This screencap is from a source but I'm using it as an example of the kind of complaint I'm sick of hearing around fandom. PBS has LEGAL AND FINANCIAL REASONS for episode editing on broadcast airings.

First of all the Federal Communications Commission has a long list of rules PBS has to obey. Just because PBS doesn't have commercials in the middle of shows, it doesn't mean they can air 59 mins of an episode. They have to time their programming to match US commercial TV.

PBS figured out that roughly 53 mins of episode/7 for the sponsor ads at the beginning and up next ads at the end works best. The network wouldn't exist without Viking/corporate donations so yes you need to sit through those in order to get your precious Poldark eps.

BBC shows run for a full 59 mins b/c no ads allowed. ITV shows have a more varied run time because they use commercials in between shows like US networks. Sometimes it's 46, sometimes it's in the low 50's. On the lower end, it's often that the PBS edit will ADD IN scenes ITV cut.

What gets cut from PBS' 53 min formula? In general, the network is opposed to artistic censorship but they have to get rid of the stuff the FCC will fine them for. The UK studios work w/ PBS to figure out what needs to go for the US broadcast release.

Inspector Thursday dropping the f-bomb, extended sex scenes, some forms of war violence are going to be the first things out on the US broadcast airing. The British rules on that content overall tend to be more liberal than the FCC for cultural and religious reasons.

Some may argue argued that PBS' reasons for editing the Birdsong female pleasure focused love scene and the Ross raping Elizabeth scene from Poldark 2x08 were more ideological censorship than legal compliance. However, viewer complaints to the FCC can also trigger fines.

Next are the time edits to dialogue that isn't explicitly affecting the plot. On some of the mystery shows this often means a clue or foreshadowing scene gets cut. In the period dramas, this is usually a character development scene.

These are what usually results in the fan complaints, but fans need to realize that the UK creatives were already consulted about time and content edits before PBS airings.

What about streaming? PBS Passport tends to license the broadcast edited version for streaming while Masterpiece on Prime tends to have the UK/uncensored DVD versions for their license. The uncensored versions cost more to license for Passport.

These complaints about PBS time edits slide too easily into fandom entitlement because the solution to wanting to see what the Brits saw is right there for everyone. I'd rather have 53 mins of Flesh and Blood vs. NO minutes because PBS ran out of money.

One more thing about UK show edits: When it comes to Endeavour/the other 90 min dramas, often PBS taking the ITV commercials out means the show is a bit shorter than 1.5 hours. In the BBC cases, this means the show is way too long so more time edits have to be made.