Friends Season 7 "Too Hot for TV" (1 Viewer)

[Casey Trowbridg]

Carlos, to quote something, copy the text you wish to quote and then write it like this only without the spaces.

[ quote ] paste your text [ / quote ]

and it will come out looking like after which is when you'd put your response. At least that's how I do it.

 

[Sam Favate]

In that case, I agree with you! I've seen the same patterns emerge from various TV channels. Take, for example, VH1, which as recently as a 4 years ago was running programming to appeal to fans of music from the 60s and 70s; then started focusing on younger folks, so their programming tastes changed to focus on the 80s and 90s and the present. At the same time, MTV switched its target demographic to teenagers.

The examples you mention are good ones too - SciFi, TV Land, Comedy Central have all started to appeal to younger audiences. That's got to be due to the fact that advertisers want the younger audiences -- that coveted 18-34 demo (of course, the faulty logic here is that if everyone tries to court the same age group, the percentages for each station get smaller and smaller, while older demos get ignored).

All of which brings me to DVD. With these old, great shows on DVD, I can immerse myself in programming that no channel will endorse. Last night's program of choice was The Outer Limits. This past weekend it was the Prisoner. Last night it was also Alias; tomorrow maybe Babylon 5. I'll make time for Friends this week too.

Now if we could just get the studios to release Get Smart and Batman (1966), I could program one hell of a week!

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Thanks Casey! I just saw the quote button.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Count me in for both those shows as well Sam!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I'm still really curious to know where you got the idea that all of today's TV shows have the message you mentioned earlier...

 

[Craig Sherman]

Or how about how Ralph Kramden would threaten Alice with abuse every week?

What kind of message does that send the children?

SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

But if you think Friends is too naughty, try Coupling (BBC). It's much tamer.

Wait, no, that's not right.

END TRANSMISSION

CS

P.S. If I sound snarky, forgive. I missed out on the mega Freaks and Geeks signing tonight at Tower because when I called over there, the clerk told me it was going to be on Friday. I didn't go. I hate everything.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

TV took its turn for the worst when Norman Lear created All In The Family. While the show was very funny, it also took a plunge into uncharted waters. Before All In The Family, TV was tame, but after...Well, take a look at it now.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Since he never actually hit her, and at the end of each episode he would kiss her and say "Baby, you're the greatest", I would guess kids would figure that people who got mad could playfully kid their spouse, but in the end nothing was meant by it and it was all in fun. But god forbid anyone do that in today's politically correct world, the police would come to your home, arrest you, and put your kids in foster homes.

 

[Erik G. Lund]

Can't really be true. The BBC itself did "The Office" and the term used throughout with direct meaning.

 

[Craig Sherman]

Let's not forget the common ground shared by the conservative right and the politically correct left. Neither side wants anyone else saying or thinking something that side doesn't believe in / agree with.

I say, go ahead and say whatever fool thing you want. If you're an idiot, it'll be that much quicker for me to determine.

To paraphrase Dennis Miller (back when he was funny): My God thinks I'm F#cking hilarious. That's why he's MY God.

END TRANSMISSION

CS

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Finally something we agree on

 

[Craig Sherman]

We've agreed on stuff in the past.



I'm the same way. Although most porn is only worth a rental. Oh, sure, there is the occasional piece truly worthy of belonging in your collection, something really special, but they're few and far between.

However, if I wanted to see Friends, no, I wouldn't buy that. It's on six times a day syndicated. So your kids are probably watching it without your realizing it.

And your porn, too.

END TRANSMISSION

CS

 

[Carlos Garcia]

I don't think so. My TV has a parental lock on it. No "Friends" at our house. The kids wanted me to buy a "Friends" DVD set to check it out. Like I said, it's not for us. Don't own any porn either. They did get to watch the halftime show of the Superbowl, does that count?

 

[AndyMcKinney]

or the far racier exchange that slipped under my wife's radar (paraphrasing here):

Monica: I just saw two people having sex in a car!
someone else: isn't that great? As one life ends (Phoebe's grandma), another may be beginning!
Monica: Not how THEY were doin' it (in a thinly-disguised reference to oral sex)!

Or Ross' comment while watching Joey's porn movie (about the girl interviewing for the office job): No, it looks like HE'S the one getting the "job."

Of course, there are so many.

One shouldn't be surprised about the show's preoccupation with sex, though. The guys behind this show were also the creative team behind Dream On (now that was great TV)!

 

[EricSchulz]

I keep reading this thread and I am utterly confused by this; please let me know if I am understanding this correctly...

You have NEVER watched "Friends" on NBC or in syndication. You did a blind purchase of season seven. You were offended.

If this is the case, then:

1) This show is on in most major markets 3-4 times daily. Why didn't you simply watch an episode or two to determine whether it was appropriate for your kids?

2) Why did you start purchasing the series with season seven, not season one? I find it interesting that the most offending clips just happened to be in the most recent release. You can get Seasons One and Two for under $30, so why not do a blind buy on the cheapest sets?

And considering that this show has been on for TEN YEARS and in the top ten almost since the beginning, I find it completely implausible that someone that is "into" DVD or TV shows on DVD would have no clue as to what this series was like.

That said, I DO think that there should be a disclaimer on the season seven package regarding the language/porn shot.

 

[Craig Sherman]

It could be a double-duty label:

Features brief nudity and adult language (or whatever phrase they want to use).

One group would see it as a necessary disclaimer.

Another group would see it as a promotional label, most likely boosting sales!

God bless America. Even the jerks.

CS

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Exactly!

 

[Carlos Garcia]

Believe it or not, some people may have worked so much over the last ten years they may have only heard of this show from their kids who want to see it. Season 7 is what was available at the store so that's what I bought. Now I've seen what I've been missing. Nuff said.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I agree that watching an episode either first run on Thursday night or in sindication would've been a better thing to do than run out and buy season 7.
Although if it was only the extra content that a person found objectionable (and I'm not saying it was or wasn't) but if it were than watching an episode in sindication or first run might not have been very useful since that obviously wouldn't have been in it.

 

[Ben_@]

I am actually kind of fascinated that a network show would even film profanity or nudity. It injects a bit of realism to the characters (a bunch of twenty somethings that don't swear? please.) But the writers and producers know that that stuff will never make it on air. I suppose it finally makes these episodes worth checking out a second time.