Apple participates in an old Hollywood tradition

…and they didn’t even have to attend a special party to do so. Earlier this month, Apple TV+ replaced the final episode of canceled sitcom Mythic Quest with a reedited version that removes a cliffhanger and introduces a new ending the show’s creators believe provides more closure.

Posthumous edits—a regular studio practice

Famous examples include:

• Aladdin: The original version of the 1992 film was altered to correct insensitive lyrics that offended many theater-goers during its initial release.
• Game of Thrones: A Season 8 episode was edited after-the-fact to remove a coffee cup apparently left in medieval-like times by a time traveler.
• Blade Runner: Has seen three separate edits get released by director Ridley Scott, with two of the three resulting in different endings.
• The Star Wars original trilogy: In the late 1990s, ~20 years after their initial debut, creator George Lucas released versions of Episodes IV, V, and VI with new scenes and effects inserted.

Episodes of The Office, 30 Rock, and Scrubs have also been edited after-the-fact for various reasons.

But…Not everyone is a fan of the potentially plot-altering practice. That’s especially true when it comes to die-hard Star Wars fans, since (film nerd alert🚨) the heavily debated scene between Han Solo and Greedo over who shot first has a different answer depending on which version is watched.

Speaking of time-honored classics: Monty Python and the Holy Grail turned 50 years old this week.