If you watched Lost Girl on Syfy this Monday, you might have noticed something. Well, more like you missed something. Something like 8 important seconds between Bo and Lauren. Something which made many, many lesbian and bisexual female fans of the show very, very mad.
In the episode, the third of the second season titled “Scream a Little Dream,” features a significant scene between Lauren, Bo, the new Ash and his henchmen. The Ash and entourage arrive to claim Lauren as his “chattel” Bo defends her with a defiant, swoon-worthy “Lauren is no one’s property.” But then, then things get really good and even more swoony when Lauren intervenes.
Lauren: [Places hand on Bo’s shoulder.] Bo don’t. [Slides it gently down to her bicep.] You’ll just make it worse.That was in the original Canadian Showcase airing. But in the American Syfy broadcast, the exchange went like this.Bo: No. I’m going to make it right.
Lauren: Look at me, please. I need you to stay out of this.
Lauren: Bo don’t. [Cut to Lauren with her hand on Bo’s bicep.] I need you to stay out of this.The reaction from Team Lauren fans was swift and angry. Accusations of censorship and homophobia flew. But mostly fans, myself included, were mad that such a tender moment between Bo and Lauren could be lost on the cutting room floor. Those eight seconds showed not only Bo’s protectiveness of Lauren, but Lauren’s affection for Bo. In short, they mattered.
Now American audiences have been finding Lost Girl on Syfy since the series debuted in January. The show recently finished airing its first season stateside and Syfy is now airing its second season. Before the broadcasts started, series producers said the show would feature minimal cuts, mostly just for foul language. Still its gay viewers have watched intently to make sure its queer content remained intact. Which is largely had, until now. AfterEllen.com reached out to Syfy to find out why the cuts were made in Monday’s episode. Syfy Director Communications Gary Morgenstein replied promptly, saying the cuts were all made for time and made not by Syfy, but the series producers themselves. He replied:
So you know, the scene was cut not by Syfy but by the producers to conform to US running time; the Canadian version runs longer. … None of this had to do with the same sex relationship. In fact, in episode 206, airing on Syfy May 21, there is a rather “hot” scene between Lauren and Bo.Lost Girl producers also posted to the show’s Facebook page yesterday to clear up the cuts. They wrote:
Hey Fae-natics!Now, I will admit I have not been watching the Syfy broadcasts with a stopwatch to see what has been trimmed here and there. While I’ve noticed a few naughty words were snipped, this seems to be the most crucial cut I’ve heard about so far.People have been asking about the US cuts of #LostGirl, most recently episode 203, and we just wanted to clear up any confusion. These cuts were made by Lost Girl, in house, in order to satisfy the shorter broadcast length in the US. The edits were done for timing and not content. Thank you to all of our amazing fans. You are what make our show great.
Have a good Fae, The Lost Girl Production Team
So now the question remains whether fans will accept the explanation. I think it’s entirely possible the edits were made for time. But even if that was the case, they weren’t very wisely chosen. The Bo love triangle, such that it is in the second season, is a key component of the show. And the second season is very much about Bo and Lauren addressing their feelings for one another. So to cut scenes that show the deepening of that relationship seem ill-advised and even irresponsible. The test now will come with how the rest of the season is edited. Will more Bo and Lauren scenes be snipped? Will, at Syfy executives promise, the key (and, yes, steamy) scenes between Bo and Lauren in episode 6 remain intact? Time will tell. But already, I’d say it’s a win for the show’s LGBT fans to have their displeasure acknowledged by Syfy and producers. With so little representation of gay relationships on TV, every little touch matters. And it’s a good reminder to the makers of TV that we’re watching very closely.
