2011-12 pilot season

[Temis the Vorta]

Don't Trust the Bitch may be worth watching now. Krysten Ritter has been cast as the eponymous bitch, and she's got just the persona for the role.

On the 20th TV-produced Bitch, Ritter joins Dreama Walker (The Good Wife) who was cast a week ago as the co-lead. Written by Nahnatchka Khan, Bitch centers on June (Walker), an earnest, honest, optimistic girl from the heartland who, due to circumstances beyond her control, is forced to move in with Chloe (Ritter), a sexy, unstable New York City party girl who has the morals of a pirate.

Here's the "good girl" - that's funny, I took one look at her and pegged her for the bitch. This should be catty fun, which ABC has been good at delivering.

 

[bigdaddy]

So we can name a show "Don't Trust the Bitch" however we can't say "Shit my Dad Says"?

 

[RoJoHen]

I have no doubt the title will be changed.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Bitch can be said on TV, shit cannot.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

They'll keep the title so they can get free publicity when PTC goes ballistic over it.

I hope Good Christian Bitches makes it to series, too. That will make PTC's head explode.

 

[bigdaddy]

Bitch can be said on TV, shit cannot.

At one time fuck could have been used on network TV to, if used as an adverb, that last about 3 days.

This is because the TV police are a bunch of fucking dumbass shithead bitch cunts that need to shut the fuck up.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Be that as it may, I was just answering your question.

 

[RoJoHen]

I still don't understand the rules of TV language...because you absolutely CAN say "shit" and "fuck" at certain times and on certain networks.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

On broadcast networks?

 

[RoJoHen]

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The FCC shouldn't have the right to censor anything on cable. Isn't the idea that the broadcast spectrum is limited, and therefore you can't depend on the free market to drive out "bad" stuff? Why can't the audience decide whether they like or hate swear words on TV?

The natural system would be for one network to eschew swear words and position itself for the family audience, the next one has sporadic swear words, the next one makes Deadwood look like Sesame Street. As long as everyone knows what they're getting themselves into, everyone's happy.

Of course everything is on cable now since you can't get anything over the airwaves without a box. Disband the FCC! Attica! Attica!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I still don't understand the rules of TV language...because you absolutely CAN say "shit" and "fuck" at certain times and on certain networks.

Not on broadcast networks. The FCC doesn't apply to cable, though, so you can say them there.

 

[RoJoHen]

Ah, gotcha.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

But basic cable networks often don't have swear words when they could. I think that's because they've marketed themselves as "just like broadcast" so that people would get used to them fast. To have everyone swearing a blue streak on USA and TNT would be unsettling to audiences just switching over from broadcast.

So although cable is 50% of viewing now, they've still got that tradition behind them and are leery of upsetting things for the sake of a little cussing. I don't even notice the lack of cussing, really.

 

[DrCorby]

AMC gives Hell on Wheels a full series order.

This one sounds good, like Deadwood but following the building of the transcontinental railroad, and dealing a lot more with the fallout of the Civil War (which Westerns tend to gloss over).

Did anyone else notice that Colm Meaney is part of the cast of Hell on Wheels? He plays a character whose nickname is "Doc". Colm is always interesting to watch. My interest level just went up...

 

[bigdaddy]

"Basic Cable" is now under the overlord of the FCC. The only ones free from their bullshit is "premium" channels like Showtime and HBO. If the FCC had their way they would take over the world.

It's why you still can't say fuck on BSG, or South Park or any of the other shows.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'm pretty sure it's voluntary. Comedy Central has had certain late night movies where they won't censor anything. In addition, there have been episodes of south park where they don't bleep anything for a certain reason (like the "shit" episode where they ran a counter on the bottom of the screen. The word was never censored). Think about shows like Always Sunny, which are on basic cable but never bleep profanity either (as opposed to handful of episodes which aired on Fox, which were censored).

 

[Mr. Adventure]

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/FAQ.html

Do the FCC's rules apply to cable and satellite programming? In the past, the FCC has enforced the indecency and profanity prohibitions only against conventional broadcast services, not against subscription programming services such as cable and satellite. However, the prohibition against obscene programming applies to subscription programming services at all times.

They word this kind of cagily with the "in the past" jazz but you can read that as current policy.

As to what is "obscene" vs "indecent"?

http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/FAQ.html#TheLaw

And BTW:

Are there certain words that are always unlawful? No. Offensive words may be profane and/or indecent depending on the context. In the Golden Globe Awards Order, the FCC stated that it would address the legality of broadcast language on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the context presented, use of the “F-Word” or other words as highly offensive as the “F-Word” may be both indecent and profane, if aired between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

 

[Starbreaker]

Comedy Central and FX are the only two networks I know of that have occasional vulgar language at night.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Jack Davenport from Flashforward cast in Smash.

Well, I like the guy, and the premise doesn't sound bad: "follows a cross section of characters who come together to put on a Marilyn Monroe musical on Broadway." Could be fun, despite the presence of Debra Messing.

Comedy Central and FX are the only two networks I know of that have occasional vulgar language at night.

Now I'm just confused. The last episode of Archer bleeped (I'm pretty sure) "fuck" but let "shit" through. Maybe the first bleep was for comedic effect.

I think the basic cable stations follow their own censorship rules, largely to avoid offending the audience, not the FCC. Comedy Central and FX have audiences that don't mind vulgarity especially at night and probably expect it. Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel, not so much. They also probably want to avoid ever prompting an FCC crackdown. They should be able to fight it on First Amendment grounds, but who wants to get the pricey lawyers involved?

EDIT: Jesse Martin cast as co-star of Hallelujah.

The project, which features musical elements, is set in the town of Hallelujah, Tenn., which is being torn apart by the forces of good and evil and whose fortunes change when a stranger comes to town, bringing justice, peace and possibly restoring faith. Martin will play a mysterious, charming drifter who crosses paths with the newcomer.

Confusing description. So two guys who are the "outsider who comes to town" are the leads? Usually you see just one character of that type, with a townsperson as the other lead. Maybe one of the outsiders is the DEVIL! That's probably the guy who is supposed to "restore peace and justice," you never wanna trust those types.