Fans of Torchwood: Miracle Day in the UK are upset after the BBC announced that it plans to cut parts of a sex scene from episode three of the show fearing an 'avalanche' of complaints from viewers.
The sex scene which features Captain Jack, played by John Barrowman, and a barman he meets in the show, will still be seen in the US version. Many fans are now questioning whether the BBC would have left the scene intact had it been between a man and a woman.
Torchwood: Miracle Day, although a spin off from a family show, has always had more adult themes and sex scenes and swearing have both featured heavily in the past, but the BBC suspect that complaints may arise over this scene, which Barrowman described as 'not gratuitous', despite it airing after the watershed.
What do you think of the removal of the scene? Are the BBC right to cut it or should the viewing audience be able to see the show exactly as it was intended in its late evening slot? Let us know below
this is wrong. First everyone kicks off because the doctor says he's going to kiss craig, now this...doctor who themed homophobia seems to have gripped the nation today.
ReplyDeletei think its unfair. as a gay man i think that in today's modern world where things are supposed to be more accepted, it should be left in. let the complains bloody well roll in. people can be morons but they need to get over it.
As someone in the US who has always been irritated that we get trimmed versions of Brit shows, including Torchwood and Doctor Who, I think the scene should stand as is.
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that the cuts are something RTD planned for and arranged for the different markets? If that is the case then any cuts would be what was intended.
ReplyDeleteI don't care that a few shots of gratuitous sex have been cut. TW sex scenes have been pointless for plot reasons quite a few times in the past, having them trimmed in this case is a blessing imo :P
"this is wrong. First everyone kicks off because the doctor says he's going to kiss craig, now this...doctor who themed homophobia seems to have gripped the nation today."
ReplyDeleteHyperbole much, a few loud fans on the internet and Daily Mail readers are hardly 'the nation' :s
RTD did make a comment about the cuts, but said it would be more to do with references that people may not understand on either side of the pond, which I can see his point on.
ReplyDeleteIf this scene is just sex for sex sake, then as the person above says, there is nothing to be missed by cutting it out, but if it serves a pupose to the story (and as Barrowman says, isn't gratuitous), then I see no reason why a post watershed show cannot have a sex scene in it. It's not like kids should be watching anyway. That's what the watershed is for.
The scene hasn't been cut....just a few of the over gratuitous shots have. They will still be seen having sex, and Jack's bum will be shown. I don't get what everyone's problem is...
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't think it makes a difference one way or the other, because the main story isn't going to be interfered with. I definately don't think it is any sort of gay or anti gay agenda though, as the BBC have shown gay sex scenes in the past without issue. They even had Matt Smith in a gay sex scene in that show a few months back, so I really don't think that's it. I think it is more to do with what RTD said about Jack being more of a childrens hero in the UK, so he is always extra careful about how he is portrayed here so as not to skew that, which I think is fair enough. Still, always worth reporting on though :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I heard it was down to RTD saying it was due to Jack being a kids hero to many over here. I dread to think what certain media outlets would be reporting about it if it was gratuitous, anything to score points against the BBC :(
ReplyDeleteThou this 'news story' source is The Sun I believe? So they have taken a different angle on it anyway to score points, just proves you can't win sometimes, lol.
I didn't see it in The Sun, but it wouldn't surprise me one jot to hear they have made it sound much worse than it is. The bulk of stuff I have heard about it has come from angry twitter folk, many of whom think it is homophobia related.
ReplyDeleteMeh.
ReplyDeleteNot gonna lose sleep over it, like Sandi says, always felt TW sex scenes were thrown in just to go "ooh, look, we're on after 9!" rather than for any specific reason.
there's no way on Earth it's a homophobic reason for the edit.
RTD would never let that sort of thing stand, and I'd like to think the BBC (depite their many, many faults of late) are above that sort of nonsense.