Is a new HBO series going to show real sex on screen?
That's the buzz coming out of the summer Television Critics Association tour, which starts today. The new HBO series Tell Me You Love Me reportedly has male and female stars doing it for real, not just the usual "lovemaking" you see on television (even cable). Rob Owen over at post-gazette.com has seen the pilot and says it looks like it's real and not camera angles or special effects.
But how can this be? How the heck could HBO hope to get away with that in this post-Janet Jackson nipple age? And Jane Alexander is in it! But it's great buzz for the show, and if that's what HBO is trying to do, it's definitely working.
The show premieres September 9. Set your Tivos!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-10-2007 @ 5:14PM
LRS62 said...
See what HBO has to resort to to get viewers back for cancelling DEADWOOD like morons?
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7-10-2007 @ 5:28PM
Televinita said...
Oh boy. That sure makes me want to watch. Clap. Clap.
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7-10-2007 @ 6:27PM
Machine said...
HBO is a paid service and not something broadcast over open airwaves... therefore not under the jurisdiction of the FCC. They can put on whatever they think will bring the subscribers.
Meh. I'll take a third season of Carnivale over a few seconds of poeple "doing it for real".
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7-10-2007 @ 6:35PM
Jaymez said...
It's not porn if they don't show penetration. Then, all doubt will be removed.
Most HBO/Skinemax was real porn that's been edited to remove the penetration scenes. I've seen some of the same movies on Skinemax air on SpiceTV with some "bonus" footage.
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7-10-2007 @ 6:44PM
Clint said...
God bless you HBO!
http://www.tvdeuce.com
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7-10-2007 @ 7:03PM
David said...
Do you morons understand that TV shows cost money and HBO's cost too much?
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7-10-2007 @ 7:19PM
pete said...
about time, as i said a millions times before, tv could always use more penetration.
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7-10-2007 @ 8:15PM
ac said...
Then what was that show Real Sex on HBO showing?
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7-10-2007 @ 9:08PM
Charles said...
It's pay cable, so it's "fine". I mean, when people mention a network show and say "I wish it were on HBO," they mean "I wish they could sware up a storm." Now, I guess it can also mean "I wish I could see their babymakers in action."
But, if you pay for it, I'm guessing you want it. So, more power to those folks.
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7-10-2007 @ 11:56PM
Jeff N. said...
Yeah, John from Cincinnati pales compared to Deadwood. HBO has made some very iffy decisions of late.
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7-11-2007 @ 12:02AM
Hat said...
HBO is premium channel so there are no restrictions on content. HBO can go as far as they want. They don't have to worry about advertisers who piss their pants when Christian groups go ape shit when they put ads on Nip/Tuck. I don't know if I will watch this show but if HBO gets scarred and doesn't air it, it is time to cancel HBO.
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7-11-2007 @ 12:08AM
Bob Sassone said...
Well, it's premium cable so yeah they can do what they want for the most part, but I think there's a difference between showing nudity and sex (as many films do) and having actual actors like Jane Alexander and Adam Scott and Sonja Walger (Penny on "Lost") have real sex on camera.
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7-11-2007 @ 12:46AM
televisionaryblog said...
Um, I've seen the full pilot for "Tell Me You Love Me" and, while there's no penetration shown, it's pretty graphic, even by HBO standards of nudity and depictions of sex. And by graphic, I mean the on-camera, er, manual stimulation of Monster-in-Law's Adam Scott by Lost's Sonya Walger. Seriously, on camera. Disturbingly so. My chief complaint: never has a series about sex been so shockingly and clinically cold and decidely UNsexy.
Jace
Televisionary
http://www.televisionaryblog.com
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7-11-2007 @ 1:37AM
Guffin GacGuffin said...
It doesn't count as porn if the intent is not to arouse the audience. Just having actual penetration doesn't mean it's pornographic.
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7-11-2007 @ 11:24AM
Jim said...
I can see it now: The couple gets naked and the screen goes black.
"Don't Stop Believing!"
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7-12-2007 @ 12:07AM
Freezer said...
This could be an issue where it's illegal to broadcast full-on sex, no matter broadcast, basic cable, premium or PPV (Tennessee and Arkansas are like that)
But yeah, if HBO is showing sex "for the first time", WTF is Real Sex, then?
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7-17-2007 @ 1:18AM
thefunofitall said...
So this is what it's come to. As if shows like Rome and Deadwood didn't appeal to enough people's base, primal urges, now it's time to trot out the porn. Hey, sex is something everyone can understand...right? Heaven forbid they produce a show that's visually stunning and cerebrally captivating like Carnivale.
HBO should save the money they spend on little garbage shows like Lucky Louie and flagrant attempts to gain viewers through shock value like TMYLM and put it towards quality programming. A 3rd season of Carnivale leaps to mind.
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