Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2009 December 5

= December 5 =

Shortened episodes of Top Gear
Can anyone tell me why episodes of the BBC television show Top Gear are shortened by about 10 minutes for iTunes and Netflix? Some episodes seem to have the news segment or the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment removed. (I'm in the US) Thanks, Dismas |(talk) 00:05, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * It's shortened for Dave because they have to cram adverts into the hour, too. Are the Netflix and iTunes episodes from the BBC themselves, or from Dave? (No doubt I've just shown my complete ignorance of both iTunes, which I thought was a media player, and Netflix, which I've never heard of!) Vimescarrot (talk) 01:30, 5 December 2009 (UTC) Helpful fact: Dave episodes might be under the UKTV banner
 * iTunes also has a store component where you can rent or buy movies/tv shows/music/podcasts. And Netflix is a delivery service that sends out DVDs of shows and movies.  When you've watched them, you send them back.  It's basically a rental service through the mail and quite popular over here in the US.  That aside, the episodes are not from Dave as far as I know, and I do know what Dave is.  The end credits and such don't say anything other than BBC etc.  Though, now that you mention it, I haven't paid particular attention to see if they say "BBC America", as opposed to just plain "BBC".  BBC America is the network that carries it over here.  That might explain it since they would show commercials as well.  Dismas |(talk) 01:45, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * It's common for shows to be edited for syndication or overseas sale. TV Tropes has a section on it too.  Quite possibly the versions on Netflix/iTunes have been edited for the USA, as other people have mentioned.--Pleasantman (talk) 14:46, 7 December 2009 (UTC)

Assassin's Creed 2 Black Edition
I was looking online and I was thinking of getting assassin's creed 2 black edition and it's region free, but then I saw where it said Australian version, will there be any difference between the Australian version and the American version, anything at all like the story, combat, weapons, characters, anything at all cause I just want to make sure and I already know the difference between all the editions like the white, black, and the master assassin's edition. I just need to know if there is a difference between the Australian version and the American version and for that matter what does region free exactly mean? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.3.15.129 (talk) 06:15, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

Due to recent laws passed in Australia, a special version of Assassin's Creed 2 will be released in that country with all violence removed. Instead of fighting enemies, you will hand them walkie-talkies and walk away. Seriously, though, this post seems to indicate that there will be no differences, but it's possible that there are many, but no one has spotted any yet. Also, the wiki indicates that all versions of the game will be available in Australia. Taggart.BBS (talk) 15:54, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

2012 movie
How many times does someone say "you have to see this" or similar in the movie 2012? I'm sure it's a lot, but I don't know how to go about finding a number. Tips? Aaadddaaammm (talk) 11:05, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Count. But why do you care, it's just about the most banal piece of leftist agitprop in history, further burdened by weak special effects.--Leon (talk) 12:32, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Leftist? Please do not set incorrect political labels on crappy movies, that does not belong on the ref desk./Coffeeshivers (talk) 13:15, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Sorry, my bad. But I contend that it is.--Leon (talk) 13:37, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Why on earth would you consider that a movie about the end of the world is leftist? DJ Clayworth (talk) 21:48, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Perhaps he objects to the heroic portrayal of an unnamed black president who is in office from '08 to '12?
 * See Hostile media effect. APL (talk) 23:32, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Climate change is a myth created by leftists, obviously (even though the movie goes for the rightist excuse of sunspots). Adam Bishop (talk) 14:59, 6 December 2009 (UTC)
 * In short, just count. You haven't defined "or similar", so I'm compelled to say you need to count yourself.--Leon (talk) 13:37, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Wait for subtitles for the movie to come out. Use some sort of count function in your word processing program. Those won't include "or similar", though.

Thanks for the replies. The thing is I'm not so keen on doling out another 8 euros to see it in a cinema (although I did enjoy the special effects). Online scripts, or anything else? Aaadddaaammm (talk) 17:37, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

Movie/Television show Identification
It's science fiction. At the start of the show, there was some crisis happening, and then there's a group of Star Trek-ish crew (not like conventional astronauts, I mean.) that go on a ship that was just outside the atmosphere. They then go through a huge circle shaped gate that functions like a warp drive. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.186.12.254 (talk) 14:42, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Stargate. --TammyMoet (talk) 15:41, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * I've watched the 1994 movie, but that's not it. (The gate-thing was in space.) It's not one of the newer 2008 movies, because I watched it in the late 90s to early 2000s. I should clarify, I think it was a movie rather than a television show. (Which rather rules out SG-1 too.)218.186.12.254 (talk) 15:58, 5 December 2009 (UTC)


 * I'm going to guess Wing_Commander_(film), but I've never seen it, and am unsure whether or not they had jumpgates. Taggart.BBS (talk) 16:02, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Stargate SG-1 did have a couple of massive stargates in space, which could easily transport huge ships. Stargate Atlantis made copious use of stargates orbiting planets. I know you said it was a film but ... well, just in case. Stargate's supergate, Atlantis spacegate. Shoot - sorry, didn't realise you said late 90s early 2000s. I'd guess that's too early for Atlantis (2004). The SG-1 supergate didn't appear until after Atlantis started airing. Vimescarrot (talk) 17:19, 5 December 2009 (UTC)
 * The gate in SG-1 seems to look right but the timeframe doesn't fit.

There is more than one version of Stargate,perhaps Stargate-Atlantis?..hotclaws 21:26, 6 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Personally I happened to be reminded of the Lost in Space movie.(Not that I'd reccomend it). There was a warp gate like device at the beginning, although it wasn't actually used. 07:10, 8 December 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.26.233.228 (talk)
 * I think it's Lost in Space. Thanks!