What is with all the smoking?

[toooldforthisshirt37]

Completely prepared to be flamed!

What is with all the smoking on TV? It seems everyone is at it, Dr Foster, Strike, Rellik.... It doesn't add to the storyline or enhance it. Its like the 80s all over again, everyone "acting out" with a fag.

Granted I am a non smoker and never got the appeal and I find it distracting when there are random lingering shots of characters sucking on a cigarette.

It doesn't seem like real life to me. I have no smoker friends (some family that smoke though)

So my AIBU is "is there more smoking on TV lately or am I imagining it?"

It is real life though - some people do smoke. To the tune of approx 8m people.

I think for a while they drastically reduced the amount of 'characters that are smokers' - around the time the smoking ban came in, in England.

They're writing normal amounts of characters as smokers again which is realistic (and lots of gossip happens whilst outside having a fag, obvs!)

I think it's the getting used to practically none, then now seeing more is why you've noticed it.

(Rambly, but hopefully that makes sense!)

Smoking is the least bad thing Dr Foster does. She is completely off her rocker.

I agree with you, there is far too much smoking on television. I hate it and its not necessary. It doesn't matter that people smoke in real life, the less they show smoking, the less normal it will be.

Faithhope - I agree, seemed for a while there were no smokers on TV and now it is back and I am noticing it! I thought I was imagining it.

Is it weird to confess to being a bit horrified/fascinated by the whole idea of being so addicted to something that you would stand in the rain, hail and sleet to do it? I suppose as a non-smoker I will just never understand the appeal that despite the health issues, the smell, the prohibitive expense and the inconvenience people still do it.

The way smoking is portrayed sometimes on TV too as a crutch, a shameful secret and a weakness would annoy me if I was a smoker, I think.

Hahaha please watch the recent film 'Atomic Blonde' and let me know how you coped :D

Do you think they're getting sponsor money to put fags in from the respective companies?

As well as being reflective of a society with people who still smoke, it's also an easy shorthand for a character who is flawed.

Moosical, it's illegal to have a branding on cigarette packets now so I doubt very much there's any sponsorship going on...