Snip Snip

Thank God for DVD's. One of my bestest friends, Lori, got me the 2nd season of The Golden Girls for a graduation gift - and I've been having fun all night watching them.

What's surprising, even more so than the really clear picture, is how much of a 30-minute episode is cut out for syndication. They do this to every syndicated show so that they can pump in more commercials.

And it's usually not one line here or there. We're talking full scenes. Scenes that haven't been seen since 1986. While these scenes aren't integral to the plot, they do flesh out storylines considerably, or make the episode a lot more entertaining.

For example, included in season two is "Empty Nest." This was a Golden Girls episode that set the stage for the Empty Nest spin-off the next year. I've never particularly liked the episode, it seemed forced. All the scenes are set in the neighbor's house and Bea Arthur and company only make quick cameos.

What a difference on the DVD! There are two entire scenes that were cut out, both of which feature the traditional cast prominently. It makes the segue to the spin-off a lot more believable and entertaining. It's a like a whole new show!

If you love a show, I mean really love a show, you owe it to yourself to get it on DVD. You'll never go back to truncated repeats on Lifetime again.

And you'll rue the day Lifetime Television cut out one of Rose's St. Olaf stories in order to jam in another Gyne-Lotrimin commercial.