Season One
I have not seen totally uncut S1 episodes. Most of the cuts mentioned here were by Sky One; Channel 5's showings revealed what had been missed, although they edited too. I am probably missing loads. Do EMAIL me
= heavily cut.
= quite a few cuts.
= one or two cuts.
Sins of the Past
The very first Xena episode was cut in several places. Sky's major cut was to the very end of the episode where Draco throws a knife at and kills one of his own men who is creeping up on Xena. This scene was restored in a recent Sky One repeat but was also absent from the Channel 5 screenings. Sky made cuts to the scene where Gabrielle is describing what she will do to Xena while being held captive by the blind cyclops. I think there were also cuts in the scene between Xena and Draco but I am not sure whether it was for language or descriptions of violence.
Channel 5's first edit was too the credits sequence! The bit from The Gauntlet where Xena kills about 3 villagers with her sword was shortened.
Chariots of War
Sky's main cut was in the scene where Xena has the arrow removed by Darius. We missed most of that. There were also a few cuts to the end fight where Xena slashes the baddie with her sword.
Channel 5 showed more of the arrow removal but still cut a bit I think.
Dreamworker
I haven't seen an uncut one of this episode so I am probably missing details here. The opening fight has Xena throwing a knife at a man which Sky cut. I think there were cuts to the end of the episode when Xena arrives to save Gabrielle and kills some of the bad guys.
Cradle of Hope
One of the most notorious for cuts as this episode features an attempted lynching. The UK tv regulators do NOT like anything to do with hangings as it is thought children might copy it. The scene is fairly near the start and Pandora is on horseback with a rope round her neck. The US version also has Xena wrapping her whip around the neck of one of the mob and dangling him from the tree. There have been slightly different versions of this scene almost every time.
The Path Not Taken
Not too sure on this one, but I seem to remember the part where Marcus is shot with an arrow to be edited the first time round, and Xena killing Mezentius with a chakram to the neck was definitely edited.
The Reckoning
Another episode that made more sense when you saw it all. The scene where Xena is help prisoner and is being beaten by the thuggish villagers was cut quite a bit by Sky. Her anger and consequent thumping of Gabrielle made more sense when you saw what went before. The scene at the very start where Xena tried to save the wounded men had much of its blood missed out by Sky.
The Titans
Not sure on this one. From what I remember there wasn't much cut. Possibly a bit when the old Titan was skewered on a rock by the young one?
Prometheus
Channel 5's darkest hour! While many fans were very grateful to C5 for almost uncut episodes, they screwed it up with this episode. The entire opening scene was cut by C5 because of the trachaeotomy scene Xena performs at the start. Sky on the other hand just skipped the gorier bits of the operation. The fight in the barn with Iolaus and Hercules was edited a bit by Sky but restored by Channel 5.
Death in Chains
Several cuts to this episode for violence. The opening fight where Xena kills Toxeus was cut by Sky. A later scene with Toxeus returning to his friends as he cannot die was missed out by Sky also.
Hooves and Harlots
Racking my brains here....The end part where Xena kills the traitor bloke was edited by Sky. (Also look out for Lucy Lawless clearly taking her sword from behind her back but NOT out of her scabbard. Wonder if it kept sticking?)
The Black Wolf
Can't think of any obvious ones.
Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts
The loyal friend of Helen dies a bloodier death than Sky originally showed. Helen's nightmare right at the start was also longer in the C5 version- A scene with crucifies men and spiders crawling through a skull was seen in the C5 version but not Sky's.(Look out for Lucy doing a little jump on the spot -her action when a somersault is to be inserted. One wasn't .)
Athens City Academy for the Performing Bards
Clip show. No cuts that I can remember.
A Fistful of Dinars
The friend of Xena's who dies at the start has a gorier death in the C5 version. A later killing by Thersites was also toned down by Sky. A scene with some crucified soldiers and spiders crawling through a skull was cut. This bit also appears in Beware Greeks.
Warrior...Princess
Channel 5 started doing some cuts for time and this one really annoyed me as I love this episode. The part where Philamon is fighting off a load of bad guys begins with a little banter between him and Xena. This was inexplicably cut by C5. The hopeless assassin also catches fire at one point. Sky cut the flaming man.
Near the end, C5 cut a conversation between Xena and Gabrielle on the stairs. Probably for time.
Mortal Beloved
A friend who has the US box set showed me this episode which has a scene we will NEVER EVER see on uk tv I think! Toxeus the charismatic bad guy challenges Atyminius, the very very creepy bloke, and he puts on the helmet of invisibilty and decapitates Toxeus, sending his head flying and twirling through the air! No way we'll see that! I think this episode also has one of our tv censors pet hates: a knife to a throat. From what I remember there is a knife to throat edited out. Another one from Sarah, as Xena and Marcus are coming out of the water and Xena sees Gab being
attacked by Atyminius...she yells Noooooooooooo. This was cut from C5, but I don't think from Sky.
Royal Couple of Thieves
The rather jerky editing in this episode made me THINK there were a lot of cuts to the scenes in Malthus' castle, but I think the main cuts were near the end when Xena has a pressure points fight with Sinteres and when Arkel is killed by the Ark, Indiana Jones style. The pressure points fight features ANOTHER thing the censors are touchy about. We often see Xena put on the pressure points, but often have the bits where she takes them off edited! Wierd.
The Prodigal
Can't think of any offhand. Might be a few edits when Meleager is fighting the bad guys. Those extra power javelins might have gone through a few more people than we saw.
Altared States
Another of C5's cuts for time, and ones that annoyed subtext fans, as C5 cut the part where Xena and Gabrielle are down the well and Xena says "go ahead, climb up my body." We do actually get a brief knife at throat in this episode!
Ties That Bind
The final fight was cut a bit by Sky I think. I am not sure but the bloodied Atrius might have been seen less of on Sky too.
The Greater Good
Great episode, and actually, not any cuts that I can remember. Was Gabrielle's fight edited? Not sure but I don't think so.
Callisto
The opening battle scene in the village as Callisto's army are pillaging was cut by Sky. A particularly strong image of a dead soldier and and apparently dead boy in similar positions was cut by Sky. Also cut, Callisto pulling her finger across her throat when she tells Joxer to kill Gabrielle.
Death Mask
Some cuts to a few fight scenes I think. Not too sure.
Is There a Doctor in the House
Sky's first showing of this wonderful episode was one of the 39 minute ones I think. Lots of cuts for medical bloodiness. One near the star where Xena saves a wounded soldier as the priests watch. Ephiny's baby being delivered, the soldier having his leg amputated, but the main cuts that annoyed were the ones where Gabrielle was the patient. Her convulsions were non existant on Sky and a fairly important part as it showed when she "died". Probably more little snips I have missed!
Onto Series Two Edits.
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