Sex vs violence

[CaptJack]

I like both assuming they're dramatically appropriate. Being American, I suppose I am somewhat more squeamish about sex being on TV than about violence though I would much prefer it if the US starts moving towards the European ideology about sex in the arts.

Also, having seen a fair amount of Midsomer Murders I have to say that a) the complaints were unfounded and that person really should get out more, and b) the murder rate in Midsomer makes the worst parts of the urban United States seem entirely safe by comparison.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

As for murder mysteries I like good ones that focus on the logic behind finding the killer(s) rather than the ones that focus on the violent act itself.

Exactly. It's the challenge of figuring out it out along w/ the protagonist. Hopefully an appealing protagonist.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

I don't really mind either in moderate amounts, but I'm more tolerant of violence than sex. Which is why my copy of 8MM is getting a nice view of the inside of eBay.

 

[Emher]

I'm definetly more tolerant then sex then i am of violence. Then again, the Swedish rating system is as well. American Pie was rated our eguivelant to G and historically a lot of PG and PG-13 American movies have been rated our equivelant to R because of violence.

 

[Miss Chicken]

b) the murder rate in Midsomer makes the worst parts of the urban United States seem entirely safe by comparison.

Except for Cabot Cove where the murder rate is about the same as Midsomer county.

 

[777]

If you see Jessica Fletcher, run very far away

 

[RJDiogenes]

I don't mind either, although I'm less fond of violence than sex. A lot of it depends on context. For example, I love Dawn Of The Dead, but I wouldn't want to see that level of violence in an episode of Columbo.

I actually like some level of sexuality or nudity in most of my entertainment. I'm of the opinion that a naked woman is welcome pretty much anywhere.

Everyone in books, TV and movies should be white, male, hetero and between the ages of 35 and 49, I guess.

Crap. I'm off to Carousel in about five months.

 

[Theodore Jay Miller]

It's not a matter of being bothered by it, but I would say that sex on TV is more irrelevant to me personally than violence on TV. Violent conflict is important to the plots of a lot of shows I like: detective shows, science fiction adventure, superheroes, etc. Sex, on the other hand, well I tend toward the asexual, and find the whole thing rather mystifying or just boring.

 

[Starbreaker]

I don't mind either unless it's ridiculously over the top or detrimental to the story. However, I think it's funny that the UK censors violence and the US censors nudity.

 

[flandry84]

When you think about it,just how weird is it that an act as savage as murder can be used as a platform for entertainment?
From the ultra-realism of "Homicide-life on the street" to the ultra-assinine "Murder she wrote",the idea of another humans extermination (ficticious or not)being the basis of entertainment is largely unquestioned.

 

[scotpens]

I don't mind either, although I'm less fond of violence than sex. A lot of it depends on context. For example, I love Dawn Of The Dead, but I wouldn't want to see that level of violence in an episode of Columbo.

I wouldn't want to see Columbo and his wife having sex either.

Everyone in books, TV and movies should be white, male, hetero and between the ages of 35 and 49, I guess.

Crap. I'm off to Carousel in about five months.

Oh, you mean like in Logan's Run? I thought maybe you had a part in the musical.

When you think about it,just how weird is it that an act as savage as murder can be used as a platform for entertainment?
From the ultra-realism of "Homicide-life on the street" to the ultra-asinine "Murder she wrote",the idea of another humans extermination (fictitious or not) being the basis of entertainment is largely unquestioned.

Murder has been a staple of stories and plays since antiquity because the essence of drama is conflict, and killing is the ultimate result of conflict. At least we don't stage real killings or combat to the death for entertainment anymore -- the urban myth of "snuff films" notwithstanding.

 

[T'Girl]

I wouldn't want to see Columbo and his wife having sex either.

Wasn't Columbo married to Captain Janeway?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Re: Why "Star Trek" is not right...

I wouldn't want to see Columbo and his wife having sex either.

Wasn't Columbo married to Captain Janeway?

Yep - I didn't believe it until I saw the intro on Youtube. I don't buy Kate Mugrew as Columbo's missus for a second - she'd make him dress neatly, for one.

It's a testament to the success of the Mrs. Columbo spin-off that it's never been shown on British TV.

 

[Subcommander R.]

b) the murder rate in Midsomer makes the worst parts of the urban United States seem entirely safe by comparison.

Except for Cabot Cove where the murder rate is about the same as Midsomer county.

Don't forget New York. Anyone who's ever watched a Law and Order can point that out.

 

[DeafPoet]

This guy must work for the MPAA ratings board. I honestly don't know what goes through the minds of people like this.

For example, stuff like the Saw movies get rubber stamped with R ratings with no issue. Yet a couple years ago Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri
Make a Porno got slapped with an NC-17. He eventually argued it down to an R with no cuts. Now, Zack and Miri certainly isn't tame, but at its worst it deals with sex. And one ridiculous scatological gag. But that's it.

Saw, on the other hand, is a tireless exercise in fucked up ways to dismember people. So if you're keeping track, frank discussions about (and brief depictions of) fucking are verboten even though just about everyone will do it frequently throughout their lives. And brutal murder is more acceptable, even though the US is still executing people for doing it.

I find puritan idiots (like the guy from the OP) to be reprehensible human beings because of stuff like this.

 

[Kelthaz]

I don't have a problem with sex in theory, but it's very rare that sex is actually necessary to convey a story. It's far more likely that sex is used for titillation. Over-the-top sex comes off as offensive because it seems the writer has no respect for my intelligence. It's like the writer realizes he doesn't have a good story to tell, so he throws in some boobs to distract me from the shitty writing. It doesn't work.

Sex/Nudity in A Song of Fire & Ice? Good.
Sex/Nudity in Enterprise? Bad.

Violence on the other hand is rarely over-the-top. Well, at least not in the kind of shows I watch. Violence is needed to tell a story, so that's why I'm fine with it. The rare time I find over-the-top violence is a replacement for good story, such as in 300, I feel the same level of disrespect from the writer for my intelligence.

In short, use sex and violence as necessary to tell your story and no more than is necessary. If it's not necessary? Than don't fucking use it. That goes for swearing too.

 

[scotpens]

I don't have a problem with sex in theory . . .

Sex is good in theory. It's much better in practice!