Hi everyone. I've been noticing the past couple of years some programs that I thought to be promising turn out to be not so promising on account of them being uncensored. Shows that come to mind are the USA Network mini-series "Political Animals", HBO's "The Newsroom", and HBO's "Veep". Why do these and other shows similar to them get a pass at airing uncensored? I was surprised to see that "Political Animals", "The Newsroom", and "Veep" each one primetime Emmys at the awards show last month. Are uncensored shows just flat out better than the actual clean censored shows? I don't think so. I am a media critic. No, I do not get paid to be one. I critique the media for fun. After experimenting with "Political Animals", "The Newsroom", and "Veep", I ended up giving those shows each a 0 out of 4 stars. "The Newsroom" and "Veep" have too many F-bombs. Does it offend me every time I hear a curse word (expletive) air uncensored (without it being bleeped out)? No, it doesn't. I just think it's wrong for TV shows and even movies to get a pass at airing content uncensored. Even "Real Time with Bill Maher" is uncensored. Bummer and Ugh. Concerning HBO along with Showtime, is it because of their being premium channels why they get a pass at airing stuff uncensored? It's not right. They shouldn't air stuff uncensored. Period. The first times I ever watched something uncensored were movies. One movie was "Pretty Woman". In "Pretty Woman", I think I remember Julia Roberts saying "BS" in its full uncensored phrase. In high school, I saw the movie "That Was Then, This Is Now". In "That Was Then, This Is Now", I remember Morgan Freeman saying this following line, "There are no rules. There are no "F-bomb" rules." Anyway, the FCC should strictly enforce this stuff to where all uncensored stuff gets bleeped out. The word "ass" is okay because it also means "donkey". The B word that rhymes with "witch" is okay. The word "damn'" is okay because it also means to curse something. I hear these words on shows similar to "Glee", "How I Met Your Mother", "2 Broke Girls", "Two And A Half Men", and in dramas similar to "Castle" and the "Law & Order" franchise (regular "Law & Order", "SVU", and "Criminal Intent"). At least, "ass", the B word that rhymes with "witch", and the word "damn'" don't chase me away from a show. On average, whether the show has those words or not or even if a show has actual bleeping out of words, I'm most likely to give such shows each a 2.5 out of 4 stars. Whoever wants to comment is welcome to do so below. That is all.
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Censored & Uncensored Programs
- Thread starter AMFMRadFan
- Start date
Uh...they "get a pass" at being uncensored because HBO is premium cable, and they don't have to censor anything. They aren't controlled by the FCC...which regulates broadcast TV. Even basic cable is really not under FCC scrutiny, but the basic cable channels tend to adhere to self regulation regarding content - no frontal nudity but side nudity is OK, no F word, but the S word is OK, etc.
But the premium cable channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) started their existence in the 70s by running uncensored films - just as you would see them in the theater. That was their appeal. So why should they censor their own original programming?
These shows don't win Emmys because they're uncensored, they win Emmys because the scripts are well written and the acting is excellent.
Do you really expect to watch Bill Maher without hearing "F-bombs" every 30 seconds? Dude, if you're bothered by uncensored scenes and profanity, don't watch HBO or Showtime.
Even though Two and a Half Men has no profanity and nudity, I am personally offended by the content at times...or more acurately, I tired of it. Being crass and crude doesn't require profanity. So I don't watch it.
But the premium cable channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.) started their existence in the 70s by running uncensored films - just as you would see them in the theater. That was their appeal. So why should they censor their own original programming?
These shows don't win Emmys because they're uncensored, they win Emmys because the scripts are well written and the acting is excellent.
Do you really expect to watch Bill Maher without hearing "F-bombs" every 30 seconds? Dude, if you're bothered by uncensored scenes and profanity, don't watch HBO or Showtime.
Even though Two and a Half Men has no profanity and nudity, I am personally offended by the content at times...or more acurately, I tired of it. Being crass and crude doesn't require profanity. So I don't watch it.
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Well, the premium channels should be regulated by the FCC. I don't have a problem with dialogue, nudity, sexuality, and violence. It's just the profanity. That's all. If I were to get married and have children (which I don't intend to do), I would not want my children exposed to "F-bombs" with the "F-bombs" not being bleeped out. Sure, there may be times when my children would be away from the TV and they hear some of their friends curse, but they don't have to be exposed to it uncensored on the TV or even on the computer every single day. I wouldn't want my children to curse back at me or to curse at someone in front of me. If either one happened, it would show that I'm a bad parent. Isn't this all what the parental control features on cable & satellite are there for? Yes, but I don't want to come out too harsh. I don't want to lock stuff out by channel or by rating & content. Then I would be going too far. That is all.
I think the idea is that the really good writing comes from the people who would like to be free to use all the bad language. It's not that the bad language makes the shows better.
I'd rather do without the bad language. That's one reason I wait to see movies until they are on broadcast TV.
I'd rather do without the bad language. That's one reason I wait to see movies until they are on broadcast TV.
M
Mario500
Guest
AMFMRadFan, I disagree with the idea of having a federal agency regulate the contents of premium TV programming or any TV programming.
As for your hypothetical children, if you were to have them for real, you could teach them why they should not use expletives like some other children or people on television or radio or the Internet.
As for your hypothetical children, if you were to have them for real, you could teach them why they should not use expletives like some other children or people on television or radio or the Internet.
- Status
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