To think there’s too much sex on tv/netflix

[WiganNorthWest]

Shows that I would otherwise enjoy watching with my teenagers/other family always seem to have graphic and gratuitous very long sex scenes. I don’t think they add anything to the plot and ruin our experience of watching as a family (makes me and my teenagers uncomfortable-and I think we are fairly close/informal usually).
I’m thinking of game of thrones, Bridgerton, normal people and outlander which show a lot of sex and a lot of it is disturbing/rape. Does anyone actually enjoy watching these scenes/think they enhance shows? I wish there were ‘clean’ rated 12 versions of these shows on Netflix and you could chose which one to watch. I did enjoy sex education, and think this was done a bit more intelligently/sex scenes weren’t just there for the sake of it/a lazy way to attract viewers but were necessary for the plot.
AIBU/ a prude?

[Ivy455]

I have to agree. I don't find sex scenes uncomfortable as I either watch with my partner or alone but they generally just don't really add anything. I think it was the 3rd season of Working Moms every other scene seemed to be a sex scene and it just seemed a bit try-hard.

[CounsellorTroi]

I agree OP. Started watching Away, a sci fi series. It’s rated 12 and yet there was a fairly full on sex scene in the first episode. Between a married couple yes, and the wife was due to leave on a three year space mission to Mars, but it was still a bit more full on than it needed to be IMO.

[Conkergame]

I agree. I’m just watching with DH so no awkwardness here but we actually ended up saying “oh for god’s sake!” the other day when yet ANOTHER graphic gratuitous sex scene appeared in a show otherwise not about sex. It’s boring, repetitive and just feels try-hard to get people talking about how “risqué” that show was.

[Conkergame]

I am also hugely against sexual violence being shown on tv. Like a PP said, it’s shown as a normal thing when the weekly plot on every crime drama involves the rape of a young woman. And teenage boys watching this are hardly being given the best influence are they?!

[Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong]

I could also do without the rambling prose in books about sexual encounters too. Sick of all the gratuitous sex scenes in TV, films, books ...does nothing for the story when all it requires is for it to be implied. I'm sure most directors could put their minds to dealing with sex (the implication it's happening) in a creative and innovative way?

I made a comment earlier about if you want to watch sex go for porn as it's specifically made for that purpose. Personally I don't want to but I respect that for others porn will fill a need and have no problem with that (unless it's hard porn with dodgy overtones). Question is, does "vanilla" porn exist these days? (rather than anal sex, aggresive sext etc).

[tangerinelollipop]

YANBU OP

The need for the sexual scenes, the length, the violence and what they portray is off

For Netflix in particular, I find the content appears usually to be 'low cost'. I can't articulate it very well but it seems as if they haven't invested a lot on the programmes. So the cynic in me thinks that sex scenes are used as a filler as they don't cost much.

I can't understand how a service that charges for subscriptions worldwide is unable to provide higher quality content. I watched a couple of series from the Food section which were passable, but even some of the science/documentary type ones were lacking somehow.

[WisnaeMe]

Im sticking to The Goldbergs Midsomer Murders and Only Fools 🤣

[Trulyatraditionalman]

Where are those good old fashioned values, on which we used to rely?

[Peanutbutterandbananatoastie]

I agree especially with the pps who say there’s no foreplay I alway think ouch when I see a man pushing a woman against a wall and just mounting. I get they’re supposed to be passionate but I’m guessing she won’t be wet from a bit of angry kissing. Are 3 seconds worth of hands in the pants too long in an uncomfortably long sex scene?

Plus whilst I think integral to the plot and intimacy co-ordinators are great if you’re on set, it doesn’t stop the way audiences see actors (in particular women). When I see an actor blabbing away about how essential and tasteful the sex scenes were I always think of that Seth macfarlane ‘we saw your boobs’ song at the oscars.

[hellomom]

I agree with you op.

I really don't get our people watch shows with a lot of sex scene in a family setting, might as well watch porn together at that rAte! It's embarrassing and awkward and very uncomfortable. Like do people sit there as a family and just watch?? Even when am on my own i tend to fast forward as I don't particularly want to see it.

[LizBennet]

I agree, and I’m certainly not prudish.

[Caramelsmadfuzzytail]

I say reincarnate Mary Whitehouse, she was awesome in her day.

[Littlegirlplustwo]

I agree!

I always joke with DH that it isn’t a Netflix originally if you haven’t seen a full on sex scene within 5 minutes of starting a new show.

Sex education I couldn’t watch, they all looked way too young and it’s just uncomfortable.

I think there is lots of other stuff you can watch as a family though. I’ve just started the bold type and I love it- yes there is sex but it isn’t over the top and you don’t get the full on sex scenes so wouldn’t be too awkward to watch with your daughters.

[jessstan2]

Peanutbutter:
I agree especially with the pps who say there’s no foreplay
.....
There was foreplay in Bridgerton.

[alpinia]

OP you really need to discover Korean dramas, there are loads on Netflix. They will give you your drama fix with plenty of interesting storylines/romance/drama/emotional development and none of the GoT style sex scenes.

[SerendipityJane]

hate the fact (and I first noticed this with CSI so 20 years ago or something!) that sexual violence is often a way to get women's clothes off/ get some sex on the screen

Was quite an "aha" moment for 2003/2004 ????

Oh, the power of the net:

www.imdb.com/title/tt0534736/characters/nm0676973

Scott Shelton : [after Sara discovers blood that has been wiped clean off the wall] I have no idea how it got there.

Sara Sidle : It "got there" when you shot your wife in the head before you wrapped her in a blanket and dumped her in the mountains.

[points her finger in his face]

Scott Shelton : Get your finger out of my face!

[they fight]

Sara Sidle : You touch me again, you draw back a stump.

[to Grissom]

Captain Jim Brass : Get her under control!

Gil Grissom : [shouts] Get him out of here, Jim!

Scott Shelton : Told you she was a handful.

Sara Sidle : You don't know a handful!

Gil Grissom : Hey, hey, what's the matter with you?

Sara Sidle : I am a woman, and I have a gun and look how he treated me! I can only imagine how he treated his wife!

[Peanutbutterandbananatoastie]

@jessstan2

Peanutbutter:
I agree especially with the pps who say there’s no foreplay
.....
There was foreplay in Bridgerton.

Sorry I haven’t seen Brigerton I meant in general.

[Peanutbutterandbananatoastie]

Spelt it wrong too!

[NiceGerbil]

'Compare to 80s & 90s TV for example which was nearly all via the male gaze.

It's not just sex tho, it's the storylines - if they ate strong, I'm interested. If they are crap, I won't be watching - the sex is secondary.

The anal sex conversation has me 😳 I cannot imagine having that conversation with my early teens & I'm very open'

Ironically queer as folk was 90s :D

[NiceGerbil]

Cut a bit of of quote-

I think where are they seeing it was mentioned in that post as well.

Also simulated in the relax video IIRC

[Lanique]

I agree OP. Bridgerton went downhill once all the sex started. I skipped through most of one episode.

I'm not a prude, I just find it boring.

[Enb76]

I find it really boring to have pointless sex scenes - for me it's like sport, fun to play yourself, deathly to watch others play.

I have stopped watching a fair few series because of pointless sex.

[Deadringer]

I can't watch anything that depicts sexual violence against women, i know it isn't real, but it's so prevalent in society i can't bear to see it presented as entertainment. As for romantic style sex, i don't mind it but agree there is too much of it, i know people have sex, i don't need to see it, and its just so samey from one programme to another anyway. I like sex, i am not a prude, but i would like to be able to watch films with grown up themes, thrillers etc without my dc squirming with embarressment over nudity (almost always female) or prolonged sex scenes. Perhaps there could be a dual rating, so an adult version and a family friendly version.

[BashfulClam]

A bit left to the imagination would be better in some cases. Outlander is far too graphic sexually, there is a scene at least every episode and while I enjoy the story and history I find myself cringing a lot especially at Clare being in raptures straight away.

[BigSkyLife]

I love a bit of gratuitous shagging on TV and I love Outlander, I could watch Claire and Jamie at it all day. However, the last episode of Season 5 really upset me. It was just totally unnecessary. My husband hadn’t watched the whole series, but he went and found something else to do remarking, “I thought this was supposed to be enjoyable”
I’m not sure why Claire being brutalised in such a way can be at all necessary for the storyline.