Language on 'Southland'

[ansky212]

I was watching 'Southland' on NBC last night (Saturday) and was surprised by the amount of language that was "bleeped" out. Why wouldn't they just leave that language out of the script if it has to be censored? Or was it censored because it was a weekend night and they think kids are more likely to be up and watching? Is it censored during the week?

 

[LKellerIII]

I was watching 'Southland' on NBC last night (Saturday) and was surprised by the amount of language that was "bleeped" out. Why wouldn't they just leave that language out of the script if it has to be censored? Or was it censored because it was a weekend night and they think kids are more likely to be up and watching? Is it censored during the week?

I'm speculating - but I'm guessing that NBC and the producers wanted people to see Southland as a gritty big city crime drama - not in the somewhat tired and worn tradition of the Big 3 networks, but in the more recent tradition of basic cable - The Shield, Rescue Me, and so forth. These cable shows have taken a middle ground, with a fair amount of nudity (back and side only), and crude language (except for the F word).

Basic cable is not regulated by the FCC, but the networks are - and I don't think that after the last few years of draconian penalties under the Bush-era FCC that they're ready to take chances by broadcasting crude language. ABC took big chances with NYPD Blue the first few years, but that was in the early and mid 90s, during the Clinton-era FCC. The networks have not been willing to take such a chance since then - understandably. Who knows - this may change after the networks get a feeling for the Obama era FCC.

So its probably seemed more realistic to have the actors use real-life street language, and bleep it out. Also, if the show is a hit, and is either repeated on cable, or released on DVD - it's probably easier to un-bleep the language than it is to do a lot of over-dubbing, or to film alternate versions in the first place.

 

[Nate Wesley]

Basic cable is not regulated by the FCC, but the networks are - and I don't think that after the last few years of draconian penalties under the Bush-era FCC that they're ready to take chances by broadcasting crude language. ABC took big chances with NYPD Blue the first few years, but that was in the early and mid 90s, during the Clinton-era FCC. The networks have not been willing to take such a chance since then - understandably. Who knows - this may change after the networks get a feeling for the Obama era FCC.

So its probably seemed more realistic to have the actors use real-life street language, and bleep it out. Also, if the show is a hit, and is either repeated on cable, or released on DVD - it's probably easier to un-bleep the language than it is to do a lot of over-dubbing, or to film alternate versions in the first place.

Don't forget DVRs and online through NBC.com and Hulu. They don't have to worry about the FCC either--there would be no FCC rules to follow. A disclaimer for future telecasts could say 'The following episode contains edits for television, viewer discretion advised', and yet still point viewers to the uncut versions online.

 

[vchimpanzee]

ABC took big chances with NYPD Blue the first few years, but that was in the early and mid 90s, during the Clinton-era FCC.

I'd rather hear bleeps than bad language.

Amazingly, the very language "NYPD Blue" did in its first episode is commonplace today and doesn't even seem to require an L in the V-Chip rating.

 

[LKellerIII]

ABC took big chances with NYPD Blue the first few years, but that was in the early and mid 90s, during the Clinton-era FCC.

I'd rather hear bleeps than bad language.

Amazingly, the very language "NYPD Blue" did in its first episode is commonplace today and doesn't even seem to require an L in the V-Chip rating.

I don't think so - you may be thinking of basic cable (FX, AMC, etc.) which allow s**t, a**h**e and a couple of others - but you won't hear those words on broadcast TV - not since the big FCC fines of the last few years.

There's also a lot of new censorship based on context. For example, you can use the word blow, but they'll bleep it if it's used in the context of the sex act.

 

[vchimpanzee]

ABC took big chances with NYPD Blue the first few years, but that was in the early and mid 90s, during the Clinton-era FCC.

I'd rather hear bleeps than bad language.

Amazingly, the very language "NYPD Blue" did in its first episode is commonplace today and doesn't even seem to require an L in the V-Chip rating.

I don't think so - you may be thinking of basic cable (FX, AMC, etc.) which allow s**t, a**h**e and a couple of others - but you won't hear those words on broadcast TV - not since the big FCC fines of the last few years.

There's also a lot of new censorship based on context. For example, you can use the word blow, but they'll bleep it if it's used in the context of the sex act.

The sample I heard was where the star of the show--the fat bald guy with the mustache--called a woman a female dog who desperately needed to use a fire hydrant.