What is your favourite TV Show?

[Thrash Metalhead]

Well, ignoring the debate going on above me, I'm really starting to get into the show Archie Bunker or All in the Family as I think it's called, thanks to my mom. It's a old show from the 70s I think and the humor in it doesn't feel as forced as sitcoms today do and just feels so natural and it's really entertaining.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Well, I was not trying to be so quick to group these two mindsets into the ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ labels, although I do agree with you in that aspect. The thing is that @thehehe and @Stanfordella were talking about the show like it is just one more OK programme, without approaching the morally objectionable contents in it, and I was just trying to make them understand that it is not a show like the others: it is one about which Christians should ponder before watching.

The thread was created for teens to fellowship with one another about our favorite TV shows, not to provide a justification or defense for them, or a treatise on their morality. As @thehehe explained, the controversy over The Game of Thrones is not unique. For millennia there have been perpetual disputes over art, literature, opera, music, and what constitutes morality, and rarely has a consensus been reached regardless of political, social, or religious beliefs, because it's based on personal subjectivity rather than fact.

Virtually every show listed in this thread in its nearly two year history has been criticized to some extent for its alleged morally objectionable contents. Two of the shows you listed as your favorites, Modern Family, and Big Bang Theory have generated considerable controversy, primarily from conservative Christians. They've actually caused more contention than Game of Thrones, because in America they are aired on network television rather than a paid subscription channel, and are marketed towards families instead of being exclusively, unequivocally for adults. You might not see the reasons that people have opposed them, and you likely have not been adversely effected through your own viewership. Other Christians have denounced them, though, some quite vocally. You did not approach those objectionable contents when you listed these shows, or tell other Christians to ponder them before watching, nor should have you have felt compelled to do so. Instead, you recommended them, and then happily chatted with other teens who also enjoy the shows as well, myself included. I trust that you have pondered the media that you watch, and how it impacts your heart, and that everyone else here has done the same and is capable of personal discernment. Therefore, I didn't digress into discussing its disputed aspects when I simply mentioned that I'm considering finally watching Game of Thrones.

Television shows, books, movies, art, and music have long served an important social function, similar to the way that sports do. They provide a way for people to unify and commune with another over a shared interest. People from all over the world, of all different ages, creeds, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and political stance have been able to form bonds with one another because they root for the same team, or root for the same character on a TV show they watch. It's why you, as a boy in Portugal, could connect quickly with teens from America and elsewhere around the world whom you've never met in person, because you all enjoy Modern Family and grew up along with the kid actors on the show. Other Christians have bonded with one another because they like Breaking Bad, or the Harry Potter series, or yes, Game of Thrones. There are several threads on this forum about Game of Thrones where Christians come together to socialize with one another about their shared interest in the show and book series. That's what this thread was supposed to be about. Coming together and enjoying one another.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Huge differences between conservative Christians and liberal Christians. There will never be consensus.
Not to mention...hello...big difference between the way girls see nudity and guys do.
For the record, I agree with you Portuguese Baptist...for me, I think we need to guard our hearts.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23
À chacun son goût.

I literally laughed out loud over the irony of your first two sentences, because the very reason my interest in finally watching Game of Thrones was recently rekindled was due to its amazing ability to form a peace treaty bridge between my frequently feuding conservative and liberal friends. They are antipodal in their political, religious, and social views; from vastly different cultural backgrounds; rooting for rival sports teams; and they agree upon virtually nothing, yet their enthusiasm for this show was what created solidarity. It is possibly the only thing they have ever formed a consensus about, haha. We are all interning together and were on a road trip out to an event. A topic of conversation that wouldn't cause them to want to pull over and duke it out needed to be settled on, and GOT was it. Since I've only watched a handful of a few scattered episodes and never read the series, I was completely out of the loop, but amused by how terrifically it bonded them. On this forum one of the most staunchly conservative moderators has expressed his admiration of the show in posts, and discussed it with other fans from differing faiths, beliefs, and political leanings.

Christians standing on the same end of a political and theological spectrum have had divergent perspectives on movies, tv shows, books, art, and movies, too. I remember how a couple of years ago, you talked about your dad giving a sermon based on what he perceived as the savage immorality of The Hunger Games, even though he'd neither read the book series nor seen the movies, but was apparently basing that stance on a review from a website. Perhaps since then your views have evolved, but at the time, you passionately disagreed with him. From what you expressed, it lead me to believe that you were able to see how despite the macabre storyline and disturbing elements, it had a compelling story. I also remember the difference in our paths for reading The Lovely Bones. For you, the early grisliness caused you to throw it aside. It was a stumbling block for you making the rest of the story inaccessible. For me, it wasn't because I simply stepped over it. The book was beautiful, spiritual, thought-provoking, and it inspired my creativity. For you, reading that wasn't assigned was primarily for entertainment and escapism. For me, it needed to be engaging. Our personal tastes and our needs for the other media we consume likely follows the same patterns.

Some people need to build a fortress around their heart to protect it. For others a simple door with a peephole they can look through and decide what to let in will do just fine for guarding it well. I can let in fictional depictions of violence, profanity, and nudity if it is accompanied by a story that will stimulate my thoughts, resonate with me emotionally, edify me with new information, or stoke my creativity. Then when it's finished, I simply show all I don't want to keep around to the door, then close it. For others, it would invade their minds and torment their hearts if they let it in, so they're wise to keep it out entirely.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I'm completely baffled why any Christian would watch this show. Liberal, conservative or whatever.I admit I've never heard of it until this thread so I started reading reviews. I'm stunned your parents allow you to watch it just based on what I read about it. I can't imagine a story line being so riveting that you would watch it yet ff the violence and the sex. Maturity has nothing to do with it. I agree we all do have different hearts but our hearts are supposed to belong to Jesus. Are you telling me that you would invite Jesus to your home to watch Game of Thrones for entertainment?

When I'm baffled, I seek clarity to help me form more of an understanding before making a conclusion, especially before making a condemnatory one. The fantasy genre disinterests me, so I've never been captivated by The Game of Thrones, and therefore haven't watched more than a few minutes of the show. I've also never read the book it was based upon. I have heard much about it because it's been a widely, wildly popular; frequently discussed; perpetually meme'd; and ubiquitously referenced social media / pop culture phenomenon for years. It's been used for metaphorical illustrations by ministers; the Washington Post ran an entire article imagining the American Presidential candidates as Game of Thrones characters; Stanford University has used it in lectures; Christian publications have written thoughtfully about it; Prince Harry has credited the show for helping him to form a friendship with his sister-in-law Kate Middleton. Deeply respected and highly ethical friends and family members are avid viewers. It's rare for a day to pass where I don't encounter a reference to it in some form. It's a significant part of our modern pop culture landscape, but one I've yet to really venture into and explore myself. So I was curious to know what other Christians, both those in my personal life, and ones on this forum who have watched enough to form a more complete perspective have thought. There are several threads about this show on here, with both critics and fans, of various faith beliefs, giving insightful posts.

I've become insomniac buddies of sort with an acquaintance we have in common. He's a devout Catholic, and someone who is very sincere about his Christian faith. From what I understand, you have become friends and confidants, Skyping to share parts of your lives with each other, so you must value and respect him. He's long been a viewer of Game of Thrones, and thoughtfully explained to me how the character development was compelling to him. He's in his 30s, so he is able to make independent decisions about what he chooses to watch, and be self-accountable. I wholly disagree with you that maturity has nothing to do with discerning whether this show is appropriate for someone. Why not just ask him for his reasons instead of continuing to be baffled as to why any Christian would watch this show?

How would you react to strangers on a forum expressing astonishment at the choices your parents have made? Your parents make decisions based on their own discernment, and their intimate knowledge about you, and most other parents do the same. A quarter of the participants on this thread have listed this show as a favorite of theirs.

I get how a book series can draw you into a show but the violence we create in our heads is nothing like what is depicted in full colour on television.

And the violence depicted on television is nothing like the violence that occurs in real life. The show, as I understand it, is based on a sadistically fought war between Christian kings. The violence in history, and the violence of the present, is what actually matters, and the violence we're exposed to in fictional settings can influence the way we react to it in reality. Adversely or beneficially, depending hugely on the context and the individual. It's vital to not become so desensitized to violence that we're jaded into indifference or callousness to it. It's also vital for teens and adults that we not be so oversensitive to violence that we are unable to face and reason through it. I am genuinely grateful for some of the disturbing movies and TV shows I watched in high school and how they shaped the way I've responded to actual violence I've studied in my law and policy classes at college. Not every work of fiction that people watch is for their entertainment. I had to write a lengthy paper discussing the empirical evidence and ethical reasoning for and against the use of torture when interrogating terrorists. What I watched as part of researching for it would make any scene from GOT look like SpongeBob SquarePants in comparison. I had an entire class devoted to the civil war in Syria where I saw pictures and videos that made me go back to my dorm room and weep, but then get to work on the assignments. Last quarter I took a class about biosecurity and our bioterrorism response policies that exposed me to countless horrifying scenarios. I cannot just flee from this violence because I want to try to do something about it one day. It's why if I do end up watching this show, the reason I'll turn it off or keep playing will be based on how I respond to the story, and not the aspects that make it rated for mature audiences only.

I'm completely in awe over what has been said to defend watching this show for entertainment.

I'm in awe that anyone was placed in the position of feeling compelled to write anything at all to defend their reasons for watching a television show in this thread.

-- Apologies for the weird font. I'm writing from my iPad, and it's giving me grief this morning, haha.

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

I'm not "the one" who is reading judgment & disrespect into your statements, bc others have felt the same way about them. Expressing your opinion & asking for it from others is great, but how you go about it can make a big difference.

What shall I say? Others felt wrong. I have never expressed anything like that.

I have respected your decision. Repeatedly.

Respecting it includes understanding that it is solely a matter of personal conscience, unrelated with age or maturity. Attributing its cause to my young age is disrespecting the very reason for my objection to the programme: conscience. As such, please stop saying that I sound like or am behaving like a 13-year-old who has been forbidden by his parents from watching Game of Thrones. As you may see from carefully reading my posts, my hindrance to watching it comes from my personal conscience, not from immaturity or external prohibition.

No, it doesn't display nudity with the purpose of sexual excitement. It's a part of the storyline. It's why when I ff through the scenes, I usually will read recaps to find out why that scene took place at all to understand how it fits in. If I had it my way, the scenes wouldn't be there at all. The story is what makes me interested.

So, I shall take that as a ‘yes’. The show contains nudity. Can we agree on that?

Maybe you can't see how you've done it bc of the plank in your eye. You're too focused on my sawdust.

What is the plank in my eye, then?

I said I didn't know if you were 13, 19, or somewhere in between. It's the teen section so I knew you had to fall somewhere in that age range.

So — you thought —, the safe thing to do is assume that I am 13.

It was the 1st time I'd ever seen you on here & it was memorable to me not just bc of what you wrote but bc of how you reacted to people disagreeing w you. You get really worked up.

I did not get worked up. I explained and defended my position.

I haven't misrepresented you at all, much less 3 times.

You essentially have. You said that I was sounding like I wasn't respecting your choice to watch it; you said that I had said that women should breastfeed in public toilets so as to prevent men from lusting; and you said that I had given women responsibility for men's sins.

In the part of the post you've quoted here, you've implicitly put responsibility on women for the sins of men.

No, I have not. All I said was that women should think about it before doing it. I later clarified that I would respect any woman's decision to breastfeed in public anyway.

Yes, you kept writing that a woman breastfeeding her hungry baby in public was a matter of personal conscience, but you'd immediately follow that up with a however...... and put it back on her to not "lead men into sinful thoughts".

What is the problem with that? Are we not supposed to avoid being a stumbling-block for others?

People saw the contradictions in what you were saying, & but I still don't think that you see them.

What contradictions?

It has to do w your maturity level.

No. As @Saricharity (Praise the Lord for her coming to help me!) has wisely put it: ‘Maturity has nothing to do with it.’ She is right. Matters of personal conscience have got nothing to do with maturity or age. If I believe that Game of Thrones is inadequate for me and likely to lead me to sin, I should always abstain from it, regardless of my age or maturity. Choosing to abstain from it does not mean that I am too young or too immature for it.

Can you understand what you are telling me? You are saying that, because I have decided to not watch the programme, I have the maturity level of a 13-year-old!

You getting so salty about a stranger innocently thinking you might be 13 instead of 17 actually does way more to make you seem young for your age to me than anything else. Most 17 yr olds would not have such an overreaction.

Oh well! There you go again! Can you not make a single post without insinuating that I am behaving like a 13-year-old? That is seriously annoying me!

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

GASP! I briefly skimmed that and I'm disgusted! Gross!

Your reaction was funny!

Thanks for the heads up. I will never watch that!

You're welcome! You have made a good decision.

I'm completely baffled why any Christian would watch this show. Liberal, conservative or whatever.

I sort of get it. It seems that there are some good things about the programme. Some people simply find that the good things outweigh the bad ones here. Meanwhile, for me, too much of this objectionable content is simply a ‘not gonna happen’. But others may agree to watching it, and I respect it and partially understand it.

I admit I've never heard of it until this thread so I started reading reviews.

That's because you were homeschooled. Had you gone to public school, like me, you would have heard about it every week or so. Apparently, Game of Thrones is a big thing; it is one of the most popular shows.

I'm stunned your parents allow you to watch it just based on what I read about it.

Perhaps they allow them to watch it on the condition that they skip over such scenes. Or perhaps they have chosen to give their children ‘freedom of choice’ after reaching a certain age.

Maturity has nothing to do with it. I agree we all do have different hearts but our hearts are supposed to belong to Jesus. Are you telling me that you would invite Jesus to your home to watch Game of Thrones for entertainment?

I entirely agree with you here!

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

Two of the shows you listed as your favorites, Modern Family, and Big Bang Theory have generated considerable controversy, primarily from conservative Christians. They've actually caused more contention than Game of Thrones, because in America they are aired on network television rather than a paid subscription channel, and are marketed towards families instead of being exclusively, unequivocally for adults. You might not see the reasons that people have opposed them, and you likely have not been adversely effected through your own viewership. Other Christians have denounced them, though, some quite vocally. You did not approach those objectionable contents when you listed these shows, or tell other Christians to ponder them before watching, nor should have you have felt compelled to do so. Instead, you recommended them, and then happily chatted with other teens who also enjoy the shows as well, myself included.

What is wrong with Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory? I think they are good programmes, and also morally acceptable. I did not issue such a ‘think twice before watching’ warning because there was little reason to do so, in my opinion. It has nothing to do with the great displays of nudity, violence and profanity included in Game of Thrones.

 

[Saricharity]

I know this will come as a huge surprise but I've never seen Modern family or The Big Bang Theory either. LOL

 

[Cimorene]

What shall I say? Others felt wrong. I have never expressed anything like that.



Respecting it includes understanding that it is solely a matter of personal conscience, unrelated with age or maturity. Attributing its cause to my young age is disrespecting the very reason for my objection to the programme: conscience. As such, please stop saying that I sound like or am behaving like a 13-year-old who has been forbidden by his parents from watching Game of Thrones. As you may see from carefully reading my posts, my hindrance to watching it comes from my personal conscience, not from immaturity or external prohibition.



So, I shall take that as a ‘yes’. The show contains nudity. Can we agree on that?



What is the plank in my eye, then?



So — you thought —, the safe thing to do is assume that I am 13.



I did not get worked up. I explained and defended my position.



You essentially have. You said that I was sounding like I wasn't respecting your choice to watch it; you said that I had said that women should breastfeed in public toilets so as to prevent men from lusting; and you said that I had given women responsibility for men's sins.



No, I have not. All I said was that women should think about it before doing it. I later clarified that I would respect any woman's decision to breastfeed in public anyway.



What is the problem with that? Are we not supposed to avoid being a stumbling-block for others?



What contradictions?



No. As @Saricharity (Praise the Lord for her coming to help me!) has wisely put it: ‘Maturity has nothing to do with it.’ She is right. Matters of personal conscience have got nothing to do with maturity or age. If I believe that Game of Thrones is inadequate for me and likely to lead me to sin, I should always abstain from it, regardless of my age or maturity. Choosing to abstain from it does not mean that I am too young or too immature for it.

Can you understand what you are telling me? You are saying that, because I have decided to not watch the programme, I have the maturity level of a 13-year-old!



Oh well! There you go again! Can you not make a single post without insinuating that I am behaving like a 13-year-old? That is seriously annoying me!

I would make a joke about beating a dead horse, but I'm afraid you'd then think I was promoting violence, lol. We disagree w one another on everything about this. Let's just agree to disagree & move on.

 

[thehehe]

I would make a joke about beating a dead horse, but I'm afraid you'd then think I was promoting violence, lol. We disagree w one another on everything about this. Let's just agree to disagree & move on.

+1!
And to definitely move on, I saw the final episode of Hercule Poirot a few days ago. It was really good, still I will miss him. I found the three first seasons of Downton Abbey in sales last week, so I am watching all of them once again. How I love this show!
And I received a box with many adaptations of Jane Austen, like of course Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. This is still very funny and witty.
My dad found also in sales the first season of True Detective. So we will try it, anyway it looks interesting: I have a good feeling! Do you know this show?

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

I would make a joke about beating a dead horse, but I'm afraid you'd then think I was promoting violence, lol. We disagree w one another on everything about this. Let's just agree to disagree & move on.

Do as you wish. I shall not be held responsible for your actions: you shall. Neither shall you be held responsible for my actions: I shall.

As for the dead horse joke, I would enjoy hearing what you have to say, although it seems likely that I might not understand, given that it seems related with an idiom which I have never heard. Incidentally, making jokes about something does not always mean that one agrees with their subject, which would mean that I would hardly interpret a joke about violence as a promotion of violence. Furthermore, even if you did promote violence, you would have the right to hold such a view (even I endorse violence in some instances) and, as such, I would probably not react to such an opinion in any way other than expressing mere disagreement.

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

I know this will come as a huge surprise but I've never seen Modern family or The Big Bang Theory either. LOL

Ah! You should! You have no idea what you are missing! I especially recommend The Big Bang Theory, a very funny programme, which is one of my personal favourites. In terms of inappropriate content, the most it has are occasional moderate verbal sexual references (so don't show it to young children) and moderately mild insults. Morally speaking, it endorses sexual activity before marriage, but I personally believe that the fact that a programme endorses a moral view different from ours is no reason to avoid it.

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

Well, ignoring the debate going on above me, I'm really starting to get into the show Archie Bunker or All in the Family as I think it's called, thanks to my mom. It's a old show from the 70s I think and the humor in it doesn't feel as forced as sitcoms today do and just feels so natural and it's really entertaining.

I believe I have never watched funny shows from the 70s, but I have from the 80s and 90s (e.g., 'Allo 'Allo!, Keeping Up Appearances and Seinfeld). Nevertheless, I do not necessarily like it more than modern shows. I disagree that modern sitcoms ‘force’ humour.

 

[Thrash Metalhead]

I believe I have never watched funny shows from the 70s, but I have from the 80s and 90s (e.g., 'Allo 'Allo!, Keeping Up Appearances and Seinfeld). Nevertheless, I do not necessarily like it more than modern shows. I disagree that modern sitcoms ‘force’ humour.

Well, I believe I may have exaggerated a bit there. It's just that whenever I watch some of the newer sitcoms, the jokes are not really funny and are overused a LOT. Then there's the laugh tracks that just get on my nerves when they keep playing it every few seconds just to let you know that you're supposed to laugh. I know a lot of shows aren't like that and I may be giving an unfair judgement of them but it's kind of hard to find a show that I can enjoy.

 

[Thrash Metalhead]

Ooh, I don't think I mentioned it yet but another favorite TV show of mine is Bob's Burgers. I've been watching it for about 6 months or so but I really do like it a lot. The humor is pretty crude and there's a bit of swearing going on but it's actually funny, or at least I think so.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I'd skipped over this post in the little melee, so I'm addressing part of it now. My iPad is being mischievous again and altering the font, so apologies.

In that situation, I would request that I would be dismissed, on religious and moral grounds, from having to watch it.

The syllabus for the UCLA class I took that examined and discussed legal and ethical dilemmas as portrayed in media provided a list of all the television shows and movies we'd be watching and discussing, with a synopsis of each one, on the first day of class. Some of the movies and TV shows were based upon true events - such The Accused about a woman who was brutally gang raped and the resulting trial of her rapists, and The Insider about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry - but even the ones that were purely fictional were depictions drawn from reality. Each contained content some would find objectionable, and they were all rated as being for mature audiences only. Anyone who felt they could not fulfill the screening assignments for whatever reason were at liberty to simply drop the class all together without any questions or penalty, and for a full refund. Fortunately, most people were able to stay in the class, watch the shows and movies, and contribute in a meaningful way to edifying discussions about the significant topics portrayed in them. Each selection had a specific purpose of generating awareness and dialogue.

The very reason you would abstain from watching them is the reason that I watched and critiqued them very willingly - religious and moral grounds. I believe it's a religious and moral duty to confront problems in society, and in order to do so you must first be aware of the problems, and be motivated into action. Television shows and movies are wider platforms that have the ability to introduce a broader audience of society to problems in a more compelling and in-depth way than a news segment or article. The humanity of the characters causes more of an emotional resonation than a textbook reading about the issue. As an example:

How 'Orange Is the New Black' and other shows raise awareness of criminal justice and prison issues

*Note for anyone reading this who is a OITNB viewer, the article contains some spoilers, but the portion below does not.*

“It’s sardine time,” says Aleida Diaz (Elizabeth Rodriguez), scanning the overcrowded cafeteria at Litchfield Penitentiary in the Season 4 premiere of “Orange Is the New Black.” “We a for-profit prison now. We ain’t people no more. We bulk items.”

When the series, created by Jenji Kohan and based loosely on Piper Kerman’s memoir, debuted on Netflix three years ago, interest in subjects like the privatization of prisons was largely confined to academics, activists and journalists.

Not anymore. The dramedy, which returned to Netflix on Friday, has turned once-obscure policy issues into binge-watching fodder. The series has racked up four Emmys, four SAG Awards and a Peabody, and reliably lights up social media when each new season drops en masse.

The show and its popularity reflect a growing public awareness around the problems of mass incarceration (2.2 million people behind bars in the United States, according to the most recent figures from the Bureau of Justice Statistics), and its disproportionate effects on communities of color.

Last July, President Obama visited a federal prison — the first sitting president to do so — for “Fixing the System,” a special about mass incarceration for HBO’s “Vice” series. Two months later, Pope Francis blessed inmates at an overcrowded Philadelphia jail.

Like “Orange Is the New Black,” a growing number of television shows — from roasts on Comedy Central to docuseries such as “60 Days In” on A&E — are offering a critical perspective on the criminal justice system.

“A conversation is being had that really is about humanizing people who are incarcerated."

I hope you are not telling me to watch it!

Of course I wasn't, and it honestly never occurred to me you'd think I was by simply providing you with an article from a Christian publication with more perspectives. For the sake of crystal clarity, I'm also not encouraging you or anyone else to watch Orange is the New Black, or the movies referenced above, either. I fully understand and respect that as a matter of personal conscience you do not wish to watch it; I'm merely explaining to you how my own personal conscience motivated me to watch it. I'm actually posting the article as much for other people reading this thread as I am for you.

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

Well, I believe I may have exaggerated a bit there. It's just that whenever I watch some of the newer sitcoms, the jokes are not really funny and are overused a LOT. Then there's the laugh tracks that just get on my nerves when they keep playing it every few seconds just to let you know that you're supposed to laugh. I know a lot of shows aren't like that and I may be giving an unfair judgement of them but it's kind of hard to find a show that I can enjoy.

I actually enjoy modern sitcoms. I always like the jokes.

About the laugh tracks, they are usually not laugh tracks: such shows are often recorded in front of live studio audiences, so there really are people literally laughing at that. Nevertheless, I actually enjoy hearing the people in the show laughing, because I feel better laughing ‘with them’ than alone, and they actually help me laugh even more.

But it is not that difficult to find sitcoms without audiences laughing. Modern Family is an example.

 

[The Portuguese Baptist]

The syllabus for the UCLA class I took that examined and discussed legal and ethical dilemmas as portrayed in media provided a list of all the television shows and movies we'd be watching and discussing, with a synopsis of each one, on the first day of class. Some of the movies and TV shows were based upon true events - such The Accused about a woman who was brutally gang raped and the resulting trial of her rapists, and The Insider about a whistleblower in the tobacco industry - but even the ones that were purely fictional were depictions drawn from reality. Each contained content some would find objectionable, and they were all rated as being for mature audiences only. Anyone who felt they could not fulfill the screening assignments for whatever reason were at liberty to simply drop the class all together without any questions or penalty, and for a full refund. Fortunately, most people were able to stay in the class, watch the shows and movies, and contribute in a meaningful way to edifying discussions about the significant topics portrayed in them. Each selection had a specific purpose of generating awareness and dialogue.

The very reason you would abstain from watching them is the reason that I watched and critiqued them very willingly - religious and moral grounds. I believe it's a religious and moral duty to confront problems in society, and in order to do so you must first be aware of the problems, and be motivated into action. Television shows and movies are wider platforms that have the ability to introduce a broader audience of society to problems in a more compelling and in-depth way than a news segment or article. The humanity of the characters causes more of an emotional resonation than a textbook reading about the issue.

I agree with you. I just prefer to take a different approach: criticising societal problems even without watching disturbing content.

Of course I wasn't, and it honestly never occurred to me you'd think I was by simply providing you with an article from a Christian publication with more perspectives. For the sake of crystal clarity, I'm also not encouraging you or anyone else to watch Orange is the New Black, or the movies referenced above, either. I fully understand and respect that as a matter of personal conscience you do not wish to watch it; I'm merely explaining to you how my own personal conscience motivated me to watch it. I'm actually posting the article as much for other people reading this thread as I am for you.

Neither was I thinking you were telling me to watch it. I just wanted to confirm that.

 

[Cimorene]

+1!
And to definitely move on, I saw the final episode of Hercule Poirot a few days ago. It was really good, still I will miss him. I found the three first seasons of Downton Abbey in sales last week, so I am watching all of them once again. How I love this show!
And I received a box with many adaptations of Jane Austen, like of course Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. This is still very funny and witty.
My dad found also in sales the first season of True Detective. So we will try it, anyway it looks interesting: I have a good feeling! Do you know this show?

I love Downton Abbey too! Who doesn't??? I should watch more adaptations of Jane Austen's books. I have to read Mansfield Park this summer. There's probably a movie about that too but I haven't looked for it yet. I will. I saw the Pride & Prejudice movie with Kira Knightley & I didn't like it all that much tbh but you know it's worth watching bc it gives you images to put in your head. Of the scenery where it's all set. My mom is reading this modern adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. It's set in Ohio, lol. She likes it a lot. I don't remember the title. I've heard of Hercule Poirot but I've never seen it bc I don't think it's on the air. Idk. Maybe it's on Netflix & I can see it there. I haven't watched True Detective yet but I know about it! I'll check it out.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

What is wrong with Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory? I think they are good programmes, and also morally acceptable. I did not issue such a ‘think twice before watching’ warning because there was little reason to do so, in my opinion. It has nothing to do with the great displays of nudity, violence and profanity included in Game of Thrones.

You're demonstrating the point I was making in my previous posts. In your opinion and in mine, nothing is actually wrong with either television show, and we both believe they are morally acceptable. Opinions are, by definition, views or judgements not necessarily based on fact or knowledge but subjective feelings. They're influenced by our culture, friends and family, religious and political beliefs, and our penchants. And our opinions impact how we gauge moral acceptability when it comes to choices such as what we watch or read.

Again, I perfectly understand why you didn't issue a warning about them, as well as your need to inquire why anyone would take strenuous objections to either. I'm not fond of The Big Bang Theory because I share @Thrash Metalhead 's dislike of shows with laugh tracks, but that's a matter of personal taste rather than personal conscience. My boyfriend and brothers have long been fans of the show. Others do object to both shows for reasons of personal conscience, though, because their opinions vastly differ from ours. Like you, I grew up watching Modern Family. It's a show I have a lot of affection for because it was a family tradition for us to enjoy watching it together, and then the next day during lunch at school I'd laugh about the episode with my friends who'd also relished it. I don't think either of us were adversely effected from longterm viewership of these shows.

In the opinion of the religious right-wing leader of the American Family Association, though, it's "like poison" and is destroying America from within. He's declared Modern Family as the most reprehensible and dangerous show on air, and accused parents who permit their children to watch it of neglectfully exposing them to moral turpitude that could be damaging to their souls. He has quite the flair for drama.

Religious right leader says “Modern Family” is like “poison”

“You know, that’s the danger,” Fischer said. “It’s just like getting a little bit of poison over a long period of time, eventually getting enough accumulation in there where it can be kind of lethal to the organism. And I think that’s what you’re seeing with a lot of this programming. It has to do with kind of the basic view of morality and marriage and life and family that people have. It’s very corrosive; people are just watching TV to be entertained, not realizing that their view of life is being twisted in a way that’s very harmful to them and harmful to our culture.”

If you look on the site Saricharity shared, Plugged In, you'll see that they've written a haughty review censuring it and lamenting that the show is responsible for insidiously changing the cultural landscape of America. Those who are staunchly right-wing have far more rigorously protested Modern Family because it's a family-oriented show than Game of Thrones which is clearly marketed for adults and rarely ever viewed by school-aged children young enough to still be very malleable.

Imagine if you'd never watched Modern Family to experience it for yourself, and you'd never even heard of it before. That you'd grown up in a very hermetic environment closed off from pop culture influence. That your very first impression was formed by a post warning of its moral objections, and then your second and third impressions were from the article above and the review on Plugged In. How do you think you'd react? Without the personal connection that you have to anchor you - without the confidence in knowing after years of watching it that it had not been detrimental to you as the critics claimed it is for young people, and that you in fact gained benefit from the show - you'd likely feel differently than you do.

Some of the objections to The Big Bang Theory have been listed in post #89. Ken Ham has also seethed over the show.

His opinion is entirely irrelevant to me, though, as is the right-winger's from American Family Association. I do respect your opinion that both shows are good. I am a believer in the adage to "not judge a book by its cover" ---- or by the opinions others have of it, and to instead judge it by reading it for yourself. I feel the same way about TV shows and movies. I'll be guided and influenced by reviews and feedback from others to an extent, but I'll hold off on forming a conclusive opinion until I've seen or read it for myself. That's not to say that if I felt strongly that I shouldn't watch it or read it, that I would anyway; I'd simply refrain from issuing judgements without the benefit of any personal experience.

Edit with clarifications:
I regret having responded to this post and I apologize for doing so because the more responsible action would have been to move forward rather than perpetuate futile discussions. I simply was answering the questions that were asked. I'm flabbergasted that anyone would draw from the above that I was actually comparing the two shows. I wasn't. I was comparing the reactions to the two diametric shows. The fact that a show has been declared as poisonous and detrimental to all who watch it doesn't actually make that declaration a fact, as TPB demonstrated. As I wrote previously, I have more of a "be a filter, not a sponge" approach to media where I extract what is enriching and let the rest drain away without absorbing it. This is what TPB has done with the shows he's enjoyed - take what is positive from them, without being negatively impacted by traits he finds lamentable. It's precisely what Cimorene does as well. Both use their own moral filter. Biased critics tend to do the exact opposite - sieve out what they view as detrimental and flush all that is positive.

I also wanted to add that the American Family Association is a designated hate group known for deliberately propagating falsehoods, and they've caused demonstrable harm to people. However, some people actually do agree with them, and insist that the show is morally unacceptable for everyone. Plugged In also cites other objections to Modern Family and wants to imply that audiences lack the ability to filter out what is positive and what isn't.

I'm just writing this in an edit because thread space should not be further consumed with a whole other post. *Wiping the dust off my feet*