gp1086

I remember back in the late-90s when South Park was the only TV-MA show I knew of on cable. It pushed the boundaries beyond what I thought would ever be allowed for regular cable. Now shows on FX and AMC contain some nudity and additional profanity. Do you think the boundaries will continue to be pushed (i.e. the use of F-bombs allowed) or has it reached its peak in terms of what's allowed?

OldBoy

i don't think it will go much further than what is already seen and heard currently.

davidh777

I think it's safe to say boundaries will always be pushed.

auto

I think fbombs are right around the corner.

PhantomStranger

The new season of American Horror Story would have been inconceivable on cable television just a few years ago. If it were a movie, it would almost definitely require an R-rating.

The boundaries are falling every day and I expect regular cable to become almost permissive as broadcast television is in Europe, with regular doses of nudity and uncensored language.

Josh-da-man

I'd rather have full frontal female nudity.

Osiris3657

They pretty much show R-rated violence on cable. Definitely the use of the word "fuck" is next.

Tarantino

Breaking Bad had a muted F-Bomb in there.

mhg83

Yeah what's up with that? I thought the whole reason for Cable TV was the FCC can't censor them?

Adam Tyner

It's for playing nice with advertisers, not upsetting parents if a kid happens to flip by a channel (which again they only care about because of advertisers), etc.

The FCC would love to get a stranglehold on cable/satellite, by the way. As things stand now, they don't enforce rules against 'indecent' content on cable/satellite, although they do enforce the rules against 'obscene' content.

"The whole reason for cable TV" is distribution.

majorjoe23

I won't rest until there's full penetration!

Gunde

One can only hope that the US at some point joins the rest of the the free world in this century.

Jimmy James

We won't have cable when the nudity boundary gets pushed to full frontal. Within ~15 years cable will die, and live sports will probably be the only thing that will keep it around that long.

Defiant1

I remember back in the late 90s, there were a few major network shows that pushed the nudity envelope (butt shots and boobs behind a translucent screen, mostly) but no major network primetime show seems to be willing to go there now. The daytime soaps seem to be far racier.

America, country of prudes!

Tom Creo

FX for years now has gotten away with the doggie style complete with jigglin' ass and tits, just don't show that nipple.

Mike86

The way censorship in this country works is so screwed up. It's perfectly okay showing just about as much blood and gore as you want but throw out a "swear word" or nudity and alll sorts of red flags go up and everyone is up in arms overreacting. So dumb.

boredsilly

Breaking Bad drives me crazy. The content of that show is WILD, and yet they can't say "fuck" once a season? It has to be bleeped? So ridiculous.

davidh777

Thread title doesn't make sense

Ropes Pierre

6 seasons and full penetration!

auto

Doesn't really bother me. I'll revisit Breaking Bad many more times during my life and the original broadcast will be the only time is is bleeped.

I'm more bothered when a show won't use the words at all when they're so common.

Rare that any type of nudity is truly crucial to a story so that doesn't bother me either. It's only dumb when they are in a strip club (Sons of Anarchy, The Shield).

RichC2

It isn't really censorship, it's stupidity - Cable company wants to show A, needs Advertisers, Advertisers oppose content in A because of groups like One Million Moms or the PTC threatens to boycott advertiser for supporting "filth". Advertisers don't want to lose customers so they go back to the network and ask for modifications, at which point they generally apply these changes.

As a country we don't seem to mind these things, it's a vocal minority that gets pissy. Until we get a group together and threaten to boycott Doritos when they agree to drop support for a show it'll keep happening.

Some ridiculousness: "ABC Family reported the comedy-drama pilot, working with the title "The Fosters," is about two women raising a "21st century," multi-ethnic mix of foster and biological kids. While foster care and adoption is a wonderful thing and the Bible does teach us to help orphans, this program is attempting to redefine marriage and family by having two moms raise these children together. One Million Moms is not sure how the explanation will be given on how the biological children were conceived. None of this material is acceptable content for a family show."

... "Let them also know you are prepared to join thousands of other voices in urging advertisers to place it on their "do not advertise" list and consider pulling all ads from the ABC network in protest."

Giles

that, and maybe the word '****' which I almost think is so close to being said on American Horror Story Asylum.

VHS?

I think they pushed the limits when they showed Dennis Franz' bare ass on NYPD Blue

Tom Creo

This, I say, is pushing the limits too far.

Groucho

I find it hilarious that they'll show a baby getting curb-stomped on basic cable during prime time, but boobs and the f-word are still a no-no.