads and streaming. And this 1960 Western, directed by John Huston, is on Prime Video and the streaming service Tubi, as well as being available for rent on Vudu. It has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Q: I would like to know who won the top prize on the latest “America’s Got Talent” show. It never aired — or did I miss it?
A: Magician Dustin Tavella won the 16th season of the talent show last year. You can see the finale on NBC.com and on Peacock. The show will be back later this year. There is also a companion show, “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” with “outrageous acts of enormous scale.” It arrives on Feb. 20.
Q: We are great fans of the series “Endeavour” from PBS, now streaming on Prime. Season 7 seems to have been released, but we can only get through Episode 3. Can you tell us why?
A: There are only three episodes in the season. I have noted before that the length of a show’s season can vary dramatically; "Endeavour" has apparently never had more than six episodes in a season and many times had four. But some shows are designed as a set of feature-length productions instead of hourlong episodes. The Benedict Cumberbatch “Sherlock” did that, and so has“Endeavour” — so those three episodes are more like a bundle of movies. By the way, there is an eighth season coming — with three episodes.
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